Eurolight
LED lights can be installed in various corners of the ceiling, walls, and floor. They may seem inconspicuous, but they control the atmosphere of the entire space. The quality of the light determines the texture of the space. Therefore, when choosing lights, the color rendering index, an important parameter that affects lighting quality, cannot be overlooked.
What is CRI of LED lights?
Color Rendering Index (CRI) is an indicator used to evaluate how realistically objects render colors when illuminated by a LED light source. The higher the CRI value, the closer the color rendering ability is to natural light. The degree to which the colors of a colored object appear realistic when illuminated by the light emitted by this bulb. The range is typically 0-100 (the higher the value, the better the color rendering).
In short, the higher the color rendering index (CRI) of a light fixture, the more clearly you can see the true color of objects illuminated by it.
The color rendering index (CRI) of incandescent and halogen bulbs is defined as 100, while that of high-pressure sodium lamps is 20, and that of American standard metal halide lamps is 65.
Technical Principle of CRI.
CRI is calculated by comparing the color rendering differences of eight standard color charts under a test light source and a reference light source (such as natural light). The smaller the difference, the higher the score.
Common LED lighting fixtures meet the standard with a CRI ≥ 80, while high-end products can reach 95 or higher (such as museum Track lighting).
Application Scenarios
High CRI (≥ 90): Suitable for places with strict color accuracy requirements, such as art galleries and medical operating rooms.
Medium CRI (80-89): Meets daily needs in homes, supermarkets, etc.
Low CRI (< 80): Mostly used in scenarios where color rendering requirements are not high, such as street lighting.
The effect of color rendering index
The same object will appear as different colors to us under light sources with different color rendering indices (CRIs). The closer the CRI is to 100, the stronger the ability to reproduce the colors of an object, and the easier it is for the human eye to distinguish colors. Often, people feel that the clothes they buy don’t look as vibrant or attractive as they did in the store, seemingly losing their color. This is due to the difference in CRI of the lighting fixtures. The CRI of store commercial lighting is higher than that of home lighting, which is why clothes look better in a store.