Verena W.
Published on
"Everyone has probably noticed it when looking in the mirror: Depending on the light, your own face sometimes looks completely different - sometimes it looks unnaturally pale and sometimes it is a little too yellowish or reddish. You can find out why in this article"
CRI/RA - What do these values mean?
The CRI/RA value is a measure of the quality of the color rendering of light sources. It indicates how accurately a light source can reproduce colors compared to a reference light source. The reference light source has a CRI/RA value of 100 and reproduces colors very precisely. The higher the CRI/RA value of a light source, the better its color rendering. A high CRI/RA value is important for the correct perception of colors.
In many applications, such as in art or in the industry it is important that colors are reproduced correctly. Incorrect color rendering can lead to errors and problems. It is therefore important to pay attention to the CRI/RA value when selecting lighting fixtures.
The CRI/RA value is measured using color samples that are viewed under a reference light source. These color samples are then viewed and compared under the light source to be measured. The CRI/RA value is then indicated on a scale from 0 to 100.
A CRI/RA value of 100 is ideal and indicates perfect color rendering. A CRI/RA value of 80 or higher is considered good and is sufficient for many applications. A CRI/RA value of less than 80 is considered poor and should be avoided. Overall, the CRI/RA value is an important factor in lighting.
Correct color rendering is essential in many applications and can lead to problems if it is not correct. A high CRI/RA value is therefore desirable in many cases and should be taken into account when selecting light sources.
As mentioned, the color rendering index is abbreviated as CRI and is specified with an RA value and is a property of a light source such as a LED lamp or a light bulb. The index indicates how natural the colors of illuminated objects appear in the light - sunlight with maximum natural color rendering serves as a guide.
The fact that there are differences in the RA values from lamp to lamp is due to the different light spectra of the light sources. For the human eye, only the part of the electromagnetic radiation between 380nm and 780nm is visible light, which is made up of different spectral colors.
Natural sunlight contains all of these colors and therefore all visible wavelengths. For artificial lighting to achieve the same realistic color rendering as daylight, the light from the illuminant would also have to contain all spectral colors.
However, this is not always the case. In some cases, a lamp emits the brightness unevenly to the color palette and certain colors are overemphasized and others underemphasized. If a spectral color is not present at all, an object in this color appears grayish. Based on the color rendering index at illuminant you can find out how naturally your luminaire reproduces the colors and the different lamps can be compared with each other.
Depending on the purpose of the lighting, better color rendering may be more or less important.
"As a lighting professional, I always recommend ensuring a CRI/RA value of at least 80 to guarantee sufficiently good color rendering and thus create pleasant and natural lighting."
Expert tip from Guido H.
Managing Director at skapetze®
Why is the CRI/RA value important?
Good color rendering is important to achieve a natural and accurate color representation of objects. Lamps with a high CRI/RA value can reproduce colors better, while lamps with a lower value tend to distort or fade colors.
Lamps with a high CRI/RA value are usually LED lamps and incandescent lamps. LED lamps with a CRI/RA value of 80 or higher are usually labeled as "high color rendering" and are a good choice for applications where color accuracy is important, such as make-up or painting.
Incandescent lamps also have a high CRI/RA value, but they are less popular these days due to their high energy consumption and environmental impact. The color rendering of a luminaire is measured using a spectrometer, and the RA value can range from 1 to 100.
Natural daylight from the sun has a maximum value of RA 100, which stands for true-to-life color rendering. The higher the RA color rendering index, the more natural the colors appear and the more pleasant they are perceived.
The light sources are then tested using 14 colors standardized in DIN 6169, whereby the extent to which the color representation of artificial lighting deviates from daylight is tested. The 14 colors include the 8 primary reference colors old pink, mustard yellow, yellow-green, light green, turquoise blue, sky blue, branch violet and lilac violet as well as the 6 secondary reference colors red, yellow, green, blue, pink and leaf green.
Color rendering as one of many quality characteristics of light not only plays a role in private rooms such as in the bedroom when dressing, in mirror lighting in the bathroom or in lighting in the dining room, but is even relevant to sales in some industries.
In the food sector in particular, a good color rendering index makes meat, fruit or baked goods look really tasty and thus influences customers' purchasing decisions. The same applies to fashion stores, where the colors of clothing must of course be clearly visible.
In addition to retail, good color rendering of the luminaire with high RA values is also relevant for doctors, architects or graphic designers. This clearly shows how important lighting can be and that high-quality light with high color fidelity is in demand in many areas - when purchasing a light source, it is therefore important to pay close attention to the CRI specified as the RA value.
Conclusion - How to do everything right!
In summary, it can be said that the CRI/RA value is an important factor in lighting. A high color rendering quality is of great importance in many applications, as it helps to ensure that colors can be perceived naturally and precisely.
When purchasing lighting fixtures, the CRI/RA value should therefore be taken into account to ensure pleasant and effective lighting.
If you are still undecided about how you want to implement your lighting, why not arrange an appointment with the lighting professionals at skapetze®, for a personal consultation and the development of an individual lighting concept lighting concept.
You are also welcome to visit us on site in Simbach am Inn in our light studio come and visit us.
If you already have a concrete idea of what the lights in your living room should look like, we can help you turn this idea into reality - our in-house workshop makes it possible.
Verena W.
