Full Spectrum Lighting is Necessary for Accurate Color Analysis

Accurate color rendition is dependent on a full-spectrum light source. Therefore, a full-spectrum light source is necessary for any type of color analysis.

In 1676, Sir Isaac Newton discovered that color is a component of light, not of the object being seen as previously believed. By passing sunlight through a prism, he discovered the full spectrum of color and identified seven distinct hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The colors that we see are simply a reflection of a particular portion of the light that strikes an object. The portion of light that is not seen is absorbed into the object to become heat. Without light, color does not exist. A full-spectrum light source is necessary for any type of color analysis.

Natural daylight is a true "white" light, which contains a balance of energy throughout the entire range of the visible spectrum. The value of a light source is determined by how well it renders all colors of the visible spectrum. Artists and colorists prefer the light from a natural moderately overcast north sky. Full-spectrum lighting is the most accurate reproduction of natural sunlight available. John Ott was a pioneer in the field of full-spectrum lighting.

Accurate color rendition is dependent on a full-spectrum light source.

HOW TO CHOOSE PROPER LIGHTING FOR COLOR ANALYSIS:

There are two primary factors in choosing the proper lighting for accurate color analysis.

1. Color Rendering Index (CRI).
The Color Rendering Index rates the light's ability to duplicate the entire visible spectrum. The sun, for example, has a CRI of 100. Anything over 90 CRI is considered full-spectrum lighting. Opt for the highest CRI you can find.

2. Correlated Color Temperature.
Correlated Color Temperature measures the temperature at which a lamp burns. A color temperature of 5,000 to 6,500 degrees Kelvin is required to be considered full-spectrum. A full-spectrum light source is a bulb that has a CRI of 90 or above with a color temperature between 5,000 and 7,500 degrees Kelvin.

Where to find true full-spectrum lighting:

FullSpectrumSolutions.com
OttLite.com
Verilux.com