Color rendering index: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:13, 9 April 2023

Revision as of 01:26, 10 April 2023

Line 5:

[[File:AmbientLED.png|thumb|upright=1.35|right|Color rendering index shown as color accuracy]]

A '''color rendering index''' ('''CRI''') is a quantitative measure of ''[[color rendering]]'', the ability of a [[light source]] to reveal the [[color]]s of various objects faithfully in comparison with a natural light (such as [[sunlight]]) or standard light source ([[standard illuminant]]s). Light sources with a high CRI are desirable in color-critical applications such as [[Neonatal nursing|neonatal care]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neonatal intensive care unit lighting: Update and Recommendations |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305334032}}</ref> and [[Conservation and restoration of cultural property|art restoration]]. It is defined by the [[International Commission on Illumination]] (CIE) as follows:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cie.co.at/publ/abst/17-4-89.html |title=CIE 17.4-1987 International Lighting Vocabulary |access-date=2008-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227034508/http://www.cie.co.at/publ/abst/17-4-89.html |archive-date=2010-02-27 }}</ref>

<blockquote>

'''[[Color rendering]]''': Effect of an [[Light#Light sources|illuminant]] on the color appearance of objects by conscious or subconscious comparison with their color appearance under a reference or [[standard illuminant]].

</blockquote>

The CRI of a light source does not indicate the apparent color of the light source; that information is given by the [[Color temperature|correlated color temperature (CCT)]]. The CRI is determined by the light source's [[spectrum]]. An [[incandescent lamp]] has a [[continuous spectrum]], a [[fluorescent lamp]] has a discrete [[Emission spectrum|line spectrum]]; implying that the incandescent lamp has the higher CRI.