CRI (Color Rendering Index) Chart

Color Comparisons

CRI in conjunction with Color Temperature is the best way to draw comparisons between different light sources. A common misconception is that color temperature and color rendering (CRI) both describes the same properties of the lamp. This is not true. Color temperature describes the color appearance of the light source and the light emitted from it. Color rendering describes how well the light renders colors in various objects. However, the two are interconnected. To compare the CRI ratings for any two given lamps, they must have the same color temperature for the comparison to have any meaning. The chart below shows the approximate color temperature and CRI ratings for each type of lamp. Always look on the bulb or ask the salesman for more exact ratings.