What color temperature do I need?
When buying a lamp, especially for the workplace, the question arises about which colour temperature is the right one. Therefore, the following article should provide information about what is meant by the colour temperature of a luminaire and which colour temperature we recommend you for the various areas of application of a luminaire.
What is the colour temperature?
The colour temperature describes the light colour of an artificial light source. We use the colour temperature to describe the colour impression of a light source. The unit in which we measure the colour of light is Kelvin (“K”). The higher the colour temperature of a lamp, the whiter the light appears.
We usually differentiate between the following three colour temperature levels:
- Warm white 2000K to 3000K
- Neutral white 3000K to 5000K
- Daylight white > 5300K
Take a look at the graphic below to get an impression:
Which colour temperature for which area of application?
The area of application determines the selection of the right light colour. The decisive factor is the effect of the colour temperature on how we feel. Imagine if you had a bright light in your bedroom, like in a dental laboratory or an industrial hall. How would you feel? Most of you are unlikely to rest and have a sleepless night. That’s the reason why it is vital to know the influence of the colour temperature on our well-being and performance when buying a lamp.
- Daylight white light not only increases our concentration and performance but also prevents tiredness. Perfect for workplaces in a laboratory or industry. In other words, everywhere, you need to concentrate and perform complex visual tasks.
- Neutral white light is a little warmer than daylight and creates pleasant but bright lighting. Luminaires with a warm white colour temperature are often used in offices or meeting rooms and medical practices, as warm white light has a neutral effect on our well-being.
- For a cosy and relaxed atmosphere, such as desired in the living area, you should choose warm white light in hotels or even salesrooms.
For our special applications, we, therefore, recommend the following colour temperatures:
We recommend a daylight white light colour with a colour temperature of 5300 Kelvin or more for dental technology areas.
Our RMD recommendations for the field of dental technology:
We recommend a neutral white to daylight white light colour to watchmakers. Depending on the application area, colour temperatures > 5000 Kelvin, or better still daylight from 5300 Kelvin, are ideal for concentrated work on small particles.
Our RMD recommendations for watchmakers:
We recommend a warm white ( > 5000 Kelvin), better daylight white light colour with 5300 Kelvin for a goldsmith’s application area.
Our RMD recommendations for goldsmiths:
Colour temperatures of > 5000 Kelvin (warm white light colour), better still > 5300 Kelvin (daylight white light colour) are suitable for the workplace of model makers.
Our RMD recommendations for modellers:
The field of application determines the best light colour for the workshop. In general, we recommend a neutral white light colour with a colour temperature between 3300 Kelvin and 5300 Kelvin in the workshop.
Our RMD recommendations for the workshop:
We advise fly tiers to use a warm white light colour lamp, i.e., a colour temperature between 3300 K and 5300 K.
Our RMD recommendations for fly tiers:
Can I change the colour temperature of a lamp?
If you do not want to commit yourself to a colour temperature, there are unique LED lights that can adjust the colour temperature according to individual needs. The advantage is that the luminaire creates optimal conditions for a larger area of application. The user can switch between warm white, neutral white and, daylight white light, depending on their situation. An example of such a light is our LED Premium Line pendant lamp. It allows you to 9 different colour temperatures from warm white to daylight white to regulate. Depending on the task at hand, you can select a colour temperature between 2700 K (warm white) and 6500 K (daylight white).
