Kelvin Temperature Lighting Chart

Typically kelvin temperatures for commercial and residential lighting applications fall somewhere on a scale from 2000k to 6500k.

Kelvin temperature lighting chart. The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal black body radiator that radiates light of a color comparable to that of the light source. Color temperature is a way to describe the light appearance provided by a light bulb. Here s a color temperature chart for reference. Light bulb color temperature is represented in the unit of absolute temperature kelvin noted by the symbol k.

Virtually all light bulbs or lighting fixtures that come with bulbs included will reference on the package which kelvin color temperature is associated with the item you are purchasing. It is measured in degrees on a kelvin scale k and typically ranges from 2700 5000 degrees kelvin. Household fixtures are commonly found in color temperatures on the kelvin scale of 2700k warm incandescent 3000k warm white halogen and 3500k household fluorescent. In our previous writeup on three point lighting we briefly touched upon the properties of color temperature and how different light sources will have a color that is perceived as either warm or cold the basis of how light temperature is measured is against a.

See for yourself what each of the most common light temperatures looks like on camera with this simple breakdown of the kelvin scale. Leds are available in warm colors low k to match the yellowish light of incandescent bulbs but you can also choose cooler colors high k with whiter or bluer light.