C-700 Brochure

8
SEKONIC
Color temperature is a way of describing the color of a light source in a
numeric value. It is usually expressed as either warm (yellowish) or cool
(bluish), and measured in Kelvin (K). Color temperatures over 5,000K are
called cool colors (bluish white). Clear blue skies, electronic ash and
certain continuous light sources are examples of ‘cool’ blue light. Lower
color temperatures (under 3,000 K) are called warm colors (orange or red),
candles, sunsets and tungsten bulbs are examples of these types of light
sources.
Light sources that are not incandescent radiators
(light that glows in dierent colors as they get
hotter, such as a blackbody radiator) have what
is referred to as a “Correlated Color Temperature”
(CCT). Their reference to any part of the color
temperature chart is strictly visually based.
Lights with a correlated color temperature do not
have an equal radiation at all wavelengths in their
spectrum. These types of light sources create
a disproportionate level (high & low) of color
rendering. Light sources within this category
are measured in their ability to accurately render
all colors of their spectrum, in a scale called the
Color Rendering Index (CRI). Incandescent radiators (such as the ideal blackbody radiator) have a CRI of 100 (the best
value).
In order to record or view colors and details accurately in a scene, it is necessary to illuminate the subject with a light
source that produces the correct color temperature. In the case of photography or Cine/Video applications, the color
temperature of the light source should be balanced to the type of capture media (lm/digital). It is critical that the
camera is set (white balanced) to the same color temperature of the light source to achieve neutral whites and blacks
without any color cast. If the color temperature of a light source is higher than the camera settings (or lm used), the
image will result in a bluish tint especially in neutral areas such as white backgrounds. Lower color temperatures will
record in images with a reddish/orange tint. It is important to recognize these color temperature eects in order to
accurately capture the true colors in the nal image especially with commercial images or productions.
What is Color Temperature?
What is Correlated Color Temperature (CCT)?
Why is Color Temperature important?
The Kelvin Color Temperature scale is based on heating an object at various
degrees of physical heat and recording the color changes. For example, if
we heat up a lamp lament at some point, the lament will get hot enough
to begin to glow. As it gets hotter, its glowing color will change, moving
from deep reds, such as a low burning re, to oranges and then yellows
and nally up to white super-hot. Light sources that glow in this manner are
considered “incandescent radiators” (like blackbody) and the advantage to
them is that they have a continuous spectrum of light. This means that they
radiate light energy at all wavelengths of their spectrum, thus render all the
colors of a scene being illuminated by them, equally. Only light from sources
functioning in similar ways can meet the denition of color temperature.
SECTION
EDUCATIONAL