COLOR RENDERING INDEX (CRI) BASICS

Color Rendering Index, or CRI, of a lamp or fixture refers to how the light source makes the color of an object in the environment appear to human eye. Light with a higher color rendering index allows one to see the variations in its shades more clearly than light with a low color rendering index. CRI is measured of  as a number on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher this number, the better is the color rendering. Below is a list of typical light sources and their respective color rendering

As you can see LED’s have a CRI that is on the higher end when compared to other lights. Some LEDs can reach a CRI of 98+. This combined with energy efficiency and controls LED lights offer, they are the preferred choice of lighting for most applications. This is true when the applications include retail, medical facilities, inspection areas in manufacturing and quality control among others.