Can a color target compensate for low-CRI lighting?
Asked 3/16/2024
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I use color targets to improve color accuracy, but I’m unsure how much they can correct if the light source has low or questionable CRI. If I photograph a color target under poor-spectrum lighting and then match my image to that target in post, does that effectively fix the color problems? Or do I still need a high-CRI or full-spectrum light source for accurate color?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
2y ago
2 Answers
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If I'm to match my shot to a color target, doesn't it natively fix the problem with low CRI shooting?
No. The problem with CRI is that it is an average value. But you can have a fairly high CRI while also having gaps in the color spectrum. For example, this might be a 95% average CRI but notably lacking in red and blue (I didn't actually do the math). A low CRI bulb could have wavelengths actually missing.
What you want is a full spectrum/black body light source... something that creates light by burning (sun, incandescent, zenon, etc); even if it has a color bias. Color correction can compensate for a color bias, it cannot make up for a color notch... perhaps "close enough/acceptable"; but not "accurate/true."
A very high CRI average (98%) is also acceptable from a non-black body light source (LED), but they tend to be rare/expensive.
Originally by user70370. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user70370
2y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A color target can help correct overall color balance, but it cannot fully fix poor-spectrum light.
The key issue with low CRI lighting is that parts of the spectrum may be weak or missing. A target can correct a color cast or bias, but it can’t restore color information that was never present in the light. If the light lacks certain wavelengths, some subject colors won’t be rendered accurately, no matter how carefully you profile from the target.
In other words:
- color targets can compensate for bias
- they cannot truly compensate for spectral gaps
That’s why a high-CRI or, better yet, a fuller-spectrum light source is still important when accurate color matters. A light can even have a fairly high average CRI while still having problem areas in the spectrum, so CRI alone isn’t perfect either.
For best results, use the best-quality, most full-spectrum light you can, then use the color target to fine-tune and standardize the result.
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