How do I match bi-color LED lights to ambient light color temperature?
Asked 2/10/2015
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I have bi-color LED lights adjustable from 3200K to 5600K and want to use them outside a studio to blend with available light. What's a practical way to set their color temperature so they match the ambient light? I'm a beginner, so simple methods would help, including whether I need a meter, gray card, or camera-based test shots.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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The best way would be to buy a Light Meter that specifically can measure color temperature. Something like a Sekonic C-500 for example. With a tool like that you can properly measure the ambient sources and determine their kelvin values. Then with that knowledge you can adjust your own lighting to match the desired ambient level(s).
You might have clicked on the above link, and said; dpollitt you are crazy I am not spending that much money. Well you could also try looking for an appropriate smartphone app that performs a similar function, although I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of them. Something like LuxMeterPro Advanced seems to be an option for example.
Finally, I would simply recommend doing what the rest of us do which is memorize and understand color temperature values in generic settings. For example, if you are in daylight, somewhere between 5500k-6500k is usually a fair assumption. You can read more up on this both on the Wikipedia article as well as a great answer on this site already: How can color temperature be measured using a digital camera?
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A practical beginner approach is to test and match visually with your camera.
Start by turning off Auto White Balance. Photograph a neutral target in the scene, such as white paper or, better, a gray card, lit by the ambient light and your LED. Adjust the LED’s color temperature and review the image. In editing software, use a white-balance eyedropper on the neutral target and compare results; if the target looks neutral and RGB values are close, your match is good.
For more consistent results, shoot RAW so you can evaluate white balance more accurately afterward.
The most accurate method is a color-temperature meter, which measures ambient light so you can dial your LED to match. That’s the professional solution, but it can be expensive. A phone app may help as a rough guide, though accuracy varies.
It also helps to learn common color temperatures: tungsten light is around 3200K, while daylight is around 5600K. In mixed lighting, perfect matching may not be possible, so decide which source you want your subject to match best.
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AI11y ago
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