Poll: color temp for paint shop lights

[kicknargel]

We are replacing all our shop lights for new T5 fluorescent tubes. Any wisdom on 2700k "soft white" (or "warm white"), 4100k "cool white" or 6500k "daylight" (or a mixture) for the painters to work in? I have an opinion, but don't want to influence answers.

 

[EdSavoie]

I'm not much of a painter, but wouldn't you want to use the same colour as wherever the pieces are going?

 

[kicknargel]

I'm not much of a painter, but wouldn't you want to use the same colour as wherever the pieces are going?

Sure, but we're a commercial shop. Pieces are going everywhere: theatres, ballrooms, studios, museums, outdoors.

 

[EdSavoie]

Ah. That would be a bit of a dilemma then, wouldn't it...

Cool white, Right in the middle?

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I would allege you need one side of the shop about 3000, and the other side around 5500.

 

[techieman33]

I would shoot for about 3200k and as high a CRI as possible.

 

[RickR]

I would shoot for about 3200k and as high a CRI as possible.

+1
This is the old standard based on 3200 halogen lamps in stage fixtures. (CRI not being an issue for halogens) To me most 2700K lamps have a strong pink tone that really skews things. Other paint shops (sign, furniture, auto, etc) tend towards some special 5000-6500 lamps that have a very even output across the spectrum.

I would go one step further in saying that CCT (correlated color temperature) is vastly less important than color quality. Note that CRI is a pretty lousy measure of color quality. Among other issues, lamp manufacturers long ago figured out how to game the system. IES TM-30 is the current favorite to replace CRI and if you can get those specs you'll be better off. If nothing else you should look at the 'spectral power distribution' chart for any particular lamp.