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Understanding light quality
Color rendering, flicker-free & Co.
Light accompanies us every day - when we get up, in the office, when we relax at home - and depending on the situation, we have different requirements for our light sources. In some moments it has to be particularly bright, in others very cozy and in others simply stylish.
But honestly, have you ever thought about how good your light actually is? And how its quality affects your health? Here comes the topic Light quality comes into play.
Light quality is more than just a buzzword. It influences how we perceive colors, whether we feel comfortable, how well we can read a book - and even how efficient we are.
In this article, we show you what really matters when it comes to good LED light quality and why you should consider more than just lumens and watts.
What is light quality actually?
The term quality of light describes all the properties of a light source that influence the perception, effect and usability of light. This includes, among other things:
- Color rendering (How real do colors appear?)
- Flicker-free (How stable is the light?)
- Light color & color temperature (How does the light affect us?)
- Illuminance & light distribution
There are enormous differences in LED light sources in particular - from flickering cheap lamps to high-quality LED lamps with full spectrum and top color rendering. If you want to distinguish a good LED lamp from a less good one, you should therefore put a (positive) tick next to all the points mentioned. We'll show you what the individual points are all about.
1. color rendering: When white is not just white
Do you know this? You try on a T-shirt in the store, it looks perfect - but at home in the mirror it suddenly looks different. The reason often lies in the color rendering of the lighting.
Good light sources reproduce colors as they appear in natural daylight. Poor lamps, on the other hand, distort the color tones - white becomes darker, red looks pale, skin tones look sallow.
The technical value for this is called Color rendering index (CRI or Ra). This ranges from 0 to 100 - the higher the value, the more natural the color rendering. For living rooms, work areas or creative applications, you should aim for a CRI of at least 90 at least.
2. flicker-free: invisible but noticeable
Another often underestimated factor for light quality is the freedom from flicker. Many cheap LED light sources flicker unnoticed - our eyes do not perceive it directly. This is tricky, because our brain recognizes the flicker. In the worst case scenario, the result: headaches, concentration problems or sleep disorders.
Especially when working for long periods under artificial light - for example at a monitor flicker-free light is essential. High-quality LED technology therefore relies on electronic components that make the light stable and uniform.
But how do you recognize the invisible flicker? Here's a trick: you can detect it with your smartphone simply point the camera at the lamp and see if streaks appear.
3. light color & color temperature: a harmonious atmosphere
The so-called light color - i.e. the color temperature in Kelvin - has an enormous influence on the mood in the room. Warm white light (around 2700-3000 K) creates a cozy atmosphere, while neutral white (4000 K) or Daylight white (5000-6500 K) has a more activating effect.
Good light quality means that you should choose the light color to suit the application, time of day or the desired color impression. And not just any old way - but in such a way that the light is distributed evenly, naturally and without color shift in the room.
So before buying an LED light source, ask yourself what role it will play in your life. If it is to be used as evening light in the living room, for example, an LED with warm white light is recommended. In the office, on the other hand, a neutral white or even daylight white light is the better choice.
4. light distribution and illuminance: not all light is the same
It's no good if a lamp only illuminates a small area and the rest of the room remains dark. A high-quality LED provides uniform illumination - without harsh shadows or overexposed areas.
The illuminancei.e. how much light actually reaches a surface (measured in lux), is also crucial. Depending on the room size, application and incidence of light, different light levels are required.
The question arises: How do you know whether the illuminance is right when buying an LED? Quite simply - you look at the lux values values. In the living room, 100-200 lux is often enough, in the home office you should have 500 lux at your workplace.
You can find more details on how much light is really useful in which room on our Info page on lumen lighting requirements.
Good LED light quality: energy efficiency isn't everything
Perhaps you still have an old fluorescent lamp hanging from the ceiling in the cellar. Although these light sources used to be considered efficient, they score poorly in almost all light quality criteria:
- Low color rendering
- Cold and flickering
- Often unpleasant color impression
- Limited service life
In comparison, modern LED lamps with high light quality are superior in all respects - provided you don't opt for the cheapest product, but for sophisticated technology that is designed with people in mind. And it's worth it: light actually influences many areas of your life - every day:
- It influences your mood and can reduce stress
- It regulates your biorhythm and the melatonin production
- It can improve your performance boost or slow down
- It has an effect on your eyes - especially during screen work
- It creates atmosphere and makes rooms come alive
Energy efficiency vs. lighting quality
| Criterion | Focus: Efficiency (lumen / watt only) | Focus: Light quality (colors / spectrum / comfort) |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | Max. Brightness per watt | Natural color impression & pleasant light |
| Color rendering (CRI) | often Ra ~80-90 | mostly Ra 95–99better skin & red tones (R9) |
| Flicker-free | depending on the driver - partly visible / invisible flickering | stablelow flicker / flicker-free |
| Spectrum | narrow peaks, gaps possible | balancedcloser to daylight |
| Light color & atmosphere | can appear harsh / glaring | harmoniousnatural color impression |
| Light distribution | not always uniform | uniform & pleasant |
| Well-being & eye comfort | can seem exhausting | more relaxed Color impression with prolonged use |
| EU energy label | often better class | can be worse (broad spectrum costs lumens) |
| Typical applications | pure brightness / adjoining rooms | living rooms / home office / make-up / photo / video |
| Price | cheaper | higherbut better quality |
More about Color rendering (CRI) and why it is often more important than pure lumen values can be found in our article CRI LED - Color rendering.
What you should look out for when buying
The next time you buy a lamp, it's worth taking a closer look at the product information. Here are a few pointers for good LED light quality:
- Color rendering index (CRI): At least 90, better 95+
- Color temperature (Kelvin): Suitable for the time of day and room use
- Flicker-free: Particularly important for VDU work
- Light distribution: Uniform illumination without hard shadows
- Light color & atmosphere: Harmonious instead of garish
And another tip: you should not only read the values on the packaging - but also assess the effect of the light in the room, on surfaces, objects and yourself.
Lighting quality is measurable - and crucial for your everyday life
Light is part of your everyday life. It influences how you see, how you feel and what you achieve. That's exactly why it's worth paying attention to the quality of light to pay attention. When choosing your light sources, pay attention not only to the price or power consumption, but also to the quality of the light itself.
Because if you have the right light, you not only see better - you live better.
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