View Full Version : Change in Color Temperature


Bart Wierzbicki
February 12th, 2010, 06:28 AM
I have bought some lights that are giving around 5500 K on full power.
I also bought a dimmer so now I can control the power of the lights.
Is it normal that when I go from full power (white lighting) to a very orange-yellow lighting
when I dim those lights ? It seems they go to a 3200 K but I'm not sure.
The lights were quite cheap so maybe that is the reason of its change in Color temperature ?
Does it happen also with the more expensive lights ?

Brian Drysdale
February 12th, 2010, 08:38 AM
What type of lights are we talking about?

Bart Wierzbicki
February 12th, 2010, 09:32 AM
Those redheads look-a-like from China I guess. ;)
I have used them a lot and they have helped me out big time, but
it's just when dimming them they will change in color.
I haven't worked with other expensive lights, so I don't know if it happens
aswell.

Adam Gold
February 12th, 2010, 01:32 PM
Yes, incandescents always warm up when dimmed to lower output.

David W. Jones
February 13th, 2010, 09:32 AM
I agree with Adam here.
A possible solution is to scrim the lights rather than dimming them.


Al the Best!

Jim Andrada
February 13th, 2010, 10:27 AM
Any way to avoid dimming - ie ND filters/gels on the lights, lower wattage bulbs, different F-stop/shutter speed, etc etc.

Bart Wierzbicki
February 14th, 2010, 05:31 PM
I agree with Adam here.
A possible solution is to scrim the lights rather than dimming them.
Al the Best!

So you mean, I just have to use them full power so I have the correct color temperature, but then instead of shining directly onto the subject (what is way too bright), I would have to put something in between ? for example a large bedsheet, or shine to the other side and try to reflect that light.
Right ?

David W. Jones
February 14th, 2010, 07:12 PM
You could do that, or as I suggested you could use scrims.

Brian Drysdale
February 15th, 2010, 01:02 PM
So you mean, I just have to use them full power so I have the correct color temperature, but then instead of shining directly onto the subject (what is way too bright), I would have to put something in between ? for example a large bedsheet, or shine to the other side and try to reflect that light.
Right ?

It depends what you want to do with the light. If you want hard light, you use scrim or use ND gels on a direct light. If you want softer light you bounce it off a white surface or through a diffusion filter eg 216 or a diffusion frame ( you can hang your white bed sheet for this).