When it comes to selecting a light you can be faced with jargon and technical terms that simply need a quick and easy explanation to help you understand and inform your choices without getting bogged down in all of the details.
Here we will simply define what are Lumens and Kelvins, compare lumens vs kelvins, discover their differences and show you how to use this information to select your lighting in confidence.
Table of Contents
Lumens measure the amount of light that is produced by a light bulb or lighting fixture. The more lumens, the brighter the light will be.
The lumen is a unit of measurement that is used to show how strong or intense a light source is. It measures the total quantity of visible light emitted from a source in a particular beam or angle.
Kelvins is the unit of measurement to define the color of white light, described as the color temperature and measured as a degree of Kelvin (K).
The lower the Kelvin number, the warmer the light will be; such as a traditional yellowish light bulb. The higher the Kelvin number, the cooler or bluer the light will appear; such as natural daylight.
Lumens vs kelvins compare How Much Light is Being Created vs White Light Color
Comparing the brightness of the light being created (lumens) against the color of white light (kelvins), has distinct differences that could be assumed as unrelated, but there is more to consider.
What is the difference between lumens and kelvins?
The brightness of a light source is partly responsible for how bright the space it is in will be. The brighter the light, the more intense the illumination will be, so the degree of intensity of light must be considered carefully to suit the application of your space.
For example, task lighting requires a higher level of illumination so things can get done safely and comfortably, such as chop food on a counter top, read a book.
The color of white light will affect the mood of the room. The incredible differences between 1000K to 10,000K on the color temperature scale, range from an orange amber to very blue enriched white light.
The color can also affect how well objects are seen.
For example, the task light over the counter top needs to be a cooler color of white for better clarity rather than a rich warm white light more suitable for a lounge.
There is a connection between the two.
The impression of brightness or how the light feels to someone can feel as if the lumens are higher without being increased, all by the choice of color or kelvins selection.
The cooler the color of white from a higher degree of kelvin choice or 4000K and above, will feel fresher and brighter as if the lumens are higher.
Studies have shown that the differences are even greater with colored light. The sensitivity of the human eye sees green light as brighter than an equal amount of lumens of blue or red light.
So although kelvins and lumens are independent measurements, they can influence the perception of each other when lighting a space.
So what are lumens to kelvins?
Of course when selecting a light, it is important to consider both the lumens and the kelvins. This will ensure that you not only have a light with the appropriate brightness for your needs, but also the right color of light for the task or area you are illuminating.
When making a decision on lumens vs Kelvins, first ask yourself what you are looking for in a light?
Comparing lumens vs kelvins, both are important factors to consider when selecting your lighting. Although independent, the perception of light can be affected by the choice of either lumens or kelvins.
The best way to choose your lighting is to first decide what you are looking for in a light. Once you know that, you can then focus on finding the perfect combination of Lumens and Kelvins for your needs.
If you are asking which is more important, arguably the colour of the white light has a greater effect on your space than the output of the light.
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