D65 BIAS
LIGHTING

What is D65?

Monitors and displays are typically calibrated to a D65 color point, and D65 bias lighting ensures that ambient lighting conditions match that of the monitor's calibration in order to ensure accurate color perception and prevent eye strain.

But not all bias lights are created equal, and not all D65 lights are created equal.

What is D65?

But not all bias lights are created equal, and not all D65 lights are created equal.

D65: More Than Just A Color

D65's fundamental definition is not a color point, but a spectrum. It is a broad, full spectrum light that is considered to be a universal standard to simulate natural daylight.

Why does light spectrum matter?

A light's spectrum is like its DNA, and defines its wavelength energy "makeup." Two light sources can have very different spectral distributions, but happen to exhibit the same light color. As soon as the light hits an object, however, the reflected color will appear different due to the differences in their spectral content.

This phenomenon is called metamerism, and is best explained by the Color Rendering Index (CRI). A high CRI value for a D65 light source indicates that it illuminates objects very similarly to natural daylight, or a perfect D65 source.

In other words, it is very possible to have two bias lights that have a light color point that appears to be D65, but as soon as the light is reflected off a wall (even with neutral color), the resulting color can differ, altering your visual perception of your D65 calibrated equipment.

Measuring CRI for ABSOLUTE SERIES™

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures the ability of a light source to bring out the true colors of an object. But what's really going on here? It is the spectral qualities of a light source that determine its color rendering abilities. Full spectrum light sources, by virtue of being similar to natural daylight, must have a very high CRI to be considered a true, full spectrum light source.

Waveform Lighting's ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED lamps have up to 99 CRI (Ra). This means that our lights are virtually indistinguishable from D65 daylight.

ABSOLUTE Precision & Consistency

ABSOLUTE SERIES LEDs are subject to an extremely stringent, 100% sampling quality control process. We pay special attention to color deviation from D65, both in initial performance as well as long-term color and brightness stability. Many competing products will start off very far from D65, or change or shift in color during use.