Any suggestions for the highest CRI T-8 4' tubes that can be obtained? I'm willing to consider various color temperatures. I have a special request for a small area and I'm not going to replace the existing fixtures.
The highest I commonly see is 95-98 CRI. For example, these are 6000K and 95 CRI. And these are CRI 98 and 5000K. Note that price gets MUCH higher going from CRI 95 to CRI 98, although I think marketing factors into that to some degree. Also, output is reduced to ~2000 lumens from the more normal 2800 to 3200 lumens of a typical T8 tube.
These are a good compromise between CRI and output. Specs are CRI 91, 3300 lumens, 5000K. I've been using them since 2001 in the kitchen, my workroom, and my bedroom. For most of the rest of the house I settled on standard 5000K, CRI 86 Ushio T8s. Good enough most of the time, and under $2 each in 25s.
Any suggestions for the highest CRI T-8 4' tubes that can be obtained? I'm willing to consider various color temperatures. I have a special request for a small area and I'm not going to replace the existing fixtures.
I believe the ones we buy are 95 CRI for 6500K. They also jump in price from about 2$ per tube to 6$ per tube- phillips, if memory serves.
I know at one point I looked them up at 1000bulbs or some other website and they had detailed information on them.
You also do take a significant hit in luminance- about 25% -33% in some cases, because of the extra phosphor coatings.
Without knowing what you're doing and your scope, it is difficult to recommend an alternate that might suffice at a lower cost for you- but if all you're look at is high CRI then you have options.
You can buy 5000 or higher kelvin color with CRI higher than 90 from various places online. Philips is is the only one I'm aware of who offers high CRI bulb in 3000K though. It's called TL930
