Low Cri XM-L - is color rendition that bad?

Hi guys, on the Cree website I read (in the XM-L datasheet) that "Typical CRI for Cool White (5,000 K – 8,300 K CCT) is 65".

Does anybody of you who used an XM-L equipped flashlight found them to have a bad color rendition? Or is it acceptable?

Thanks in advance :wave:

HighLumens said:

Or is it acceptable?

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"Acceptable" is very much a personal and subjective thing with regards to color/tint perception. I may hate it. You may like it.

And yes, a 65 CRI is regarded typically as "low", or at least not "high" in the sense of other LED offerings that can top ~90 CRI.

If you absolutely need to see colors - specifically browns and greens outside at night - a low CRI will wash-out these colors. If all you need to see is contrast and shapes and crisp definition, a low CRI will work fine.

Again, you really need to see what YOU prefer for your intended nocturnal activities.

imho in regular use not any worse than any other cool white crees that I have.

A better way of looking at things is perception. A coolwhite lights everything up but super imposes a little of it's own color on it. So it s the brain works a little harder to tell shapes. Warm white led do superimpose abit of there color on things but the light is much closer to natures colors, making it easier for your brain to make out colors and shapes. I can navigate fine by coolwhite and I prefer it for work, but when my eyes (and brain) are tired I'll reach for a nuetral or warm tint

The problem with my emitter isn't CRI , its the color shift across the beam . The hotspot is white , the corona is greenish-yellow and the spill fades into purple .

jacktheclipper said:

The problem with my emitter isn't CRI , its the color shift across the beam . The hotspot is white , the corona is greenish-yellow and the spill fades into purple .

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Yup, you'll notice this color shift much sooner than any CRI issue. The upshot is the hotspot is a lovely neutral white.

HighLumens said:

Does anybody of you who used an XM-L equipped flashlight found them to have a bad color rendition? Or is it acceptable?

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I own a Olight M3X. I am VERY happy with the color, period. it does exactly what i want it to: be an ungodly bright, long thrower in a small package.

StarHalo said:

Yup, you'll notice this color shift much sooner than any CRI issue. The upshot is the hotspot is a lovely neutral white.

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I feel like the hotspot on my neutral white spark with an XML is very warm. It looks almost yellow. The spill, however, it an amazingly nice to be around neutral white. I don't really have a problem with that as it balances out when in the woods and you can't tell either way but at close range, it's definitely noticeable.