EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots -- New Pics Added on 1-11-13

We went from full winter to 60+ degrees today, so I decided to play with my camera some more.



CW


NW




CW


NW




CW


NW






There has been a lot of opinion on which of these two tints is the best with this light. These beam shots are very close to what you will see in person. The distance is 45 yards.

Bruce

CW Turbo



NW Turbo


CW High



NW High



CW Turbo

NW Turbo



CW High


NW High

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Very nice shots of an excellent light! Thanks for posting.

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

What color was the grass under the snow?

It was peaking through in places, and looked either green in some pics, and brown in others...in daylight, is it green, or brown?

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Thanks RBH for the very valuable comparions shots!

While the cool white seems to be a bit brighter, especially against white surfaces, it washes out the colors of objects. Just see how the neutral white makes the natural colors of the trees and branches to be visible. Also the cool white makes the snow to appear bluish.
As always my vote goes to the NW!

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

The CW looks much more natural in that Environment. The NW adds unnatural color and looks warm, very yellow type color added.

Swedpat said:

Thanks RBH for the very valuable comparions shots!

While the cool white seems to be a bit brighter, especially against white surfaces, it washes out the colors of objects. Just see how the neutral white makes the natural colors of the trees and branches to be visible. Also the cool white makes the snow to appear bluish.
As always my vote goes to the NW!

Click to expand...

I disagree, I feel the CW brings out the colors more naturally and as they are (Maybe a little green) While the NW adds allot of unnatural color to everything, like above, type of yellow, and looks more warm. I actually find this to be the opposite way round with other manufacturers.

It's like LCD vs Plasma TV (With the LCD adding unnatural color, warmth, and Plasma being more natural)

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

It's strikes me as begging the question to suggest that warm tints add "unnatural" color to a scene. It is a scientific fact that warm white sources can render colors more accurately than cool white (Wikipedia: CRI).

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

That's why I said I find it the opposite with other manufacturers. I'm just judging it from the pictures presented in the original post. However judging from the poll most on here prefer NW so there will be bias towards NW, for me I am still finding what I like best, but I have no favorite yet. However as stated from the pictures posted in the original post the NW adds allot of unnatural color, the snow for example turns into a more unnatural snow color, where it stays more natural with the CW. (The whites stay more white with the CW, and turn more yellow/orange on the NW on the pictures presented)

For me it's confusing as usually this is the opposite way round. (Like the pictures have been mixed up in the first post, as usually the CW would add more yellow/orange)

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Nice shots, thanks Bruce! You crushed any doubts I had about the two tints and confirmed I purchased the right one for me.

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Hi TEEJ

I checked this morning and its green. The brown color is probably sweet gum balls, I'll have to walk out there to see for sure. As you can see from the 2x4 prop, the door on the old out building needs to be remounted. :laughing:

TEEJ said:

What color was the grass under the snow?

It was peaking through in places, and looked either green in some pics, and brown in others...in daylight, is it green, or brown?

Click to expand...

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

The pictures are definitely not mixed up.

jomox said:

For me it's confusing as usually this is the opposite way round. (Like the pictures have been mixed up in the first post, as usually the CW would add more yellow/orange)

Click to expand...

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Your Welcome

I'm glad to here that they helped you decide.

markr6 said:

Nice shots, thanks Bruce! You crushed any doubts I had about the two tints and confirmed I purchased the right one for me.

Click to expand...

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

RBH said:

Your Welcome

I'm glad to here that they helped you decide.

Click to expand...

I actually already purchased the NW, but of course after purchasing you ask youself "what the OTHER one look like?"

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

RBH said:

Hi TEEJ

I checked this morning and its green. The brown color is probably sweet gum balls, I'll have to walk out there to see for sure. As you can see from the 2x4 prop, the door on the old out building needs to be remounted. :laughing:

Click to expand...

That means the CW rendered the color more accurately.

EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Thanks for the helpful beamshot .
Happy New Year

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

the.Mtn.Man said:

It's strikes me as begging the question to suggest that warm tints add "unnatural" color to a scene. It is a scientific fact that warm white sources can render colors more accurately than cool white (Wikipedia: CRI).

Click to expand...

Its not a scientific fact, and, that's not what your wiki reference says either.

It says lights with a higher CRI render colors more accurately. It does NOT say, that as a fact, warm tints have higher CRI.

If you read your reference, it does explain that a tinted light imparts color, and the colors imparted can change the daylight color to a different perceived color...the rendering color mentioned.

So, THAT means that a warm tint can bring out SOME colors, but, can ALSO change OTHER colors.

CRI ≠ Tint



That means a high CRI light can be cool, or warm.

The SUN for example...?




The pictures tell a similar story...the white building is not white, the grass is not green...except in the CW pics...where the daylight colors are shown more accurately.

Of course, the CW can give things a greenish cast, just like the green grass was turned brown by the NW, and so forth, as NEITHER has anything to do with CRI per se....as BOTH will work better for some colors, and worse for others.

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

In my experience, NW generally looks more pleasing. But snow is one of the situations I prefer CW, NW can make it seem dirty and gritty by emphasizing the greens and browns too much.

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Wiggle said:

In my experience, NW generally looks more pleasing. But snow is one of the situations I prefer CW, NW can make it seem dirty and gritty by emphasizing the greens and browns too much.

Click to expand...

I agree with the more pleasing tint of NW. But I also see what you mean about the snow, I perceive it looking towards grayish with NW while bluish with CW.
Also I am pretty sure that comparing the tree with branches between the perceived color a sunny day with CW and NW, the NW is closer the sunlight. CW tends to make green and brown colors looking pretty the same.

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

Yeah, once you get away from people thinking warmer = high CRI, and admitting they just LIKE the WAY things look with one tint or another, it all makes more sense.

Is white looking yellow better than green looking brown? Or Visa Versa?

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

jomox said:

That's why I said I find it the opposite with other manufacturers. I'm just judging it from the pictures presented in the original post. However judging from the poll most on here prefer NW so there will be bias towards NW, for me I am still finding what I like best, but I have no favorite yet. However as stated from the pictures posted in the original post the NW adds allot of unnatural color, the snow for example turns into a more unnatural snow color, where it stays more natural with the CW. (The whites stay more white with the CW, and turn more yellow/orange on the NW on the pictures presented)

For me it's confusing as usually this is the opposite way round. (Like the pictures have been mixed up in the first post, as usually the CW would add more yellow/orange)

Click to expand...

Not all white surfaces are necessarily pure white. Some tend towards red while others tend toward blue. A warm high CRI source is able to show these subtle variations while a cool white source generally can not.

There is, of course, a degree of preference in these things. When I look at the OP images, the neutral white makes the snow look a natural -- and pleasing! -- off white while the cool white makes it look objectionably blue.

Re: EA4 Cool White - Neutral White Comparison Beam Shots

We also need to remember it's very difficult to capture on camera what you see in person. Even if Bruce were to confirm "yes this is what I saw in person" it really comes down to seeing the tint and performance for yourself. Maybe this is why he bought both, and why I almost did the same.