# Color Temp Adjustable Strip Lights for Vanity / Makeup Mirror



## cyber5 (Jan 6, 2014)

Has anyone tried out the "new" color temp adjustable LED strip lights? They offer warm white and cool white on the same strip - and use a controller (wired and wireless available) to mix the two. (~3000K to 7000K adjustable). 

Seems like it would be the natural selection for a lighted vanity project I have in mind, but I don't want to plunk down $150 for the lighting setup alone (would still need mounting hardware/diffusers/etc.) to find out they are junk and not worth the $.

I've seen 3528 and 5050 versions. Chime in with any experience/knowledge you guys have on these CT Adjustable strips! Thanks!


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## inetdog (Jan 6, 2014)

It may offer adjustable CCT, but is the CRI any good on either setting? That would be critical for makeup to be seen under daylight or tungsten light.

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## cyber5 (Jan 6, 2014)

Most of the cheaper ones I've seen don't specify CRI - others specify 80+ CRI. Hence my hesitation. 



inetdog said:


> It may offer adjustable CCT, but is the CRI any good on either setting? That would be critical for makeup to be seen under daylight or tungsten light.


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## inetdog (Jan 6, 2014)

If I could not determine the CRI (even if I had to get a test color panel myself) I would not use it in a product.
If it tested OK I would then worry if the spec would be changed by the manufacturer without warning.
Measuring CRI is a partially subjective test, not a precise direct measurement.

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## DIWdiver (Jan 6, 2014)

Very interesting idea :thinking: .

You could check how your makeup looks in daylight, incandescent, or fluorescent.

Of course, to replicate those three with good color rendition, you'd need more than just two generic whites at different color temps.


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## inetdog (Jan 6, 2014)

One way of looking at a CRI of 80 which gives you an idea of its significance is this:
A CRI of 80 means that one out of five of the test pigments look WRONG when compared to the same pigments under tungsten light with the same CCT.
Of course the test pigments were chosen on the basis of the eye's response to be difficult to light correctly. 

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## Esko (Jan 6, 2014)

I have not tried any led strips, but I have had a led bulb with adjustable white balance for some ~2 years or so. I use it as an evening light. It is one of the Futlight bulbs that were sold by Foursevens.

I don't consider the light very beautiful. Didn't like it especially when it was new. However, my normal lighting consists of 5500K full spectrum daylight ESLs, so, I guess almost any led bulb would look somewhat bad compared to it.

Anyway, are you going to use any other light sources? If not, I am not sure how important it is to have the best quality light source. I once did some comparison tests with different leds (flashlights) and once I corrected the white balance (point white surface with a mouse and click - nothing else), I had really hard time finding any differences that were worth mentioning. The only exception was a cheap cool white fauxton and even that was surprisingly good. The other leds - Cree, Nichia, Luxeon; cool, neutral, warm; high cri, mediocore cri - there were no significant differences. Nothing that couldn't be corrected in post processing. Of course, if you need to match the led light strips with other light sources on site, that is probably another story.


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## inetdog (Jan 6, 2014)

The most common purpose of lights for a makeup mirror is to help create create an effect that is pleasing under a specific light source. Usually in real time and not amenable to post processing.
The same considerations probably apply to a vanity mirror to some extent. 

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## Esko (Jan 7, 2014)

inetdog said:


> The most common purpose of lights for a makeup mirror is to help create create an effect that is pleasing under a specific light source. Usually in real time and not amenable to post processing.
> The same considerations probably apply to a vanity mirror to some extent.



True... With softboxes and all, it somehow changed to a photography lighting set in my mind. Perhaps because I have been thinking about that kind of project myself. The use of a few cool whites and high cri warm whites and perhaps some red/green also to make an adjustable video fill light. My bad.

That said, I am a bit skeptical about the use of led light strips. Even if you match the color temperature, you don't match the tint. And if you match the tint, you don't match the spectral distribution. For example, standard 80+ cri fluorescent tubes have three sharp spikes, you can't match that with with blue leds and phosphors (one sharp spike and one wide spike). The same goes for tungsten and sunlight (continuous spectra). The led strips may work to some extent but I don't believe you can get the best possible results.


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## SemiMan (Jan 7, 2014)

inetdog said:


> If I could not determine the CRI (even if I had to get a test color panel myself) I would not use it in a product.
> If it tested OK I would then worry if the spec would be changed by the manufacturer without warning.
> Measuring CRI is a partially subjective test, not a precise direct measurement.
> 
> Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk



WRONG!

It is not remotely subjective. It is completely quantitative. All you need is the spectrum of the light source.

Semiman


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## cyber5 (Jan 9, 2014)

Good info and thoughts here guys. I'm with you, Inetdog! 

This idea stemmed from some remodel show my sis-in-law saw on cable, where from what she described - the guy tossed in some LED strips (I think) to the sides of a vanity mirror and put a diffuser in it. Looked great on TV, apparently. She is looking to install a vanity mirror, and the idea appealed to her. So, being a lighting geek - I am toying with the idea. 

Obviously the CRI comes into play. The area will get indirect sunlight thru a window to the side (except at night). I've been looking around, but I haven't found any of these dual-color strips that offer 90+ CRI, which would be ideal. As far as the TV show, the guy probably tossed in some bright white LEDS of unknown temp and CRI and it looked cool. Whether or not the homeowners find it practical, is unknown to me. If I can find some strips that will work, I may try it. I could use different white-temp color strips+RGB , all with individual controls - but I don't think that would be practical, although it would be fun to play with.


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## inetdog (Jan 9, 2014)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has done extensive work in that area which was featured in a thread last year.
They note that formal CRI measurements are based on the spectral response of the human eye, while the effect of odd spectral light sources on different types of photographic film or different digital sensors can be wildly different. 
A simple color balance adjustment cannot correct for all of the color distortions.

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