Because color temperature seems to make a MUCH bigger difference in how pleasing the light output is.
- The benefits of CRI are real, but they are very subtle. Hard to see unless you’re really looking for it or have low-CRI light to contrast it with.
- The benefits of a neutral or warm tint are also real… and they aren’t subtle at all. They’re instantly noticeable.
Think of it like you’re painting a wall. The color temperature is the roller you use to paint 95% of the wall. The CRI is the fine brush you use to detail the edges. Both are useful, but if you could only have one, having 95% of the wall painted is far more noticeable.
Put another way, if I had to put into percentages what makes for a pleasing and useful flashlight beam in my opinion, I might come up with the following:
- 30% Total lumens…………………… Output is very important for flashlights. And not just max burst output. Sustained output is also important.
- 25% Beam pattern …………………… Depending on use, beam pattern is also very important. Sometimes more important than lumens.
- 25% Color temperature……………. I usually prefer 4000-4500K
- 15% Color Tint below the BBL…… I prefer rosy tint and dislike green tint
- 5% CRI…………………………………. It’s a nice extra bonus when you can get it without sacrificing other factors, but is a minor factor compared to the others