List of spectrometers: to measure CRI, etc

Just came across the Li-cor LI-180… so I added it to the list

You’ll want to throw up a search with “spectroradiometer” as well. They might be a bit too hardcore for casual use but you never know eh?

Some very well known ones are the Konica Minolta CS-1000, CS-1000A, CS-2000, CS-2000A (with or without the “A” depending on the model or if the seller omits the “A”) those are the “lab grade” spectros, you can find them at calibration labs used to read references derived from physical standards and in turn calibrate other spectros.

Another manufacturer is Topcon with their SR-1, SR-2, SR-3, SR-3A. These you probably wont see outside in the wild, I think they are mainly used for factory testing of display panels.

For the “field” class spectroradiometers, you will commonly see Colorimetry Research (CR-250, CR-300 for example, famous monitor/TV review site RTINGS or even the Linus Tech Tips lab uses them). Other brands are JETI and Photo Research. These are popular with the Audio Visual cinema folk for those serious about picture quality.

I recently got the Konica Minolta CS-1000A for pennies on the dollar, the retail was around $25,000. It’s just over 20 years old but the accuracy (x = -/+ 0.0015 and y = -/+ 0.001) and repeatability (xy=0.0002) specifications are still state of the art. (recent improvements have more to do with extending the luminance ranges these days for ultra high dynamic range displays)

Naturally, after acquiring such an instrument I now hate all my flashlights, nay, all artificial lights except for my Optisolis art desk lighting. =P

Of course, for our “crude” uses of reading CCT Duv and CRI, accuracy doesn’t matter all too much (especially because of the unavoidable tint lottery), we mainly do relative measurements anyway for comparing or tuning lights.

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Thank you for sharing! I’ve seen one similar one on sale here in the Netherlands recently It was a Konica Minolta… but cant remember the model number anymore. Good to keep an eye out for!