Important: this is an estimate, not a conversion
You can’t truly convert CRI to TM-30
CRI is a single average over 8 pastel samples; TM-30 measures fidelity (Rf) and gamut (Rg) across 99 samples plus per-hue shifts. Two lights with the same CRI can have very different Rf/Rg. The figures above are typical correlations to build intuition — for real specification, always use a fixture’s measured TM-30 report.
How colours actually render
Color rendering is visual, so here’s the idea: under a low-CRI source the same object looks duller and slightly off; under a high-CRI source it looks vivid and true. Left half of each chip ≈ CRI 70, right half ≈ CRI 95+.
Rf vs Rg — fidelity and saturation
Rf (fidelity) asks “are colours accurate?” Rg (gamut) asks “are colours more or less saturated than reference?” CRI captures neither well. A light can be accurate yet flat (low Rg), or punchy yet inaccurate (high Rg, low Rf).
dull / washed out
natural
vivid / saturated
What to aim for, by application
| Application | Aim for |
|---|---|
| Residential | CRI 90+ (Rf 85+), warm CCT for comfortable, true colour |
| Retail / fashion | High Rf with balanced Rg (~100–105) so products look accurate but lively |
| Grocery / food | Slightly enhanced gamut (Rg > 100) and strong R9 for vivid produce & meat |
| Art gallery / museum | High fidelity (Rf 90+, Rg ≈ 100) — accuracy over punch |
| Healthcare / clinical | Accurate skin tones: high Rf with strong deep-red (R9 / R1) rendering |
| Office / workspace | CRI 80–90, neutral CCT — balanced and efficient |