Questions and Answers on Ceramic Metal Halide Lights

Posted by William Li on May 10th, 2019

Question: Today, with the popularity of LED, many designers and owners still persist in using traditional and new metal halide lamps, especially CMH light, in some specific places. What is the reason?
Answer: Many specific places are very sensitive or critical to the spectrum or feeling. Metal halide lamps and even incandescent lamps are still irreplaceable choices (probably very few, but because of the critical visual experience, such choices will persist for a long time). This problem stems from our subjective evaluation of light adaptability and comfort. The spectrum of LED is different from sunlight and traditional tricolor fluorescent lamp and high chromogenic metal halide lamp. Even if the same chromogenic index and color temperature, the visual sense will be quite different. In some places, such as special museums, exhibition booths, hotels and special commercial locations, tungsten halide lamps, metal halide lamps and traditional optical fiber lamps will still be preferred.

Question: Under what circumstances will CMH light be chosen?
Answer: Visual senses require very high or very critical areas or local locations of the light environment. Areas where switches are infrequent; Areas that are insensitive to ultraviolet and infrared radiation; Areas of high contrast and focus illumination (smaller high-density luminous points will make more accurate light distribution).
Question: What are the disadvantages of LED lamps compared with CMH lights?
Answer: In terms of light and color comfort, it is not as good as ceramic metal halide lamps to approach the habitual feeling; high-power narrow beam and ultra-narrow beam (below 5 degrees) lamps are difficult to achieve; color rendering index Ra > 90.