Colour consistency
Why can two 3000K lights look different?
3000K is a useful indication of a light’s warm appearance. It is not a promise that every source carrying that label will look identical beside another.
The label is only the beginning
Correlated colour temperature describes one aspect of the source’s colour appearance. It does not fully describe its spectrum, its tint or how it will render the colours of objects.
This is why comparing lights on a specification sheet can leave questions unanswered. A finish that appears balanced under one source may feel different under another, even when their stated colour temperatures match.
Look at neighbouring surfaces
Differences are often easier to notice when several sources illuminate the same pale wall or sit close together. Ask about colour consistency as well as the nominal temperature; SDCM is one measure used to describe colour variation.
The appropriate tolerance depends on the application. A continuous wash across a light-coloured surface deserves particularly careful sample review. Do not judge only by looking directly into the fittings.
Compare under useful conditions
Place proposed sources beside one another with the actual paint, stone, timber and fabrics. Use the intended mounting arrangement where practical. Check the result at the dimming levels you expect to use.
Record the agreed source and driver specification for later additions or replacements. A consistent project needs more information than wattage and a 3000K label.
Same colour temperature. More questions worth asking.