5600K

5600K is a color temperature designation used in lighting, photography, and color science to describe the hue of white light. It is measured in kelvin (K) on the color temperature scale, where lower values yield warmer, more amber light and higher values yield cooler, more bluish light. A value of 5600K is commonly associated with daylight-type illumination and is often used as a standard reference in imaging workflows. While it approximates midday daylight under clear skies, actual daylight varies with weather, time of day, and location.

In practical use, 5600K serves as a target for white balance settings in cameras and as the nominal color temperature of daylight-balanced light sources. Many studio lights, LEDs, and flash units offer adjustable color temperatures around or near 5600K to reproduce a daylight look. When mixing light sources, photographers and videographers may employ gels or color-management techniques to maintain consistent color rendering at or near 5600K. In post-production, 5600K can serve as a reference point for color grading of scenes intended to appear daylight-lit.

Notes of caution include that color perception depends on the lighting environment and the display used for viewing. Monitor and print workflows often rely on different standard illuminants (for example, D65 around 6500K) for color management, which can influence perceived neutrality. 5600K remains a common standard for daylight-balancing and classroom or field lighting contexts.