anyone else wish you could change the frontlighting colour?

stewacide · 11-14-2012, 02:55 AM

For reading before bed, a white light seems far from ideal since it messes up your circadian rhythms. Similarly for use while camping or another low-light situation white light will ruin your night vision. In both cases a red light would be ideal, which is why I use a red headlamping when reading in these situations, since they don't engage your rod cells at all.

Does anyone else think it's a bit impractical that front-lit ereaders all have extremely-bright-even-at-lowest-setting white lights? Also am I wrong in assuming that any white LED can just as easily be adjustable, since it by necessity includes three colour phosphors? Really wish they would do something about this...

HarryT · 11-14-2012, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stewacide

Does anyone else think it's a bit impractical that front-lit ereaders all have extremely-bright-even-at-lowest-setting white lights?

They don't. The Kindle Paperwhite has light levels adjustable between "1" and "24". I find the 10-12 level perfect for reading in the dark. At "1" the light is a bare glimmer, even in pitch darkness.

pidgeon92 · 11-14-2012, 11:51 AM

I didn't know I had rod cells.

Pookeysgirl · 11-14-2012, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

They don't. The Kindle Paperwhite has light levels adjustable between "1" and "24". I find the 10-12 level perfect for reading in the dark. At "1" the light is a bare glimmer, even in pitch darkness.

A few people using the new Kobo find the lowest light setting much too bright for them: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=194786

I only have the lighted case for my kindle, there's no way to adjust it. I think it's perfect, not too bright, not too dim. I've used reading lights that were ridiculously bright and would be disappointed if the lowest light setting were like those ones.

stewacide · 11-15-2012, 06:39 AM

Brightness is a comfort factor, but colour is also important imo since it's the difference between retaining your night vision vs. losing it for an extended period. Particularly if you're outdoors at night it can be a big issue.

Also I'm not sure what impact very dim white light has on your circadian system i.e. internal clock but a red light has none.

haydnfan · 11-15-2012, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

They don't. The Kindle Paperwhite has light levels adjustable between "1" and "24". I find the 10-12 level perfect for reading in the dark. At "1" the light is a bare glimmer, even in pitch darkness.

I don't know if your eyes are insensitive to light or mine are too sensitive but 10-12 in the dark would blast my retinas out! I use 2-4 in the dark.

I can see the light from 1 even with the lights on. And I can using 1 in the dark. It's dim, but I wouldn't characterize it as a bare glimmer.

HarryT · 11-15-2012, 06:46 AM

Certainly. I'm an astronomer, so well acquainted with the use of red light to preserve night vision. But I wouldn't want red light on a book reader. It's not comfortable to read by - at least, I don't find it to be so. I find the Kindle Paperwhite, on a low light setting, to be excellent for night-time reading.

11-14-2012, 02:55 AM	#1
stewacide Groupie Posts: 196 Karma: 1086780 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Kobo H2O Ed. 2, Glo HD, Glo, Touch	anyone else wish you could change the frontlighting colour? For reading before bed, a white light seems far from ideal since it messes up your circadian rhythms. Similarly for use while camping or another low-light situation white light will ruin your night vision. In both cases a red light would be ideal, which is why I use a red headlamping when reading in these situations, since they don't engage your rod cells at all. Does anyone else think it's a bit impractical that front-lit ereaders all have extremely-bright-even-at-lowest-setting white lights? Also am I wrong in assuming that any white LED can just as easily be adjustable, since it by necessity includes three colour phosphors? Really wish they would do something about this...

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11-14-2012, 11:51 AM	#3
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	I didn't know I had rod cells.

11-15-2012, 06:39 AM	#5
stewacide Groupie Posts: 196 Karma: 1086780 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Kobo H2O Ed. 2, Glo HD, Glo, Touch	Brightness is a comfort factor, but colour is also important imo since it's the difference between retaining your night vision vs. losing it for an extended period. Particularly if you're outdoors at night it can be a big issue. Also I'm not sure what impact very dim white light has on your circadian system i.e. internal clock but a red light has none.

11-15-2012, 06:46 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Certainly. I'm an astronomer, so well acquainted with the use of red light to preserve night vision. But I wouldn't want red light on a book reader. It's not comfortable to read by - at least, I don't find it to be so. I find the Kindle Paperwhite, on a low light setting, to be excellent for night-time reading.

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