Color TemperatureIt’s important that you understand color temperature before we start discussing white balance any further. Simply put, color temperature is measured in Degrees Kelvin.

(K).Color Temperature (K)    Light Source
1500                                    Candle
3200                                    Sunrise and sunset
3400                                    Tungsten lamp
5500                                    Natural daylight
6000                                    Overcast sky
8000                                    Shade on a sunny day
12,000                                 Blue sky

The two color temperatures you’ll hear most often discussed are outdoor lighting which is often ballparked at 5600K and indoor (tungsten) lighting which is generally ballparked at 3200K. These are the two numbers you’ll hear over and over again. Higher color temperatures (over 5000K) are considered “cool” (i.e. Blue’ish). Lower color temperatures (under 5000K) are considered “warm” (i.e. orange’ish).

Source: Filmmaking: White Balance and Color Temperature – Part 29