


BH1745 Luminance and Colour Sensor Breakout
A sophisticated and accurate colour and luminance sensor breakout from Pimoroni. The BH1745 detects RGB colour and light levels with features like 50/60Hz light noise rejection, a wide detection range, and two built-in illumination LEDs.
This type of sensor is found in phones, tablets, and laptops where it detects ambient light temperature and adjusts display colour accordingly. Designed for easy use with Raspberry Pi—solder the included right-angle header and connect directly to GPIO pins 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. Also compatible with Breakout Garden.
Key Features
- RGB + Luminance Detection – Measures red, green, blue, and overall light levels
- Wide Detection Range – 0.005 to 40,000 lux
- 16-bit Data Output – High-resolution measurements
- Light Noise Rejection – 50/60Hz flicker filtering
- IR Cut Filter – Blocks infrared for accurate visible light readings
- Dual Illumination LEDs – Built-in white LEDs for consistent lighting
- I2C Interface – Address selectable via cuttable trace (0x38 or 0x39)
- 3.3V or 5V Compatible – Works with various microcontrollers
- Reverse Polarity Protection – Guards against incorrect wiring
Specifications
- Sensor: BH1745NUC
- Interface: I2C (address 0x38 default, 0x39 optional)
- Voltage: 3.3V or 5V
- Detection Range: 0.005–40,000 lux
- Resolution: 16-bit
Compatibility
- Raspberry Pi 5, 4, 3B+, 3, 2, B+, A+, Zero, Zero W
- Breakout Garden HAT
- Arduino and other 3.3V/5V microcontrollers
Package Contents
- 1× BH1745 Luminance and Colour Sensor Breakout
- 1× 5-pin male header
- 1× 5-pin female right-angle header
Resources
- Python Library
- Datasheet (PDF)
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
A sophisticated and accurate colour and luminance sensor breakout from Pimoroni. The BH1745 detects RGB colour and light levels with features like 50/60Hz light noise rejection, a wide detection range, and two built-in illumination LEDs.
This type of sensor is found in phones, tablets, and laptops where it detects ambient light temperature and adjusts display colour accordingly. Designed for easy use with Raspberry Pi—solder the included right-angle header and connect directly to GPIO pins 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. Also compatible with Breakout Garden.
Key Features
- RGB + Luminance Detection – Measures red, green, blue, and overall light levels
- Wide Detection Range – 0.005 to 40,000 lux
- 16-bit Data Output – High-resolution measurements
- Light Noise Rejection – 50/60Hz flicker filtering
- IR Cut Filter – Blocks infrared for accurate visible light readings
- Dual Illumination LEDs – Built-in white LEDs for consistent lighting
- I2C Interface – Address selectable via cuttable trace (0x38 or 0x39)
- 3.3V or 5V Compatible – Works with various microcontrollers
- Reverse Polarity Protection – Guards against incorrect wiring
Specifications
- Sensor: BH1745NUC
- Interface: I2C (address 0x38 default, 0x39 optional)
- Voltage: 3.3V or 5V
- Detection Range: 0.005–40,000 lux
- Resolution: 16-bit
Compatibility
- Raspberry Pi 5, 4, 3B+, 3, 2, B+, A+, Zero, Zero W
- Breakout Garden HAT
- Arduino and other 3.3V/5V microcontrollers
Package Contents
- 1× BH1745 Luminance and Colour Sensor Breakout
- 1× 5-pin male header
- 1× 5-pin female right-angle header
Resources
- Python Library
- Datasheet (PDF)




