A portable illumination device, for illuminating an object through a medium having an absorption coefficient, has a lighting unit including at least two differently colored light sources for emitting light having a color distribution and a control unit for adjusting the color distribution. The control unit is adapted to receive a distance estimate corresponding to the distance between the illumination device and the object, and adjust the color distribution depending on the distance estimate, such that light reflected from the object is perceived to have substantially correct color reproduction.