A light source that uses a light emitting diode with a wavelength converting element is configured to produce a non-uniform angular color distribution, e.g., Δu′v′>0.015 within an angular distribution from 0° to 90°, that can be used with specific light based device that translate the angular color distribution into a uniform color distribution. The ratio of height and width for the wavelength converting element is selected to produce the desired non-uniform angular color distribution. The use of a controlled angular color non-uniformity in the light source and using it in applications that translate the non-uniformity into a uniform color distribution, e.g., with a uniformity of Δu′v′