Illumination apparatus for an endoscope, comprising a beam combiner comprising first, second, and third inputs, a combining portion, and an output; wherein the combining portion is configured to combine a first light inputted from the first input into the combining portion, a second light inputted from the second input into the combining portion, and a third light inputted from the third input into the combining portion into combined light outputted from the output; the combining portion comprises two dichroic reflective surfaces; the combining portion is configured to pass a first passing wavelength band of the first light and to block the first light of a wavelength range outside the first passing wavelength band; the combining portion is configured to pass a second passing wavelength band of the second light and to block the second light of a wavelength range outside the second passing wavelength band; the combining portion is configured to block the first passing wavelength band of the third light, to block the second passing wavelength band of the third light, and to pass the third light of a wavelength range outside the first and second passing wavelength bands; the first passing wavelength band does not overlap with the second passing wavelength band; and the illumination apparatus further comprises a first light source arranged to input the first light into the first input of the beam combiner; a second light source arranged to input the second light into the second input of the beam combiner; a third light source arranged to input the third light into the third input of the beam combiner; wherein the first light comprises at least a part of the first passing wavelength band; the second light comprises at least a part of the second passing wavelength band; and wherein the illumination apparatus is characterized in that the third light source contributes blue and red light to the combined light, and the third light passing through the combining portion is closer to the white point according to CIE 1931 than each of the second light passing through the combining portion and the first light passing through the combining portion. a beam combiner comprising first, second, and third inputs, a combining portion, and an output; wherein the combining portion is configured to combine a first light inputted from the first input into the combining portion, a second light inputted from the second input into the combining portion, and a third light inputted from the third input into the combining portion into combined light outputted from the output; the combining portion comprises two dichroic reflective surfaces; the combining portion is configured to pass a first passing wavelength band of the first light and to block the first light of a wavelength range outside the first passing wavelength band; the combining portion is configured to pass a second passing wavelength band of the second light and to block the second light of a wavelength range outside the second passing wavelength band; the combining portion is configured to block the first passing wavelength band of the third light, to block the second passing wavelength band of the third light, and to pass the third light of a wavelength range outside the first and second passing wavelength bands; the first passing wavelength band does not overlap with the second passing wavelength band; and the illumination apparatus further comprises a first light source arranged to input the first light into the first input of the beam combiner; a second light source arranged to input the second light into the second input of the beam combiner; a third light source arranged to input the third light into the third input of the beam combiner; wherein the first light comprises at least a part of the first passing wavelength band; the second light comprises at least a part of the second passing wavelength band; and wherein the illumination apparatus is characterized in that the third light source contributes blue and red light to the combined light, and the third light passing through the combining portion is closer to the white point according to CIE 1931 than each of the second light passing through the combining portion and the first light passing through the combining portion.