Spectrophotometer vs Colorimeter

This article addresses following two aspects:

  1. What is the difference between Colorimeter and Spectrophotometer?
  2. Which color instrument is the best for my application?


What is the difference between Colorimeter and Spectrophotometer?

One will have different perception of color red when said red Ferrari and red apple. This tells all about need of accuracy in distinguishing the colors. Each color with all possible shades has to be uniquely represented in digital or say numerical value. Colorimeters and spectrophotometers are the two types of color measurement instruments that are used to measure the color. Color measurement is an essential part of a production process in every industry where color accuracy and consistency is important to maintain the product’s quality and brand reputation.

Understanding the factors that distinguish spectrophotometer from colorimeter can help you determine the instrument that suits best to you to optimize your color management workflow.

Colorimeter

Sample is illuminated using colorimeter’s internal light source. Reflected light from sample surface is passed through three filters: Red, Green and Blue (RGB). Hence colorimeter can see only three wavelengths and cannot measure remaining wavelengths and so the color accurately. Figure below is the representative image of color spectra that colorimeter sees. Everywhere other than three color peaks, color measurement remains uncertain.


Spectrophotometer

Spectrophotometer illuminates sample almost in the same way as the colorimeter does. However the main difference is – the color filters. Instead of three filters to determine RGB values like a colorimeter, spectrophotometers typically have large array of filters to measure wide spectrum of color with far better resolution. Figure below is the illustrative image of color spectra of natural sunlight. A visible spectrophotometer can measure and distinguish true color in number of visible wavelengths from 400nm to 700nm.


Which color instrument is the best for my application?

It is common understanding that higher the resolution of the color instrument, better the color measuring accuracy. As spectrophotometers measure entire spectrum instead of just red, green and blue, they provide far more accurate color data; making them useful for broad range of applications in quality control, research and color formulations.

Normally colorimeters available in market are typically priced at around 200 USD to 1000 USD; while spectrophotometers are priced at about 10,000 USD or even more.



Sensegood Spectrophotometer

At Sensegood Instruments, we feel that the spectrophotometer is the necessity of every production industry and not just the luxury. Price has to be affordable for all while keeping the technology and quality at top notch. After a long dedicated research, we could engineer so far world’s one of the most economic non-contact color instrument – Sensegood Spectrophotometer, priced at below 250 USD. We chose to work with small profit and controlled supply chain to achieve low prices


Learn more about most affordable yet technologically advanced color measurement instruments:


Author:
Sanket Patel, Ph.D. Electronics
Dr. Sanket Patel is IEEE award winning researcher, technopreneur and a technology enthusiast.

Location: 358 S 13th St, San Jose, CA 95112, USA

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