Quick Tips: The Different Types of Color Measurement Instruments

Choosing the right solution

Woman measuring color of a sample with a Spectro 1000.

Don’t have much time, but want to learn about color management best practices? We created this series so you can refresh your color knowledge or learn something new in just a minute or so.

There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” spectrophotometer.

Benchtop instruments require samples to be portable and “presentable” to the measurement port
Portable instruments let you take measurements at a store or in the field
Specific models (d/0º, d/8º/ 45º/0º geometries) are tailored to the needs of particular applications and sample types
Repeatability and inter-instrument agreement vary by instrument type

That’s why it’s so important to work with a reputable supplier who can guide you to an instrument with the features and capabilities appropriate to your situation. Datacolor also has an online tool to help compare the features of our various benchtop choices.