What is the difference between tristimulus Colorimeter and Colorimeter?

Tristimulus Colorimeters and Spectrophotometer s are both instruments used to measure color difference, but they work differently and measure them differently.

The three-stimulus value Colorimeter measures the reflection or transmission of the three basic colors of red, green and blue, and calculates the three stimulus values (L, a, b values) of the sample, thereby obtaining the color difference value between the sample and the standard color. The tristimulus value color difference meter can measure the color brightness, chromaticity and hue of the sample. It is a commonly used portable color difference instrument and is suitable for some simple color difference measurements.

The Spectrophotometer uses spectrophotometry, by decomposing light into different wavelength spectra, and then measuring the intensity of each wavelength of light to calculate the spectral reflectance or transmittance of the sample, and then obtain the chromaticity coordinates and color difference values of the sample. The Spectrophotometer can measure the spectral information of the sample, and the measurement of the color details is more accurate and fine, which is suitable for the fields of precision color measurement and color matching.

Therefore, tristimulus Colorimeters are suitable for some simple color measurements, while Spectrophotometer s are suitable for more complex and sophisticated color measurements. Tristimulus Colorimeters and Spectrophotometer s are also priced differently, with tristimulus Colorimeters generally being less expensive, while Spectrophotometer s are more expensive. In terms of application, the tristimulus value Colorimeter is usually used for some simple color comparison and measurement, such as comparing whether the colors of different batches are consistent, judging whether the product meets the color requirements, etc. The Spectrophotometer is suitable for fields that require fine color measurement and matching, such as printing, coatings, textiles and other industries that require high color accuracy.

In short, tristimulus value Colorimeters and Spectrophotometer s are different in color measurement, and the selection of a suitable instrument needs to be determined according to specific measurement requirements and application scenarios.