Question 1

What is Delta E (ΔE)?

Accepted Answer

Delta E (ΔE) is a metric that quantifies the perceptual difference between two colors. A ΔE of 0 means the colors are identical, while higher values indicate a more noticeable difference. It is calculated in the CIELAB color space so the distance matches human vision.

Question 2

What Delta E value is acceptable?

Accepted Answer

As a rule of thumb: ΔE ≤ 1.0 is imperceptible to most people, ΔE 1-2 is a very close match, ΔE 2-10 is noticeable at a glance, and ΔE above 10 is a clearly different color. For professional print work a target of ΔE ≤ 2 is common.

Question 3

What is the difference between CIE76, CIE94 and CIEDE2000?

Accepted Answer

CIE76 is the simplest Euclidean distance in LAB space. CIE94 adds weighting for lightness, chroma and hue to better match perception. CIEDE2000 is the most accurate modern formula with additional corrections for hue rotation and is the industry standard for color matching.

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