Delta E Color Calculator

Delta E Formula:

\[ \Delta E = \sqrt{(L_2 - L_1)^2 + (a_2 - a_1)^2 + (b_2 - b_1)^2} \]

L1 (Lightness):

a1 (Red-Green):

b1 (Yellow-Blue):

L2 (Lightness):

a2 (Red-Green):

b2 (Yellow-Blue):

Delta E:

Unit Converter ▲

Unit Converter ▼

From:	To:

1. What is Delta E?

Delta E (ΔE) is a metric used to quantify the difference between two colors in the CIELAB color space. It represents the Euclidean distance between two color points, providing a numerical value that indicates how perceptually different two colors appear to the human eye.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Delta E formula:

\[ \Delta E = \sqrt{(L_2 - L_1)^2 + (a_2 - a_1)^2 + (b_2 - b_1)^2} \]

Where:

\( L_1, L_2 \) — Lightness values (0-100)
\( a_1, a_2 \) — Red-green coordinates (-128 to +127)
\( b_1, b_2 \) — Yellow-blue coordinates (-128 to +127)

Explanation: The formula calculates the straight-line distance between two points in the three-dimensional CIELAB color space.

3. Importance of Delta E Calculation

Details: Delta E is crucial in color-critical industries such as printing, photography, graphic design, and manufacturing for ensuring color consistency and quality control across different devices and materials.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the L, a, and b values for both colors. The calculator will compute the Delta E value, where lower values indicate closer color matches (typically ΔE < 2.0 is considered imperceptible to the human eye).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What do different Delta E values mean?
A: ΔE < 2.0: Not perceptible by human eye, 2.0-10.0: Perceptible but acceptable, >10.0: Very noticeable difference.

Q2: What is the CIELAB color space?
A: CIELAB is a color space defined by the International Commission on Illumination that describes all colors visible to the human eye.

Q3: Are there different Delta E formulas?
A: Yes, there are several variations including ΔE76 (this formula), ΔE94, and ΔE2000, each with different weighting factors for improved perceptual uniformity.

Q4: What industries use Delta E measurements?
A: Printing, textile manufacturing, automotive painting, photography, graphic design, and any industry where color consistency is critical.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: This provides the basic ΔE76 calculation which is widely used but may not be as perceptually uniform as newer formulas like ΔE2000 for certain color differences.