Cielab Delta E Calculator

CIELAB 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:

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1. What is CIELAB Delta E?

Delta E (ΔE) is a metric that quantifies the perceived color difference between two colors in the CIELAB color space. It is widely used in color science, graphic design, printing, and manufacturing to ensure color consistency and accuracy.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the CIELAB 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 Euclidean distance between two points in the 3D CIELAB color space, representing the perceived color difference.

3. Importance of Delta E Calculation

Details: Delta E is crucial for quality control in industries where color accuracy is essential, such as printing, textiles, automotive, and digital displays. It helps ensure color consistency 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 indistinguishable to the human eye).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What do different Delta E values mean?
A: ΔE < 1: Not perceptible by human eyes, 1-2: Perceptible through close observation, 2-10: Perceptible at a glance, >11: Colors are more different than similar

Q2: Are there different Delta E formulas?
A: Yes, there are several variants including ΔE76 (shown here), ΔE94, and ΔE2000, each with different weighting factors for improved perceptual uniformity.

Q3: What is the CIELAB color space?
A: CIELAB is a color space defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) in 1976, designed to be perceptually uniform.

Q4: What industries use Delta E measurements?
A: Printing, photography, textile manufacturing, automotive painting, plastic production, and digital display calibration.

Q5: How accurate is the basic Delta E formula?
A: While ΔE76 is widely used, newer formulas (ΔE94, ΔE2000) provide better correlation with human perception, especially for certain color ranges.