Color Inspector
ChromaChecker Color Inspector — evaluating individual color samples against spectral or L*a*b* references, with ΔE analysis, metamerism detection, and visual simulation.
What Color Inspector Does
Color Inspector is designed for evaluating individual color patches rather than full control strips. It is the primary tool for brand color qualification, proof evaluation, and spot color conformance testing. Any color can be measured against a reference stored in ChromaChecker’s spectral library or entered manually as L*a*b* values.
ΔE Evaluation
Compute ΔE 2000, ΔE CIE76, or ΔE CMC against a stored or entered reference — with visual pass/fail indicator
Spectral Comparison
Display full spectral reflectance curves of sample vs. reference — identify ink formulation issues beyond ΔE
Metamerism Index
Calculate metamerism index between D50, D65, A, and F illuminants — critical for packaging and retail
Multi-sample Session
Measure a full set of brand colors in one session and get pass/fail results for each
OK Sheet Reference
Use any previously approved measurement as the reference for the current session
Visual Simulation
Simulate how the measured color appears on screen to communicate deviation to non-technical stakeholders
Color Inspector vs. Print Inspector
Color Inspector and Print Inspector are complementary tools that serve different purposes:
- Print Inspector evaluates a full press run against a process standard — control strips, tone values, gray balance, and density across the sheet
- Color Inspector evaluates individual color patches — brand colors, Pantone matches, spot inks — against a specific reference value
- A typical workflow uses Print Inspector to confirm press conformance, then Color Inspector to verify specific brand or spot color accuracy on the same sheet
See also: Color Inspector vs. Print Inspector — when to use each.
Supported Reference Types
Color Inspector accepts the following reference types:
- Spectral references measured directly from an approved sample
- L*a*b* D50 values entered manually or imported from a brand guide
- Pantone or spot color library entries from the ChromaChecker color library
- Previously measured and approved OK samples stored in the project history
- CxF/X-4 spectral data imported from brand owners or ink suppliers
