SUBJECTIVE
personal-based judgment

SCIENTIFIC
metrical-based judgment

VISUAL ASSESSMENT • COMPARATIVE COLOR MEASUREMENT • ADVANCED COLOR MEASUREMENT

VISUAL

BASIC INSTRUMENTAL

COLORIMETRIC AIM

SPECTRAL AIM

SPECTRAL AIM +

Personal perception-based comparison to a physical standard

Instrument-based comparison to a physical standard

Instrument-based comparison to colorimetric standard

Instrument-based comparison to spectral standard

Instrument-based comparison to advanced spectral standard (CxF/X-4)

PROS:

• no knowledge required

CONS:

• expensive and time-consuming personal supervision
• dependent on the person
• lighting conditions related
• uncontrolled metamerism
• no repeatability
• initial swatch-book inaccuracy
• instability of color samples (aging, dirt)
• different substrate / OBAs
• unpredictable issues of opacity, overprints and tints 
• undefined matter of issues

PROS:

• numerically expressed color differences

CONS:

• expensive and time-consuming personal supervision
• uncontrolled metamerism
• initial swatch-book inaccuracy
• instability of color samples (aging, dirt)
• different substrate / OBAs
• unpredictable issues of opacity, overprints and tints 
• instrument precision and stability, inter-instrument agreement issues

PROS:

• numerically expressed color differences
• stable color definition
• exchangeable color definition
• the possibility of remote control

CONS:

• limited color definition
• only one lighting condition specified
• uncontrolled metamerism
• unpredictable issues of opacity, overprints and tints 
• instrument precision and stability, inter-instrument agreement issues

PROS:

• numerically expressed color differences
• stable color definition
• exchangeable color definition
• lighting condition independent
• controlled metamerism
• the possibility of remote control 
• trackable instrument precision and stability
• optional inter-instrument agreement harmonization

CONS:

• unpredictable issues of opacity, overprints and tints 

PROS:

• numerically expressed color differences
• stable color definition
• exchangeable color definition
• lighting condition independent
• controlled metamerism
• the possibility of remote control 
• trackable instrument precision and stability
• optional inter-instrument agreement harmonization
• predictable opacity, overprints and tints