# Delta E Finder

{% hint style="info" %}
The Delta E is the distance between two colors\
But if you want to know, what is a Delta E ? Following the wikipedia link, and you will understand what is it :\
\
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_difference>
{% endhint %}

![](https://817532847-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LjCNvq-KDdSRn96lZIz%2F-MF65EuQtO0FV_TKnbXW%2F-MF6BfJ5oZX50iIOnWyM%2FDelta%201.png?alt=media\&token=f342d533-c559-4979-a0af-8514bec6c9f4)

The closer the Delta E is to 0, the smaller is the difference between the colors. If the Delta E is higher then 2, the human eye recognizes the difference between two colors.

Delta E Finder is able to compare two kind of files:

* .spc : Measured color with a spectrophotometer and with spectral data included
* .spot : Color export from a color table or directly created with Lab values only.

In this tutorial, we are going to compare a Pantone sample from a printed swatch book with a value from a digital swatch book.

### Read a PANTONE sample with your spectrophotometer.

{% hint style="danger" %}
In this example we will use a PANTONE spot color table.To use this PANTONE spot color table you must have the licence to use it.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
The best way to get it, is to buy a PANTONE Formula Guide.With each of them, you will have a Code to download the PANTONE Color book into digital format with the PANTONE COLOR MANAGER Software.
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="capture-a-color" %}
[capture-a-color](https://docs.coraye.com/colors/capture-a-color)
{% endcontent-ref %}

![PANTONE sample measurement](https://817532847-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LjCNvq-KDdSRn96lZIz%2F-Lr8Od3Ho2HrcY6gNnxE%2F-Lr8QMEXG4Ph3No2dFxz%2FIMG_1569.JPG?alt=media\&token=bb45de77-f1c3-4400-bd42-be9fc6bbcc06)

### Import the PANTONE C digital swatch book

To import a color table, you just need to drag & drop the file into the left column.

{% content-ref url="../colors-tables/colors-tables" %}
[colors-tables](https://docs.coraye.com/colors-tables/colors-tables)
{% endcontent-ref %}

![](https://817532847-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LjCNvq-KDdSRn96lZIz%2F-MF65EuQtO0FV_TKnbXW%2F-MF6HaRD13A4PduibasM%2FDelta%202.png?alt=media\&token=59baf4dd-599b-49ec-a99d-bec76a7c09d7)

### Import a selected PANTONE sample to put into the left column

You just need to write the PANTONE number into the "**search**" area then you have to drag & drop the displayed color from the color table to the left column.

![](https://817532847-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LjCNvq-KDdSRn96lZIz%2F-MF65EuQtO0FV_TKnbXW%2F-MF6IU3ZpJ-FBLUMRzeX%2FDelta%203.png?alt=media\&token=b32b7af1-737f-4ac5-bdb8-692467c98ad5)

### How to know the Delta E between two color

The last step is to select the reference color and to drag & drop the color to compare into the **Delta Finder** area.

Delta E value will appear below

![](https://817532847-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LjCNvq-KDdSRn96lZIz%2F-MF65EuQtO0FV_TKnbXW%2F-MF6JTHTy1rJYzcxtdsM%2FDelta%204.png?alt=media\&token=5ccb1d3e-d6a0-44a2-9245-52c6f2acc945)

### Delta E selection

![Choose the Delta E method among 2000, 94 and 76](https://817532847-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LjCNvq-KDdSRn96lZIz%2F-Lr8Od3Ho2HrcY6gNnxE%2F-Lr8Vr-ScSRxFpFm6VwB%2FCapture%20d%E2%80%99e%CC%81cran%202019-10-14%20a%CC%80%2011.04.41.png?alt=media\&token=b35f007d-da0f-45e1-8e2d-d98a1ca209e2)

### Conclusion:

Printed PANTONE Swatch books are less accurate than a digital swatch book because a printed swatch book don't have absolutes colors. \
\
The measurement with a spectrophotometer is more accurate and is not disturbed by a visual comparaison in a wrong condition (a wrong illuminant e.g.)