Colorimeters

Colorimeters (Fig. 34) are designed to directly measure color as recognized by the human eye.¹ Colorimeters quantify the tristimulus values by utilizing three distinct filters to gauge the intensity of the three primary colors: red, green, and blue (RGB).^1,24 They store only three data points hue, value, and chroma.²⁴ They are easier to use, cost-effective compared to spectrophotometers, and allow quick data loading by circumventing the color mapping process.²⁴ They measure the total light absorbed but do not quantify the light absorbed at differing wavelengths like the spectrophotometers.^1,24 Hence, they are considered to be less accurate than spectrophotometers.^1,24 Examples of colorimeters are Shadevision (X-rite, Grandville, MI, USA), ShadeStar (Lukadent and ShadeEye (Shofu Dental GmbH, Ratingen, Germany).¹

Fig. 34 - Colorimeter

Fig. 34 - Colorimeter

Image: Xrite Inc