A Functional Comparison of the Densitometer and Spectrophotometer

In deciding on the appropriate color measurement instrumentation, it is essential that you understand the operational characteristics, functional comparisons, and intricacies of both the densitometer and the spectrophotometer. This is best communicated in the in-depth instrument descriptions below. Densitometers Density is a measure of the absorbance of an ink at specific wavelengths of light. As an example, yellow ink has a maximum absorbance in the blue region, so its density is calculated using a filter…

A Short History of the SpectroDensitometer

Over the last 15 years, the trend has shifted from traditional CMYK densitometers to spectrophotometer based densitometers. This shift was mainly driven by more affordable, lower cost technology and the need to know more about the characteristic of the ink that is being printed. This has created a new class of products called Spectro-Densitometers. Spectro-Densitometers are catching the eyes of press operators everywhere. Historically, they’ve had to rely on their eyes to calibrate the press,…

Tricks of the Trade When Measuring Color

Here are just a few tricks of the trade when using a densitometer or spectrophotometer to measure color: Calibrate Always be sure to calibrate the device on its matched calibration plaque. Experienced users tend to get lazy or rushed and forget this critical step. And, often time’s new users overlook the importance of calibration. Handle with Care It is very important to hold the device down gently and evenly when measuring color patches; even slight…