Delta E 2000 (CIEDE2000) calculator
Enter Lab values for the reference and the sample to get ΔE00, with ΔE76 for comparison, per CIE 142-2001.
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How to use it
- Enter reference l*, reference a*, reference b*, sample l*, sample a* and sample b*.
- The result appears straight away and updates as you edit.
- Copy the result, or copy a link that keeps the same values to share it.
How it is calculated
ΔE00 = √((ΔL'/SL)² + (ΔC'/SC)² + (ΔH'/SH)² + RT (ΔC'/SC)(ΔH'/SH)), with a' = (1 + G) a, the SL, SC, SH weights and the RT rotation term, kL = kC = kH = 1.
Example
Inputs: Reference L* = 50, Reference a* = 2.6772, Reference b* = -79.7751, Sample L* = 50, Sample a* = 0. Result: ΔE00 (CIEDE2000): 2.0425; ΔE76 for comparison: 4.0011.
Limits and caveats
- Uses kL = kC = kH = 1 for reference conditions; some industries change kL.
- Pass limits (such as 1 or 2) come from the customer or standard, not from the formula.
Questions about this tool
Can I trust the result?
Yes, the implementation matches the published test data of Sharma, Wu and Dalal (2005) to 4 decimals, the standard reference for testing CIEDE2000.
What ΔE00 is acceptable?
A value near 1 is usually treated as close to the smallest noticeable difference under good viewing, but the real pass limit comes from the contract or standard.
Why can ΔE00 differ a lot from ΔE76?
CIEDE2000 corrects for how eye sensitivity changes with lightness, chroma and hue, especially in blues and near-neutrals.