DVD Case Color Search - Success?

As we wrote earlier,  the impetus behind exploring colorimeters began with a mystery color. 

Some time ago, we had created a series of DVD cases to be used with a spinner to turn selecting a movie into a game.  As we began to think about documenting the filament used in our projects so that they could be repeated, we realized that we did not know what filament had been used for the fourth DVD box.

DVD Cases - Unknown Filament

Whatever brand and color it was, we no longer had it in our daily inventory of filaments.  So, the quest was on to try and figure out what we had used.  

Our first try, once we had a colorimeter, was to test the DVD box to capture the LAB color values and enter those into the FilamentColors.xys web site search engine.  It came back that one of the closest matches in their database was for Anycubic Green.  

DVD LAB Color Search FilamentColors.xyz

Fortunately, Amazon is great about keeping a list of past purchases.  So, we did a search back to 2018 to look for any green filaments purchased.  I had purchased filament over 130 times since 2018.  Of those purchases green filament was noted 10 times.

Green Filament Purchased from 2018-2026

I was able to locate and test the Anycubic Green as well as the Overture and R3D Matte Mint Green, which was considerably lighter than the DVD case.  None of these were a match to the DVD case.

It was then that I realized that there was a storage bucket having older, nearly empty spools of filament that I planned to toss.  There I found nearly empty spools of Phrozen Green and R3D High Speed PLA Pro mint green.  I decided to test these along with a MatterHacker Lime Green and Polysonic Teal. 

COLOREXPERT - COMPARISON TEST RESULTS

The colorimeter chosen for these comparisons was the VeyKolor MAX using the ColorExpert PC application.  Before testing the newly discovered filaments, I thought it would be interesting to see if we could detect any color changes to the DVD box due to environmental exposure.  

The Outside ot the Top of the DVD case was selected as the target and then samples were taken of the bottom and inside (Top and Bottom).   The DIFFERENCE calculations ranged from .083 to 1.56 which means the color is reasonably stable and whatever fading, etc. there might be would not be easily discernable.  Note the graph.  (Click for larger image)

DVD Case Top-Inside Shows Slight Difference

As we compared the sample from the MatterHacker Lime Green, we see a huge DIFFERENCE of 38.72.  Both the spectral graph and the sample swatches show this was not filament used for the DVD.

Huge DIFFERENCE Vale for MatterHacker Lime Green

While the Polysonic Teal comparison resulted in a bit closer match with a DIFFERENCE of 22.70, it still was far away from the original to be easily noticeable by anyone. Notice that ColorExpert tells us that the Teal is lighter, has more red and more blue than the target.  This kind of information is helpful.  The Spectral graph is also revealing.

Polysonic Teal Is DIFFERENT in ALL directions

 

The Phrozen Green sample was a step closer to our target!  The Spectral Graph shows the target and sample on a similar track only varying slightly in lightness. Color Export shows us that only in the LIGHTNESS category did the Phrozen Green fail to match the target.

If we remember that the LAB Values provide us with X,Y and Z positions in the color space, we can visualize that Phrozen Green is almost directly BELOW the target in space.  Seeing how closely the spectral profiles closely follow each other, with one just under the other, further reinforces this idea.  The slight differences in the X and Y axes is also visualized by the Spectral Comparison with slight deviations in certain wavelengths between 540 and 550nm indicating the lateral shifts.  This, to me, is very helpful and interesting information missing from the software applications used with the other colorimeters we've used.

The Phrozen Green Differs in LIGHTNESS

I had, earlier, tested the R3D Matte Mint Green and found it was much too light.  However, the newly located R3D PLA Pro Mint Green turned out to be a perfect match to our DVD case.  

Mystery solved!!!

The Perfect Match!  R3D High Speed PLA Pro Mint Green

At last, we finally know that filament that we had used for the mystery DVD case!  The match was absolutely perfect!   The largest deviation from the DVD sample was just 0.64!   

But, that is where the good news ended.

It turns out that the R3D PLA Pro is no longer available on Amazon.  It's unclear if it will be restocked.  There is a single spool of Mint Green available in their slightly slower rated PLA.  Hopefully, they are the exact same color.

It's been fun trying to track down the filament we used for the DVFD case.  But, it's also been instructive.  Had we documented what we had used at the time of the first printing. we might have been able to buy more before the stock was depleted.  And, it is imperative to help FilamentColors.xyz grow their database so that if one filament disappears from the marketplace the more likely we will find a match early. 

In the meantime, using the ColorExpert software with the VeyKolor Max colorimeter has been a wonderful experience and we plan to sample every filament as early as possible for future reference.  It's a great product.
 

Adding Two More Colorimeters to the Filament Colors Exploration

When your research takes you into unfamiliar areas, it can be a bit unsettling.  Even though I had an array of colorimeters, I still had the nagging feeling that I had not explored all the options to the point where I was being as useful as possible to others.  I felt the need to explore the color testing options from other vendors to cover the widest investment price range. 

In particular, i was interested in the line of colorimeters sold under the brand Veykolor. They offer a line of colorimeters on Amazon that start around the price of the LS-170 and go up to the price a little above the LS-173.  But, being retired, and only working part time, made me hesitant to spend any more than I had to in order to satisfy my need to be sure I was covering all the bases. 

Fortunately. I was able to find one of VeyKolor's older units on eBay for just $30.  While the case is the same color as the VeyKolor Pro, I don't think that it is the Pro version. In any event, it seemed worth purchasing it and give it a try.

Used VeyKolor Colorimeter

It came in within days and I immediately set about testing it.  The first hurdle was locating the iphone app. The only way I found to contact VeyKolor was through Amazon.  Fortunately, they answered and gave me the name of the app to seek... ColorMeter.

The problem is there are several apps with that very same name!

iPhone Apps called ColorMeter

 

When I first looked up the name, I had no idea which app was the correct one to use.  So, I contacted VeyKolor for clarification.   It happens to be the first one in the list above.  So, take note of the Logo should you need to download it.  Fortunately, while the listing is Chinese, the app has an "English" option.

I was immediately impressed by what I could do in a very short time.  Here are some sample screens.

Comparing Filament Colors

The app shows both the LAB values and the #Hex for each target and sample.  And, immediately provides an evaluation of the Differences in L*, a* and b* along with a final Difference value.  It further provides a "Pass/Fail" to indicate if the differences might be noticeable by normal vision.  

What really impressed me was the speed with which I could go through a number of evaluations and that the history was nicely laid out.

Scan History

Selecting any history entry brings up a screen.highlighting the LAB DIFFERENCE in Green.

Target & Sample Difference Information

With this experience being so positive, I decided I had to take the next step and purchase a higher level colorimeter from VeyKolor that could go beyond simply using the smartphone app and connect to computer for more detailed analysis.

The model I was testing was similar to the LS-170 in that it is a 45/0 format.  What I wanted was a D8/10 like the LS-173.  These are different lighting schemes that make a difference with non-flat surfaces.  I bit the bullet and purchased the VeyKolor ColorReader Max at just around $100...  Around 2/3 of the cost of the LS-173.

VeyKolor ColorReader MAX

The primary reason for selecting the MAX model is that it connects to a computer and works with a software application called ColorExpert.  I wish I could tell you that the software was easy to find and set up.  But, it required some effort.  To obtain the link to the download, one has to contact VeyKolor via a message in Amazon.  They will then send an email containing the link to the download.  Of course, the link went to by Junk Mail folder.  But, once that was identified, the download went relatively smoothly and it was successfully installed.

MY FAVORITE COLORIMETER AND SOFTWARE 

In a very few minutes from the time I opened the software and attached the colorimeter I knew I had made the right decision!  (Click on the images to see the full screen)

ColorExpert Windows Application for the VeyKolor ColorReader MAX

 

Obviously, the first thing I wanted to know is how quickly I could run through a series of comparisons.  The top right of the screen gives us a full analysis of the Differences along with comments about those differences.  The tolerance baseline for the "Pass/Fail" decision is controlled by the user.  In this case, the tolerances are tight.

Just below that we can see patches of color showing us the colors in RGB() for comparison.  

But, almost immediately something else stood out.  

Notice the chart at the bottom of the screen!  That's a spectral analysis of both the Target and the comparison Sample that shows where and how they differ!

I believe that the reason this particular system can give us this additonal information is due to the fact that it uses a different capture device from all the other colorimeters we've looked at previously, that use colored filters   I need to explore this more deeply.

Note the Begin and End Times

 Using the software made the job of comparing multiple filament colors go very quickly as evidenced by the time and date stamps of the samples.  Having the time and date is very important because it is possible that a "Red" from a single manufacturer can vary over time.

For me, one of the most important capabilities is being able to export the data from a color sample application so that it can be used for presentations or searchable databases.  ColorExpert exports to both Excel File Format or CSV, making it very versatile.  Here is a sample Excel export.

ColorExport Excel Data Export (Formatted)

This makes it easy to share the information and format for presentations. I love it!

I love the LS-173.  But, I have to say that when it comes to price/performance, I think the VeyKolor ColorReader MAX is a real winner.  It is well worth the extra cost over the basic colorimeter models.  It will take more working with both to decide if there is a clear winner; but, from early testing experience this could quickly become my clear favorite.

Check Another Opinion 

If you are interested in learning nore about the VeyKolor ColorReader MAX, the Essential Grade web site has an extensive review.  

VEYKOLOR Portable Colorimeter D/8 Universal Review: Professional-Grade Color Accuracy for the Modern Industrial Workflow

 It is a site worth exploring if you are interested in colorimeters, as they have reviewed a number of products.