Nix Mini 3 Color Sensor

[rickshaw]

Something a wee bit different for decal and model makers.  A colour sensor that returns true colours from what it senses so you can create more perfect decals and paint colours...

Nix Mini 3 Color Sensor

[zenrat]

I can just imagine JMNs walking round model shows "proving" someone has used the "wrong" paint.

Interesting gadget though.

[PR19_Kit]

But at nearly £100? 

[jcf]

Because exact colour matching is of critical import.
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[jcf]

But at nearly £100? 

Pretty reasonable for what it is and the intended users, design professionals. It wouldn't be of much use to the average modeller because in order to match a paint colour you'd need a machine that could translate RGB or HEX#s into a paint mix. CMYK is for printing, it works differently from the other two, so it wouldn't be used to mix a paint. As far as printing decals to match something that would require that the sensor, your computer display and printer were all calibrated precisely the same. Especially the last as even though the RGB values/HEX#s are the "same", the print output can be very different. Also as it states that in order to use Pantone, NCS and RAL colour systems you'd need a subscription to each. 
The info states that the app has the
built in ability to match "200,000 colours" from paint manufacturers,
I doubt that includes model paint
companies. 

[frank2056]

You can do the same with a smartphone. There are apps that will use the white LED to produce a known light color, then interpret the color of the illuminated surface.

I did something similar to find a good color match for denim. I took a photo of my jeans, with a white card for reference, then used a paint program to extract the RGB and Cyan equivalents. It made it a lot easier to mix the paint. Proof is in the pudding:

[Rick Lowe]

Car paint makers will match to a colour chip, and do you a spraycan of your desired colour as well.
Something I've been considering, but always shied away from, because of the wastage...

[PR19_Kit]

It may well be 'reasonable' for them, it surely isn't for me.

I'll continue to use my trusty paint pallets and the '...maybe another drop of this colour.....' technique to get the shades I want.

[Old Wombat]

It may well be 'reasonable' for them, it surely isn't for me.

I'll continue to use my trusty paint pallets and the '...maybe another drop of this colour.....' technique to get the shades I want.

Unless you're doing vast amounts of painting with each colour & the results are all going to be sitting immediately next to each other, this is still the best way!