Colour Variation Conditions on Screen and Actual Products

Color variation between a screen and an actual product occurs due to differences in technology (RGB vs. CMYK), display settings, manufacturing variations, and lighting conditions. Your device’s specific color gamut, chosen display settings, and ambient lighting all influence color perception, while the product’s color is affected by its material, dyes, and manufacturing processes. 

• Color Gamut and Color Space:Different devices have different ranges of colors they can display. A limited color gamut will result in less vibrant or accurate colors compared to the full spectrum a product might have. 
• Display Settings: The brightness, contrast, and color temperature settings on your screen significantly impact how colors are perceived. 
• Manufacturer Preferences: Each monitor manufacturer has its own color balance preferences and factory settings, leading to slight variations even in the same model. 
• Color Profiles: Devices use different color profiles (like sRGB or P3), and if devices aren’t using the same one, color discrepancies are inevitable. 
• Mass Production Variation: Inherent variations occur in the manufacturing of each monitor panel and its components, causing differences in color reproduction from one device to another. 

• Lighting Conditions: The type and color of light (natural vs. artificial, warm vs. cool) in your viewing environment affect how you perceive color, making a product look different under various lights. 
• Material and Dyes: Subtle differences in the materials, dyes, and manufacturing processes for a physical product can lead to natural color variations. 
• Batch Variations: Different batches or shipments of the same product can have slight color differences due to variations in raw materials or manufacturing. 
• Photography: Professional product images are edited to be accurate, but subtle color differences can occur due to lighting, display settings, and individual monitor calibrations. 

• Use Professional Calibration: Calibrate your device’s display to ensure accurate color representation. 
• View in Neutral Light: Observe actual products under neutral, indirect lighting to minimize the effect of your environment’s color temperature and intensity. 
• Consider Disclaimers: Be aware that manufacturers often include disclaimers, warning that actual product colors may vary slightly from what you see online.