Match and Identify any Color with a Simple Scan
Review by Dave Williams
The Nix Pro 2 Color Sensor is the measuring tape for color, bringing physical color into our digital world. Creatives need a firm understanding of the application of color for so much of our professional lives, and now we have a device that can determine a color and tell us so much about it. Calibrated upon production in Ontario, Canada, the Nix Pro 2 offers an accurate and objective measurement of color on any surface we hold it against. The device comes with a carrying pouch, lanyard, and free lifetime access to the Nix Pro Color Sensor Android and iOS apps. Using the micro-USB cable (included), it charges easily and connects seamlessly to a smartphone, providing all the color information we need straight into the app.
When the device is held against a surface, the color of that surface is displayed along with the value of that color in Hex, sRGB, CMYK, CIELAB, LCH(ab), and LRV. In addition, it will quite simply tell us the hue as a word value, such as “green.” We can delve a little deeper and determine the color palette, finding complementary colors from a number of different palettes. Using one of the free Nix apps, we can also find paint color values and names.
The application of this piece of hardware in our industry can help provide valuable feedback when printing by ensuring our print lab is accurately reflecting the colors we provide in the final product, as well as communicating color values from the real world to our creative software.
I tested the Nix Pro 2 Color Sensor on all kinds of surfaces, including plastic, leather, vinyl, and even flowers, and it performed exceptionally well: What it does, it does with perfection. It would be a useful tool for print technicians and graphic designers; and any photographer with a hint of integration into those fields could also benefit from it. ■
