Farberfassung

Farberfassung, often translated as "color capture," denotes the systematic recording of color information from objects, materials, or scenes for accurate reproduction, documentation, and analysis. It combines objective measurements with digital representation to support color management across devices and viewing conditions. The term appears in German-language color science, conservation, and industrial imaging contexts.

Methods: Measurements are typically obtained with spectrophotometers or colorimeters that measure spectral reflectance or transmittance. Data are captured under standardized illuminants (for example D65) and observer conditions (2° or 10°). The resulting data are transformed into device-independent color spaces such as CIE XYZ or CIELAB.

Workflow: A typical Farberfassung workflow includes selecting a standardized lighting setup, acquiring color measurements, converting to a profile-based color representation, and generating device ICC profiles to ensure faithful reproduction on scanners, monitors, or printers. In conservation, spectral data may be combined with high-resolution imagery to document color provenance and aging.

Applications and challenges: Farberfassung supports accurate color reproduction in printing, photography, product visualization, and digital archives. Challenges include metamerism (colors appearing different under varying light), gloss and texture affecting color perception, and the need for consistent illuminants and observer settings across devices.

See also: Color management, spectrophotometer, ICC profile, CIE XYZ, CIELAB, metamerism.