3.7. COLOR BODY

As shown in the previous section, there are many coordinate systems that can be used to describe colors. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine which of these systems is optimal for most applications. To select the best system, formulate the requirements for it, and then check to what extent certain systems satisfy it. When comparing coordinate systems quantitatively, one should take into account the limitations imposed on the methods of representing colors and methods for detecting differences between colors.

For any natural color reproduction system, there are two physical limitations. First, the intensity of light emitted by any sources can only be positive. Therefore, if some color has negative coordinates, it cannot be reproduced as a purely additive mixture of primary colors. The second limitation is related to the range of variation in the brightness of light transmitted through or reflected from an object.