HEX to RGB, CMYK and HSL: one color in six forms, nearest filament and RAL
Enter a color as HEX, RGB, HSL or CMYK and get it in six forms with a copy button, including XYZ and CIELAB. The tool finds the nearest of 20 filament colors and 190 RAL Classic colors and tells you how big the difference is by ΔE2000.
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- 6 color code formsHEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, XYZ, CIELAB
- ΔE2000the gap between two colors as a number
- 20 filaments and 190 RALthe nearest to your color
- Color blindnessprotanopia and deuteranopia
Color code converter: what it is
This color code converter is a free online tool from EduFacturing that converts one color between HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, XYZ and CIELAB, for example HEX to RGB, finds the nearest filament and the nearest RAL Classic color, and shows how the color looks with color blindness.
The difference between colors is measured in CIELAB with CIEDE2000, because there equal distances match roughly equal differences to the eye.
Color codes: HEX, RGB, CMYK
Converts between six color code forms
Enter HEX, RGB, HSL or CMYK and see all six: HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, XYZ (D65) and CIELAB, each with a copy button.
Finds the nearest filament
It compares with 20 colors from the Bambu Lab (13 from PLA Basic) and Overture (7 selected colors) tables and shows the name, maker, HEX and ΔE2000 in words.
Finds the nearest RAL Classic color
It searches 190 colors and shows the nearest with its number, name and ΔE2000, plus the next three by closeness. A warning appears next to the result for the metallic RAL 9006 and 9007. Below it a collapsible table lists all 190 colors: number, name and HEX.
Shows color blindness
Swatches of the color for normal vision, protanopia and deuteranopia, using the Machado, Oliveira and Fernandes (2009) model applied to linear light.
When you need a color in another format
The same color looks different on a screen, on paper and in filament.
Filament from a logo or sample
Enter the HEX of a logo color and see which of the 20 filaments is nearest and what the ΔE is.
Paint, vinyl or powder coating
Take the nearest RAL Classic number and check it against a real fan deck before you order.
Classroom materials
A teacher checks that red against green stays distinguishable under protanopia and deuteranopia.
How a color is converted
Everything starts from the sRGB value: HSL and CMYK are calculated from it, and XYZ at D65 leads to CIELAB, where the difference is measured.
Input to sRGB
HEX, HSL and CMYK are converted to RGB with channels from 0 to 255. HEX accepts #rrggbb and #rgb, with or without #. An invalid HEX is flagged.
Gamma and XYZ
The channels become linear light by the true sRGB curve, and the IEC 61966-2-1 matrix then gives XYZ.
CIELAB and ΔE
XYZ is normalized to the D65 white point and gives L*, a*, b*. The difference to every filament and every RAL color is ΔE2000, and the smallest wins.
| Applies to | Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sRGB gamma | l = s / 12.92 for s ≤ 0.04045, otherwise l = ((s + 0.055) / 1.055)^2.4 | s is the channel from 0 to 1, l is linear light; not the simplified power of 2.2 |
| CIELAB | L* = 116·f(Y/Yn) − 16; a* = 500·(f(X/Xn) − f(Y/Yn)); b* = 200·(f(Y/Yn) − f(Z/Zn)) | D65 white point: Xn = 0.95047, Yn = 1, Zn = 1.08883 |
| CMYK | K = 1 − max(R, G, B); C = (1 − R − K) / (1 − K) | R, G, B are from 0 to 1; M and Y work like C, from G and B; no ICC profile |
| ΔE by CIEDE2000 | ΔE = √[(ΔL′/S_L)² + (ΔC′/S_C)² + (ΔH′/S_H)² + R_T·(ΔC′/S_C)·(ΔH′/S_H)] | k_L = k_C = k_H = 1; the test uses the 34 reference pairs from Sharma, Wu and Dalal (2005) |
What is different here
The true gamma curve
A power of 2.2 is not used. sRGB white gives L* = 100, a* = 0, b* = 0.
The difference is in CIELAB, not in HEX
Two pairs with the same distance in RGB can look like one color in one case and two in the other. ΔE2000 is a formula that approximates how the eye perceives a difference.
Filament sources are named
The HEX values come from the official Bambu Lab and Overture tables. Colors with no single HEX, such as the gradient ones, are left out.
A screen emits light, while filament and paint reflect it, so a close number does not guarantee the same look. Official RAL is a printed sample, not a number, and the values here are commonly used sRGB approximations. Check against a real fan deck or a test print before ordering.
CMYK is a formula without a color profile, a guide for print, not a production calculation. The metallic RAL 9006 and 9007 cannot be shown with three numbers.
Questions about HEX, RAL and Pantone
How to convert HEX to RGB or CMYK?
Enter a HEX (#rrggbb or #rgb, with or without #) or a color in RGB, HSL or CMYK. The tool shows all six forms with a copy button.
How do I find the closest RAL color from a HEX code?
Enter the HEX: the tool shows the nearest of 190 RAL Classic colors with its number, name and ΔE2000, plus the next three.
Can I convert HEX to Pantone?
No. The official numeric values of Pantone are licensed, not public. The tool gives the nearest RAL Classic instead, whose numbers are public.
Why does the same HEX look different on two screens?
HEX and RGB describe how a display mixes red, green and blue light, not an absolute color. Each screen mixes slightly differently according to its profile.
What is ΔE and when is a difference visible?
The distance between two colors in CIELAB. Below 1 it is practically imperceptible, between 1 and 2 only a trained eye sees it in direct comparison, between 2 and 10 it is clearly visible, and above 10 they are different colors.
How close is the filament match?
The nearest of the 20 colors is not necessarily the same color. ΔE2000 says how large the remaining difference is. For a critical color, such as a logo, make a test print and compare in daylight.
Is the converter free?
Yes. Without an account it opens 3 times a day, and with a free account there is no limit.
The color code converter is free. Pro opens the rest
Pro costs 15 EUR a month and opens 45 Pro tools.
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Check your color
Opens without an account 3 times a day. A free account removes the limit.