A method for characterizing the color response of an imaging device, the method includes reproducing a color on the imaging device based on a set of device color coordinates; measuring spectral values for the reproduced color with a spectral measurement device controlled by a digital processing system; calculating a first set of tristimulus values from the spectral values; defining a set of human observer color matching functions, the set of human observer color matching functions being functions of the first set of tristimulus values of the reproduced color; calculating a second set of tristimulus values from the spectral values using the defined set of human observer color matching functions; and associating the reproduced device color coordinate with the second set of tristimulus values.