A device for the density or colorimetric measurement of a measured object, i.e., a densitometer or colorimeter, comprising a light source for directing measurement light onto an object to be measured, a polarization filter positioned between the light source and the object to be measured, a photoelectric sensor, a second polarization filter positioned between the object to be measured and the sensor, at least one of the polarization filters for electronic control of polarization plane orientation, a measurement lens for directing the measurement light originating from a measurement location of the measured object through the second polarization filter and onto the sensor and a controller for electronically rotating the polarization plane for one of the polarization filters relative to the other by 90.