Spectrophotometer color measurement with a target illumination system and a reflected illumination sensing system where the target surface is variably spaced from said spectrophotometer. Color correction calibration information corresponding to color measurements for known different spacings of a test target surface from the spectrophotometer are obtained and stored. In use, the spacing of the actual target surface from the spectrophotometer is measured to provide a target spacing information signal. That signal is automatically combined with the stored color correction calibration information for the corresponding distances to provide at least partial correction of color measurement errors of the spectrophotometer for variable spacing of the target surface relative to the spectrophotometer even with low cost fixed focus optics. The spectrophotometer output can be so corrected by changing the target illumination, such as by LED pulse width changes, and/or by corrective adjustment of the measured reflectances.