Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk
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First tests
Imaging kit First tests We get our hands on the latest kit and share our first impressions – so you know whether or not to add it to your wish list
Reviews by Will Cheung & Kingsley Singleton
Datacolor SpyderX Pro £159
Specs
The Spyder is probably the best known family of monitor calibration devices and the SpyderX is available in two variants, Pro andElite, priced at £159 and £246 respectively. The extra £87 for the Elite version obviously gets you more features, including projectorcalibration,softproofingand precise side-by-side monitor tuning. However, the Pro version is more than enough for enthusiast photographers. It supports multiple monitors, has before/after calibration review and ambient light monitoring. The SpyderX series features new colorimeter technology, with a lens- based colour engine and advanced sensors formore accurate calibrations. Open the software and a wizard guides you through the calibration process, starting with a simple checklist. Key things are to make sure the monitor has had a 30-minute
Price SpyderX Pro £159, SpyderX Elite £246 What’s in the box ColorChecker Classic Target, Creative Enhancement Target, White Balance Target, 18%Grey Target, carrying lanyard Systemrequirements • Windows 7 32/64, 8 32/64, 10 32/64 • Mac OS X 10.10 and later • Monitor resolution of 1280x768 or greater • 16-bit video card (24-bit recommended) • 1GB RAM • 500MB of hard disk space • Internet connection for software download • USB 1.1, 2 and 3 supported Size 7.6x7.6x4.4cm Contact spyderx.datacolor.com
minimum warm-up time and that there is no strong light falling onto the screen. You can identify the monitor you want to calibrate, confirm what controls are available and then get on with the calibration. Of course, you need to plug the SpyderX into a powered USB port and remove the
lens cap, which slides along the cable and acts as a counterweight. When it comes to perform the calibration, the colorimeter needs to sit within the guide marks and rest flat against the screen to cut out any extraneous light. The software warns you not to disappear once you start calibration because you may need to adjust screen brightness. Once that’s done you can wander off if you want while the software does its job, although the process only takes a fewminutes. At the end of the process you can check the screen before and after calibrating and save the profile. I have a two-screen set-up so repeated the process on the second monitor. There was a little difference between the two but the Pro version doesn’t offer fine-tuning to get the two identical, so consider that when deciding which SpyderX to buy. That said, I figured there was nothing to be concerned about if my main screen was accurate when compared with my printed output, which it was. WC
Above The SpyderX’s software is simple to use, with a wizard taking you through the calibration process step by step
Verdict
Colour management is so important and anything that makes the process user friendly, like the SpyderX Pro does, is very welcome. This device is easy to use and gives accurate results without undue fuss, so it comes highly recommended.
Pros Easy to use, accurate, quick, software wizard Cons Pro version not ideal for dual screen set-ups
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