Photography News | Issue 43 | absolutephoto.com
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AwardWinner - First tests
X-RiteColorMunki Display £148.50
Specs
It’s a well-specified unit, offering easy monitor and projector calibration
Price £148.50 Supported profile format ICC Compatibility MacOS X 10.7.x, 10.8.x, 10.9.x, 10.10.x, or 10.11.x (with latest upgrades installed) Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 (with latest Service Pack installed) Mobile device compatibility iOS and Android – with free ColorTRUE app Interface USB Display resolution 1024x768 pixels or higher Memory 512GB (2GB recommended) Number of displays supported per workstation 4 Dimensions 142x52x192mm Weight 269g Contact xrite.com
It’s not a subject you want to bring up at your next dinner party unless you want an early night, but there’s no escaping the elephant in the room: colour management. It is a subject many photographers try to ignore but simply, if you want your pictures to look correct online, in print or when projected at a camera club, you need to embrace this thorny issue. You don’t have to get all geeky and technical about it – unless you want to – but some simple colour management accessories like those offered by ColorMunki can make all the difference and save time, money, frustration and teeth-gnashing. The ColorMunki Display, winner of this year’s Colour Management Device category in our Awards, sells for just shy of £150 and can calibrate your monitor or projector in its basic form. Get the free ColorTRUE app
great help if, like me, you only delve into the world of colour management when absolutely necessary – namely when I get a on-screen warning. This was my first time with the ColorMunki and I tried its easy and advanced photo modes – there are three video modes too. In easy mode, a couple of steps are omitted but the actual process is fundamentally the same and once the unit is flat on the screen it takes about five minutes to assess the colours. At the end of the process, you can name the profile, click save to produce the profile and then compare before and after images. There was a clear difference for me – I was using a fresh-out-of-the-box BenQ SW320 monitor. As screens change with time, you can set an auto warning to remind you to re-profile your screen every week – four weeks is this unit’s maximum. WC
and you can sort out your mobile devices too. It is a well-specified unit, offering easymonitor andprojector calibration and it includes advanced features such as Flare Correct to cope with glossy screens and the ability to produce profiles based on ambient lighting levels in your work area. There is also ADC (Automatic Display Control) which speeds up the calibration process and means there’s no need to make adjustments manually. I’m always a little sceptical when the word ‘easy’ is used to help sell a colour management device because often easy only applies if you’re an expert. In this case, easy means easy. Once downloaded off the CD and installed, the software’s wizard guides you through the calibration process painlessly and logically. It’s not overly technical either which is a version is also available) and comes complete with a front diffuser and a strip/grid attachment too. So you have the option of using the FlashBender on its own like a bounce board, fitted with the front diffuser as a softbox or with strip/grid attachment when you want a much more controlled lighting effect. It is very quick to go from one configuration to another. The instructions say you can do this while the FlashBender-fitted flashgun is on a lighting stand – and that is true – but if you’ve just bought one, perhaps it is easier to start by working on flat surface until you get used to it. WC
Verdict
As I said at the start of this review, for most photographers colour management is not top of their agenda despite its importance. X-Rite’s ColorMunki family features highly advanced, capable and nicely priced products that could certainly help change this. The ColorMunki Display is excellent value for money and if you value colour accuracy in your images then it is a good purchase.
Pros Easy to use with a good wizard, works for projectors too, measures ambient light Cons Not much
Above The ColorMunki Display wizard swiftly guides you through the calibration process.
RogueFlashBender2XLPro £89.95 There has been a proliferation of flashgun light modifiers and they come in all shapes and sizes. It’s worth having a selection available to cater for different situations. quickly shaped to suit the effect that you want to achieve.
Verdict
Specs
Price £84.95
My theory is that many speedlight photographers accumulate flash modifiers for different situations. The FlashBender 2 XL Pro lighting System is perfect for controlled shooting when you have speedlights on stands and have more time. It fits the bill very nicely and at just shy of £90 for a softbox, stripbox and bounce reflector this outfit rates as very good value.
The 2 XL Pro is the largest FlashBender – the panel measuring 25.4x28cm – so it’s designed for off- camera flash use. I tried it on a Nikon SB-900 mounted on the camera hotshoe and while clearly it is a load, it does work if you take care – and not ideal in a crowd. Attaching the reflector to the flash is done with a Velcro belt strap which means it will securely fit any speedlight that has an upright locking head. The kit I tested had a white reflector finish 2 XL Pro (a soft silver
In the box 1x FlashBender 2 XL Pro Reflector, 1x FlashBender 2 XL Pro Strip Grid, FlashBender 2 XL Pro Soft Box Diffuser, travel bag Dimensions 40.2x32cm (overall size) Combined weight 391g Contact gb.colorconfidence.com expoimaging.com
Rogue has a wide variety of FlashBender modifiers to suit all needs and a keybenefit is that they can be easily fit most flashguns and fold flat, so they’re especially convenient for location work. The genius of the FlashBender design lies in the three adjustable ribs that run up the back of the reflectors, hence they lie flat for transport yet when mounted to a flashgun can be
Pros Works well in its various configurations, portable Cons Fitting grid is a tad fiddly
It will securely fit almost any speedlight that has an upright locking head
Right The FlashBender 2 XL Pro Strip Grid and FlashBender 2 XL Pro Reflector are easily secured with a Velcro belt and buckle strap.
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