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PRICE: £99.99
DATACOLOR.COM
Datacolor Spyder Checkr Photo
Want to get the colours right in your images every time? This pocket-sized device could be the answer Tested by Roger Payne COLOUR MANAGEMENT IS one aspect of workflow I should be more disciplined about. I own a monitor calibration device, for example, but readily admit to the fact that every time I turn my computer on, I dismiss the reminder that a re-calibration is months overdue. I know, I know. The Spyder Checkr Photo, however, represents a more analogue way of keeping colour accuracy in check. What’s more, it’s small enough to fit in a pocket or gadget bag, so there’s no reason to leave it at home. The Checkr Photo helps you standardise colours across multiple lenses or systems – such as a DSLR, a mirrorless camera and even a smartphone. No two camera-lens combinations are the same, so colour differences across your range of image-making equipment will be inevitable. This gadget gets around
macro, still life, travel – so long as the lighting is even. Creating said profile is a simple enough process. Once you’ve taken an image of the Checkr Photo in situ, import it into your software of choice – I used Lightroom Classic – and then crop and straighten it so the squares fill the frame. Next, use the eyedropper tool on the 20% grey square for an accurate white- balance reading, and adjust both the exposure and blacks sliders to get the white patch around 90% and the black around 4% (or 230, 230, 230 and 10, 10, 10 if you prefer RGB values). Then, export the resulting file as an uncompressed TIFF. Now, import that TIFF into the Spyder Checkr software – you’ll need to download this from the Datacolor website. Follow the simple steps and decide what rendering mode suits best – colorimetric, saturation or
the problem by creating a target image, which is imported into your preferred software to create a specific profile. It works with Lightroom, ACR in Photoshop and Hasselblad Phocus – and once you’ve created a profile for each camera/lens/device you own, it can be applied to all other images shot with that kit. Let’s say you’re a portrait fan, for example. On-set, you could ask your model to hold the Checkr Photo in even lighting (the ideal scenario is not to use reflectors and have a light on each side at 45° to the model), take an image in Raw with each lens used for portraits, then create a profile for each combination. On subsequent portrait shoots, apply the relevant profile to your images, thus speeding up workflow. I’ve picked out portraits, but in truth, the process can be applied to almost anything you photograph – landscapes,
portrait. Saturation is the best all- rounder, so I opted for that. Finally, name and export the profile, which is added to your software the next time it’s opened. In Lightroom, it popped up in the user presets, as it should. The heaviest lifting is done when setting up profiles for all your camera and lens combinations – something for a wet afternoon, perhaps. But once complete, you’ll be spending less time in front of the computer and more out making images. PN
SPECS › Price £99.99
› Colours 62 colour targets in four interchangeable cards, including 24 standard colours, six skin tones, a 24-step grey scale and two large grey targets for easy white/grey balancing, three white and three black adjustments › Compatible software Lightroom, ACR, Phocus › Dimensions (wxh) 90x116mm › Weight 110g › System requirements Win 7 32/64, Win 8 32/64, Win 10 32/64; Mac OS X 10.10, 10.11, 10.12, 10.13, 10.14. Monitor resolution 1200x768 or greater; 16-bit video card (24-bit recommended); minimum 1GB of RAM; minimum 500MB of available hard disk › Contact datacolor.com
COLOUR CORRECT The Spyder Checkr software is simple to use and delivers accurate results in a matter of minutes
Verdict If you’re already careful about colour management, this is another device to improve your hit rate and reduce the chances of getting dodgy colours on prints. If, like me, you’re a little lax in this part of workflow, it could kick-start a more disciplined attitude. PROS Easy to use, speeds up workflow after initial time investment, pocket-sized and robust CONS Potential to gather dust after initial use
“CREATING COLOUR PROFILES FOR ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT IS SIMPLE ENOUGH”
Issue 102 | Photography News 57
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