GEAR MINI TESTS
SPECIFICATIONS Input: USB-C with USB-C to USB-A adapter Power: USB-C Operating system: Windows and MacOS Minimum display resolution: 1280x768 GPU: 16-bit minimum RAM: 1GB minimum available Max brightness: 2000 nits (Ultra), 750 nits (Elite) Dimensions (wxhxd): 7.62x7.62x4.45cm/3x3x1.75in Weight: 142g/0.31lb
DATACOLOR SPYDER X2 ELITE AND ULTRA £249/$269 Elite; £299/$299 Ultra datacolor.com
Screen colours change over time, and the ambient light usually varies during the day, so you should check your monitor regularly. You need a calibration device, but one that doesn’t require an anorak-level understanding of colour science. Datacolor’s new Spyder X2 range of Elite and Ultra models only take a few minutes to use and have all-new software that’s easy to understand for most filmmakers. An advanced mode lets you delve into serious colour science and see actual colour gamut coverage, brightness, contrast, screen uniformity and Delta E deviance from ideal colour. In our test, we stuck to the basic modes as a quick-fix that made a big difference to how our footage looks. The Spyder X2 is a two-part puck which you hang over a target on your screen, with the rear part hanging over the back as a counterbalance. Firstly, download and install relevant drivers, then wait 30 minutes for your screen to get to working temperature. Once you start the calibration, the X2 takes a reading of ambient lighting via a small external sensor. Then, manually adjust your monitor brightness to sit in a specific range. The on-screen instructions take you through the process. Then the puck is placed on the screen, and you are guided through
While the majority of filmmakers love to be out shooting and creating content, there are always the hours spent in front of a computer screen turning the footage into your latest masterpiece. One of the biggest issues that needs to be cracked is getting the colours right. Matching tones and hues between cameras and lenses is always fraught with problems. Mix in different light sources, a variety of codecs including Raw, Log settings in different flavours and this process can be a minefield. Even if you have shot a colour chart before every shot and carefully set a custom white-balance, there’s still a lot of work to be done to get colour- neutral footage before you start to go wild with grading. You can rely on waveforms and vectorscopes all you like, but for the creative judging of grading, it’s down to what your eyes see. One crucial but often overlooked factor is the colour accuracy of your screen and ambient light in the room you are editing in.
SOCKET TO ME The new Spyder X2 has a USB-C cable, so it works with the latest Macs and PCs
simple questions about your monitor. A series of tones and colours are shown for the X2 to read, and a new colour- accurate profile is created. You are shown before and after images to see how different your monitor is now that it’s been calibrated. We used two Apple Mac Studios and the calibrated version was a lot cooler. You can then select how often you’d like a reminder to go through the process again, so you don’t forget. Compared to older Spyder devices, both next-gen X2s are faster, easier to use, have a USB-C connection and work on high-brightness HDR displays. The Spyder comes as either the X2 Ultra or X2 Elite, which use the same hardware but different software. The Elite is rated up to 750 nits, while the Ultra can measure up to 2000 nits. For a small amount of cash, it takes the guesswork out of colour. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 Easy to use for consistent accuracy Pros: Small and light, simple to work Cons: You will need the Ultra for the brightest screens
“For a small amount of cash, it takes the guesswork out”
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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