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Vincent Oliver
Spyder 4 review
Press release
London, UK – 5th January, 2012 – Datacolor® (www.Datacolor.com), a global leader in colour management solutions, today announces the Spyder4 range, a line of highly advanced colourimeters able to calibrate monitors, laptops, projectors, TVs, iPads and even iPhones. Designed to provide photographers and creative professionals with accurate and consistent results, Spyder4 makes quick work of the colour correction process.
Spyder4 is designed to suit the way that photographers work, combining an easy-to-use interface with advanced levels of brightness and colour control. The full-spectrum colour capture technology uses a seven-channel sensor, which registers colour in the same way as the human eye, ensuring the colours on the screen are true-to-life.
Since no two devices display the exact same colour, precise calibration is imperative in order to ensure consistent, true colour representation. In addition, even calibrated monitors, TVs and tablets will gradually decrease in accuracy, requiring colour calibration every one to two months in order to display sharp, accurate colours, shadows and highlights.
“Spyder 4 provides an easy-to-use calibration solution for all display devices, which greatly improves workflow efficiency for busy professionals and photo enthusiasts,” said Dave Faulkner, product manager, imaging colour solutions at Datacolor.
He continues, “Our team is dedicated to developing colour management tools that are extremely intuitive, while still delivering the highest levels of accuracy that professional photographers demand. The industry is competitive, and anything that gives photographers an advantage, especially with the technical details of colour management, is a huge asset. Photographers need to be able to quickly edit and process shots to deliver to clients on deadline and the Spyder4 will calibrate all of their monitors in just minutes.”
A range of Spyder4 devices are available, enabling users to choose the model that best matches their colour management needs. The Spyder4 calibrates a variety of wide-gamut and normal-gamut displays. All models feature a simple install wizard and deliver an average of 26% more accuracy, with improved low luminance performance over previous Spyder3 technology.
Spyder4 Express is a cost-effective colourimeter that quickly calibrates a single display computer or laptop right out of the box. iPad and iPhone calibration is also available with Datacolor’s free SpyderGallery app.
Spyder4 Pro is ideal for those that want more control over light and colour management, offering ambient light measurement and the ability to calibrate multiple displays, as well as iOS devices.
Spyder4 Elite offers the highest level of customisation. In addition to the previously noted displays, it can also be used to calibrate projectors. Developed for professional photographers, videographers and others who must match colours precisely, the Spyder4 Elite provides the tools to manage multiple displays and calibrate them using a full set of gamma and non-gamma tone response curves, to create custom workflow settings. The user can even define a custom calibration. The Spyder4 Elite includes the L-Star workflow and supports the video standards Cineon, NTSC, PAL and HDTV.
Pricing and Availability
Spyder4 products are available at photography and consumer electronic retailers nationwide or online at www.Datacolor.com. The Spyder4Express is priced at around £99.99, Spyder4Pro is £129.99, and Spyder4Elite is £179.99
10 Responses to “Spyder 4 review”
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Yes, it will run two monitors of the same card, assuming you have two DVi ports. I run my two Samsung monitors using a nvidia GTX 470 card. Each monitor is calibrated in turn and you also have the option to tune the second monitor for a perfect match.
An idea if the 4 pro will calibrate 2 LED monitors running off the same graphics card? I read somewhere that it can’t. That’s is unfortunate if this is the case as this is my setup. Is there a workaround?
The X-Rite new i1 Display PRO will also let you calibrate and profile. And not only that :will let you do quality control time to time, will let you optimize the screen with Pantone Colors as it includes Pantone Color Manager software with over 11.000 Pantone colors from Pantone (note X-Rite is the owner of Pantone).
Nothing new in Datacolor Spyder4, same hardware in new packaging. The X-Rite’s i1 Display PRO is ready for the new generation of monitors, can do flare-correction,continous ambient light control and compensation.
The iphone/ipad – due to Apple’s restrictions on applications/modifications on the devices – can be profiled if it is used via Spyder Gallery. Once you are not using that software, your profile is not used.
Bob,
Yes, the Spyder 4 will let you enter 90 as a value. The ambient sensor gives you a recommended setting which you can accept or define your own. The ambient recommendation is based on how much light is in the room at any time, so it is best to keep room lighting consistent. However, in a home environment this may not always be possible.
The Spyder takes an ambient reading and adjusts accordingly. I have just produced 12 A2 exhibition prints straight and they are all perfect. I will do some more experimenting with the Spyder values and report back in a video tutorial.
Hi,
I’m surprised at the brightness value of 180. To keep my prints from looking “too dark” I set my monitor to about 90 using the i1-Pro or i1-Display 2. Can you set the brightness to 90 using the Spyder4 Pro? or Elite? Did you try checking your prints for “too dark” against the calibrated monitor?
Thanks
In short, Yes. The Spyder4 will calibrate most displays.
“Spyder4Elite works with your laptop, multiple monitors, front projector, television (with paid software upgrade on website), iPad and even iPhone. It works with LCD, LED, OLED, CRT, DLP and other display technologies.”
Will the Spyder 4 calibrate an LED Monitor?
I do not have the X-Rite i1 here at the moment, but I will bear this in mind. Just as an extra note. The Spyder4 Calibrates a monitor as well as creating a profile. The competitors colorimeters only profile the monitor.
Being a semi satisfied user of the Spyder3 Pro, I would really like to see a side-by-side comparison of the 4 Elite with x-rite’s i1 Display Pro.