The Spyder is available in three flavors: the Express ($119), the Pro ($169), and the Elite ($249). Working by measuring the color values flashed on your screen, the Spyder uses a seven-color sensor that works on a variety of devices-everything from projectors to iPads, and of course LCD, LED, CRT, and other displays that you would use with your digital editing. The Spyder devices fall into this second category. There are two common types of measurement devices-spectrophotometers and colorimeters. This is where a hardware calibration device, such as the Datacolor Spyder4Elite comes into play.Ĭomprised of a software package that drives the calibration device, and the device itself, monitor calibration is a tool that should be in every serious photographer’s kit. Your eyes perceive color differently from one minute to the next, and this can translate into inconsistent results. Particularly if you print your own images, having a realistic brightness on screen will save a great deal of work, ink, paper, and hair from being pulled out.īoth Windows and Macintosh have the ability to be calibrated visually, and while this is certainly better than nothing, there is too much random chance involved with a visual calibration. But, as photographers, we need to be more interested in what is accurate, not some artificial ideal of color. Everybody likes a vibrant and bright display it catches the eye. Most LCD displays are very bright when used at the default, out-of-the-box settings.

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