[Dave]

Currently looking to purchase a monitor callibration tool, but need to understand if I need to spend more than the basic package, or if the idfference between the models is so small as not to matter

Currently looking at :-

Spyder2express - circa £65
Spyder2suite - circa £125
Spyder2pro - circa £225

You can read reviews until the cows come home, but has anyone here had real hands on experience of comparing any of these models against each other ?

Also did you see it make a huge difference over how you setup your monitor before ?

[Dabhand16]

I found a review that compared pretty much all of the major calibration packages, but can't remember where!

[P-E]

I had spyder2 (something) but couldn't achieve a monitor profile I was happy with.......sold it and bough Eye One Display 2

[Dabhand16]

Found it! Or, at least I think this was the one I was thinking about.

The article i had in mind is here

And there is another from the same place here

[Dave Canon]

Dave, tricky. I have been deliberating for years on this one. In the meantime I used Adobe Gamma. Given that I enter many competitions and cannot recall any judge commenting about my prints or digital files being an odd colour, there was no pressure to change what I was doing. The fact is that I do not alter the colour balance on most of my photographs i.e. they are "right" in the first place so I do not need to fiddle with them. If you alter the colour balance of a picture taken at sunrise or sunset who is to say what the exact colour should be and does it matter? I do have bespoke printer profiles.


Anyway last week, I did buy a Spyder2 Express at Focus on Imaging. This is a budget version as I did not think that I could justify spending a lot. I was not convinced that it would make much difference to my photography, as I did not have a problem to start with. Having used the Spyder 2 Express, it is easier to use than Adobe gamma but slower. The resulting profile is very similar to that I set with Adobe Gamma (I would have been surprised if it had been very different).

My conclusions are that, if you are an amateur photographer, then Adobe Gamma is good enough once you have the knack of using it. If you still want to buy a calibrator then the budget versions will probably perform similarly to Adobe Gamma so, if you want better than that, you will have to spend more and buy a professional model.
If you are a professional (e.g. a fashion photographer need to get spot colours very accurate), then you do need a professional monitor calibrator and will need to look at professional reviews.

Finally, if you need to calibrate a digital projector (as we do at my local Camera Club), you need the Spyder 2 Pro which has additional software for projector calibration.

[Dave]

Cheers Dave

Think I'll have to get you to show me the correct way to use Adobe Gamma at next Digital group meeting ....which I must get around to attending

[Dave]

Originally Posted by P-E

I had spyder2 (something) but couldn't achieve a monitor profile I was happy with.......sold it and bough Eye One Display 2

What difference did you find Ian ?


Tx for links Graham

[P-E]

I just couldn't get a profile I was happy with........more than likely this was due to user error rather than anything wrong with Spyder

[RVautour]

Just wanted to quickly thank Dabhand, Ian, & Dave Canon for the information above. I am in the process of shopping for a colorimeter and was debating the same questions posed above. Between the commentary above, the linked reviews, and feedback I have received from others I have a good idea of what I can expect from each of these systems. Thanks again!