Vote for a Spyder
Posted on Oct 24, 2023
Nominated for best colour management solution in the PN Awards 2023, here’s why previous winner Datacolor’s upgraded Spyder X2 Ultra, X2 Elite and Spyder Checkr Photo kit deserve your vote
Long acclaimed for making sure the colours displayed on your monitor screens accurately reflect how they were originally captured, colour management expert Datacolor is once again been nominated for best colour management solution in this year’s PN Awards.
The specific products seeking your vote this time around are the Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra, X2 Elite and Spyder Checkr Photo kit.
All three aim to solve potential issues that can arise when the monitor or display we’re viewing our images on hasn’t been calibrated. Colour hues could be slightly off, leading to results we’re disappointed with, as well as time spent in post processing putting it right – ultimately meaning less time for shooting brand-new images.
What you see is what you get
Datacolor brings intelligent control to you. A cleverly designed colorimeter reads the screen, assessing and measuring colour information. The result is greater precision in terms of screen colour, white-balance and shadow detail. Put simply, its software works in tandem with your computer to deliver intelligent colour control management. Unlike other software, once you’ve bought into the Datacolor system it’s yours for life, without monthly charges.
Announced in May, the Spyder X2 Elite and X2 Ultra are next-generation monitor colour calibrators. They feature new software, for a more concise UI and advanced calibration features. The Spyder X2 Elite, for example, delivers swift, precise colour calibration in less than two minutes.
Thanks to expanded sensor capabilities, the X2 Ultra allows for calibration of HDR/high brightness monitors, which makes it perfect for PN readers working with photo and video, as well as for viewing HDR/high-brightness content on computer-connected TVs and projectors.
The Spyder X2 Elite, meanwhile, delivers the colour customisation, accuracy and control that the Spyder is acclaimed for. It also provides the option for a seamless and affordable software upgrade to the Spyder X2 Elite without the need to purchase any additional hardware. Datacolor products are designed to grow with users and adapt seamlessly to ever-changing technologies.
Professional solution
The redesigned software of the X2 platform brings more precise UI to the X2 Elite and X2 Ultra. Of particular use for photographers working across several displays is the Studio Match feature. This allows for parallel display calibration.
A great option for readers beginning their colour-calibration journey is the Spyder X2 Elite + Spyder Checkr Photo kit, which gives two of Datacolor’s popular and newest products in one hit. While the Spyder X2 Elite’s intuitive software ensures precise colour accuracy for your monitor – essential for viewing and editing shots – the Spyder Checkr Photo helps achieve accurate colour from your very first shot, thanks to its ultra-matte colour targets. Used in conjunction with Spyder Checkr software, presets can helpfully be created to apply to a series of photos in your editing software.
Given the above, it won’t come as a surprise to learn that readers chose the previous-generation Spyder X Elite as the best in its class in the PN 2022 Awards. With the same consistency of excellence promised across the latest iteration of products, there’s every chance you’ll want to cast your vote for Datacolor as best colour management solution 2023 here!
Originally published in Issue 111 of Photography News.
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