VIDEO & REVIEW: DataColor Spyder X Elite - Monitor Calibrator
Buying a new Monitor Calibrator doesn’t have a particularly sexy ring to it - it’s probably not something that you are going to shout about all over social media. However, I honestly believe that it is one of the most important pieces of kit that a Photographer/Videographer can own.
Picture the scene, you’ve just landed your first gig with a huge international client, the shoot went well and you send the images off to their internal design house only to get laughed out of a job because the colours were ‘all over the place’! I know, I’ve been there and it’s not a place I want to go back to! Step in the ‘monitor calibrator’ - for the uninitiated, it is a device that reads varying hues, colours, tines etc. from your monitor and via the power of software, creates a new preset for your monitor that is absolutely spot on - no more laughy clients!
The Device
DataColor isn’t exactly new to this game, so you’d expect them to know how to build a decent device. I’m pleased to say, they certainly have! To anybody that has previously used a Spyder - the design will feel familiar. However, the beauty in the device lies in its speed, it is significantly faster than previous iterations which means there are now even fewer excuses for an uncalibrated monitor!
The unit is well made and feels like a quality product. I’m a fan of the white design with the red accent and as it is designed to sit by a monitor and take ambient light readings, it’s good that DataColor has taken their time with the design. The packaging is well made and the device comes with everything you need from a hardware point of view.
The Software
The hardware is only half the battle. DataColor’s software is really where the package comes into its own. I was using the ‘Elite’ version but having been a DataColor user for a number of years and I have always found their software to be intuitive and simple to follow - and there are no changes in that department!
The software is feature-packed and can cover everything from a basic calibration to a full, in-depth calibration, studio match for matching multiple monitors and can even calibrate other items such as projectors.
Using the software is so simple, I genuinely believe a child could do it. The software, even in ‘full’ calibration mode, has a simple walkthrough and regular prompts to explain what you need to do with both the software and the hardware. The on-screen prompts not only tell you when and where to place the calibrator - but it will also check you make and model of your monitor and to ask what controls you have over brightness and colour temperature.
Once you have followed the steps and the monitor has run its calibration process, you will be able to save a preset based on that current update. You will then be presented with a report based on the range of colour gamut the monitor has achieved - which is always useful. Finally, you get the option to see the difference the current calibration has made - which I personally find really useful.
The tip of the iceberg
To say that the Spyder X Elite can do more is an understatement! Depending on your needs, the options for calibration and the reporting that you receive at the end can go into way more detail. However, for the majority of us - the full calibration is simple yet deep enough to get great results.
The final verdict
The Spyder X Elite offers such a well-rounded set of calibration tools that there really is no excuse to have an un-calibrated monitor. It is not cheap at around £250 (prices will vary). However, I honestly think that if you are producing professional work for paying clients, it is essential that you are ensuring that you have highly accurate colours.
The improved speeds and ease of use make it a joy to use and calibrating your monitor is no longer an arduous task. Overall, I highly recommend the Spyder X Elite and believe it would make a great cornerstone of any amateur and professionals workflow.
Find out more at the DataColor website.