SPYDER3EXPRESS

by ColorVision

Product Details

• Item Weight: 2.7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002OCF57K
• Item model number: S3X100
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,052 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 10, 2009

Product Description

Datacolor Spyder3Express? Colorimeter Software CD Quick Start Guide Screen Cleaning Cloth

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Will calibrate multiple monitors - with a little effort !, May 28, 2010

By 

S. R. Stav "cowboyspook" (Flathead Valley, Montana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SPYDER3EXPRESS (Electronics)

Overall, I am quite pleased with the Spyder3Express. However, when I tried to calibrate one monitor on my two-adapter/two-monitor Windows XP system, the calibration program hanged, with a gray screen displayed.

I found a work-around by disabling the second monitor; i.e. Control Panel -> Display -> Advanced -> Adapter -> Properties -> Device Usage: Disable.

I then calibrated the first monitor; when finished, I renamed the resulting ICM file,

C:\Windows\system32\spool\drivers\color\Spyder3Express.icm

to

Monitor1.icm.

and set the monitor's default color profile to "Monitor1"; i.e. Control Panel -> Display -> Advanced -> Color Management Color profile Add.. and "Set As Default".

I then enabled the second monitor, re-booted windows, disabled the first monitor, and repeated the above calibration sequence for the second monitor. Then I re-enabled the first monitor, re-booted, and verified that the two monitors were properly calibrated by comparing identical images. It works !

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spyder3Express: Easy and Essential, March 5, 2010

By 

sh00bie (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SPYDER3EXPRESS (Electronics)

Getting correct color across my screens was always a pain. With the Spyder3Express, it was simple to sort everything out. The software installed quickly (there was one update available that I went ahead and downloaded). Once the software's installed, you just run it and it tells you exactly what to do. All you need to do is set your screen(s) to the default settings, stick the "puck" to the screen where it tells you to, and then sit back and watch. The software displays a series of color panes where the device is stuck, and the device then reads what the screen is displaying. After about 2 minutes you're all done!

The software even gives you a series of example photos in a grid with a button so you can flick back and forth between how things were, and how things look with the new calibration. Depending on how incorrect your settings were, you will be anything from impressed to knocked out of your chair.

Once finished the software saves the color profile into the standard location for your OS. Depending on how you have things set up, you likely don't have to do anything else (other than take the puck off the screen).

If you're getting into digital photography, or have been for a while, devices like this are essential to making sure the colors you see on the screen are as accurate and consistent as possible. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the advanced amateur digital photographer, August 21, 2010

By 

Matt (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SPYDER3EXPRESS (Electronics)

I am an advanced amateur digital photographer, and I found that this product was perfect for me. I weighed the feature differences between the Express/Pro/Elite version and decided the Express was good enough for me. Here's why:

-Although the Express does not natively support multiple monitors, I was able to work around this (as another reviewer has mentioned). If you calibrate with multiple monitors plugged in, the calibration only affects the primary monitor. However, if you first unplug your primary monitor and start Windows with only your secondary monitor plugged in, you can calibrate your secondary monitor. Then restart Windows with both monitors and recalibrate again, this new calibration (and all future ones) will only affect your primary new monitor, leaving the first calibration done to your secondary monitor intact. Since I only edit photos with my primary monitor, I really won't ever need to recalibrate my secondary ever again.
-I didn't think the integrated light sensor, which the software uses to adjust your calibration in real time, was necessary or likely to be very accurate.
-Unless you have a fantastic monitor, it probably isn't worth going nuts with expensive calibration equipment.

The software guides you through the calibration process in a logical manner. It recommends that you reset your monitor to factory defaults. However, I found through additional reading online that most factory monitor settings are way too bright. The brightness control on your LCD affects its backlight intensity, which the Spyder software can not change on its own. Therefore, you should adjust your monitor's luminance to an appropriate setting (most recommend 120 cd/m^2) before proceeding with the calibration. The Elite software has functionality to allow you to measure your monitors luminance as you adjust it. However, you can download free software [ColorHCFR], which works with your Spyder Express puck, to do the same thing. Install the software and then copy Spyder3.dll from C:\Program Files\Datacolor\Spyder3Express into C:\Program Files\ColorHCFR (Spyder3.dll must be the original that was creating during install from the CD, not the version created during online update). Plug in your Spyder Express puck and run Colorimetre HCFR. File->new, View images and press next, Spyder 3 and then press finish. The software will fill your screen with different shades of grey so your puck can read the luminance. If you have dual monitors, you may need to go to Measures->Generator->Configure and pick which target screen. Position your puck on your screen (as in a standard calibration) and click the play button on the toolbar and then go. After it runs through its series, it will show you the results in the table. You want the value in the Y row (the luminance values) and 100%Gray (pure white) to be close to 120 cd/m^2 or whatever luminance you are shooting for. If you just hit the play button, it will show your luminance output in the lower left window in real time. Put your puck over a pure white area of the screen to get your monitors luminance.

One thing I noticed is that my screen is much darker after calibration than before. Apparently this is normal.