Customer Reviews

SPYDER3EXPRESS

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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 !

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.

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.

It works really good, and like it's supposed to, BUT it takes getting used to.

You have to get used to your screen looking "right"...as opposed to being too bright, and/or ever saturated.

When I print now, my prints match my screen 99% (1% variation due to my screen being back-lit...like ALL screens), but you have to calibrate your monitor the RIGHT way...or you will get a Blue-ish or Green-ish tint in your whites, and it WILL frustrate the HECK out of you!!!

Before you calibrate, make SURE you warm your monitor up for at least 30-mins, then reset everything!!!

After resetting your monitor, adjust your RGB to your liking/needs.

My monitor is a Dell Ultra Sharp 2209WA.

My current settings are...which I set BEFORE calibrating (after first resetting) is:

Brightness = 0
Contrast = 90

RGB-Graphics-Custom (with Dynamic Contrast OFF)

R= 85
G= 80
B= 70

This settings are perfect for photo editing, and what I see on-screen and online matches what I print from a Professional Photo Lab (I am a Photographer =)

At first, your monitor WILL seem dull and lifeless, but after a day or two, you'll be perfectly fine with it, and factory set screens will look WAY OFF to you all of a sudden!!

Before Calibrating, after resetting, SET YOUR RGB FIRST, then set your Brightness and Contrast.

I calibrated (and work) in total darkness. If that's how you work and edit, do so, or adjust according to your ambient environment.

** These settings work best for me...I work and view my screen in the dark....it may or may not work for you. **

After making your adjustments, and calibrating, you will be able to see the before and after (before you close Spyder3).

The Before and After may look weird to you, but you will get used to it, and LOVE IT!!!

I takes a bit of learning the right way to calibrate with the Spyder3Express, but I finally got it, and it works...thanks to someone else sharing with me.

Hopefully, this helps you =)

After reading many reviews of this and similar products, I am very pleased that I chose the Spyder3express to run on my MacBook Pro and Viewsonic LCD Monitor. If you are a serious photographer and care about the quality of your digital images, calibrating your monitor is essential. Calibration helps assure that your work will look the same on the print as it did on the screen.

About the product: The product arrived more quickly than promised; the packaging was well designed and sturdy; the box contains everything necessary to load the software (CD) and calibrate your monitor in an minimum of time, effort, or technical ability. The directions are well written; the software loaded quickly and accurately (Mac); the whole operating system of this product makes it foolproof and very easy to use; the results of each calibration are saved for future reference; the product has a "reminder" feature that runs in the background (and can be turned off), to let you know when it is time to recalibrate; the unit also senses ambient light and adjusts accordingly; after running its cycle, color corrections are made and automatically stored in the "color panel/preferences" file. This is one of the most user-friendly applications/hardware that I have ever purchased....and Mac stuff is generally known for user-friendly!

About the results: It is amazing what just a little adjustment (color, saturation, contrast, brightness, etc) can have on the quality of digital images. Only when "what you see is what you get" should you adjust image controls in post-production software. Now, my prints are more lifelike than ever before. Excellent results.....

This product definitely performs as advertised and is a bargain for the price.

The Spyder product allows you to easily adjust your monitor's color scheme to match real world output expectations. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the out of the box colors on almost all monitors these days don't match up very well to "true" colors. Your average person (myself included) mistakenly adds too much blue to the palette, giving a more satisfying "bright" feel to the display. Manufacturers know this, which is why many ship monitors these days heavy on the blue and light on the red. Unfortunately, while it seems right at first blush, this configuration distorts pictures and videos and, over time, creates eye strain. After adjusting your monitor, it will seem too dark, but if you give it a few days you will find out that not only do you adjust to the warmer tones, you also experience significantly less eye strain when staring at the monitor for long periods of time.

The instructions are fairly idiot proof. Open the package, install the software from the CD, and attach the device to your screen for about 3 minutes or so. The software will sample light output and create a custom color profile for your monitor. Before the changes become permanent, you have an opportunity to flip between the original and new color settings to see the effect on a collection of photos. Like I said, my initial reaction was that the new settings were too dark, but after a couple of days my eyes adjusted and now I can genuinely say I much prefer the new settings over the old.

My only gripe is about the software, which comes with a serial number and has to be activated to function. The reason for this is very simple. While the Spyder works well, it is essentially a one shot use product. $100 for something you will likely only use a handful of times in 5 or 10 years. By marrying the software to your computer, the manufacturer is ensuring that you can't turn around and sell the product to someone else 5 minutes after you buy it. While I understand the necessity from their point of view, it still burns a little that you eat thru a C note for something you will use so infrequently. Still, in the end it makes my job, which is computer intensive, much more bearable since it is much easier to watch the screen for long stretches, so overall I have to say I still think it's a worthy purchase.

My wife is a photographer and needed to make sure her post processing looked exactly how it would printed. I researched all over and constantly heard the Spyder was the best. For the price, there's no reason to turn this down! It does everything you want quick and easy. It even makes my video games look better :)

If you need to calibrate your monitor, Spyder is your tool

We've been having endless problems with color rendition on a pro9000 printer. Beautiful pictures on the monitor didn't reproduce in print (printer makes beautiful prints, just not what the image looks like on the monitor in terms of color). Used Spyder3express. Trivially easy to use. Just install, push the button and it runs. Viewing the before and after on the monitor showed a pretty subtle difference. But the difference in the prints is amazing. Everyone says you must calibrate the monitor...and they're right. This is solid, works well and easily, and is one of the most valuable purchases I've made in a long time. Unfortunately, once you calibrate you have no use for the Spyder, at least for a long time. So a great toy must now sit and do nothing. But it was well worth it for the difference it made.

The Spyder was very easy and quick to calibrate my monitor. Now my monitor matches the prints I get from my printer. Some of the instructions from the Spyder helped me set up my printer.

I upgraded to the Spyder 3 Express after my old Spyder 2 died.

Installation of the software is very straightforward, and calibration is virtually automatic once you've started the software and plugged in the device. After a month, you get a beg notice to recalibrate.

My only complaint: the Spyder cable is flimsy and too short -- not as long nor as strong as the cable that came with the Spyder 2. My computer is on the floor and the front USB ports are at the bottom. I have to move my monitor forward on my desk and my computer forward to make the cable reach.