Spyder2Express

Has anyone used this cheaper version of Spyder for calibration? And what are your thoughts on its performance? Thanks, Robert

RobertP said:

Has anyone used this cheaper version of Spyder for calibration? And what are your thoughts on its performance? Thanks, Robert

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Robert,

I've used the Spyder2Pro with 3 flatscreen monitors (all Apple) and it consistently gave me results that were slightly magenta. It's easy enough to use, but I wouldn't buy another. All my calibration now is done using Apple's Display Calibrator Assistant which, if you take your time, can be very good. I've no experience with PCs however.

Keith.

I also use the spyder2pro on crt's and lcds. I have had few if any problems with it. Even the 'pro' is not as full featured as those that are or were more likely to be used by pros -- xrites and g macbeths. It is about 1/10 as much money (~200 v.2000usd) and the express is even less.

On the flip side I have long ago resigned my self that a silver bullet, closed loop system is a pipe dream. meaning that no matter how much you calibrate and no matter how many profiles you build and tweak, you may still will need to run multiple test prints/strips and make multiple corrections before the print is perfect.

I have a Spyder2 - I don't think it's 'express' or 'Pro' - I think they split those out later. I believe, but could easily be wrong, that the hardware's the same and it's just a question of different software packages.

Anyway, mine works and I'm happy with it. I use it on LCDs now, CRTs in the past. I do gather that the more expensive units will do better on some theoretical level with extreme highlight and shadow values, but at the level of "I send something to the lab and it looks like what's on my screen" I'd say things are just peachy now, and they sure weren't before I got it.

Stated another way, better a cheap hardware calibration then none at all, that's for sure.

sfn I think the hardware is the same. I bought the pro on ebay after usiing the non pro. The only difference that I can tell is that the pro will work on a multi monitor system.

As I recall...
The xrite and others allowed for amongst other things greater accuracy, better software and the ability to match or map specific colours -- such as pantone colours. The xrite would aslo work in tangent with thier reflective and transmissive meters. This allowed you to a build mystical closed loop system.

jd callow said:

This allowed you to a build mystical closed loop system.

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Mystical, or mythical? Or both?

Lee

P.S. Mike Tyson just called and he says I'm making a non-existant distinction. At least I think that's what he said...

probably both, but I did mean mythical. oops

I have the spyder something, it has been very helpfull in getting me close to what comes from the printer, but like John, I find that in the end I have to do a few test prints and make alterations.

My one came with a whole load of other disks (I'm not at home so can't remember what) but I have been wondering what they are for. The support material that came with my version was not that helpful. Anyone got any ideas? I think some are Panatone colours, are they for colour management?

jd callow said:

probably both, but I did mean mythical. oops

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Ahhh, I think it would be a mystical experiance to have the perfect system......

livemoa said:

I have the spyder something, it has been very helpfull in getting me close to what comes from the printer, but like John, I find that in the end I have to do a few test prints and make alterations.

My one came with a whole load of other disks (I'm not at home so can't remember what) but I have been wondering what they are for. The support material that came with my version was not that helpful. Anyone got any ideas? I think some are Panatone colours, are they for colour management?

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I got two with mine; one is a semi manual/automatic print profiler and the other is the software for the spyder.

livemoa said:

I think some are Panatone colours, are they for colour management?

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Pantone is a company that has a color system that's been traditionally aimed at ink based reproduction of colors, CMYK printing, and product color specification for designers. They have recently gotten into computer/digital color spaces.

Lee

Pantone bought the syder about 4 or 5 years ago the company that originally made the syder was called Opti-cal or something similar.

Pantone bought (or licensed products from) Colorvision (the makers of the Spyder), they later dumped them when there were too many complaints about the tools and it started to drag the Pantone name down. Now Pantone licenses products from Gretag MacBeth. Recently, as of around May 2006 Xrite bought Gretag MacBeth. As of today (December 1) several Xrite products have been discontinued as they are consolidating product lines.

As for the Spyder, I have the first version with their "pro" software called OptiCal. It was better than nothing, but kind of sucks compared to my i1 spectrophotometer, and does suck compared to my Xrite Optix XR with the pro level of software. The i1 spectro is too heavy to use on my LCD monitors, so it would distort the surface. tThe Optix is much smaller and lighter and does not effect the display. The Optix is also now discontinued, no one is really sure why as it was regarded as the most accurate monitor device available.

That said I have no information about the Colorvision Spyder2 other than from a past purchase and the support that I received on that purchase, I will never willingly buy another Colorvision product! That purchase was their then "pro" paper and monitor profiling suite that cost me about $900 USD. Support dragged things out long enough that I could not return it for a refund.