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Spyder 3 Pro (PC/Mac) | 
| From: ColorVision
Category: Software
List Price: £114.95
Buy New: £101.86
You Save: £13.09 (11%)
New (4) from £101.86
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 132
Platforms: Windows Xp, Mac Os X
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Mac OS X
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 2.6 x 6
MPN: S3P100
Model: S3P100
UPC: 875720000650
EAN: 0875720000650
ASIN: B000X4X37A
Release Date: April 20, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | System: WIN/MAC | | • | Sprache: ML | | • | Garantie: 24 |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
international/ Vollversion/ Box
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
Almost 5 stars January 8, 2009
Glezza (UK)
I'm very impressed with this product, it does exactly what it says it does, it calibrates your screen, keeping a careful virtual eye on the ambient light adjusting your screen to accommodate.
Having used another calibration tool for a year (the standard Huey) the one thing I am really pleased with is how the change in the brightness of the screen is handled, it doesn't appear to jump as quickly, making it far less distracting whilst working on a photograph.
I would recommend this to anyone who cares about what their images look like, and it makes a good starting point for designers. Those who wish to can upgrade to the Spyder3 Elite. Which is well worth the cost for the extra features.
The "small" things that let the product down are:
* The counter balance for the screen calibrator has no instructions on how to use it. It is quite simple to adjust by simply gently but firmly pulling the weight that it close to the USB plug, but if you have just spent over a ton on this kind of product, you are unlikely to want to be pulling on wires, the manual should cover this, or at the very least a small sticker on the weight itself would have been pretty easy to produce!
* The software doesn't seem to recognise and iMac in the list of options, which considering the kind of market this is aimed for seems a bit of an oversight, LCD is the best option to go for, but it should really list these models separately, even if it is a duplicate set of settings, it would be much more user friendly.
* The sucker cup simply didn't work on my screen dropping off after about a minute, reminding me of one of those pop up sucker toys from my childhood, except they didn't cost as much as this, I found this pretty useless and not worth the bother, the counter weight works better.
Overall a good product, let down by some silly oversights, but has a decent 2 year warranty and checks for updates automatically. These complaints are small, the product is well worth investing in!
The only other thing I would like is an option in the Spyder3Utility to turn the calibration off and on more easily.
 Get the best from your screen January 8, 2009
M. D. Harris (Leicester, UK)
I've always suspected my monitor had more to give in terms of colour accuracy and the Spider 3 Pro confirmed my suspicions. Certain hard to display Pantone colours now look dark red rather than the red/brown they did before hand (on a PC). On screen test cards are now more accurately displayed too, giving a full range of identifiable greys with no apparent colour casts detectable by my eyes.
Using the Spyder is simple enough; set your monitor to default settings, install the software (NB. this must be registered online), plug in the Spyder and follow the on screen instructions. When you're done (it took about 25 minutes) pop the Spyder into the supplied dock. Repeat the calibration every every month so from then on. There's a sucker on the base of the Spyder to stick to glass screens for the calibration process, but if you have a matt LCD screen remove it and the Spyder will stay put anyway - using the supplied counter-weight if necessary.
I'm very pleased with the Spyder 3 Pro, it does exactly what you'd expect from a screen calibration device. It's worth saying that any calibration device will not turn a budget screen into a pro level display but it will help you get the best from the equipment you have. The Spyder 3 does just that.
Great value and better then the Competition at this price. January 2, 2009
Mr. G. Bridgeman-clarke (Rayleigh UK)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I am a semi-professional photographer and sell both prints and canvas images so I need my monitor to be accurate. I have been using a Huey for the last few years and though it has been adequate I did need to see if there was anything else on the market, which was better. I think I have found it!!
I have known about the Spyder 3 for some time and was pleased to receive one to review. It had had several differing reviews and I wanted to put it through its paces to see if I should change my monitor calibrator.
I was impressed once I opened the box as the instructions are so easy to follow and do not try to make the set up any more complicated that it should be. There are a few steps. Put disk in drive and follow set up. Ok it takes a while longer then the Huey did but I assumed that if it was more accurate in calibrating colours it would take longer. In essence I was correct, as the colours were better then the Huey settings.
I have now used the Spyder to calibrate large size posters and a number of Canvas images and I am impressed. Ok there is only a small difference in the colour that both the Huey and Spyder 3 Pro give you but I am much happier with the Spyder 3 Pro.
Anyone want to buy a Huey?
Essential for the serious photographer December 28, 2008
Cheatin' Jockey (Worcestershire)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Firstly, lets get two things straight:
1.Transmitted light (monitors) and reflected light (prints) are incredibly difficult to match
2.Using Photoshop or similar programs to adjust pictures with an un-calibrated screen (for print) is a waste of time
I was interested to see how this one would perform with my 24 inch Dell Pro monitor which I use to process RAW photos for both web and print use; mostly I was concerned about something close to the finished print result.
The Spyder Pro asks questions in a way that newbies to colour calibration can sort things out but experienced types (and those with high-end kit) can still do what they need to. The program is wizard-like and very user friendly. My only criticism is that that the software often comments that the monitor should be set to factory default but with mine the 'desktop' factory default led to iridescent menus (though pictures weren't too bad) and after changing to 'Adobe RGB' preset made everything look much more like it should.
Why four stars and not five? The Spyder has a huge sucker which is aimed at CRT users to keep the colourimeter close to the screen and is not suitable for LCD users (er...everybody now?) and the counter-weight system just doesn't keep the meter flush to the screen. The results were good but I just really felt I had to hold the meter against the screen for the duration of test - for something that should be repeated every few weeks/months this is a bit of pain.
From a 'does it work' perspective - YES! If you have an un-calibrated screen then this is definitely worth getting. The ambient light meter is worthwhile but less-so in bright light, which is something the software admits by its warning you to get a screen-shade or similar.
Much better than 2, but go for the elite! December 23, 2008
Fezzy (London, England)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
So whats new?
well it uses a completely new software program, thats more visually appealing!
It has the only 7 detector color engine and largest light aperture that i know of!
It is fully capable of handling the new wide gamut monitors as well as projectors (i believe the elite has the projector option).
There is also a new ReCAL option, that cuts re-calibration time in half and SpyderProof(tm) function brings you a new level of color control to help you save time, money and achieve color excellence.
16 Calibration Target Choices is only available with this model, the elite is unlimited.
How is the device to use?
its easy to setup, just pop in the cd and install, it works via usb.
Its light and general not intrusive, i expected the blue light on the front to annoy me after a while, but its quite dim.
This product is for those who know what they are doing, and those who have brought the spyder2 and are looking for an upgrade. It does a far better job than me simply messing around with software based solutions.I havent heard anything bad from other uses on forums, except that some do wish that they went for the elite. Other than that there seems to be no regrets, and i concor :)
Its worth every penny.
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