Spyder3 printer calibration

[Satchidananda Ashram]

Does anybody have experience with the new Colorvision Spyder3Print spectrocolorimeter for calibrating printers? If it works it would be quite a cost savings, wouldn't it? It costs $500. Aren't units for calibrating printers usually three times as much?

[AndrewRodney]

Originally Posted by Satchidananda Ashram

Does anybody have experience with the new Colorvision Spyder3Print spectrocolorimeter for calibrating printers? If it works it would be quite a cost savings, wouldn't it? It costs $500. Aren't units for calibrating printers usually three times as much?

The X-Rite EyeOne Pro system is about $1000 or so. Its much, much faster to measure patches, can do ambient and strobe, projectors etc. And its really a Spectrophotometer (it actually does read spectral data). For their optical brighting compensation for building paper profiles, useful!

http://www.ppmag.com/reviews/200702_rodneycm.pdf

[Jerry Skrocki]

I have been using the DataColor PrintFixPro package for about a year now.
I even upgraded to the Spyder3 Elite monitor calibrator about two months ago, so it is basically the same package minus the new patch reader guide. The Datacolor Spectrocolorimeter has not changed with the new package, only the accompanying software, available as a free upgrade.

I find the package produces excellent quality, 16 bit profiles that can be customized at a later date with DataColor's ambient light technology, allowing you to produce prints optimized for the viewing conditions.

The comparable i1Photo package from Xrite retails for $1645. while the DataColor Spyder3 Studio package retails for $599.

With the Datacolor package you are getting the Spyder3 monitor calibrator with a full time ambient light sensor and a seven color detection engine. The Datacolor Spectrocolorimeter is a separate (included) hardware device that used led lighting to read color patches.

The i1Photo package comes with one device to do both jobs. The i1 Spectrophotometer is optimized for reading patch targets and is (arguably) not the ideal solution for monitor calibration. Xrite has since developed the i1 Display2 optimized for monitor calibration (an additional $250.).

[Carl Brady]

Jerry,

Reading your posts, I get the impression that you are striving for as near to perfection in your work as possible. I also have the impression that you have considerable experience with color management. I've been a professional photographer for many years, but am relatively new to digital color management since my professional work was with silver. I now have the luxury of digital for pleasure. Travel, fine arts, events, etc. I'd appreciate your feedback after reading the review of monitors and color management at Shoot Smarter.com. He seems sold on a new system, Color Munki Photo for $449 that calibrates monitors, printers and projectors.

Carl

[Jerry Skrocki]

Carl,

I am particular about getting the color right, almost obsessive. I have been that way since I started taking pictures. In 1989 I built my own color darkroom because I did not like the color reproduction the professional labs were producing. I moved to digital about 10 years later.

I have not used the ColorMunki but have read quite a few reviews that praised the simplicity of the all-in-one design as well as the output. It was marketed for the home user/advanced amateur photographer who wants color management without the hassle of investing a lot of time learning the ropes. It is a true spectrophotometer which is better suited for profiling printers than monitor calibration.

The DataColor Spyder3 Studio uses the Spyder3 Elite calibrator,a true colorimeter that is better suited for it's intended purpose (monitor calibration). The Studio also includes the DataColor spectrocolorimeter, a specialized instrument for creating printer profiles. I have used this package for my color management and it works for me.

In comparing the two systems there are positives and negatives with each. Granted the ColorMunki has the superior hardware device for printer calibration, but it inferior for monitor calibration. Creating printer profiles is much easier with the ColorMunki requiring one swipe of the device over a row of color patches and repeating the process once more. The DataColor package requires individual patches to be read and is more time consuming. The software package included with the DataColor Spyder3 Studio offers more options and in my opnion, makes it the better color management system.

Jerry

[Carl Brady]

Jerry,

Thank you for the information. I am, again, undecided on what to buy. Naturally, I don't want to spend more than I need to to obtain excellent results. I know from many years of experience that obtaining outstanding results, as compared to excellent results is usually much more time consuming, expensive and often very illusive.

Carl

[AndrewRodney]

Originally Posted by Jerry Skrocki

Carl,
Granted the ColorMunki has the superior hardware device for printer calibration, but it inferior for monitor calibration.

Yes and no.

A Colorimeter is generally better for display calibration due to its ability to measure dark colors with less noise than a Spectrophotometer in the price range we're talking about. But a colorimeter without tuned matrixes may suffer far worse issues on wide gamut displays or those it doesn't "expect" to measure. Here a colorimeter is far superior (would you rather have butt ugly color with some dark banding?). The best device IS a tuned colorimeter (or better yet, a $20K Spectroradiometer).

One other note. Only X-Rite (now that they own GretagMacbeth) can sell you a device that will measure a display AND a reflective print due to their patents. The boys at Color Vision/Data Color may tell you that they need two devices because its "better" which as discussed above, is partially true. But they can't provide you a single device to do both tasks for legal reasons, not technical ones.

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