Datacolor SpyderX Pro: Monitor Calibration designed for serious Photographers and Designers

Product Information

The ambient monitoring is also a great feature and ensures that even if the light in your working environment changes then the Spyder software will make the adjustments necessary. I used to keep the Spyder under the monitor but then realised that shadow from the monitor was affecting the ambient reading of the room. Placing it on a stand by the monitor seems a better solution. Open the protective cap, however, and you get to see the real change. Whereas before there was a grill covering the sensor, now there’s a lens. Note: As OLED has become more widely available, so too are the different types of OLED display technology. While it may be possible to use the Spyder X/X2 to calibrate certain types of OLED displays, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the resulting calibration. Currently, we do not recommend using a Spyder X/X2 to calibrate any type of OLED display for color-critical applications. Actually, if you do lose it or throw it away, then you can always locate you serial through the online account.

One feature that always impresses is the before and after, so you can see if the calibration has had the desired effect, inevitably it will. It’s also great to show anyone who dismisses colour calibration or says that they can do it by eye, they can’t, and this is a great demonstration. Monitor calibration has come out of the shadows and much of the fear and expense around the process has dropped away. Monitor calibration is now accessible to all photographers, and to be honest, it’s something we all need to do. The build of the SpyderX is one up on the Spyder5. It just feels like the quality of plastic has increased as has the finish, and the new glassy white gives the new device a great look.

Datacolor points out that the lens based colour engine significantly increases the precision, colour accuracy and low light capabilities of the device. We’ll have to wait and see through the test and look at the result.

As with previous generations, the hardware of the Pro and Elite are the same, and it’s the software that changes the features. This approach means that you can buy the cheaper Pro version and then in the future, if you need the additional features then you can upgrade to the Elite.If you’re a keen photographer, then monitor calibration is something you need to do. The beauty of the SpyderX Pro system is that the only real thought you need to give to calibration is the thought behind buying it. Once that’s done, and it’s set up it handles everything else for you. While the colour and brightness might look great on our monitor it often doesn’t look quite so good when it comes to printing or sharing with others. The change shown on the monitors and laptops calibrated with the Spyder5 was far less, a slight change but nothing drastic. In use, the new Spyder works in much the same way as the older version. Initially placing the device on the desk so that it can read the ambient light in the room, then move over to the monitor so it can read the illumination. Once the software is installed and registered on your computer, you’re ready to calibrate. The device plugs into a spare USB port and after following the on-screen instructions; the SpyderX is hung over the monitor ready to read the quality of the display.

After calibration, it then sits neatly by the side of the monitor to read the ambient light and if selected adjust the monitor automatically. I also keep the Spyder5 on a stand to read the ambient light and always thought that a stand in the box would be a good idea, or at least an option. One important feature is the ambient reader on the top of the device; this enables the monitor to adjust dependent on light changes within the room. This is especially important as daylight fades and room lights take over to ensure the colour temperature, and brightness of the monitor adjust. When it came to calibrating the next monitor, all of which I connect through USB-C, each monitor appeared in the monitor selection dropdown and then the calibration process for each could be started. Verdict Studio Match feature allows use of multiple computers/displays for simultaneous side-by side calibration.

How it works

This is where Datacolor SpyderX comes into its own. The software is well structured with easy to follow on-screen instructions.

Internally is where the significant changes have been made, the first of which is apparent as soon as the protective cover is removed. Ergonomically the edges have been smoothed, and the device looks a little more stylish and up to date.Monitor resolution 1280×768 or greater, 16-bit video card (24-bit recommended), 1GB of available RAM, 500MB of available hard disk Overall the SpyderX Pro is an excellent monitor calibrator. It’s easy to use and ensures that your monitor is always displaying the correct colours.