14 DAY TRIAL // Good news for those who take color accuracy very seriously, as Datacolor recently announced the introduction of Spyder3, a new generation of display calibration and printer profiling solutions.
The initial products in the new Spyder3 line are Spyder3Elite and Spyder3Studio. Each Spyder3 product is specifically designed to address the color management needs of photographers and creative professionals that require the most accurate color for digital editing and printing. Datacolor touts the Spyder3 lineup as being the only one to have a seven detector color engine, with an aperture several times larger than other devices for increased accuracy and performance.
"Spyder3 represents Datacolor's commitment to innovation and strong partnership with our customers to deliver the most effective color calibration solutions available," said Krista Behrend, Spyder3 Datacolor global product manager.
"Our customers rely heavily on the images displayed on their monitors. The new Spyder3 is a significant leap forward, making digital workflow more efficient and helping users achieve their creative vision with greater color accuracy than ever before," she added.
One of the most important features in the Spyder3 products is the SpyderProof, which brings a new level of color control to any digital workflow. "SpyderProof enables professionals to evaluate calibration with a before and after mode. Professionals can view four quadrants of thematic photos to specifically evaluate saturated colors, skin tones, gradients, and black and white images to ensure the desired calibration results," the press release reads.
The new form factor includes an embedded ambient light detector and desktop cradle that doubles as a tripod mount. As compared to the award-winning predecessor Spyder2, the Spyder3 offers a sleeker design that's 37 percent smaller and incorporates third-generation Spyder technology. It also includes new easy-to-use, photo-centric user interface.
The Spyder3 high-precision sensors and enlarged optical path increase its light sensitivity by 400 percent, making it the most accurate colorimeter in its class. This ensures consistent color on all LCD, CRT, laptop and front projector displays and includes the ability to match multiple studio displays to a single target.
Spyder3Elite has a US SRP of $279 and Spyder3Studio, $599. Both will be available at photo retailers around the world by the end of October. Each is compatible with Mac OSX (10.3 or higher) and Windows 2000, XP 32/64 and Vista 32/64. The Spyder3Elite and Spyder3Studio products are available immediately, and will be on display for the first time in Datacolor booth #1406 at the PhotoPlus Expo, beginning October 18th at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York.
Some additional features of Spyder3Elite include:
￭ Intelligent Ambient Light Control: Automatically measures ambient light in the room to deliver a new level of calibration precision and unique options to either adjust room light settings or the display profile. It also conveniently captures a history of light conditions to distinguish light changes from studio flashes or shadows. ￭ Unlimited Target Choices: User-defined calibration targets and the ability to customize their own choice of white point and gamma combinations to best match working conditions provides photographers with total control within their digital workflow. ￭ Easy-To-Use Dual Mode Software: Offers two software modes to choose from - Assistant-based interface walks you through the process, or an Expert Console is available for the advanced user. The Display Assistants allows you to enter and store specific device information to save time during future calibrations. ￭ Expert Console: Users can set their own expectations by controlling all calibration parameters and actions from one comprehensive window. Its L-Star Calibration Option uses patented technology as an alternative to typical gamma settings to generate unique tonal response curves for open shadows and detailed highlights. ￭ Real-time Calibration Monitoring: Incorporates ongoing background checks of calibration and profile settings to ensure the display color is accurate. ￭ Notebook and Projector Calibration Modes: The only affordable solution that will calibrate all your displays, including projectors. ￭ Multiple Display Calibration: StudioMatch guides you through calibrating all of your studio displays to a single calibration target. The Assistant accounts for each display's white and black luminance as well as studio light conditions. ￭ In coordination with the Spyder3 launch, Datacolor has announced that its consumer business unit will now be solely branded as Datacolor. Previously, this division incorporated branding of both Datacolor and ColorVision, a division of Datacolor since 2000.
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