In summary
Datacolor’s Spyder colorimeters have established a reputation as leaders in their field and there are few competitors that can claim to match them in reliability and accessibility. They are also regularly improved with updates and offered in models that suit different requirements, levels of expertise and pocketbooks.
The Spyder5 colorimeter is as effective and easy to use are its predecessor but better designed and packaged to protect the sensors and filters. Beginners will find the Express version easy to use and it will probably meet most of their needs.
Stepping up to the Pro version adds some handy functions (like room light measurement and the ability to use your own images for profile comparisons). Whether it justifies the price hike is something each individual must decide.
Like its predecessor, the Spyder5 Elite will meet the needs of the most demanding photographers who really need the wider range of profile targets for movie editing using the latest display equipment.
The redesigned hardware addresses the concerns we raised in our review of the Spyder4 with respect to vulnerability to dust and knocks and we have no hesitation in recommending the entry-level Spyder5 Express to photographers who want to test the waters of monitor profiling without breaking the bank.
If you’re in the market for a capable and versatile profile creator that makes it easy to keep track of your monitor’s performance, any of the trio is well worth considering.
Full review
We’ve been using the Spyder4 colorimeter to analyse the performance of all the monitors we have reviewed since its release in 2012. The updated version, the Spyder5, which was announced in April, 2015, represents a new generation for the product, with a radical redesign of the colorimeter hardware that makes it more compact and portable than its predecessor and provides much better protection for its detectors and colour filters.
The Spyder5 colorimeter, showing the attached USB cable.
As before, the colorimeter is offered in three ‘levels’, based on differences in supporting software: Express, Pro and Elite. For the first time, all three are based around the same hardware device, which is supplied in a box that is robust enough to store the colorimeter when it’s not in use. We received the flagship Elite version for this review.
Who’s it For?
Display calibration is an essential first step towards ensuring the colours you see on your monitor correspond with those reproduced in the prints you make. Colour reproduction can differ significantly between what a camera records, what the monitor displays and what the printer reproduces unless they are all speaking the same colour ‘language’. With new cameras offering higher resolution for both stills and movies and increasing choice in monitors along with improvements in display and printing technologies, consistency from capture through production to output has never been more important.
Monitor calibration provides the figures (in the form of profiles) that enable the different values from each device to interact and produce a predictable output. The latest Spyder5 provides a tool for measuring these values accurately and producing colour profiles that can be used by all devices in your workflow for display-to-output colour management.
Like its predecessor, the three versions of the Spyder5 provide different levels of functionality. The entry-level Spyder5 Express calibrates using a simple interactive four-step process. The mid-range Spyder5Pro includes an integrated ambient light sensor for room light monitoring, a wider range of calibration settings and display analysis and the ability to import images for before and after calibration evaluation. The top-of-the-line Spyder5Elite adds more calibration settings, a more comprehensive display analysis, advanced before and after evaluation of imported images, monitor matching and tuning and optimized grey balance routines.
The table below, copied from Datacolor’s website, shows the differences in functionality between the three versions. Use this table to select the device with the functionality you require.
|
Function |
Spyder5 Express |
Spyder5 Pro |
Spyder5 Elite |
|
Gamma Choices |
2.2 |
1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4 |
Unlimited |
|
Colour Temperature Choices |
6500K |
5000K, 5800K, 6500K, native |
Unlimited |
|
Custom Targets |
No |
Spyder5 Colorimeter NTSC, PAL/SECAM, ITU-R Rec.BT.709, ITU-R Rec.BT.2020, Cineon, L-Star* |
|
|
ICC Profile Support |
ICC 2 |
IC 2, ICC 4 |
|
|
Multiple Display Calibration |
Yes |
||
|
On-Screen Interactive Help |
Yes |
||
|
Front Projector Calibration |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Room Light Measurement |
No |
Simple |
Advanced |
|
Re-calibration Wizard |
No |
2.5 min |
2.5 min |
|
Expert Console |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Custom B/W Luminance Control |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Display History Utility |
No |
Yes |
|
|
SpyderProof – Before & After Calibration Evaluation |
Yes |
Imported User Image |
Imported User Image + Full Screen |
|
StudioMatch |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Gamma Curve Editing |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Continuous Profile & Calibration Check |
Yes |
||
|
L-Star Workflow Option |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Curves Import Function |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Improved Gray Balance |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Web Activation & Automatic Update Checks |
Yes |
||
The Express version provides a very simple, wizard-based, four-step process with Before and After evaluation of the results using a standard Datacolor composite image. Calibration takes approximately five minutes.
The Pro and Elite versions enable users to upload their own images for Before and After comparisons. They also include an ambient light sensor which monitors room brightness on-the-fly and notifies users of changes in ambient lighting to ensure consistent viewing conditions. The Pro model can detect three distinct brightness levels, while the Elite version detects five levels.
The Elite versions includes support for professional video standards, enabling photographers who shoot both stills and video to cross between them easily. It also includes ‘unlimited’ control over calibration settings and an improved grey balance algorithm to ensure smooth gradients.
What’s New?
While the essential methodology is mostly unchanged since the Spyder4, Datacolor has redesigned the colorimeter body to make it more compact and better protected against dust and light. The three ‘arms’ of the previous model have been pulled in to make the new device look a bit like a tethered hockey puck.
Unlike the Spyder4, it doesn’t require a separate stand. Instead, the counterweight clips over the sensor and filters when the device isn’t in use, allowing you to store it anywhere on your desktop. The snug fit of the counterweight keeps out light and dust.
The Spyder5 opened out showing the counterweight that normally covers the sensor and filters.
You can adjust the position of the counterweight by dragging it along the USB cable that attaches the colorimeter to your computer. This cable is roughly two metres long, providing plenty of scope to drape the cable over the top of the monitor you’re calibrating.
A new tripod socket (metal lined) has been added to one side of the device, enabling users to calibrate front projectors. However this facility is only provided in the Elite version.
The other significant change has been the removal of the software CD from the product package. It has been replaced by a printed card under the lid of the box in which the Spyder5 is supplied, which carries instructions on where to download the Spyder5 software online. The linked website has quick start info, a user guide and a video demonstration of the calibration process, plus links to product support and a knowledge base.
Note: The supplied instructions recommend the colorimeter be connected directly to the computer via the USB cable and not by plugging the cable into a multi-port hub (which is connected to the computer). We found this was necessary the first time the device was used; but subsequently it worked perfectly when the USB cable was plugged into our USB hub.
The Software
Like its predecessor, the different versions of the Spyder5 relate to different levels of software support. The software is available for both Windows and Mac OS platforms but there are now separate downloads for the Express, Pro and Elite versions, rather than a single combined application with different features that are unlocked according to the serial number you provide.
Users still need their device’s serial number to unlock the software. It’s printed on a sticker in the base of the box, below where the Spyder5 sits.
Installation
The software download is just under 70MB for Windows users and about 60MB for Mac. Once you’ve downloaded the application, installing the software is straightforward.
Opening the application reveals a new interactive help panel on the right hand side of the screen, which can be closed if you don’t want it. New users can mouse over different settings on each screen and the help panel will provide details of what they are.
The Welcome screen with the new interactive help panel.
Clicking on the ‘Click to learn more’ button in the bottom right corner of the screen takes you to a help file with more detailed instructions.
Workflow mode selections.
Spyder5 Elite users can select which workflow mode they want to use from three options: Step-by-step wizard, Studio Match and Expert Console. The first is the default setting for all three versions. Studio Match lets users match several displays. The Expert Console provides all of the controls on one screen (shown below).
The Expert Console.
Whichever mode you select, on the first calibration you will be promoted to choose the type of display and input the make and model. This enables the software to be configured for it if it’s listed in the application’s database. If you’ve agreed to share information with Datacolor, it will also be passed on to them to assist with future software updates.
The Expert Console showing the target dropdown menu.
Users of the Elite and Pro versions are prompted to select which adjustments their monitor supports and specify the gamma, white point, brightness and ambient light detection settings they prefer. They can also choose from 16 possible targets, with Elite users gaining two extra video targets (Rec. 709 and Rec. 2020) for calibrating editing screens to broadcast standards.
The recommended target values for all three models are displayed with dropdown menus offering alternative settings. This illustration shows the Step-by-step wizard display.
From this point on, calibration involves the same steps as the Spyder4 used, in the same order. The user interface is essentially unchanged through these steps and the measurement process should take about five minutes if your screen’s brightness doesn’t require fine-tuning.
The software notifies you if the current screen brightness is more than 4% off the desired value.
You are then promoted to measure the ambient light in your work space by placing the Spyder5 on your desk just below the monitor you’re calibrating.
The ambient lighting report.
The software will prompt you to click on the Next button to perform the measurement and provide feedback on the suitability of the measured light levels. You can accept the recommended settings or restore the original settings you selected.
Positioning the Spyder5.
Next you are promoted to position the Spyder5 colorimeter on the screen, in the centre of a graphical outline. Clicking on the Next button activates the calibration process, which involves displaying a long sequence of standardised colours at various levels of intensity while the colorimeter measures how the screen reproduces them. Unlike the Spyder4, the colour patches in the Spyder5 cover the entire screen. A bar near the lower edge of the screen allows you to track the process.
Saving the new profile.
The software will then create a profile for the screen and displays a page where you can name and save the new profile. If the displayed name correlates with the name of the screen you are profiling, simply click on ‘Save’ and the profile will be saved in the appropriate folder on your computer, where it will be accessible by all applications involving colour reproduction.
You can also set a reminder of when to recalibrate your display. For most photographers, the default frequency setting of one month should be adequate.
The profile overviews for sRGB and Adobe RGB.
Clicking on Next creates a profile overview that enables you to compare your newly-created display profile to other displays or standards and you can toggle between sRGB, NTSC (but not the local PAL TV standard) and Adobe RGB. This lets you compare the colour gamut coverage with respect to the three standards.
The SpyderProof screen.
Clicking on the Next button takes you to SpyderProof, where you can view the effects of the calibration on a 4 x 4 block of sample images that includes colour patches, landscapes, skin tones, high-dynamic range subjects and monochromes. You can click inside an image to zoom into it for more detail and switch between calibrated and uncalibrated views to see how the changes affect these images.
Users of the Elite and Pro versions can replace the default images with their own Custom image (which can also be made up from a series of different pictures). It can be in JPEG or TIFF format.
If the SpyderProof screen suggested your display needed some adjustments, you can make them with SpyderTune, which provides the same set of image samples plus sliders for adjusting blue-red and purple-green to tweak White Point adjustment. There’s also a lower-higher slider for Gamma and a lower-maximum slider for Brightness.
Another feature of SpyderTune it that it allows you to fine tune a second display to match your master. The adjustment can be saved for future use or the values can be reset. You can also retune either screen without spoiling the profile of the screen you’re not working on.
The Shortcuts dropdown menu.
The Advanced Display Analysis, which was accessed via a button on the Spyder4 screen, is now accessed via the Shortcuts dropdown menu. This function is the same as in the Spyder4 and includes the same suite of six tests (shown in the screen grab below).
The Advanced Analysis screen.
You can select one or more of these tests by clicking on the boxes beside each button. Clicking on the Begin Tests button at the bottom of the screen initiates the testing process with the Gamut test. As each test is completed, graphs or tables showing the result are displayed. After the selected tests are completed, the software displays a Monitor Rating table that shows how the screen you have tested compares with ideal values.
A typical monitor rating display.
ReCAL and CheckCAL
The Pro and Elite versions include ReCAL and CheckCAL modes that can re-calibrate or check a current calibration without requiring a full calibration routine. They use the same wizard-based routine but involve fewer measurements. ReCAL shaves a couple of minutes off the normal five-minute calibration time.
The CheckCAL process is even faster. On completion it displays the screen shown above with status checks for Gamma and White Point. There’s a Recalibrate button below the status display that takes you to the start of the calibration wizard should either parameter be out-of-whack.
Conclusion
Datacolor’s Spyder colorimeters have established a reputation as leaders in their field and there are few competitors that can claim to match them in reliability and accessibility. They are also regularly improved with updates and offered in models that suit different requirements, levels of expertise and pocketbooks.
The Spyder5 colorimeter is as effective and easy to use are its predecessor but better designed and packaged to protect the sensors and filters. Beginners will find the Express version easy to use and it will probably meet most of their needs.
Stepping up to the Pro version adds some handy functions (like room light measurement and the ability to use your own images for profile comparisons). Whether it justifies the price hike is something each individual must decide.
Like its predecessor, the Spyder5 Elite will meet the needs of the most demanding photographers who really need the wider range of profile targets for movie editing using the latest display equipment.
The redesigned hardware addresses the concerns we raised in our review of the Spyder4 with respect to vulnerability to dust and knocks and we have no hesitation in recommending the entry-level Spyder5 Express to photographers who want to test the waters of monitor profiling without breaking the bank.
The initial RRP for the Spyder5 Elite may be slightly on the high side compared to the US price, but shopping around local imaging specialists should enable you to purchase one of the Spyder5 systems cost-competitively with overseas resellers.
If you’re in the market for a capable and versatile profile creator that makes it easy to keep track of your monitor’s performance, any of the trio is well worth considering.
SPECS
Hardware: Datacolor Spyder5Elite colorimeter with USB cable and counterweight
Systems compatibility: Windows 7 32/64, Windows 8.0, 8.1 32/64; Mac OS X 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10; 16-bit video card (24 bit recommended), 1GB of available RAM, 500 MB of available hard disk, USB port, internet connection for software download
Monitor resolution: 1280 x 768 or greater
Display support: LCD, LED, OLED, CRT, DLP and other display technologies; compatible with single/multiple monitors, laptops, netbooks, front projectors, television (when connected to a computer)
Warranty: 1 year plus free phone support
Dimensions (wxlxh): 69.3 x 74.4 x 43.4 mm
Weight: 133 grams (without box)
Rating
RRP: AUD$465; US $279
- Features: 9.0
- Ease of Use: 8.8