Datacolor has just announced the launch of the SpyderExpress, its most affordable display calibration tool yet – and it looks like a great fit for photographers, designers, and anyone who relies on accurate colors when editing, but who have never dabbled in color calibration tools.

The SpyderExpress promises to deliver professional-grade color calibration in as little as 90 seconds, using a simple three-step process. That means less time fiddling with settings and more time actually creating. It’s designed to take the guesswork out of whether your screen is showing you the real picture, so your edits will look just as you intended when printed or shared online.

What’s particularly appealing is its support for Apple’s latest XDR displays, including the MacBook Pro M4 series with mini-LED technology. That makes it one of the few budget-friendly calibrators ready to handle the most advanced and widely used screens around. And for those juggling multiple monitors, SpyderExpress can handle up to three displays on a single workstation.

The real twist with this launch is Datacolor’s new upgradeable platform. Starting in October 2025, SpyderExpress owners will be able to unlock advanced features through software upgrades – features that were previously limited to pricier Spyder and Spyder Pro models. These include Device Preview, soft proofing, display matching, video tools, and expanded support for OLED and mini-LED panels. In other words, the SpyderExpress can actually grow with you as your creative needs expand.

Heath Barber, Datacolor’s Director of Product Management, summed it up nicely: “SpyderExpress gives creators the fastest way to ensure their screen reflects their vision. They can edit faster and share with confidence, knowing their work will appear exactly as intended. And when they’re ready for more, Spyder’s new upgradeable platform makes it easy to unlock powerful features with a simple software update.”

The new Datacolor SpyderExpress is available now for $119 / £119.

Check out our existing guide to the best monitor calbrators to see the alternatives.

Light meters have long been an essential tool for photographers and filmmakers, but Datacolor has just taken it to the next level. The new Datacolor LightColor Meter is more than just a meter; it’s a smart, pocket-sized lighting assistant that streams real-time light and color data straight to your phone via Bluetooth.

No more stopping to take readings or second-guessing adjustments, just instant, accurate information via the LightColor Meter app, helping you make the right decisions on set.

What makes this device shine is its ability to measure the balance between natural and artificial light. Whether matching daylight with LED panels, blending strobes with ambient light, or maintaining consistent lighting across multiple shots, the LightColor Meter ensures accuracy from the start.

For filmmakers, that means seamless transitions between scenes without unexpected shifts in color or exposure. For photographers, it eliminates the trial and error of achieving perfect white balance, improving efficiency, and speeding up workflow.

Notable features include dedicated modes for photo, video, and cinema, along with advanced cine settings such as frame rate, shutter angle/speed, and ND filter compensation. It also comes preloaded with gel filter libraries from Profoto, LEE, and Rosco for quick color correction.

Datacolor has designed the LightColor Meter with professional image makers in mind, evidenced by the ability to sync with multiple units up to 24 meters apart; ideal for complex lighting setups. Hands-free operation options, including a magnet and a ¼"-20 tripod mount, make it easy to position on set. A thought-through interface includes a 3.5mm jack for strobe/flash sync and Bluetooth 4.0 LE connection to the LightColor Meter app.

With an illumination range from 1 to 1,000,000 lux and a color temperature range of 1,600K to 20,000K, it delivers precise readings of lux, chromaticity, CCT, and green-magenta shift (Duv).

Designed for both still and motion work, the LightColor Meter works seamlessly with continuous and flash lighting, including high-speed sync. If lighting conditions change, from shifting clouds, flickering fluorescents, or unexpected light sources, the meter can send instant alerts so you’re never caught off guard. Essentially make it a set-it-and-forget-it monitoring tool that has your back if the lighting or color in your shots starts to change.

If you're working across a larger set, multiple meters can be synced to monitor different areas at the same time, ensuring consistency in exposure and color balance throughout your shoot.

With its compact build, hands-free functionality, and advanced measurement capabilities, this is a tool designed for modern creatives who need precision without the hassle.

The Datacolor LightColor Meter will be available soon priced at $399 / £379 (approximatley AU$740) For anyone serious about lighting accuracy, this could be the smartest addition to your kit bag.

The new LIghtColor Meter will be on display on the Transcontinenta stand at The Photography & Video Show which runs at Excel London from March 8-11.

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Check out our guides to the best light meters for photography, the best lighting kits, and the best LED panels.

While the Amazon Prime Big Deals are in full swing, B&H has quietly slashed 1/3 off the price of a Datacolor SpyderX Pro. I'd pick one up if I didn't already have one! 

I can split my photography life into two distinct eras, when I didn't own a color-calibration device and when I did own a color-calibration device. And before you dismiss my ramblings, because – let's face it – color calibration is about the least sexy area of photography. I don't think it's hyperbole to suggest that this $99 Datacolor SpyderX Pro could be the most useful $100 you've spent on your profession or hobby. And with a $50 saving, it's more tempting than ever. 

The monitor you're using or even the ambient lighting in the room that you're working in can affect the accuracy of the colors displayed on-screen. For photographers and videographers, tiny color-grading tweaks can make all the difference, which is why it's important that your monitor delivers accurate colors, whether or not it's one of the best monitors for photo editing. That's where the best monitor calibrators, like the Datacolor SpyderX Pro, come in. 

The SpyderX Pro sits over your monitor and calibrates your screen in minutes. This impressive piece of color-calibration tech features room-light monitoring, which measures changing ambient light levels and can adjust contrast and brightness accordingly. It even lets you view imagery before and after color calibration so you can see the difference for yourself.

Ever since I wrote an article on How to color calibrate your monitor with a Datacolor SpyderX, I've made a point of regularly calibrating my monitor. And my edits look better than ever!  

You might be interested in the best video editing monitor from other brands, as well as the best ultra-wide monitor for photo editing. 

Datacolor has launched a new range of display, photo, video, and printer calibration products.

Read more: The best monitor calibrators

SpyderPro

The centrepiece of the range is the new SpyderPro colorimeter for display calibration. This replaces the previous Spyder X2 Ultra, and though it looks almost identical to the outgoing X2, the SpyderPro can calibrate a wider range of monitor types. Like the old X2 Ultra, the SpyderPro is able to calibrate standard and HDR LCD displays, but it adds compatibility with mini-LED panels, along with Apple XDR/Liquid Retina monitors, as well as OLED displays, making it the most versatile Spyder colorimeter ever. An unlimited number of connected displays can be calibrated to ensure consistency across monitors, and the SpyderPro is capable of calibrating monitors with a screen brightness of up to 2000 cd/m2. To ensure your monitor is set to the correct brightness to suit your ambient lighting, the SpyderPro can measure ambient light brightness and monitor it periodically to ensure your display is always set to the most appropriate brightness.

SpyderPro is available to buy now, priced at $269/£249.

Datacolor SpyderPro: buy now from B&H

Spyder

If you're looking for your first monitor calibrator, Datacolor has also launched a new, entry-level calibration product, simply named: Spyder. This is quite similar to SpyderPro, but where the Pro can calibrate 2000 cd/m2 HDR displays, the more basic Spyder is only compatible with monitors outputting a maximum 750 cd/m2 brightness. Spyder also only has 5 gamma curve settings and 5 white point settings, compared to the Pro's unlimited adjustment. Spyder will also only let you calibrate a single connected display, so multi-monitor users will need the SpyderPro. But if you can do without these features, Spyder is priced at a more accessible $169/£159 and is available to buy now.

Datacolor Spyder: buy now from B&H

In addition to the standalone Spyder and SpyderPro monitor calibrators, Datacolor is bundling the SpyderPro in two different kits: the Spyder Photo/Video Kit, and the Spyder Print Studio.

Spyder Photo/Video Kit

The Spyder Photo/Video Kit contains a SpyderPro colorimeter, along with a Spyder Cube, Spyder Checkr Video, and a Spyder Checkr Photo Card Set. Spyder Cube is an alternative to a traditional gray card - use it to set white balance and correct exposure. Spyder Checkr Video is a passport-sized color reference target containing several precision-calibrated reference cards. These feature various color and grayscale swatches which are used to align the white balance and color of video footage once it's imported into editing software like Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere. When shooting stills, the video color reference cards can be swapped out for the Spyder Checkr Photo Card Set so you can ensure consistent color during post production in Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera RAW or Hasselblad Phocus. The Spyder Photo/Video Kit is retailing now for $349/£349.

Datacolor Spyder Photo/Video Kit: buy now from B&H

Spyder Print Studio

If you want to accurately color match your monitor with printed output, you'll need Datacolor's Spyder Print Studio kit. This contains the SpyderPro and a Spyder Cube, but adds a Spyder Print colorimeter for calibrating your printer. By printing a sheet of color swatches, Spyder print can measure the exact color of each target swatch in order to build a printer profile that compensates for any printed color inaccuracies. The system can also be used to create bespoke profiles to suit a variety of printer, ink and paper combinations. The Spyder Print Studio kit is on sale now for $499/£479.

Datacolor Spyder Print Studio: buy now from B&H

I started out in photography back in the days when there was no such thing as autofocus. If I focused a lens at the wrong distance, it was my fault, pure and simple. Nowadays, most of us rely almost exclusively on autofocus. That’s all well and good if an autofocus system is consistently accurate but, sadly, that’s often not the case. For interchangeable lens cameras, you’re relying on the electronics and mechanics of both the camera and any attached lens to play nicely together and work in complete harmony. They might not. 

Autofocus inaccuracy is more of a problem with DSLRs, which have separate autofocus modules and image sensors, in physically different places. That gives more room for error, compared with mirrorless cameras in which autofocus is based on the actual image sensor itself. Even with mirrorless cameras, there can be room for improvement, especially when using DSLR-style lenses via a mount adapter. A bit of fine-tuning or ‘micro-adjustment’ can pay dividends.

The Spyder LensCal is aimed predominantly at DSLRs but can also come in useful for the likes of Nikon Z system mirrorless cameras, which feature AF fine-tuning, and for Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras that enable fine-tuning for lenses that are attached via a mount adapter. It’s designed by datacolor, a company that’s held in high regard for making some of the best monitor calibrators and the best photo editing tools and accessories.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Specifications

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Price & Availability

The Spyder LensCal is available from various photographic retailers and online stores, as well as from datacolor’s own website. It costs around $69 / £49 / AU$129, which is naturally a lot more expensive than downloading free printable charts that you’ll find on the Internet. Even so, it seems a fair price for a well-made calibration tool that can be used with multiple cameras and lenses.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Design & Handling

I like the design of the Spyder LensCal. Although it’s made primarily from plastic, the plastic has a high-quality feel and the overall construction feels like it’s built to last. I also like that it folds flat for easy storage, taking up very little space, but snaps into operating configuration in just a couple of seconds, clipping into place.

When set up for use, the device consists of a flat base plate, a vertical focusing chart, and a calibrated scale that’s fixed at a 45-degree angle. Everything needs to be on the level for operation, so the base plate helpfully includes a bubble level. There’s also a brass tripod socket with a standard ¼-inch thread, so you can attach the device to any tripod head or other camera support. For leveling the camera during calibration, it can be useful to use a virtual horizon if featured, or a hotshoe-mounting bubble level (sold separately).

The upright focusing chart has a high-contrast pattern with a small area on the right hand side with a more intricate grid. The idea is that you use the single, central AF point mode in your camera and align it to this part of the chart, which is just adjacent to the calibration scale. The scale is marked with a line at ‘0’, which is at exactly the same distance as the focus point. Sloping forwards and backward from this point, the scale is marked with fine lines and major intervals marked from 1 to 6. This enables you to check if your camera and lens combination is front-focusing (in front of the ideal point) or back-focusing (behind the ideal point).

Operating instructions that come with the Spyder LensCal are, to be honest, completely inadequate. They’re very scant, printed on a card in the retail pack. Pull out the card, however, and you’ll find a link to datacolor’s product page that includes a free User Guide and Quick Start Guide, which you can download in PDF format, as well as a demonstration video. These give you all the information you need, and the guides are clear and easy to understand.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Photo Performance

Autofocus fine-tuning can be a moveable feast with many vagaries to contend with. If fine-tuning is needed at all, it might require different amounts of adjustment at different focus distances, and that’s just for prime lenses. For zoom lenses, the amount of adjustment can also vary at different focal lengths. I tested the Spyder LensCal with both a Nikon D7100 DSLR and a Nikon Z 6II mirrorless camera, both of which enable AF fine-tune adjustments.

It's often said that you should fine-tune lenses at the focus distance you most often use. Naturally, that can vary considerably from shot to shot. The recommendation from datacolor is that you should set the operating distance at 30-50 times the focal length of the lens. So, for example, the test distance should be 105-175cm for a 35mm lens. For zoom lenses, it’s best to use the longest focal length, if the camera only allows you to make one fine-tuning adjustment. That said, some cameras enable you to make separate adjustments for the shortest and longest focal lengths of a zoom lens. The Sigma USB Dock that’s available for its Global Vision line-up of lenses goes a step further, allowing for individual fine-tuning adjustments at various focus distances as well as zoom settings.

It’s important to use good lighting, a low ISO setting, and the widest available aperture when testing. This enables high-resolution results that make the actual focus distance on the scale easier to read while minimizing the depth of field so you can be more exact. It’s also best to mount your camera on a tripod and use a self-timer to avoid any camera shake.

After you’ve taken a test shot, you can review the results in playback mode, using maximum magnification to see where the focus position is. For the utmost accuracy, it can be better to download shots to your computer and view them on-screen in a larger format. The lines on the calibration scale aren’t intended to correspond to numerical adjustments in the camera’s incremental settings, so a little trial and error is required to tune out any front-focus or back-focus problems.

If you find that you’re having to set pretty much the same fine-tuning adjustment for a camera with all your lenses, it’s likely that the camera itself is the culprit. If this is the case, there’s generally an option in the camera menu to set a default amount, or to ‘adjust all lenses by the same amount’. Because the amount of adjustment might need to be different for individual lenses, and might also need to be different when using the same lens on different camera bodies, it’s usually best to make precise fine-tuning adjustments for each of your lenses on each of your cameras, if you own more than one. And naturally, you only need to make any fine-tuning adjustments if they’re actually needed.

Ultimately, the Spyder LensCal might be a gadget that you simply don’t need. Especially if you use a mirrorless camera with native mount lenses, you might find that everything just ‘works’. However, if you shoot with a DSLR or use lenses on a mirrorless camera via a mount adapter, and you notice consistent autofocus inaccuracies, this tool can help you put things right.

datacolor Spyder LensCal: Verdict

I’ve had lenses that deliver very good image quality, except that on my camera, the critical point of autofocus is usually in the wrong place. Where featured in the camera, autofocus fine-tuning can fix the problem and the datacolor Spyder LensCal is a tool that makes the whole process of calibration relatively quick, easy, and painless. In my books, that makes it a gadget that’s well worth having and very good value at the price.

To me, photography is a movable feast. There are endless parameters that I can monkey around with for creative effect, which is all for the good and makes life fun. Sometimes though, I just want things to be ‘right’. Inaccurate white balance, blown highlights, and lost lowlights can ruin a good shot. As well as accuracy, I find that consistency throughout a series of shots is really important if I’m creating prints that are going to be viewed in a book or hung next to each other on the wall. 

That’s where the datacolor SpyderCube comes into the equation. It’s a little resin cube measuring 1.5 inches on each side but, despite looking pretty basic, it can help me to easily nail white balance, color, brightness, and contrast under even the trickiest of lighting conditions. I’d expect nothing less from the datacolor company. It’s a world leader, renowned for making some of the best monitor calibrators and the best photo editing tools and accessories on the market.

datacolor SpyderCube: What's changed?
If you’re serious about accuracy in your photography, especially under challenging light sources, you’re probably no stranger to the ‘gray card’. Often sold as conveniently collapsible panels that have an 18 percent neutral gray surface, they enable you to set your camera’s white balance manually, as well as giving you a good starting point for exposure settings. The datacolor SpyderCube goes a lot further, enabling a range of adjustments at the editing stage, and it’s small enough to fit in a spare pocket.

datacolor SpyderCube: Specifications

datacolor SpyderCube: Price & Availability

The SpyderCube is available direct from datacolor’s online store as well as from photographic retailers around the world. The list price is around $54 / £50 / AU$99, which is about twice as much as I’d expect to pay for a basic collapsible gray card. Even so, I think it’s good value and you’ll sometimes find it at a discounted price.

datacolor SpyderCube: Design & Handling

The datacolor SpyderCube is small and lightweight but it’s certainly not flimsy. A bit like the opposite of ‘single-use plastic’, the cube itself is made from hardy ABS Cycoloy and it’s built to last. The material is a tough hybrid resin that’s claimed to be fade-proof, extremely durable, shock-resistant, water-resistant, and spectrally neutral to respond to all lighting conditions. I like that the various white, gray, and black panels are made from a solid material all the way through, rather than just being painted over with the respective colors on each surface. That makes the SpyderCube much more durable.

The layout of panels around the cube enables you to see white and neutral gray areas on two sides, as well as a black area underneath. The idea is that you place the cube in a prominent area of your photo composition and take a test shot. At the editing stage, the gray and white panels can act as click-on areas for setting the white balance and highlight/white point respectively. It’s generally best to use the gray and white areas on the brighter side of the cube, as these are lit by the main light source in the shot.

It's easy to assume that the black surface on the lower side represents what should be absolute black in the photo but the cube actually has a ‘black trap’ underneath. It’s basically a circular hole with a half-inch diameter and gives a more accurate representation of black, without any risk of reflections which might brighten or add color to the surface.

To get all the sides correctly orientated, the cube needs to sit on one point. To achieve this, there’s an elasticated loop you can hang it from but that can be a bit tricky, as it can tend to rotate on its axis. Even so, it’s easy to see ‘which way is up’ with the loop at the top, which also connects a small chrome ball. You can use this to keep a check on specular highlights. On the opposite corner of the cube there’s a ¼” threaded socket. This enables you to fix the cube to a tripod, selfie stick or any other kind of camera support to make sure it stays put, exactly where you want it.

datacolor SpyderCube: Photo Performance

It’s quick work to take a test shot with the datacolor SpyderCube in the frame, before removing it take your actual photos. Naturally, you have to repeat the process for different scenes and each time the light changes, especially when shooting outdoors. However, if you’re shooting a series of images indoors, under controlled lighting conditions using anything from room lighting to a strobe, studio flash or LED panel, you can take a single test shot. You can then work out the necessary alterations in your editing program, based on that one test shot, and save the changes as a preset. It’s then easy to apply the preset to all of the other images in the series, which can be a big time-saver.

So how do you actually make the changes at the editing stage? With most editing apps, you can make alterations to JPEG images but, as always, shooting in RAW mode gives you much more latitude for making adjustments, along with far greater accuracy. For the sake of testing, I used Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) to make the edits.

One niggle is that, straight out of the box, there’s virtually no information on how to use the SypderCube or make the necessary changes in an image editing package. However, datacolor does offer a SypderCube User Guide and Quick Start Guide that you can view online and download in PDF format.

datacolor recommends making any necessary adjustments to white balance as the first step in the process. I did this with the white balance tool in ACR, using the eye-dropper on the gray area on the brighter side of the SpyderCube, which corresponds to the color temperature of the main light source.

For adjusting brightness and contrast, the white faces, black side, black trap and chrome ball can all play a part. You can turn on highlight/lowlight warning if featured in your image editing software, as a guide. I’m generally not fussed about highlight warnings in the chrome ball, which represent specular highlights. It’s more important to adjust the ‘exposure’ slider so that the brighter white face is white but not completely washed out. I find it similarly useful to adjust the contrast and black level so that the lower black surface of the cube has some detail and is distinguishable from the absolute black of the ‘black trap’ hole.

The complete editing process is based on adjusting white balance/tint, exposure, brightness and blacks, in that order. Naturally, it’s important to keep a visual check on progress so that the image looks like you actually want it to look, and I found that it can sometimes pay to revisit earlier adjustments for a slight tweak. Ultimately though, the SpyderCube is quick, easy and effective, and enables excellent accuracy and consistency throughout a series of images taken in the same place under the same lighting conditions.

datacolor SpyderCube: Sample Images

The sample shot below was taken with a Nikon Z 6II under LED room lighting, using the camera’s auto white balance setting. The following pair of resulting images show the difference between the uncorrected photo straight off the camera, and the same picture with adjustments made in Adobe Camera Raw, based on use of the datacolor SpyderCube.

datacolor SpyderCube: Verdict

I’ve been trying to cut down on gadgets recently. There seem to be way too many of them nowadays. But the datacolor SpyderCube has found a useful place in my life, and in my pocket. Like very few other gadgets these days, no batteries are required and it doesn’t need charging up. It’s just there when I need it for getting accurate and consistent results in my photography. It’s quick and easy to use, and inexpensive to buy. And most of all, it just works, and works really well.

Alternatives

We like to think a camera's auto white balance is infallible, but in reality most cameras will generate a slight unwanted color cast when recording images or video. What's more, the way a camera captures color - its color science - will also vary between camera manufacturers, with some cameras emphasising particular hues more than others by default. Should you be recording a subject from multiple angles using cameras from different brands and with different lenses, it's also likely there'll be a subtle yet noticeable color variation between the footage from each camera, which could then be jarring to the eye once your shots are edited together.

To solve such color inaccuracy and inconsistency, you need a reliable, accurate color reference target which can be positioned in the scene your filming, recorded by all the cameras you're using for the shoot, and then used to calibrate every shot in post production. And that's exactly what the Spyder Checkr Video has been designed for. This passport-sized plastic case contains several, precision-calibrated reference cards featuring various color and grayscale swatches which are used to align the white balance and color of your recorded footage once it's imported into video editing software like Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere. Naturally, you'll also need consistent lighting for the Spyder Checkr Video to work accurately, so it's best used in a studio environment under controlled lighting.

Read more:

The best camera for video
The best video editing software
The best monitor calibrators

Build and handling

The Spyder Checkr video outwardly resembles Datacolor's other Spyder Checkr products, like the stills-orientated Spyder Checkr Photo. Being video-centric, it's been designed to be held by your subject rather than placed on a surface in a scene. Consequently the edges of the case have been sculpted to make it sit more comfortably in the hand, as well as minimising the possibility of fingers casting a shadow over the color swatches.

Open the case and you'll find four separate reference cards. The two on the first 'pages' are the most important; the grayscale card being for calibrating white balance, while the other card contains color swatches for calibrating color and skin tones. Flip the central divider and you'll find a grey card, again for white balance calibration, plus a focus star.

If you're a hybrid shooter and already own a Spyder Checkr Photo, the reference cards are the same size as those in the Video and can easily be swapped between products so you can carry a single Checkr containing the four cards you need most.

Performance

Though the Spyder Checkr Video looks very similar to its Spyder Checkr Photo sibling, the way it's used to calibrate color is very different. You start by having your subject, or an assistant, hold the tool in the setting you'll be recording and under the same lighting. The Checkr should also be panned slightly to ensure you record at least one frame where the reference cards aren't affected by shadows or reflections, as these would corrupt the accuracy of the color swatches. Record this same test scene containing the Spyder Checkr Video using every camera on your shoot and, providing the studio lighting stays consistent, you can then calibrate all subsequent footage recorded in this setting.

How you then calibrate white balance and color in post production depends on the video editing software you're using. But broadly speaking, it will be a somewhat time-consuming process requiring the use of your software's waveform monitor to set white balance, while adjusting the vectorscope diagram will let you define correct color hue and saturation, as well as set optimal skin tone rendition. You'll also have to spend some time at the start of the process isolating the Spyder Checkr within the scene using a mask, in order to simplify the subsequent waveform and vectorscope displays. Check out the Datacolor website for detailed guides on how to use the Spyder Checkr Video in conjunction with Davinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro.

But put in a few minutes of effort here and you'll likely be rewarded with a noticeable improvement in color accuracy and saturation, which will also be consistent across multiple cameras. While the calibration process does require manual input and concentration, the process is no more involved than other aspects of post production at this level and can easily be incorporated into your workflow.

Verdict

The Datacolor Spyder Checkr video is a deceptively simple tool that can make a dramatic difference to the quality and consistency of color in your footage. It's not a tool designed for casual outdoor vlogging, but it is an essential companion for studio shoots under controlled lighting, especially where multiple cameras are being used. 

The software side of the calibration process does require some user effort, but for high-profile or commercial shoot where quality is paramount, it's well worth spending a few extra minutes in post production to ensure calibrated color and therefore client satisfaction.

Though the Spyder Checkr Video may ultimately be just four calibration cards in a plastic wallet, the price is fair for the quality, accuracy and reliability of the product itself, and the tool is an absolute bargain when you consider the impact it can have on the final quality of your footage.

We've long been fans of Datacolor's last monitor calibrator generation, Spyder X, as we rated the value-packed Spyder X Pro the best monitor calibrator on the market. Now the time has come for a new range of Spyder calibrators: Spyder X2. Including a new expanded lens-based light sensor with support for high-brightness HDR displays, plus extensively redesigned accompanying software, as well as native USB-C connectivity, Spyder X2 promises the most comprehensive monitor calibration yet.

Read more: the best monitor calibrators

Why calibrate your display?

You can go to great lengths to ensure accurate in-camera white balance and consistent color in software raw processing, but all this effort is wasted if your monitor is deceiving you by displaying incorrect color.

Fortunately there's a quick, easy and effective fix for this: monitor calibration. Spend a couple of minutes calibrating your monitor and you'd be amazed at the color transformation many monitors are capable of, and how a screen you once thought was accurate is revealed to have been displaying a pronounced color cast all along.

Features

We're testing the top-of-the-range Spyder X2 Ultra calibrator. Both the X2 Ultra and slightly cheaper X2 Elite are compatible with HDR displays, but where the Elite is 'only' rated up to 750 nits of screen brightness, the X2 Ultra can measure up to 2000 nits - consequently, both X2 devices are suitable for photo or video use. However it's worth noting that the vast majority of consumer monitors max out at 600 nits brightness or less, so the Spyder X2 Elite should be suitable for most users.

The most obvious difference between Spyder X and Spyder X2 is the new accompanying software package. Spyder X2 version 6.0 has been extensively re-worked compared to the preceding Spyder X software, and now offers a much more modern, streamlined and accessible interface.

Spyder X2 connects via a native USB-C plug, replacing the USB-A connection used by Spyder X. A Type-C to Type-A adapter is included in the box, should you need to connect your X2 to an older computer.

Furthermore, Spyder X2 supports ambient room light monitoring, so you can adjust your monitor brightness and calibration settings accordingly. Studio Match enables multiple side-by-side monitors to be calibrated simultaneously to ensure the best possible color consistency across displays. The Soft Proofing function can simulate other displays or devices on a calibrated screen, including how printed output will look, right down to a specific printer, ink and paper combination.

As with previous Spyder products, Spyder X2 is also capable of advanced display analysis, allowing you to measure the performance of your monitor, including aspects such as color gamut coverage, brightness, contrast, screen uniformity, and the Delta-E deviance from ideal color accuracy.

Build & handling

Where Spyder X ditched the black finish of the previous Spyder 5 generation of calibrators in favor of a new white finish, Spyder X2 sticks with the same design as Spyder X. Side by side, the only way to distinguish Spyder X2 from Spyder X is its printed X2 logo, and that new USB Type-C plug. The build is robust - we've been using the Spyder X Elite as our go-to monitor calibrator for our monitor testing since it was released in 2019 and our only quality complaint is the printed lettering on the top is starting to wear off.

Performance

While the physical differences between Spyder X and Spyder X2 might not be noticeable, the software experience is very much improved. The new calibration software is significantly more user-friendly in its design, with a larger, cleaner, wizard-driven interface central to the calibration process.

You'll still need to provide some information about your monitor, most notably the type of backlight LEDs that it uses, which will require some additional research, but once you know these details, any future calibration is simple. Users of previous Spyder calibrators will find the core options and settings in the calibration process are the mostly same as in older Spyder software - it's just the layout and interface design that's been revamped.

Once you're ready to perform the calibration, rest the Spyder X2 on your display, with its sensor cover hanging over the back of your monitor to act as a counterweight. The software then fires a series of colors through the monitor which are then analysed by the Spyder X2 to see how close your monitor gets to meeting the Spyder X2's colour accuracy targets.

As for calibration speed, when the Spyder X launched in 2019, Datacolor made a big deal of how much faster it was than the outgoing Spyder 5, and indeed it was. In our Spyder X Elite review, we clocked the Spyder X at 1 minute 15 seconds for the automated calibration process, compared to a lethargic 5 minutes 17 seconds for the old Spyder 5. We weren't expecting the new Spyder X2 Ultra to necessarily be any faster than the already-rapid Spyder X, and it isn't, clocking the exact same 1 minute 15 seconds as the Spyder X Elite for a like-for-like calibration.

We did however measure a slight improvement in calibration accuracy with the Spyder X2 Ultra. Calibrating our Dell XPS 15 test laptop with a 4K IPS display and 100% Adobe RGB coverage, we measured a calibrated Delta-E color accuracy after calibration with the Spyder X of 0.64, but this improved to 0.54 when the display was calibrated with the Spyder X2 Ultra. Could we notice the difference with the naked eye? Absolutely not. But at least the X2 Ultra technically gives a more accurate result.

Verdict

The Spyder X2 is more evolution than revolution. It delivers excellent calibration accuracy and the calibration process is now considerably improved thanks to the improvements to the supplied software. Calibration speed remains the same, though that's no issue as the Spyder X was already fast enough. However, unless you're the proud owner of a very high-brightness HDR display, there's little reason to upgrade from a Spyder X device. Sure, the new X2 software interface is a welcome improvement, but the core functionality is largely the same as in the older Spyder X app. It's disappointing that OLED monitors and laptops are still not supported by Spyder X2, as this type of monitor is the new benchmark monitor image quality and is gradually becoming more commonplace.

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If you've never calibrated your monitor, shame on you! And if you've never calibrated your camera and lens, either, double shame on you! Now is the time to right those wrongs, though, thanks to one of the best Black Friday camera deals we've seen.

Right now you can buy the Datacolor SpyderX Capture Pro for just £259.00 at Amazon – that's a massive £95.60 saving on its usual price! 

The Datacolor SpyderX Capture Pro is an all-in-one color management kit that enables you to make sure your equipment is a finely tuned imaging pipeline, from your monitor to your camera and lenses.

The set includes the SpyderX Elite screen calibrator, which delivers comprehensive calibration designed for professional photographers and videographers. Not only can you match multiple monitors, you can calibrate projectors as well. 

For your camera and lenses, the Spyder LensCalcalibrates cameras, lenses and DSLR components. If you've ever had issues with autofocus, this is the tool for you.

Forget your old grey card; the fantastic Spyder Cube is everything you need for white balance and RAW conversion, while the Spyder Checkr offers premium camera color calibration with software based HSL-presets and integrated DaVinci Resolve correction.

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The Spyder Checkr Photo is designed to fix the variations in camera sensors and lenses that can shift colors and tones in unwanted directions. It’s a simple and very portable color swatch tool in a folding plastic case that works alongside Spyder Checkr software to deliver accurate color corrections in Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera Raw and the Hasselblad Phocus software.

You place the Checkr in the scene you’re photographing and in the same lighting as your subject, take a photo and then use this to carry out a pretty straightforward calibration and colour correction process.

It can in principle be used with third party tools to create custom profiles, but we tested it using its key workflow – as a Lightroom calibration tool.

Specifications

Hardware

Swatches: 24-patch color, 24-patch grayscale (plus large 18% and 50% gray targets), 6 portrait color swatches, 6 black and white adjustment swatches.
Dimensions: 116 x 90mm, 110g

SpyderCheckr utility

Windows: Win 7 32/64, Win 8 32/64, Win 10 32/64
Mac: Mac OS X 10.10, 10.11, 10.12, 10.13, 10.14
Monitor: 1280×768 or greater, 16-bit video card (24-bit recommended)
RAM: 1GB
Hard disk space: 500MB

Key features

The Spyder Checkr Photo opens out two ways to display a regular color checker swatch set used by the Spyder utility, and a set of black and white swatches with 18% and 50% gray swatches for ad hoc white balance and exposure adjustments – with the Spyder Checkr Photo you won’t need a separate gray card, and you can also simulate incident light value readings.

It works alongside a SpyderCheckr software utility that takes a TIFF file generated from your test photo and uses it to create a set of HSL (Hue Saturation Lightness) adjustment that can be applied in Lightroom as a preset. There are other potential workflows and ways of using the Spyder Checkr Photo, but this is what it’s designed for.

Build and handling

The Spyder Checkr Photo is physically like a small plastic book where you press a central catch to open either the regular color swatches (front) or the grayscale targets (back). If you open both it makes a ’T’ shape that can be stood vertically to display either swatch set to the camera.

It’s best to position the Spyder Checkr Photo perpendicular to the camera to minimize the need for perspective adjustments later, but it doesn’t have to fill the frame.

Once you’ve take a shot with the Spyder Checkr Photo in the scene, you can remove it and shoot as normal – the correction comes later.

To apply corrections, you open your test image in Lightroom (this works best with raw files), crop into the target itself, correct the white balance with they eydropper on a neutral patch, then make a simple exposure adjustment to get the 90% white and 4% patches at the right level. Now you can export a TIFF file to the SpyderCheckr app, which is installed as a Lightroom plug-in.

In the app you simply need to line up an overlay showing the swatch colors with the patches themselves, then export a preset for Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw or Phocus. 

You have a choice of rendering modes:

• Colorimetric Mode for the most literal results

• Saturation Mode provides a generally more pleasing boost in Saturation

• Portrait Mode reduces the skin tone saturation for easier portrait processing

It is a little annoying to have to restart Lightroom to show new profiles you've just added, but that's probably more to do with Lightroom than the Color Checkr Photo.

Performance

Spyder Checkr Photo is designed for accuracy and repeatability, not dramatic tonal shifts. In our tests using an indoor scene, it had perhaps a larger effect on shadow density (an improvement) than any color hues. We also tried it outside using our Panasonic Lumix G9, which has a tendency to reproduce darker yellow tones, such as coarse, dry grass, with a red tinge – and it fixed that perfectly.

Where Spyder Checkr Photo is really likely to score is ensuring consistency when using different cameras or lenses for the same subject.

Verdict

Spyder Checkr Photo is fairly straightforward to use, but you may have to create multiple profiles for a host of different camera and lens combinations and lighting conditions. It’s effective, but it could also prove quite time consuming if you use it across your photography. It might be best reserved for critical commercial work in controlled lighting.

Having said that, it could prove really useful to have the Spyder Checkr Photo’s 18% and 50% gray swatches in a scene for quick and simple custom white balance and exposure settings you can apply there and then.

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Datacolor is launching a new addition to its Spyder Checkr range of color reference tools: Spyder Checkr Photo is a convenient, pocket-sized color card containing 62 color patches across four interchangeable cards. These include expanded skin tones for use when shooting portraits, additional large targets for easy white/gray balancing, and a 24-step gray scale for checking dynamic range.

By displaying the color patches in a reference shot, the included software then calculates color correction data for hue, saturation and luminance and then creates an HSL preset for use in software such as Adobe Lightroom Classic. This then makes it easy to maintain color consistency across a series of images shot under the same lighting conditions, even when changing cameras or lenses during the shoot.

Spyder Checkr Phot develops the traditional grey card method of standardizing white balance for a series of images as it allows you to correct individual hues rather than the overall white balance of each image. If the software detects that some color patches have been captured accurately, these remain unchanged.

Spyder Checkr Photo improves on past Spyder Checkr versions with its use of ultra-matte color patches. These have extremely low reflectivity, regardless of viewing angle, reducing the need for precise positioning or the need to shield the tool from light sources in a scene which could cast reflections onto the color patches, potentially compromising their color accuracy.

The color patch cards are encased within a durable rugged case that can be stowed in any size camera bag, while the case can also act as a self-supporting stand for easy placement in your reference image.

Spyder Checkr Photo is available now, priced at £99.99. We await details on pricing in other territories.

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Monitor calibration is a hugely important part of the photographic workflow, allowing you to edit your photos accurately and make sure that what you see on the screen reflects what will be printed. And yet, many photographers either forget or don't know how to calibrate their monitor. That's where calibration devices like the Datacolor Spyder X Elite come in.

Color calibration tools like the Datacolor Spyder X Elite can be invaluable in setting up your monitor easily, accurately and quickly. Calibration is done by simply placing the device on your screen, as it uses a built-in lens to measure the accuracy of the display – usually in a matter of minutes.

Why should you calibrate your monitor?

A monitor calibration device like the Datacolor SpyderX Elite ensures that what you see on screen is the most accurate representation of the shot you took. Why does this matter? Well, then when it comes to editing, you can be more confident about tweaking the tones and colors of your image to make it perfect. And if you decide to send off prints to a lab (or print your photos at home) you’ll know that the finished artworks will reflect what you saw on the monitor.

Most photographers put the utmost time and care into processing every aspect of their images. You don't want to waste time, effort and possibly a lot of money on ruined prints because your monitor wasn't showing you a calibrated view.

Fortunately, there’s never been a better time to upgrade to the professional SpyderX Elite, as it currently costs just £139 (that’s a saving of £120 off the regular price of £239) when you access the promotion.

Why upgrade to the Datacolor SpyderX Elite?

SpyderX Elite is the perfect calibration tool for creative professionals, and it can calibrate a monitor in less than two minutes. Using the SpyderProof feature, you can actually see the before and after difference that calibration has made with a simple click.

There’s also no limit to the number of monitors that can be calibrated, and it’s possible to match multiple monitors using the StudioMatch™ function – which is great if you move from a studio to editing at home, for example.

You might think that monitor calibration is only suitable for your desktop setup, but actually the SpyderX Elite is perfect for on-the-go photography. Thanks to a fully sealed sensor and lens cap, it can be used in changing light conditions and is ideal for a laptop screen.

Datacolor says it has spent three years creating the completely new lens-based color engine technology featured in SpyderX. The optical system itself is based on a large converging lens, and that means greater level of accuracy in screen colors, white balance and even shadow details.

If you're new to calibration devices and need help setting up your SpyderX Elite device, Datacolor’s customer support team is made up of real photographers, rather than a call centre, which means you’ll get expert advice and support.

You've got until 31 July 2022 to upgrade to the Spyder X Elite device and save £120. Visit the Datacolor website to find out more about the promotion and discover the full benefits of using a calibration device for your photography.

Datacolor, the company behind the popular SpyderX range of colour calibrators, has launched a line of complimentary accessories for a richer, more comprehensive user experience when getting your monitor's colours bang-on. The company has also released a couple of bundles, complete with a SpyderX and selected accessories. Here's what's on offer…

Spyder Tripod (£12.99)
Stabilize cameras for clear, sharp images in low light and long exposure situations. Perfect for night time photography, video and vlogging. Flexible legs, lightweight portability, compatible for use with SpyderX calibrator, Spyder Cube and Spyder LensCal.  

Spyder Tripod Pro (£22.99)
All the features of the Spyder Tripod, plus comes with a GoPro mount, smartphone holder and Bluetooth Universal Remote with battery. 

Spyder Shelf (£12.99)
Allows you to attach SpyderX to the top of your monitor to ensure monitor light won’t affect the reading of the room’s ambient light. Affords additional desk space. 

Spyder USB-C (£9.99)
A USB-C cable is needed to connect a SpyderX monitor calibrator to computers that only have USB-C ports. The USB-C cable is compatible with Mac, PC, and Android devices and iPad Pro. 

Additionally, Datacolor has packaged some of these accessories with its most popular products to create photographic tool kits that streamline and enhance your workflow while adding purchasing convenience and cost-savings.

SpyderX Create Kit (£239.00)
Capture colour inspiration, ensure colour accuracy and sharp images, connect with newer devices, and add extra storage space to your work area. Kit includes: SpyderX Pro, ColorReader EZ, Spyder Tripod, Spyder Shelf and USB-C cable. The SpyderX Create Kit is now available exclusively on Datacolor’s website for a limited-time introductory price of £175.

SpyderX Mobile Pro Kit (£209.00)
The perfect collection for location shoots. Ensure colour-accurate images that have crisp, well-defined shadow details with portable tools that go wherever your photography takes you. Kit includes: SpyderX Pro, Spyder Cube, Spyder Tripod Pro and USB-C cable. The SpyderX Mobile Pro Kit is now available exclusively with WEX for a limited-time introductory price of £159.

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How to colour calibrate your monitor with a Datacolor SpyderX

Color calibration is hugely important if you want to edit your best photos, because how can you edit an image effectively if your monitor is giving you a false reading? 

Image manipulation is a delicate process that involves lots of subtle tweaks. Imagine if all of those subtle tweaks were slightly off, because the colors and tones you were seeing weren’t accurate. This is especially important if you plan to print your images. A key step in printing is soft proofing, which lets you preview how your printer will print your image. However, if your monitor isn’t calibrated properly, the soft proof could look very different to what actually comes out of your printer.

That’s where color calibration tools come in. For this tutorial we’re using a Datacolor SpyderX. This clever device is placed directly onto a screen, where it uses its built-in lens to measure the accuracy of the display, which it then calibrates accordingly. It’s compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems, and plugs into a USB port, or a USB-A to C adapter.

The SpyderX doesn’t just read your monitor’s display, though; it also considers the lighting of the room you’re working in, which affects how you view your screen. Because of this, there are a few considerations you must make to perform an accurate calibration. Here’s how to boost your monitor’s accuracy.

• Best monitor calibrators

How to calibrate a monitor

01 Download the software

Download the SpyderX software from the Datacolor website. There are versions for the SpyderX Elite and Pro – in Windows and Mac flavors – so make sure you choose the right option for your setup. Follow the simple installation wizard, but don’t plug in the device until the installation is complete.

02 Start afresh

Revert to your monitor’s default settings using its built-in menu and set the colour temperature to 6500 Kelvins (if you’re able to). Mac users can enter System Preferences > Displays, click the Color tab, choose the necessary display profile, select Calibrate and then adjust the temperature in the Target White Point section.

03 Lose the light

How light falls upon your monitor will impact how you see its display. It’s therefore important to make sure that no light is directly hitting your screen, so switch off lights and draw your curtains/blinds, if necessary. Finally, set your monitor’s brightness to your preference and make sure any automatic brightness settings are switched off.

04 Select your setup

Ensure the SpyderX is connected and select Desktop or Laptop. Enter the manufacturer and model of your display, and tell the software whether you were able to adjust the brightness and / or colour temperature. Select your monitor’s backlighting technology. If you’re unsure, choose the General category.

05 Light meter

Choose your calibration settings. As this is a first-time setup, choose FullCAL. Head into the Change Settings menu and select Room Light: Room Light Switching – Automatic. This tells the SpyderX to measure the lighting in your room. The results are then factored into the calibration.

06 Calibration

Remove the SpyderX’s lens cap and place the lens on the silhouette that appears on your display. Drape the cap over the back of your monitor and use it as a counterweight. We tilted our screen back to ensure the device sat flush against our display. Hit Next to start the calibration.

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In celebration of Datacolor’s 50th anniversary, the Switzerland-based color management outfit is launching the SpyderX Photo Kit. The celebratory box set includes three color management tools: The SpyderX Elite, Spyder Checkr 24 and Spyder Cube.

The SpyderX Photo Kit is set to retail at $399 (£399). However, Datacolor is offering customers the chance to pick it up at a heavily discounted $199 (£199) in honor of its five-decade milestone. But this special price is only available in limited quantities and while supplies last.

• Read more: Best monitor calibrators

Color management is important for those who regularly edit and/or print photos. The SpyderX Photo Kit’s trio of tools will help boost color accuracy both in-camera and on-screen. Datacolor calls the SpyderX its “best Spyder ever”. The Elite is the definitive version and can calibrate and match multiple displays, calibrate digital projectors and even read a room’s light levels (which affects the viewing experience).

The Spyder Checkr 24 features 24 spectrally engineered color patches and an in-camera white balance tool. Its calibration software creates a profile, which can be used in conjunction with dedicated editing software to boost color accuracy. Finally, the Spyder Cube can be used as a reference when setting various properties including white balance, exposure and brightness throughout a series of images.

The SpyderX Photo Kit is currently available for $199  from B&H for the next 10 hours from the time this article is published. 

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This kit is just what you need if you want to ensure that you are managing the color workflow from capture through to image editing. The Datacolor SpyderX Photo Kit consists of three professional calibration devices that come in a metal storage case. The recommended price for this all-in-a-box kit is usually £399, but Wex is currently selling for just £199 – a saving of £200.

The kit includes the SpyderX Elite, a top-of-the-range monitor calibrator that on its own usually costs the best part of £200. It is designed to be able to allow you to adjust the color of computer screens and video projectors - and can do this in less than two minutes.

But you also get two accessories that will help with exposure and white balance, which are used at the shooting stage. The Spyder Checkr 24 is a professional color chart which can be used during a shoot to give reference colors that will allow you control tint and tonality at the editing stage.

The final bit of the kit is the innovative Spyder Cube. This highly-portable device is simply photographed within the scene doesn't just replace the traditional grey card, it can also give a value for absolute black and measure highlights.

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Getting your lenses serviced can be expensive and time-consuming – and right now, most service centers are shut down so you can't get your lenses serviced even if you want to.

That's when having a calibration kit, like the Datacolor SpyderLensCal, comes into its own – and for today only, it's reduced by $30. 

You can buy the Datacolor SpyderLensCal for just $39, a 43% saving on its $69 retail price. But this offer is only good until midnight tonight (EDT), so get clicking now to keep your lenses calibrated during the lockdown!

Make sure to check out other great B&H deals on photography gear. 

Forget paying somebody to service your lenses – self-service them to save time, money and hassle! The Datacolor SpyderLensCal enabled you to test and precisely micro-adjust your camera and lens combinations. 

Once you've corrected the autofocus, you can save the adjustments to your camera's custom settings to ensure razor-sharp autofocus – giving a new lease of life to tired lenses that don't perform as well as they used to!

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Color management specialist Datacolor are celebrating its 50th birthday this year... and are offering big discounts on its SpyderX Range of monitor calibration kits to mark the anniversary.

The best-selling SpyderX Pro is cut in price by $40 or £50 depending which side of the Atlantic you live - bring the cost of scientifically ensuring your screen is showing your images in the right hues to just $129.99 or £109. The offer is running until 01 March. 

The SpyderX Pro unit can can calibrate your screen in under two minutes – which will encourage you to use it regularly (every month or so is best). The unit comes with some advanced features such as features like ambient light monitoring and multi-monitor support.

The price of the next model up in the range, the SpyderX Elite is cut by $70 / £80 to $199 / £169 in the birthday sale. This offers the same fast functionality of the SpyderX Pro  which is , but additionally allows to calibrate projectors and provides video-centric profiles for those who want to use screens for serious movie editing.

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Datacolor has just released two new colour calibration kits based around its latest SpyderX monitor calibrator. What's more, until 14 July 2019, both kits can be had with an introductory offer of 20% off.

SpyderX Capture Pro

The new SpyderX Capture Pro is a comprehensive kit containing four products designed to calibrate each element of a photographic workflow.

Until 14 July, you can get the SypderX Capture Pro for $320/£283 - a 20% saving of $80/£72 compared to the RRP of $400/£355.

The centrepiece is the impressive SpyderX Elite monitor calibrator (check out our full review) which offers advanced features like ambient light monitoring to adjust your monitor’s colour and brightness in response to the intensity and colour temperature of surrounding light. There’s also multi-monitor and projector support, but the biggest SpyderX improvement is its new lens-based sensor system, which helps boost calibration accuracy and speed. Datacolor claims it’s 4x faster than the previous Spyder5, and in our testing it was quicker still.

When it comes to judging accurate colour and contrast during a shoot, the next element of the Capture Pro kit comes into play. Place the SpyderCUBE in a test shot and it acts like a conventional white balance target, helping you set white balance, highlight and shadow levels. A Black Trap hole in the base defines absolute black, and the cube is topped off by a chromed ball that displays catchlights. The cube itself is easily pocketable, making it generally more convenient than a traditional grey card.

Datacolor’s SpyderCHECKR is tool of choice for more precise colour correction in post processing. With the slim 23 x 17cm device displayed in a test image, the accompanying software will detect its 48 colour patches and automatically adjust the shot to compensate for any colour casts. Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw can then apply this colour profile to all images shot in the same conditions.

The final element in the Capture Pro kit addresses something often taken for granted: autofocus accuracy. Some lenses can front or back focus just enough to soften your focal point at large apertures. You can correct this by focusing wide open on the SpyderLENSCAL target. Its angled ruler reveals the actual point of focus, and how far it is from being accurate. This figure can be programmed into Canon cameras featuring AF Microadjustment, while AF Fine-Tune performs the same function in Nikon cameras. It wouldn’t be too tricky to construct a DIY version of this gadget, but Datacolor’s clever flat-pack design and robust build will likely stand up to long term use.

SpyderX Studio

The second new SypderX kit is the SpyderX Studio. Like the Capture Pro kit, this also contains the SpyderX Elite monitor calibrator and Spyder Cube, but also adds Datacolor's Spyder Print printer profiling tool that makes quick work of ensuring the colour of your printed photos will match that of your on-screen images.

The SpyderX Studio has an RRP of $500/£399, but until 14 July it's available with a 20% discount for just $400/£319.

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You can go to great lengths to ensure accurate in-camera white balance and consistent color in software raw processing, but all this effort is wasted if your monitor is deceiving you by displaying incorrect color.

Fortunately there's a quick, easy and effective fix for this: monitor calibration. Spend a couple of minutes calibrating your monitor and you'd be amazed at the color transformation many monitors are capable of, and how a screen you once thought was accurate is revealed to have been displaying a pronounced color cast all along.

Buyers' guide: Best monitor calibrators

Datacolor is one of two big names in monitor calibration, and its Spyder series of monitor calibrators have long been highly respected for their accuracy and ease of use. In fact we use a Spyder5 Elite colorimeter for checking the factory color accuracy of monitors we review.

Now Datacolor is back with its successor to the Spyder5 series: SpyderX, promising enhanced accuracy and increased calibration speed.

Features

At first glance there isn't a great deal to separate the SpyderX from its Spyder5 predecessor , apart from the change from a black to white plastic casing, of course. Both are a similar size and shape, though the SpyderX's thickness tapers to a slimmer point as it reaches the USB cable.

The big change is visible on the underside, as the SpyderX uses a brand new lens-based sensor system rather than the honeycomb baffle on the Spyder5. The result is a claimed increase in calibration accuracy, especially in the lightest and darkest image regions, and a sub-2-minute calibration time, making this the fastest Spyder calibrator ever.

Datacolor also maintains the accompanying calibration software is even easier to use than before.

• Single click & wizard calibration capability
• Multiple monitor support
• Ambient light monitoring & profile switching
• Before and after calibration review
• Advanced display mapping & analysis tools
• Unlimited calibration setting choices
• Expert console calibration
• Video & cinema calibration targets
• Soft proof of print results
• Projector calibration
• Display matching in studio
• Visual fine tuning for side-by-side display match

Performance

Setting up the SpyderX is as easy as installing its corresponding software from the link on the enclosed information card and entering the serial code printed inside the product packaging.

The calibration software is almost identical to that used by the old Spyder5 Elite, though this isn't necessarily a bad thing. While the interface design is starting to look a bit dated, the software does manage to combine extensive functionality and features with plenty of informative explanation and a logical wizard-driven calibration process. Or there's a full-on Expert Console if you want to delve in and adjust every conceivable calibration option. The software caters well for any level of user expertise.

Once you've clicked through the various monitor set-up parameters - including extensive options for defining your display type and monitor backlight technology - it's time to start the calibration itself. The SpyderX colorimeter rests on your display, with its sensor cover hanging over the back of your monitor to act as a counterweight. The software then fires a series of colors through the monitor which are then analysed by the SpyderX to see how close your monitor gets to meeting the SpyderX's colour accuracy targets.

And it's at this point you really experience the SpyderX advantage. Our test monitor was a Dell XPS 15 laptop with a 4K IPS display and 100% Adobe RGB coverage. Calibrating with our Spyder5 Elite took 5 minutes 17 seconds, whereas an identical calibration with the SpyderX was completed in a blistering 1 minute 15 seconds. Given monitor calibration isn't a once-only procedure - you should calibration roughly once a month to ensure consistent color accuracy - such a noticeable time saving is very handy indeed.

As for color accuracy, switching back and forth between our Spyder5 and SpyderX color profiles showed no noticeable colour differences. While the SpyderX is undoubtedly at the forefront of calibration technology, the Spyder5 is still a highly accurate calibration tool, so it should come as little surprise that the two are closely matched for accuracy.

Verdict

With each new revision of a monitor calibrator inevitably comes talk of quicker calibration times and increased accuracy. While the latter is more of an incremental upgrade over the outgoing Sypder5, the SpyderX does at least provide a huge speed benefit and is a worthwhile upgrade if you need to calibrate multiple monitors or regularly calibrate your main display. We can forgive Datacolor for not having done much to improve its calibration software, as it was already satisfying to use.

As for which version of the SpyderX you should buy, the Pro edition costs £159/$170/€179 and makes the most sense for photographers, as you still get the same lens-based sensor tech as in the Elite, along with ambient light monitoring and multi-monitor support. 

The Elite adds projector profiling, pro-orientated advanced calibration options, and its video color space targets are useful for video editing, but it commands a £249/$270/€279 price tag.

However, if you just want good calibration accuracy and are happy for the calibration process to take a bit longer, the Spyder5 Pro and Elite can still be found, for a tempting £99/$150 and £178/ $250 respectively.

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