Datacolor SpyderX Elite Colorimeter $170 + free s/h

Thanks! I was about to buy it for 260 on amazon just now...

Does this work for a TV too? Or only monitors

Quote from Solarium : Does this work for a TV too? Or only monitors

Monitor only

Is this any better than the other meters around $100?

Quote from Solarium : Does this work for a TV too? Or only monitors

I've used it for my monitor and my tv.

Their software for the monitor and HFCR and DisplayCal for the tv.

Would not but from B&H. Bad customer support experience.

Quote from Riake : I've used it for my monitor and my tv. Their software for the monitor and HFCR and DisplayCal for the tv.

I have the pro from a previous deal (I think it was $99?). Can I use it and these software to calibrate my OLED?

I would avoid this and get the X-Rite product instead. Their software is ABYSMAL, it's absolutely atrocious. Shockingly bad! I recently bought the photo pack which included this, their spyder checker color and the spyder cube. Remember, the photo pack which includes those other items is still 200 dollars direct from them, so if you are intent on going with Datacolor, I'd do that instead because the color checker goes hand in hand with the spyder.

you can buy the kit here: https://spyderx.datacolor.com/shop/ , it's part of their anniversary sale, and it's been going on for awhile now.

i got vastly different results multiple times in a row running it with their own software, and display cal. it's important to know, if you use display cal, it will prevent datacolor's software from recognizing the device. i went back and forth with support, which was very helpful, and gave me a bunch of things to look for and try, but to no avail. I just couldn't get a consistent result that inspired any confidence in what I was doing, regardless of the source images or ambient lighting i used while running it. the profiles it created in lightroom for both indoor and outdoor shooting weren't impressive, sometimes skin tones turned gray like they were a dead body. horrifying at times.

the spyder wire loom design for the back weight is also horrendous, there's no way you'll be able to adjust that over and over again without stretching and eventually breaking the small gauge wires. you have to pull fairly hard to make adjustments, there's no real graceful way to feed it through.

I'm actually shipping my kit back to them tomorrow for a refund. thankfully, their support was very courteous and helpful.

Sticking with X-rite, even their low priced color munki smile gives better, more consistent results than this does. and dont even get me started on their spyderx color checker

this has been verified by many to give worse and less consistent results compared to the x-rite devices. if you're going through the trouble for all of this, do it right the first time

I have the X-Rite color munki. I've used it to calibrate an Epson 5040UB projector. In combination with HCFR, and using Spears & Munsil 4K edition disc.
Couldn't be happier with the results. Takes time though.

Quote from Jimmyqballs : I would avoid this and get the X-Rite product instead. Their software is ABYSMAL, it's absolutely atrocious. Shockingly bad! I recently bought the photo pack which included this, their spyder checker color and the spyder cube. Remember, the photo pack which includes those other items is still 200 dollars direct from them, so if you are intent on going with Datacolor, I'd do that instead because the color checker goes hand in hand with the spyder. you can buy the kit here: https://spyderx.datacolor.com/shop/ , it's part of their anniversary sale, and it's been going on for awhile now. i got vastly different results multiple times in a row running it with their own software, and display cal. it's important to know, if you use display cal, it will prevent datacolor's software from recognizing the device. i went back and forth with support, which was very helpful, and gave me a bunch of things to look for and try, but to no avail. I just couldn't get a consistent result that inspired any confidence in what I was doing, regardless of the source images or ambient lighting i used while running it. the profiles it created in lightroom for both indoor and outdoor shooting weren't impressive, sometimes skin tones turned gray like they were a dead body. horrifying at times. the spyder wire loom design for the back weight is also horrendous, there's no way you'll be able to adjust that over and over again without stretching and eventually breaking the small gauge wires. you have to pull fairly hard to make adjustments, there's no real graceful way to feed it through. I'm actually shipping my kit back to them tomorrow for a refund. thankfully, their support was very courteous and helpful. Sticking with X-rite, even their low priced color munki smile gives better, more consistent results than this does. and dont even get me started on their spyderx color checker this has been verified by many to give worse and less consistent results compared to the x-rite devices. if you're going through the trouble for all of this, do it right the first time

What if you just get the device and skip their software (opting for displaycal.net instead)?

Quote from iamtwan : What if you just get the device and skip their software (opting for displaycal.net instead)?

You can still get very solid results with the spyder units with display cal, I just find that they are less consistent than x-rite has been in my experience.

this is a helpful video showing some hard data explaining it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl6ftGpD2W4

if you're doing product photography, printing, sports with colored uniforms, its critical to have the colors right before you do any subjective editing

even if you're watching movies, playing games and looking at photos you or others have taken, having a calibrated monitor is a great thing

Quote from Eragorn : I have the pro from a previous deal (I think it was $99?). Can I use it and these software to calibrate my OLED?

You can, the Pro and Elite have identical hardware [argyllcms.com]. Depending on what target and standard you are calibrating your OLED to, you may not achieve accurate results with colorimeters. All pros use spectrophotometers.

Quote from Jimmyqballs : You can still get very solid results with the spyder units with display cal, I just find that they are less consistent than x-rite has been in my experience. this is a helpful video showing some hard data explaining it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl6ftGpD2W4 if you're doing product photography, printing, sports with colored uniforms, its critical to have the colors right before you do any subjective editing even if you're watching movies, playing games and looking at photos you or others have taken, having a calibrated monitor is a great thing

Yeah, I think this is dead now anyway. I really want to get a calibrator, however I just hesitate due to the fact I normally do not upgrade monitors but once (maybe twice) a decade-ish.

How long do these last, or rather, say I dont get another monitor for another 10 years, is this thing still going do its job?

Quote from iamtwan : Yeah, I think this is dead now anyway. I really want to get a calibrator, however I just hesitate due to the fact I normally do not upgrade monitors but once (maybe twice) a decade-ish. How long do these last, or rather, say I dont get another monitor for another 10 years, is this thing still going do its job?

If they are taken care of, I would imagine they last a very long time. i've had my color munki smile for years and it's still working as well as it did when i got it.

the color checkers though, have to be replaced every 1-2 years.

if you still want to go with datacolor, check the link i provided above. thats the spyder elite, spyderx color checker, and the spyder cube for 199. the latter two are handy for getting perfect color and white balance, as well as white and black points. it's just that their software is annoying, and their color checker is more rigid when it comes to the source photo than the x-rite software is