Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Post-processing & Printing | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2012 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?

  
 
duronboy
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


I just bought the Spyder 3 to go along with my Dell U2711. Unfortunately, I just noticed the Spyder 4 was released! The 4 Elite is $250, almost $80 more than the 3. The DataColor site says, "The fourth-generation sensor uses double-shielded filters for longer life and better performance. On average, accuracy and precision are improved by 26% and 19% respectively. "

I haven't opened the Spyder 3 Elite, yet. What kinds of folks should upgrade to the 4 for that super duper double shielded filters?



Jan 21, 2012 at 01:52 AM
pr4photos
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


Not sure but the spyder 3 works very well for me


Jan 21, 2012 at 06:21 AM
howardm4
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


Make sure you're comparing the same thing. I doubt the S4 is $80 more than the equiv S3. They sell you the same hardware and make the $$ difference in the software (which is keyed to the hardware). For many, the Pro is more than enough but if you're going to try to match multiple monitors and/or some other features, the Elite may be preferred. You can usually 'buy up'.

My suggestion is if you have the S3Pro, return it for the S4Pro and see how you get on w/ it and if need be, upgrade teh software to Elite.

One thing I just noticed in the chart below is the huge recalibration time. Other units take only 10 seconds so I'm surprised by that.

http://spyder.datacolor.com/images/S4EliteCompareChart.jpg




Jan 21, 2012 at 09:00 AM
duronboy
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


Just some prices on internet

3 Pro $135
3 Elite $172
4 Pro $169
4 Elite $249

I'm thinking I'll keep the 3 Elite. When I look back at "double-shielded filters" I feel like a mark at worst buy being given the Monster Cable sales pitch.



Jan 21, 2012 at 01:09 PM
skibum5
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


duronboy wrote:
I just bought the Spyder 3 to go along with my Dell U2711. Unfortunately, I just noticed the Spyder 4 was released! The 4 Elite is $250, almost $80 more than the 3. The DataColor site says, "The fourth-generation sensor uses double-shielded filters for longer life and better performance. On average, accuracy and precision are improved by 26% and 19% respectively. "

I haven't opened the Spyder 3 Elite, yet. What kinds of folks should upgrade to the 4 for that super duper double shielded filters?


I'd go for the i1 Display Pro at $250. It tests well on a wide array of display types. I have some early hints that it might even read, straight out of the box, my wide gamut monitor BETTER than my $900 i1 Pro Spectrometer.

Maybe the Spyder4 will be amazing and the best yet but there are no reviews or tests regarding it yet, but the i1 Display Pro is already showing some extremely positive signs in early testing (see also the Dry Creek tests where in their initial test so far it has had less copy to copy variation than anything under $2500). Granted testing is still in the early stages for the i1 Display Pro so it remains to see how it will pan out in the long run.

I wouldn't at all be surprised if the S4 turns out to be better than the S3 though.



Jan 21, 2012 at 01:33 PM
duronboy
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


Thanks for the advice. I will read up in that.


Jan 21, 2012 at 02:34 PM
morganb4
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


skibum5 wrote:
I'd go for the i1 Display Pro at $250. It tests well on a wide array of display types. I have some early hints that it might even read, straight out of the box, my wide gamut monitor BETTER than my $900 i1 Pro Spectrometer.

Maybe the Spyder4 will be amazing and the best yet but there are no reviews or tests regarding it yet, but the i1 Display Pro is already showing some extremely positive signs in early testing (see also the Dry Creek tests where in their initial test so far it has had less copy to copy variation
...Show more

As far as I know, QC problems aside, the S3 is one of the only ones that is good for wide gamut



Jan 21, 2012 at 06:26 PM
skibum5
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


morganb4 wrote:
As far as I know, QC problems aside, the S3 is one of the only ones that is good for wide gamut



http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/Calibration/MonitorCalibrationHardware.html



Jan 21, 2012 at 07:41 PM
morganb4
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


^yep, was thinking of i1d2.

Pricing of the Pro here is outrageous....



Jan 21, 2012 at 08:03 PM
duronboy
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


Ok, I'll admit I don't know anything about color calibration. I've read a lot, and not absorbed a lot. What I do know is that the i1 Display Pro has been available since July 2011. What exactly are we waiting on? How is testing still in early stages? I know when a new camera body comes out, from any manufacturer, there are countless reviews almost instantly. And, they often come to fairly concrete conclusions about it's abilities compared to what's already available. On top of that, they're be to share those abilities in the form of photographic examples that the dumbest of us(me) can make sense of.


Jan 21, 2012 at 10:05 PM
duronboy
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Spyder 3 vs Spyder 4? Pro? Elite?


Well, I guess I'll send back the Spyder 3 and get the i1 Display Pro and be done with it.


Jan 21, 2012 at 10:30 PM





FM Forums | Post-processing & Printing | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.