The Spyder 3 Monitor Calibrator Review

Does the Spyder 3 monitor calibrator really calibrate your monitor to the right colors? Yes! Not only did it correct my screens colors, it improved the quality of my work! As a serious aspiring photographer, I want to have trust in all the equipment I use. I use the spyder pro because it is vital for me and other serious photographers to view the right colors on my screen for graphic designing and editing my work. Otherwise, we’d all be over-saturating or under-saturating our photographs! In short, not using a Spyder 3 is like wasting my time on post-processing.

 If you want to know more about the spyder, read along… If you’re interested in buying one check out the link Spyder 3 Pro Monitor Calibrator.

The Spyder Process

Spyder 3 measuring my monitors color
Spyder 3 measuring my monitor color

My Review

The spyder 3 has really helped the post-processing part of my work. If you’re one of those guys who do a lot of color correction, I’d definitely recommend one. No joke.

As it is the only color calibrator out in the market that has 7 color detector engine with a big aperture, I can’t complain. It gives me the confidence I need in my colors and if you really like the calibration system, you can always upgrade to the elite version of Spyder. As long as you have the hardware, the software is always upgradable.

the results after checking
Results after a check up

Main features I Like about the Spyder 3 Calibrator.

7 Color Detector and a Large Light Aperture.

This gives the spyder 3 a competitive edge against other monitor calibrators in which some are being sold for more than three times its price. As datacolor states, it is the only calibrator to have a 7 color detector engine in the market and it makes sure that the colors that are displayed from your monitor are as accurate as it can be.

Super-Fast ReCAL

The ReCAL option is very time-saving and when compared with the full calibration, the time you save is more than half of what it takes to fully calibrate your monitor. It’s great when you need to check your screen right before an important shoot or for some last minute editting.

Ambient Light Measurement.

The spyder 3 does this but ambient light from your working space can change what you perceive with your eyes and the spyder 3 software actually compensates for the amount of ambient light you have in your work area.

Easy to follow Spyder 3 pro Software

The spyder 3 software is easy to install and easy to follow. The software can be used on Macs and Windows. The software wizard instructs you to do everything and if you know how to follow instructions well, I will guarantee that you will have no problem setting up and improving the colors on your monitor in no time!

I wouldn’t struggle and waste time trying to figure out the right colors of my screen by downloading color charts and gray scales. They may help but I’d get a spyder 3 monitor calibrator  ASAP if you’re really serious about your work.

See the screenshots of the spyder 3 wizard below…

Checking for Ambient Light
checking for ambient light
Calibration results
calibration results

Gamma and White points of my screen pass… It prefers I have a white point of 0.313 and 0.329 but I’m only off by a thousandth (1/1000). Very small!

see the results
See the results

This screen actually switches from the uncalibrated and calibrated view so you can see the difference the spyder 3 is making. On my screen, it actually fixes out a bit of blue but the difference is so small that really can’t tell the difference without swtching to the calibrated view and the uncalibrated view. Those miniscule color difference help a lot!
Most would say they won’t need a monitor calibrator. They’re right! But if your one of the few who take their work seriously, you should consider buying one. You got nothing to lose unless your calibrator was defective.

Any Questions? If you’re interested in buying one for around a hundred dollaors check out  eBay.

*I use affiliate links at no cost to you. If you choose to make a purchase through my link I make a small commission. Thank you for trusting my recommendations!

Leave a Comment