What's the difference between monitor calibration devices?

rexbobcat

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I'm in the market for a new calibration device. I've been using the no-longer-supported X-Rite i1Display 2 for several years, but it kind of has some issues now.

I don't really need anything fancy. I generally just want it to get get accurate colors and contrast with my monitor because I don't have a good printer or anything.

I've been looking at the Datacolor Spyder5EXPRESS because it's only about $120, but there's also the
Datacolor Spyder5PRO for $189. What's the difference? Just the printer calibration?

Does it matter for monitor calibration?
 
I've even asked around trying to find out if there's much improvement between versions of the same calibrators as I've a Spyder 3 and they are now up to 5. In general there wasn't much that I could find and I suspect that its one area of technolgy where the variations are small and often as not only visible to those with experience and who are really nit-picking.

The software tends to come in two flavours with the higher priced ones giving far more custom control; but that's only any good if you can actually use it (or want to learn).
 
I've even asked around trying to find out if there's much improvement between versions of the same calibrators as I've a Spyder 3 and they are now up to 5. In general there wasn't much that I could find and I suspect that its one area of technolgy where the variations are small and often as not only visible to those with experience and who are really nit-picking.

The software tends to come in two flavours with the higher priced ones giving far more custom control; but that's only any good if you can actually use it (or want to learn).

Do you use the software to pick a target temperature/gamma/brightness when calibrating? Or do you use a more "Jesus take the wheel" approach and let the software automatically choose what it thinks is best? With the i1 Display 2 I just let it do its thing because I don't recall there being a whole lot of customization with it, but at the same time, if telling it to try for specific targets gives better results, I imagine the more expensive option would be best.
 
My monitor is pretty basic and cheap so its controls are not the best so I've only ever done a very basic calibration. It helps a lot; but its possibly not as good as going further in depth. But for that to be worth it I'd need a better monitor to use.
 
The display calibration devices that generally cost less than $200 are colorimeters and all work essentially the same.
Some however detect how much ambient light is falling in the display, and some don't.
The ones that don't generally cost less.

I highly recommend the X-Rite i1Display Pro.

The next step up in capability and cost are calibration devices that are spectrophotometers.
Spectrophotometers can profile/calibrate more than just displays. They can not only profile/calibrate displays they can also profile/calibrate printers printers and other output devices.

I highly recommend the X-Rite ColorMunki Photo.
Note how it can be used to get the color profile of everyday objects.

Pretty much all the print labs I have used recommend, and use, X-Rite Pantone devices/software rather than Datacolor devices/software.
Learning Color Management; X-Rite
 
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