Datacolor Spyder3 Elite - Windows / Mac

I have multiple editing workstations, and this product worked on all of them.I would recommend to download the latest application update from the manufactuer.

I had this for 2 years before realizing the colors were far too warm and magenta after calibration. I borrowed an X-Rite i1Display 2 to calibrate my monitor from a photographic studio I worked with that has been using it for years and whoa behold me. My color from the Spyder 3 Elite had been wrong all the while.

I frequently do graphics and layouts for CD jewel box inserts from a home office, and do amateur photography. Use a Dell 2408WFP monitor, and Epson R3000 printer, and needed to get acceptable color match from screen to printer.After some research on the web, the Spyder 3 Elite came out looking like the best choice in terms of cost and capabilities.Product arrived on time in perfect condition. Following advice of some previous reviewers, the latest software package was downloaded, though the supplied CD-ROM actually already contained version 4. The installation went without a hitch, following the supplied instructions. The instructions are entirely adequate, and cover all reasonable options, as long as the user has a basic understanding of what is going on. Some of the users who reported trouble with the installation manual appeared not to know enough about what the device actually does, and what the software actully generates, and why.The calibration went smoothly, it allowed a wide choice of parameter settings, and resulted in a display perfectly adapted to my ambient lighting and usage requirements. There would have been no way to achieve this with the controls built into the display panel itself, so the Spyder has been a very welcome addition to my equipment layout.I can't speak for professional graphic designers and photographers with much more sophisticated equipment, but for my applications this has been just the right solution for achieving color control.

The color and light sensing hardware works fine, and the software works fine on monitors and low-resolution projectors, but the calibration software is completely broken for using on HD (1920x1080) projectors. The software puts a low-res color patch in the corner of the screen and then calibrates using the entire screen, part of which is dark; so the calibration never comes out correct. I worked with their tech support department but they just kept saying, "uninstall and then re-install the software", which of course I had already done. They didn't even seem to be aware of the problem, or even care about it.If you are planning on using this device for a projector, I would use a ColorMunki or i1Display instead. I have a friend with a colormunki and he says it works fine on projectors.

We had used this product for our studio for a little over a year and a half and then recently received an update email from DataColor. They were were announcing their new upgrade product and giving a free update to those who purchased in 2010. However prior to that there was no upgrade path. In other words, we had to purchase a whole new unit. I sent support an email inquiring about this and never received a reply. We decided to upgrade to much better product.....Colormunki.Below is the email I sent to Datacolor support and never got an answer:Just received your update email notice.Went to your website and NO WHERE is mentioned the price for this upgrade. And if it is mentioned sure is hard to find.Now one other problem I think our studio is going to have--is you're giving a free update to those who purchased in 2010. We purchased in late 2009 and are currently running 3.1.4-1.So what do customers like us do? What's our upgrade path and cost?I wish your website was more informative and easier to use to answer simple questions like these.comments...

This product will do what it was designed to do and it does it well. Some of the instructions were a little unclear to me as were using it with the parts indicated in the instructions, but in the end, was well worth the price.

Bought it to calibrate my computers AND my tvs. I really thought that it'd be able to let me calibrate each step instead of "auto" mode, but looks like it only works this way. Being so, it can only work with computers, NOT with tvs. For that I'd have to purchase extra software for around $70. But does what it promisses: calibrate.

New iMac. Editing photos. Need calibration. Insert disk, dialogue box opens in an Oriental language, but guess to click OK. Click OK again for next box in English. Click OK again for next box. Installer closes. Email support. Nothing. Telephone, after a good long search for the number, no one answers. Sending back within an hour after opening the box. This is a joke!