Spyder 2 Pro or Spyder 3 Elite?

[Michael Morlan]

Hi all,

Any value in all the extras provided by the 3 Elite over the 2 Pro for monitor calibrating in the RED One space? I'm adding a calibration tool to my on-set monitoring setup.

They both do REC 709. What else would I use?

Michael

 

[Michele Gavazzeni]

You can only calibrate a computer monitor connected to a computer with that.
this means you can only monitor your images after you've downloaded to your hard drive.
I don't really trust computer monitors to evaluate footage. Laptop monitors are the worst!
I'd use a proper calibrated broadcast monitor.
you can calibrate it using your eyes and signal bars, or you can use a calibrator specific for Television monitors that helps you tweak the knobs of your monitor

 

[Michael Morlan]

The Spyder is only for calibrating the PC video output displaying REDCine (and other apps.)

I'll be using an HDLink and test patterns to calibrate video feeds to the monitor.

Michael

 

[Michele Gavazzeni]

In these case i'd go with the elite.
the difference is only in the software that has more advanced user functionalitys
more you can calibrate a projector if you need

 

[Peter Karlsson]

I was under the impression that Spyder 3 Elite also measured ambient light in the room, something the previous spyders haven´t been able to do. So I would definitly go with the Spyder 3 Elite.. They are invaluable!

 

[Bruce Allen]

Why not just get a gretagMacbeth Eye One?

Spyder 3 Elite is $261. Eye One Display 2 is $250.

It's what they chose for Lustre, etc. You can tell your clients that you calibrated your monitor using the same calibration tool they *maybe* used for the system used to grade all of these movies on:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=9228011



Red uses it too, I think.

I wonder what Luki and the Assimilate fellows all recommend?

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

 

[M Most]

It's what they chose for Lustre, etc. You can tell your clients that you calibrated your monitor using the same calibration tool they *maybe* used for the system used to grade all of these movies on:

Uhhhh.... no. 99% of those pictures were color corrected using a projection system in a DI theater, not on a CRT, and most definitely not on an LCD computer monitor. The most common color management system in that case is Truelight, which uses its own probe. The projector itself is usually set up to either Rec709 or, more commonly today, DCI or P3 specifications, using a high end colorimeter such as the Photo Research or Minolta models.

 

[Jim Hoffman]

So what does one then rec. for a PC color correction setup - granted its not the ideal way - but what would you use if you were just working with a computer set-up?

 

[Dustin Cross]

Michael,

I have a gretagMacbeth Eye One if you want to check it out. I use it to calibrate all my LCDs and it does okay. Let me know.

Aloha,
Dusty

 

[Bruce Allen]

Uhhhh.... no. 99% of those pictures were color corrected using a projection system in a DI theater, not on a CRT, and most definitely not on an LCD computer monitor. The most common color management system in that case is Truelight, which uses its own probe. The projector itself is usually set up to either Rec709 or, more commonly today, DCI or P3 specifications, using a high end colorimeter such as the Photo Research or Minolta models.

Mmost, I was joking, hence the *maybe* and afterwards

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

 

[Michael Morlan]

Dustin, I received the Spyder 3 yesterday. Maybe we'll do a side-by-side comparison in our copious spare time.

Here's a question (and one I will be putting to the folks at AlphaCine where we will be doing our filmout test): What colorspace should I calibrate to? REC 709, Cineon?

Michael

 

[Simon Baechler]

I have a Spyder 2 and use Spyder2Express.

The colors are a bit too warm in my opinion.
While I was using Color Plus there was a big shift towards magenta in the shadow. Now I use Spyder2Express and there is a medium shift towards magenta overall.

I compare the image on the computer monitor to a professional CRT video Monitor in Combustion.

It could of course also be the monitors. I'm using Samsung SyncMasters 912N which were quite cheap.

I also did the calibration on my ibook and there the shadows are ok but there is a blue shift in the midtones.

 

[Alexis Vanier]

I use the Spyder 2 Express and I do too find the colours are on the warm side. I calibrated an Optiquest Q-71 CRT and a couple MacBooks (Pro and not) and a 24" iMac and the results where very good, nevermind the warmness. You do need to manually calibrate the internal RGB settings of CRT (if you can) to compensate for phosphor wear to maximize dynamic range. Don't expect the thing to all the work for you.

It all comes down to whether I trust more my eyes and NTSC colour bars or a digital colour meter and ramps...

The meter unfortunately has a *lot* more credibility than I do. :whistling:

 

[Prem Edpuganti]

Dustin, I received the Spyder 3 yesterday. Maybe we'll do a side-by-side comparison in our copious spare time.

Michael

Michael:

Friend of mine uses Spyder 2. He has Spyder 3 also, which he is beta testing for Colorvision. His recommendation: wait on Spyder 3. and use Spyder 2 for now.

 

[Michael Morlan]

He has Spyder 3 also, which he is beta testing for Colorvision.

Great, another piece of beta hardware/software. At least RED is honest in declaring the beta state of the camera rather than releasing a supposedly finished product on the unsuspecting public.

Michael

 

[Fredrik Callinggard]

Uhhhh.... no. 99% of those pictures were color corrected using a projection system in a DI theater, not on a CRT, and most definitely not on an LCD computer monitor. The most common color management system in that case is Truelight, which uses its own probe. The projector itself is usually set up to either Rec709 or, more commonly today, DCI or P3 specifications, using a high end colorimeter such as the Photo Research or Minolta models.

True, but I know one Lustre operator who always checks it on a CRT monitor as well. Him and the clients grade it on projection and when they go home he adjusts in a CRT. That's the way he does it, especially if it's commercials etc were most of them are broadcast only.