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 Does your digital projector cough up a sickly bluish picture? Just like a lot of computer monitors and living room televisions, projectors often have this problem. A calibration is probably the best cure. And now that ColorVision's Spyder2PRO Studio ($260, street) has been upgraded to let you calibrate digital projectors, you can enjoy the same color-managed image control with your slide shows that you have in your digital darkroom.
Version 2.0, a free download for anyone who owns Spyder2PRO Studio, not only makes projector-calibration possible, but has also been tweaked to improve regular monitor calibration. Will it help you get great color from your projector? Yes, in most cases.
For a projector to be calibrated, it must have a resolution of 1024x768 or higher, and be connected to a computer. As with a normal monitor calibration, the latest version of Spyder2PRO lets you choose the gamma point, and then steps you through brightness and contrast settings, as well as color temperature presets. We were a bit disappointed that the program wouldn't let us adjust the RGB gain controls that were built into the Epson PowerLite 755c we calibrated. But, none of the Spyder2PRO's competitors include this feature either.
Once the controls are adjusted, all you have to do is mount the futuristic-looking colorimiter on a tripod, using the included tripod adapter, and then face it toward the projector, and it will read the color patches that the software projects onto your screen. When it finishes reading the patches, the program creates a profile for your projector, and it automatically configures your computer to use that profile when the projector is selected as the display device. It's actually that simple.
In our test here at Pop Photo, the Spyder2PRO made a visible difference to the picture, by eliminating the initial bluish cast of the projector and creating a more neutral image with slightly more detail in both highlights and shadows.
Version 2.0 of the Studio software also improved the Spyder2PRO's ability to calibrate monitors, making them more neutral. We do wish ColorVision would include a step to properly adjust RGB offset controls, in addition to the gain-control adjustment already included in the calibration software. Without it, the shadows on our high-end Sony Artisan CRT monitor ended up with a reddish tinge, while the rest of the grayscale was perfectly neutral. Ultimately, the Spyder2PRO is a good monitor calibrator for the price, and it's now an even better deal if you own a digital projector.
For info: ColorVision; www.ColorVision.com; 800-554-8688.
What's Hot:
- New version also calibrates digital projectors.
What's Not:
- Doesn't offer full control of RGB adjustments.
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