Spyder 3 Express

The colors on your monitor are off. Every LCD monitor displays colors slightly differently, and no monitor is ever setup to print colors correctly out of the box. This causes havoc for graphics designers and photo editors everywhere, especially because it wastes expensive paper and ink when photos print off-color. While software calibration tools can remedy the problem somewhat, the only sure-fire way to obtain 100% accurate colors is to use a colorimeter.

With this objective in mind, I recently bought Spyder 3 Express S3X100 colorimeter.  This device connects to a USB port and correctly calibrates your monitor in just a few minutes. I used it with great results on my MacBook Pro. I never realized how off-color my display was until I calibrated with the Spyder 3. After attaching the device to your computer and placing it atop your monitor, you need to run the included software. The program then sets up a new color profile for your monitor and shows you a before and after. It’s all automatic. You can detach the Spyder 3 from your monitor when you are done calibrating and remove the new color profile at any time. You should recalibrate your display on a regular basis to keep colors as accurate as possible, however, as changes in lighting can affect how colors appear.

More advanced colorimeters such as the Spyder 3 Pro and Spyder 3 Elite provide more features, but I recommend the less expensive Spyder 3 Express as it does all you need. It’s a decent investment at under $75, and it beats wasting time and money adjusting off-color photo prints.

Link | Amazon.com

On a side note, I had a lot of trouble convincing a few friends that this device is not a vibrating massager.