Largest light measurement aperture and the only seven-detector colour engine in its class

Zürich, 16th October 2007 - Datacolor, a global leader in digital colour management technology, today announces several products incorporating Spyder3, its next generation of monitor calibration device aimed at photographers and digital imaging professionals needing the most accurate colour for digital editing. New products in the range include Spyder3Elite and Spyder3Studio.

Offering an affordable solution, Spyder3Elite incorporates a new suite of features for increased accuracy and performance and enables users to calibrate multiple studio displays to a single target. Spyder3Studio combines the features of Spyder3Elite's display calibration with a printer profiling tool providing a complete calibration package for the whole workflow, from monitor to hard copy.

Spyder3 - new design and features
With its sleek design, the Spyder3 measurement device is 37 per cent smaller than its Spyder2 predecessor and is supplied with a desktop cradle that doubles as a tripod attachment for use when calibrating a display. Suction cup and counterweight mounting options are also provided for complete flexibility. Calibration time is cut by 29 per cent to five minutes, with re-calibration at only two and a half minutes, which is 64 per cent faster than the previous model.

The new Spyder3 colorimeter offers the only seven-detector colour engine on the market, with its 27mm aperture, the largest in its class, giving a greater screen sampling area and a 400 per cent increase in light sensitivity. In conjunction with the embedded ambient light sensor, which automatically measures surrounding ambient light levels even when stored in its cradle, Spyder3 enables users to achieve the most precise results when calibrating a display, or multiple displays matched to a single target. Spyder3's optical design and colour engine enable calibration of the latest in wide gamut, LED backlight and AdobeRGB displays.

Spyder3 also introduces SpyderProof, a proofing function that lets users evaluate calibration results in before and after modes. Four quadrants of thematic images are displayed, targeting saturated colours, skin tones, gradients and black and white. Users can zoom in on any picture to assess highlights, shadow, colour or tonal response in greater detail, and softproof the images using custom profiles.

Spyder3Elite - studio calibration
Spyder3Elite's dual-mode software offers the choice of a walkthrough wizard guide or expert console to give advanced users full control of all settings. It is also the only device in its category able to calibrate front projectors.

Users can calibrate multiple studio displays to a single target with Spyder3Elite, which incorporates StudioMatch Assistant for step-by-step guidance through the process. The assistant takes into account each display's white and black luminance as well as studio light conditions, guaranteeing consistent and
accurate colour and brightness on each display in a studio. Spyder3Elite's Curves Import function gives users total control over colour and black and white tinting curves in the image editor, enabling adjustments to be applied to a profile rather than individual images, while a new PreciseLight function adjusts profiles to optimise images for printing, depending on the environment in which they will be displayed.

Unlimited, user-defined calibration targets for white point, gamma, white luminance and black luminance allow users to get the most from their digital workflow. Creatives using L-Star workflows can use Spyder3Elite's patented L-Star compatible technologies as an alternative to typical gamma settings, enabling individual tonal response curves to be generated for open shadows and detailed highlights.

Once calibrated, the new SpyderCertification option ensures that calibration standards are deployed consistently across all subscribed displays, issuing a warning if a display's calibration becomes out of date or incorrect.

Spyder3Studio - complete colour management
For a complete suite of colour management tools, Spyder3Studio combines the features of Spyder3Elite's display calibration with a printer profiling tool. Supplied with Datacolor's 1005 Spectrocolorimeter and a colour calibration tile with tracking ruler for more accurate readings, Spyder3Studio produces professional-looking prints quickly and accurately, avoiding wasteful trial-and-error testing.

Profiles can be created in minutes with the assistance of the SpyderGuide on-screen help wizard, which guides users through each step of the process, while integrated print quality and media settings checks ensure that the printer is correctly configured and working properly. The calibration functions of Spyder3Elite are enhanced by the inclusion of support for both 8-bit and 16-bit profiles, allowing users to reproduce even the most subtle elements of their work accurately and consistently.

Giving complete control over the digital workflow, Spyder3Studio means users can tailor colour management to their requirements from single-screen to complete studio solutions, as custom colour or black and white ICC profiles can be created and set up for individual printer and media selections. A Spyder3Studio software update is available to existing users of Datacolor's PrintFIX PRO.

Availability and pricing
Providing cross-platform compatibility with Mac OSX and Microsoft Windows XP and Vista, Spyder3Elite and Spyder3Studio will be available immediately from www.spyder3.com or from Computers Unlimited (Tel. 0870 264 6606, www.unlimited.com), priced at £149 and £175 respectively, excluding VAT.

Datacolor brand
With the launch of Spyder3, Datacolor announces that its consumer business unit will now be known exclusively as Datacolor. Previously, the business unit had incorporated branding of both Datacolor and ColorVision, a division of Datacolor since 2000.

For more information and to purchase Spyder3 products, please visit www.Spyder3.com.

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About Datacolor
Datacolor is a global leader in colour management solutions and colour communication technology. The world's leading brands, manufacturers, creative professionals and consumers choose Datacolor's innovative technology solutions to achieve the right colour consistently. A Swiss-held company, Datacolor's global presence encompasses a sales, services and support network serving customers in more than 65 countries throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia, along with 13 worldwide operation and production facilities. Industries served include photography, apparel and textile, digital imaging, architectural painting, graphic design, automotive, home theatre, furnishing, plastics, printing, coating, paper and others. For more information about Datacolor and its products or services, visit www.datacolor.com/Spyder3.

Spyder3, SpyderProof, SpyderCertification, StudioMatch and PreciseLight are trademarks of Datacolor.