Celebrating 25 Years of Spyder: Revolutionizing Digital Photography

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A lot has changed over the past 25 years since Datacolor launched its first Spyder monitor calibrator in the year 2000.

The switch from film to digital was a huge shift in photography. It fundamentally changed the way photographers crafted their work, incorporating computers and technology into the creative process. What the original Spyder did for photographers was to bring accuracy into a new workflow.

Photo History Highlights: Film Photography

Film photography required dedicated practice to the craft, and valuing the importance of accuracy. Correct image exposure included careful consideration of the subject, its environment, plus calculations using a light meter. Film was expensive to purchase, develop and print, not to mention exacting and time-consuming to process and edit it. Here’s what it looked like.

Techniques included:

  • Manipulating the exposure time during the printing process to selectively lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) an area of the print.
  • Retouching negatives by using fine brushes, pencils – even scalpels – to make small adjustments directly on the film negatives.
  • Chemical processes were needed to alter the color, contrast, tone, and color of prints.
 

Edits could involve physical manipulation:

  • Creating composite images or removing elements from a photo by physically cutting and reassembling prints.
  • Smoothing skin tones or removing blemishes or wrinkles by airbrushing images with paints or dyes.

Color and creative effects required:

  • Using colored filters or gels on the camera lens or enlarger to alter color balance or focus sharpness.
  • Photographers would expose the same film image multiple times to create composite images or for creative effect.

Printing techniques used:

  • The contact printing method was often used when making high-quality prints. The photographer would place the negative directly onto photographic paper and expose it to light.
  • An enlarger was used to make large prints by projecting a larger rendition of the negative onto photographic paper. This allowed for editing size and composition during the printing process.
 

Timewise, just developing the film alone could take several hours or days if you sent it out to a lab instead of developing it in your own darkroom. Editing and re-touching photos were labor-intensive, taking up to several hours per image in-house, or sometimes weeks if you sent it to out to a specialist. Even printing could take several hours to perfect each image.

Enter the Digital Age of Photography

While digital cameras became mass-market popular in the early 2000’s, their development began decades earlier.

  • Semiconductor technology in the early 1960’s and 1970’s included the development of charge-coupled devices (CCDs) which converted light into electronic signals – essential for digital imaging. Advances in microprocessor technology made processing and storing digital images possible.
  • In 1975, Kodak engineer Steven Sasson created the first portable digital camera prototype using a CCD sensor.
  • In 1981, Sony released the Mavica, an analog electronic camera that recorded images on a mini disk.
  • While Fuji introduced the Fujix DS-1P in 1988 – the first digital camera to store images as computer files – it never reached the market.
  • The first commercially available digital camera was the Logitech Fotoman, launched in 1990.
  • A year later in 1991, Kodak launched the DCS 100, the first professional digital SLR camera, featuring a 1.3-megapixel sensor.
  • Apple’s release of the QuickTake 100, was one of the first consumer digital cameras
  • In the 2000’s, digital cameras finally go mainstream thanks to improvements in image resolution, increased storage capacity and affordability. In 1990, the Logitech Fotoman sold for about $1000, while Kodak’s first digital camera, the DCS 100, had a price tag of $20,000 in 1991. A mid-range digital camera today can cost around $600-$700.

With digital photography, there was no longer film waste or the need for costly development supplies. As digital cameras became more affordable, photography became more accessible to amateurs and hobbyists, and it also opened up more creative possibilities.

Image results could be viewed immediately, profoundly changing the editing process. Lighting adjustments could be made on the spot, streamlining post-production workflows. Features like batch processing and presets further streamlined repetitive tasks, saving even more time. With greater efficiencies, images could be delivered to clients more quickly.

Monitor Calibration – Spyder Becomes a Breakthrough Solution

Monitors became an integral part of a digital photographer’s workflow, and monitor calibration became critical since monitor color could drift dramatically over time and required regular calibration. Colorimeters were introduced in the mid 1990’s to measure the color output of monitors and help users adjust settings to achieve more accurate color representation. Editing software advancements in products like Adobe Gamma in the early 2000’s coincided with Datacolor’s launch of the first Spyder in 2000 (called Pantone Colorvision Spyder, then). These programs worked in conjunction with hardware devices for more precise calibration. In the mid-2000’s, the introduction of the International Color Consortium (ICC) profiles standardized color management across different platforms and devices. Throughout its history, Spyder has evolved as digital photography and videography have evolved.

Spyder Monitor Calibration Timeline

2000: Datacolor introduces the first Spyder monitor calibrator (Pantone Colorvision Spyder), aimed at providing affordable and accurate color calibration for CRT monitors for photographers and digital designers. Its ease of use and integrated software helped guide users through this vital workflow step in digital color management. It was also relatively cost-effective when compared with other calibrators available at the time. It took about 5+ minutes to color calibrate a monitor with this device.

2004: Launch of the Spyder2, offered improved accuracy and ease of use compared to the original model. It was able to calibrate CRTs, LCDs and laptop displays, keeping up with the demands of evolving technologies.

2007: Introduction of the Spyder3 featured the only seven detector color engine on the market and boasted a 400% extra light sensitivity for increased accuracy. Other features included a built in ambient light sensor, combined desktop cradle and tripod mount and ‘before and after’ SpyderProof proofing capability.

2012: Release of the Spyder4 included the popular features of ambient light monitoring and support for multiple displays. This fourth generation of Spyders also included double-shielded color filters for a closer match to CIE color standards and improved long term stability. Color accuracy was improved by 26% compared to the previous Spyder.

2015: Spyder5 is launched, with a redesigned patented 7-detector optical engine to deliver up to a 55% improvement in tonal response, resulting in more accurate shadow detail and smoother gradients. Along with ambient light monitoring, multiple display support and SpyderProof proofing, the Spyder5’s Display Analysis feature lets users evaluate and compare the performance of all of their laptop and desktop monitors.

2019: The SpyderX series introduced a major shift to an advanced lens-based sensor system for significantly faster and more accurate calibration. Calibration could now be performed in under 2 minutes. Speed, accuracy and ease of use were all improved and features like one-click calibration made calibration inviting and accessible for even first-time users.

2023: Launch of the Spyder X2 series added the functionality to support high-brightness monitors, supporting newer monitor technology and accurate color calibration in situations like tethered outdoor shoots. A redesigned user interface is streamlined and more intuitive for a cleaner, enhanced user experience.

2024: Launch of the 2024 Spyder and SpyderPro. The latest Spyders can calibrate a wide range of monitors including OLED, mini-LED and Apple Liquid Retina XDR. Exclusive features like Device Preview™ simulate how images can appear on the latest tablet and mobile devices so users can feel confident that their pictures will appear as intended, and calibration speed has been improved to taking only 90 seconds to fully calibrate your monitor.

2025: Datacolor is committed to consistently improving its calibrators, incorporating new technologies and features to meet the evolving needs of photographers, videographers, content creators and digital designers, from entry level to professionals.

Explore all of our Datacolor Spyder products at https://www.datacolor.com/spyder/products/.

Posted in Blog.

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