Versione in Italiano QUI
Introduction
Back in 2021, X-Rite transitioned their existing photo and video range over to Calibrite, who quickly established themselves as a leader for Color Management. In the same year, Calibrite already revamped its existing product line with some minor improvements and introduced the new Calibrite PROFILER software.
Now, after two years, Calibrite is ready to introduce a new line of colorimeters: the Calibrite Display SL, Display Pro HL, and Display Plus HL.
Let’s see what’s new and which model suits us best.
The new Calibrite Display SL, Display Pro HL, Display Plus HL colorimeters
There are several reasons for introducing these new devices to the market, but fundamentally, they are all related to technological and generational advancements. Over the years, monitors have evolved, allowing for previously unimaginable performance levels. As a result, colorimeter technology from several years ago may not be adequate anymore, especially with the advent of new displays like Apple XDR and high-brightness monitors.
To meet these needs, Calibrite has introduced three new colorimeter devices, which are not mere restyling of the existing ones but incorporate new technology:
- Calibrite Display SL
- Calibrite Display Pro HL
- Calibrite Display Plus HL
Let’s explore the peculiarities of each one.
Calibrite Display SL
The Display SL colorimeter is Calibrite’s new entry-level product. “SL” stands for Standard Luminance, making it suitable for monitors with brightness up to 1000 nits (a significantly increased value compared to the previous entry-level product).
This colorimeter is designed for those taking their first steps into the world of color management and who don’t have specific requirements other than perfect calibration and profiling of their standard monitor, mainly for photographic purposes. Users can select from various common pre-defined calibration parameters, including 8 pre-set luminance values and 5 pre-set whitepoints, while all other settings are set.
While it offers all the necessary features, users won’t have access to advanced customizations or the ability to calibrate and profile the latest technology displays.
Calibrite Display Pro HL
The HL series by Calibrite is dedicated to more demanding photographers and videomakers. “HL” stands for High Luminance, and indeed, the Calibrite Display Pro HL can calibrate displays with up to 3000 nits brightness.
This colorimeter incorporates all the latest technological innovations, allowing accurate calibration of the latest generation displays such as mini-LED, OLED, and Apple XDR displays. In the video domain, the Display Pro HL covers NTSC, PAL SECAM, and ITU-R Rec.709 video transmission standards. For photographers, it offers more customization of all parameters, including the ability to use a broader set of patches for more accurate profiling.
Additionally, unlike the Display SL, the Display Pro HL can perform hardware calibrations on professional photographic monitors like the BenQ SW series.
Calibrite Display Plus HL
The Display Plus HL colorimeter represents the flagship of the new Calibrite product range.
In addition to all the features already present in the Display Pro HL, the Display Plus HL can calibrate monitors with up to 10,000 nits brightness, supports HDR, and covers the BT.1886 tonal curve for Rec.2020, the standard for HDTV.
This makes it a unique colorimeter and perfectly suited for professional video work.
But is it really a new technology, or is it just a marketing gimmick?
To answer this legitimate question, the screenshots below are presented.
The first image shows the profile created with my previous-generation colorimeter for my Apple MacBook Pro with XDR display, based on the Display P3 color space (that we can see as a reference in white). In the second image, you can see the profile created for the same screen with the new Calibrite Display Plus HL colorimeter.
As you can see, the volume is significantly larger and almost entirely overlaps the monitor’s Display P3 reference space. This means having a profile that can handle all the colors that an advanced monitor like Apple’s can offer. I’d say facts speak louder than any marketing campaign!
Which colorimeter is right for me?
Having three valid models with different features and prices naturally leads us to wonder which model is most suitable for us. To be practical, here’s what I would do:
- If I were a photographer interested in having my monitor perfectly calibrated and profiled but didn’t need to calibrate an external monitor using hardware or set calibration parameters beyond the standard ones, I’d opt for the Display SL model.
- If I were an advanced photographer with a professional external monitor that allows hardware calibration or if I had an Apple XDR monitor, I would undoubtedly choose the Display Pro HL model.
- Finally, if I were more interested in the video production world or had monitors with specific configuration requirements, I’d consider the Display Plus HL model.
Conclusions
The new Calibrite range of colorimeters is undoubtedly a significant step forward, providing us with a new device that is not only perfectly suited to the latest technology currently available but is also future-proofed.
The three different models allow us to choose the one that best suits our needs, and compatibility with the well-known Calibrite PROFILER will allow us to achieve excellent results with just a few steps.
Remember that you can find HERE the practical guide to using Calibrite PROFILER