Packages / Hardware calibration
Why hardware calibration?
Your monitor determines what you see. Without objective verification, you cannot know whether the colours on your screen are accurate — and your assessment won’t be either.
The problem: not every monitor is suitable
Colour perception strongly depends on viewing conditions. A monitor with incorrect colour temperature, brightness, or gamma leads to systematic measurement errors — even for a skilled assessor.
The software calibration in ColorAptitude™ (7-step visual procedure) is indicative: it provides a good estimate but is not hardware-verified. For official qualification per ASTM E1499-16, objective verification is required.
Visual calibration (software)
- –Visual 7-step procedure
- –Indicative result
- –Suitable for screening and education
- –Certificate states: ‘Visually calibrated’
Professional calibration (hardware)
- Datacolor SpyderPro colorimeter
- Objectively verified result
- Compliant with ASTM E1499-16 §5.3
- Certificate states: ‘Calibrated with Datacolor SpyderPro’
What does the Datacolor SpyderPro measure?
The SpyderPro is a hardware colorimeter — a device that measures light directly from the screen. It is placed on the display and objectively measures the following parameters:
D65 white point
D65 is the standard daylight illuminant (6500 K colour temperature) used in colour comparison standards worldwide, including ASTM E1499-16 §5.3. A monitor that deviates from D65 systematically shifts all colour judgments too warm (yellowish) or too cool (bluish). The SpyderPro verifies whether your monitor is actually set to D65.
Gamma γ 2.2
Gamma determines how brightness levels are displayed: the relationship between the file value (0–255) and the actual emitted light intensity. With incorrect gamma, grey tones and colour transitions are distorted. γ 2.2 is the standard for sRGB — the colour space ColorAptitude™ uses. The SpyderPro measures the actual gamma curve of your screen.
Luminance in cd/m²
Screen brightness is expressed in candela per square metre (cd/m²). A screen that is too bright or too dark disrupts perception of the lightest and darkest nuances. For colour assessment applications, a recommended range is 80–160 cd/m². The SpyderPro measures the actual peak brightness.
What does ASTM E1499-16 §5.3 say?
“The user is cautioned to avoid the substitution of validated vision tests with replicas of any kind, either printed, photographed or digitally displayed.”
— ASTM E1499-16 §5.3
This warning applies to uncalibrated digital copies of physical tests. ColorAptitude™ is not a copy — it uses proprietary stimuli in the OKLCH colour space with a seven-step calibration procedure and its own normative data.
For organisations that want to follow ASTM E1499-16 as audit evidence, hardware calibration adds the objective verification layer the standard requires: the screen is demonstrably set to D65, γ 2.2, and the correct luminance — with measured values recorded on the certificate.
Read more about ASTM E1499-16 in the knowledge base →What does the certificate show?
The ColorAptitude™ Certificate explicitly states the calibration method, making it usable as audit evidence:
Example certificate entry
Name: [assessor name]
Date: [date]
Score: [score] — [band]
Calibration method: Hardware-calibrated — Datacolor SpyderPro
White point: D65 (verified)
Gamma: γ 2.2 (verified)
Luminance: [value] cd/m²
Compliant with ASTM E1499-16 §5.3 — usable as audit evidence for ISO 9001 and ASTM audits
Who is professional screen calibration for?
- Quality managers and auditors who want to qualify colour assessors per ASTM E1499-16
- Organisations in paint, textiles, plastics, print, or cosmetics where colour is part of product quality
- Companies with ISO 9001 certification that need to demonstrate colour assessor competence
- Laboratories and research environments requiring reproducible colour measurements
- HR and L&D departments looking to set up an objective qualification track for colour assessors
Interested in professional screen calibration?
The Datacolor SpyderPro is a one-time investment that lasts for years. Contact us for pricing and installation guidance.