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Apple Pro Display XDR users can now perform in-field recalibration of their monitors. Apple has released the Pro Display XDR Calibrator, allowing users to recalibrate their displays for the first time since the display’s release last December.
Every Pro Display XDR comes calibrated from the factory; however, the new free-to-download Calibrator software allows for in-field recalibration for specific workflows ‘that may require custom calibration’.
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To perform calibration, you must use one of the following spectroradiometers: Photo Research SpectraScan PR-740, PR-745 or PR-788 or the Colorimetry Research CR-300. Additionally, users must be using macOS 10.15.6 or later and their Pro Display XDR must have display firmware v.4.2.30 installed. This firmware version was released alongside the Calibrator software download and includes minor stability improvements.
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The Pro Display XDR includes incredible technology and performance. Granted, you’d expect an incredible display given its starting price of $ 5,000 USD ($ 1,000 Pro Stand not included). Nonetheless, the reference-quality display offers a peak brightness of 1600 nits, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 6K resolution. The 32-inch display has a P3 wide color gamut and 10-bit color depth.
The display ships with industry-standard reference mode presets, including HDR, HDTV, NTSC video, digital cinema and more. Per Apple, the Pro Display XDR can display over a billion colors at a per-pixel level. Further, compared to a typical LCD display, the display’s compensation polarizer reduces off-axis light leakage by 25x, resulting in an accurate image even from off-axis viewing angles.
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According to an Apple technology white paper about the display, ‘Every Pro Display XDR undergoes a state-of-the-art factory display calibration process on the assembly line to ensure accuracy of individual backlight LEDs and tight calibration control relative to key industry specifications.’ Further, ‘In addition, the factory calibration process enables Pro Display XDR to accurately reproduce a variety of color spaces used by media today, including BT.709, BT. 601, and even sRGB.’ You can view detailed specifications for each of the available reference modes in the paper as well.
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While the Apple Pro Display XDR is itself expensive, and the compatible spectroradiometers required to calibrate the display are also expensive, it’s an undeniably good move for Apple to provide its customers more ways to use an Apple product and take full advantage of the display’s performance.
Of course, the jury is still out when it comes to the Apple Pro Display XDR besting other, much more expensive, reference monitors. Some have loved the display while others are not convinced that the Pro Display XDR lives up to Apple’s lofty promises. If you’d like to learn more about the Apple Pro Display XDR, visit Apple.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)