'18 Grigio Medio/Nutmeg M3 (F80) *painted Brembo GT BBK + OEM CS Spoiler Page 9 & 10*

[KevinM]

Beautiful.

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by KevinM

Beautiful.

Thank you

[Arcades]

Spectra PhotoSync installed on Stella. SPH75 Front, SPH45 Rest.

[cca101]

Beautiful! Your Photosync 45 seems pretty dark. I wanted to do Photosync 35 but don't like dark looking tint, would you say the Photosync looks darker than other tints or is it just the camera?

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by cca101

Beautiful! Your Photosync 45 seems pretty dark. I wanted to do Photosync 35 but don't like dark looking tint, would you say the Photosync looks darker than other tints or is it just the camera?

iPhone 7 Plus camera makes things darker than it should look. So it's darker but honestly you won't notice it in person when you see it.

Personally, I cannot justify Spectra PhotoSync's price tag. I'm unsure if it is because I'm very OCD and I notice little things more than other people, but at least so far, PhotoSync is not ahead above 3M Crystalline or F1 Stratos. I have heard so many people talk up about PhotoSync and I have always been skeptical to begin with and now I think I was sort of right. It could be because I'm used to having tints that are around 60% front at the very least, 75% doesn't block enough for me. The place I went to didn't carry SPH65, which is what I wanted and didn't want to compromise but I was more or less forced to, which honestly annoyed me. I can personally tell the slight difference regardless of what Tint Shops tell me.

The one thing I can say that so far good is that, PhotoSync is pretty light from the inside and it helps with my interior as I didn't want to black out my interior from the outside in. It could also be that my tint is fresh and it isn't cured and dry yet so it isn't working 100% yet.

Regardless, as of today as I drove around a lot, I am not impressed and I also am unable to justify the price I paid for it. I don't think the tint shop I used is on the forums so I don't mind speaking my mind but if they are looking you can contact me because I'm honestly 100% not impressed. I prefer Crystalline as it has never failed me even though it is on the older side and have a bit of hazing when it gets very bright out. I also don't buy the fact that I will get into accidents w/ a tint that is less than 75%, sorry Bing that is a bit full of it for me. I have been driving 10+ years now and that is the first excuse for a tint that I wanted to argue against.

[Clark_Kent]

Appreciate the review. Photosync was in my consideration set and it is now out. Would be interested to hear your position on this after you drive the car during the hot months.

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by Clark_Kent

Appreciate the review. Photosync was in my consideration set and it is now out. Would be interested to hear your position on this after you drive the car during the hot months.

Well, if you can take into account today's weather in LA is at the very most 78 F, and I was able to feel some warmth on my skin from the front, if a tint shop won't let you go below SPH75, I won't be able to justify it. Would this be different if I gotten SPH65 like I had wanted and asked for? Perhaps.

However, my suggestion is, if a shop is telling you one thing and you are skeptical. Try to find a car with the tint and sit in it before you decide.

I have had multiple cars with 3M Crystalline. I have had Huper Optik, Llumar CTX and Suntek. Crystalline outperforms most of them by feel alone. So far with Spectra (mind you again, I just installed it a day ago), I do not feel it is better than Crystalline. Could the not drying part effecting the PhotoSync tint? Maybe. By how much though? Could you justify paying beyond 1k for full PhotoSync and feel a little difference even in just 78 F?

I cannot. If I'm paying a premium, I would expect not feeling any sort of warmth below 80 like I don't tend to with Crystalline. Today, I did and that's depressing. If you are paying beyond 1k, you would expect the tint to be better by a good amount but I cannot so far do it. I would advise against it for others who are thinking about it unless you want to pay just for a slight difference.

Number wise, you woudl expect Spectra PhotoSync to outperform Crystalline and F1 Stratos by a good amount in feel but it doesn't. F1 Stratos is near PhotoSync price point but I haven't tested it because the price makes it too much to test as a customer, but Crystalline is still roughly the same price around 800 or so in SoCal and you can easily get it and be perfectly fine without having to do PhotoSync and feel 1-3 degree difference in regular days.

Edit: I urge people who read what I say with a grain of salt. I am not bashing PhotoSync. HOWEVER, based on price you have to pay. Is it THAT much better than the competition? I have multiple cars with different tints and I am in LA, the best weather to test tints with. Can you personally justify a 1k+ price on PhotoSync compared to 3m Crystalline at 800 or so (full car w/ windshield), or F1 Pinnacle, Suntek CIR (both which are cheaper too). PhotoSync is not only expensive, it is expensive by a good margin. So ask yourself please, can you do it and feel it is justified?

[cca101]

Thanks for the extensive review. I have Llumar CTX now and I'm not impressed by the air blue 80. The 35 on the sides is fine. I'm hoping the Photosync Spectra is much superior than CTX which by the advertised heat rejection number should be. I was quoted $800 for Photosync Spectra for all windows including windshield, and $750 for Crystalline. Would you justify the Photosync for that price or still go Crystalline?

[itsmeeeugene]

Originally Posted by cca101

Thanks for the extensive review. I have Llumar CTX now and I'm not impressed by the air blue 80. The 35 on the sides is fine. I'm hoping the Photosync Spectra is much superior than CTX which by the advertised heat rejection number should be. I was quoted $800 for Photosync Spectra for all windows including windshield, and $750 for Crystalline. Would you justify the Photosync for that price or still go Crystalline?

I went with F1 pinnacle all around and air80 on my windshield. i have an opposite opinion on the air80. To me, it definitely feels less "burning" in the sun compared to no tint on the windshield. What about the Air80 were you not impressed with?

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by cca101

Thanks for the extensive review. I have Llumar CTX now and I'm not impressed by the air blue 80. The 35 on the sides is fine. I'm hoping the Photosync Spectra is much superior than CTX which by the advertised heat rejection number should be. I was quoted $800 for Photosync Spectra for all windows including windshield, and $750 for Crystalline. Would you justify the Photosync for that price or still go Crystalline?

If it is 800, I can justify PhotoSync. However, I urge you do to SPH65 front AT the very least and not 75. 75 won't cut it, I promise it won't if you are in Las Vegas you will feel the warmth very quickly. Crystalline 60 will block more than enough on front as well either or would be good.

I have Llumar CTX w/ Air 80. I put it on my father's Prius that I drive around also. Air 80 is good but it won't hold past 85 or so degrees. In Vegas you will feel it. Air 80 is good enough for most of the weather that isn't Vegas weather.

With most of my tints in car when I drive. If I can feel the warmth when I'm driving at certain degrees then I know how much roughly it will hold. That is the best way to tell. That is how I done it with all tints. This is why I'm still skeptical regarding PhotoSync if it cannot stand up in 78 degree heat. It could be many factors for me (new tint barely a day old, my shirt I was wearing is long sleeved and made to absorb heat) However I never really had problems in my Crystalline 60 on my M4 and I had that car for close to 3 years now. That is how I know.

Edit: I also happen to have Crystalline 70 on the Macan S for front as it happens to be what my mother drives during the weekday. Now Crystalline 70 is comparable to PhotoSync 75. PhotoSync doesn't give off as much heat w/ 75 compared to Crystalline 70.

Originally Posted by itsmeeeugene

I went with F1 pinnacle all around and air80 on my windshield. i have an opposite opinion on the air80. To me, it definitely feels less "burning" in the sun compared to no tint on the windshield. What about the Air80 were you not impressed with?

Air80 has trouble with high heat. Since he is in Vegas, I can see it give out quick. I generally judge with driving. I think the price point for it is good because it keeps enough heat out.

It comes pretty close to what I expect from the numbers I see and my personal experience with it.

[cca101]

I would try 65 for the windshield but I'm a little skeptical about clarity at night. Vegas summers are pretty rough indeed, when I arrived to town from Chicago years ago with no tint in August, my AC on full blast would struggle. With CTX and Air blue 80 the AC never had an issue.

[Acree]

Excellent color choice. I'm rather partial

[Arcades]

Some photos from my crummy digital camera :P Did a actual photo shoot in the morning. so the professional photos will be here soon lol. Don't mind mine :P

[espressoo]

Lots of good info on premium tints on this thread! Nice car too!

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by espressoo

Lots of good info on premium tints on this thread! Nice car too!

Thank you

[Arcades]

Small little video of my Akrapovic Evolution Exhaust on a M3 ZCP with Stock Downpipes.

P.S. Yes this is with Evolution Link.

[aajjcc]

looks at home in ach

[itsmeeeugene]

Originally Posted by Arcades

Small little video of my Akrapovic Evolution Exhaust on a M3 ZCP with Stock Downpipes.

P.S. Yes this is with Evolution Link.

sounds awesome! hope i can hear it fly by me one day in socal

[GOLFFRR]

my favorite color. Nice choice

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by GOLFFRR

my favorite color. Nice choice

Thanks GOLFFRR

Originally Posted by itsmeeeugene

sounds awesome! hope i can hear it fly by me one day in socal

Well I'm only one with this color in M3 in LA so lol. M4 there's 2 but... one is sitting at Shelly BMW unsold :P Other is my friend John's M4.

[4DRS55]

Beautiful!

[Arcades]

Originally Posted by 4DRS55

Beautiful!

Thank you