What Monitor do you use?

[DLS]

Hi all,


I've been doing a lot of monitor research as I'm in the market for a suitable/functional monitor specifically for photoediting. So far I've gathered that of the three panel types, TN panels are to be avoided....S-PVA and S-IPA types are what one wants for their color accuracy, wider gamuts and viewing angles.


Dell's 2007FP 20" is rated well for photoediting and graphics work....does anyone have this particular model?


So what monitor(s) to you use for photoeditingand why?


Thanks,


Damian

[Daniel Browning]

I use an NEC MultiSync LCD 2490WUXi. I chose NEC because their S-IPS panels are regarded as the very highest quality, and are sold OEM to the expensive brands like LaCie. As for that specific model, I chose it because it is slightly more accurate than the wide-gamut monitors, and I wanted to have accurate color for video (which uses rec709 which is similar to sRGB). If I was buying it only for still photography, I would have gotten a wide gamut display.

[DLS]

Thanks Daniel. My research has shown me that NEC and Eizo are at the top of heap for professionals.



If I was buying it only for still photography, I would have gotten a wide gamut display


IOW, S-PVA?

[elmo_2006]

I've been doing a lot of monitor research as I'm in the market for a suitable/functional monitor specifically for photoediting. So far I've gathered that of the three panel types, TN panels are to be avoided....S-PVA and S-IPA types are what one wants for their color accuracy, wider gamuts and viewing angles.
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S-IPS/H-IPS panels are generally considered the best all around panel type, but they are more expensive and very few are made - well they are just appearing to market.


S-PVA/MVA panels offer better color reproduction and viewing angles than TN panels, have slightly worse response times than TN or S-IPS, offer the best contrast ratios, may suffer from color shifting or input lag and have higher availability than S-IPS panels. Mid range, fair price.


TN panels are very cheap and have the fastest response times, but suffer from inferior color reproduction, contrast ratios and viewing angles. Low end, inexpensive.


-http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/s-ips-lcd-list.php-






So what monitor(s) to you use for photoeditingand why?





I use the DELL Ultrasharp U2410 24" IPS panel.


1920x1200 maximum resolution, 16:10 widescreen aspect ratio and 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio just to name a few!
<div class="para"]Purchased via DELL Days - retails for CAD699.99, got it for CAD499.99.</div>
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<div class="para"]This monitor compared to it's cheaper bretheren is akin to comparing apples to oranges. The color rendition on the U2410 is simply captivating, the image comes alive on screen. Besides I was also in needof desktop*real estate* space as I do remote ITadministration from home and a friend of of mine had recommended this panel and he - like me - is retentive when it comes to color rendition- he went as far as purchasing the Canon PIXMA PRO9000 MII - LOL. Also a big plus for me is the tilt or pivot feature from landscape to portrait and the base/stand is very well built. Hell it would take all of ones weight to knock this puppy over!</div>
<div class="para"]</div>
<div class="para"]Hope this helps...</div>

[Daniel Browning]

IOW, S-PVA?


Actually, what I meant by wide gamut is one designed to be used with AdobeRGB color spaces rather than sRGB color spaces. It can show colors that are impossible to achieve on a sRGB display like mine, but sRGB displays can show finer gradations of the tones that they do have. (No thanks to the 20-year-old 8-bit limitation of the cable between the monitor and computer. Can we please upgrade to 10-bit or 12-bit cables already for goodness sake?)


For example, the NEC wide gamut that was equivalent to my model was theLCD2690WUXi.

[Dave Johnston]

I, like elmo, use the DELL U2410 24" IPS. I have loved it ever since I bought it. Course when I bought it they were brand new and I payed 600 for it. Now they are in the 400s. I am not sorry that I did though!


It has great color. The large resolution is not the largest that it gets in a single monitor, but going much bigger than this will more than likely cost significantly more.


Dave.

[DLS]

Actually, what I meant by wide gamut is one designed to be used with AdobeRGB color spaces


Oh okay. I guess I just thought that allIPS panels weredefined by their ability to display a wider gamut than sRGB.....not so then.


Is it pointless to shoot in Adobe RGB (1998) if my current monitor will not display that wide of a gamut?


Then again, does it make sense to keep shooting in Adobe RGB since the printing outlet I use informed me that they can print in what ever colorspace the digital file was shot in?


As you can tell, I have a lot of color management questions....

[DLS]

Thanks elmo and Dave for the info!


I think those two models are a little out of my price range right now....then again....


Damian

[freelanceshots]

27 inch iMac screen and it is beautiful.

[Daniel Browning]

not so then.


Right. Wide gamut can be done with non-IPS panels too.






Is it pointless to shoot in Adobe RGB (1998) if my current monitor will not display that wide of a gamut?





No, because some of those colors can still come out in a print, depending on the printer. (Some colors can only be seen in the display, others can only be seen in the print, and many can be seen in both).






Then again, does it make sense to keep shooting in Adobe RGB since the printing outlet I use informed me that they can print in what ever colorspace the digital file was shot in?





Yes, if you shoot JPEG for print, and the printer supports it like yours does, then it makes sense to use AdobeRGB to have a slightly wider palette to work with.


Personally, I prefer to shoot raw, so the color space setting doesn't do anything (it's just metadata, like white balance), and then convert to whatever color space I want in the raw converter.

[DLS]

Thanks Daniel.


Thanks freelance but I "unfortunately" i use a PC for my photoediting...Mac displays are great looking dispays though.


Damian

[Colin500]

Here's a 27" iMac (IPS) and a 21" Samsung SyncMaster 213T (IPS) that is sometimes attached to the iMac or the MacBook as second screen (or to my Linux PC where I don't do photo-related stuff).


The iMac's display is really good, but given the choice I'd have greatly preferred the matte finish of the SyncMaster for the iMac...






Thanks freelance but I "unfortunately" i use a PC for my photoediting...Mac displays are great looking dispays though.





(You can get the same 27" screen as found in the iMac as a stand-alone monitor; if your PC has a displayport output, you just need an adapter cable for the mini-displayport input on the cinema display.)


Colin

[Steven23]

a 5 year old 17" Dell lcd, and its a 4:3 ^_~

[Colin500]

a 5 year old 17" Dell lcd, and its a 4:3 ^_~






Ah, right, my Samsung is a 4:3, the Apple is a 16:9. Looking at photos in portrait orientation on a 16:9 wastes so much space, I wish 16:9 would have stayed in the living room (TV) and not spilled over into computing ... as if looking at movies was the main pastime of computer users, including offices!


Colin

[Sheiky]

I have bought a NEC MultiSync EA231WMi this year and I absolutely love it. It has made my photoediting so much more accurate.


I used to have a TN panel from Samsung with a Spyder 3 Elite to calibrate, but I never had good results.


The sRGB configuration of my screen is very and I mean very close to my photo-printingservice. I only use sRGB so a wider gamut wasn't necesary for me.


It's one of the cheapest quality screens that you can get with good reviews. I had to choose between this and the Dell Ultrasharp 24 inch model. However it was a lot more expensive and not better for my usage. I also like the 16:9 ratio on the NEC. It works great with video and watching a movie looks amazing.


1 sidenote though. This year NEC has announced the follow up on this screen. It should be about as expensive, but has a LED backlight. You might want to look into that one [;)]


<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"]If I can find the announcement, I will show it. Here you go! (click on me [;)]) ("http://www.pressroom.neceurope.com/Press-Releases/Outstanding-image-quality-with-low-power-consumption-386.aspx)


Jan

[Garrett-Grimsley]

My main monitor is a Dell U2410 24" IPS panel. It

[freelanceshots]

I use my mac screen indoors so a shinny screen presents no out of the ordinary reflections. My Dell laptop has just as shinny screen as the imac where I

[Steven23]

/sigh i really hate my almost 6 year old lcd screen, but even more when i go to school to see the newer 22" + screens on the mac minis. Sucks im too poor to afford a new screen, needz to save up for glass and a new body when i get done with school.

[iluvsavvy]

I use Samsung SyncMaster 23" Lavender Series P2350 50000:1 contrast ratio; 2ms response time.

[Tallywho]

I