Monitors for photography

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Monitors for photography

Postby Sharon » Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:28 pm

Okay, so I have a litle money to spend just now and would like to invest in a tasty monitor.

I've read about a million things on monitors and my head is swimming with it all and none of it is sticking!

I suppose what I am looking for are some recommendations, or a neat little shortlist of essential features. If such a thing is possible!

Or, what do you use?

Loking for something at least 24", and can take colour calibration and obviously then displays colour accurately holding the calibration. Other than that, I'm still researching!

I know quality doesn't come cheap, and initial research says that holds true for monitors too!!

(P.S. - PC monitor)
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby Peetabix » Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:48 pm

Sharon if you haven't already done so sign up to http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php There is a wealth of information about all things photography.

Anyway, what's your budget? Buying a calibration tool too?
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby Sharon » Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:58 pm

ahhh now that looks like the forum I have been looking for :)

budget erm... under 1k

(current favourite NEC SpectraView 2690 ... which is probably more than i need really, so I'm hoping to be swayed to something just as good and cheaper :)
oh, and I'm still not 100% on how to choose!!)
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby scotgio » Mon May 04, 2009 4:06 pm

The calibration tool is essential - otherwise there is simply no point in spending large sums of money on a decent monitor. It is also only really worthwhile if you have access to a high end printer (Epson K3 or equivalent). I currently have a Gretag Macbeth Eye-One Display 2 which is really easy to use and comes with both Mac OS X and Windows software. However my experiences with the dark art of profiling devices has left me even more annoyed than I began with. I am currently using Apple's 24" LED cinema display, not the worlds greatest monitor but by no means the worst, and when calibrated is generally pretty highly thought of. Furthermore it does not have the CCFL warm up period that almost all other non-LED LCD monitors have.

First of all my device like many calibration tools is a colorimeter - this means it can only calibrate light emitting devices (displays). It cannot calibrate light reflective display methods (printers). To do this you need a photo-spectrometer calibration device. These cost far more than a colorimeter. This is important as a colorimeter is only good if you plan on only digitally viewing and distributing your image files. If you want to print its another matter entirely.

I have a pretty high end Epson printer (Epson R2400) and even with the Epson supplied ICC profiles I cannot get consistent colour between display and print - the two will not match. If you are going to do the display thing properly I think it is to be honest essential to get a calibration tool that can profile printers too. The primary benefit of a calibrated monitor is to make sure you're prints match the display, and if you can't do this then arguably there is little point in calibration in the first place. You would be as well to adjust the screen to what is most visually pleasing, not the most accurate. Calibration is really only for pre-proofing prints so you save time and money on ink and papers- it has few other serious benefits IMHO. This is especially so when you consider that anyone who looks at your pictures on flickr etc is highly unlikely to have a calibrated display themselves - so why bother calibrating your own? Bearing in mind older browsers don't even support different colour spaces, often just rendering everything in flat RGB.

Your budget of 1k should allow for a decent monitor and a photo-spectrometer- I would advise spending slightly less on the monitor if necessary to ensure you get the right calibration tool. Again this is only really worthwhile if you intend to print at home, or are in an environment where you are looking to publish.
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby Sharon » Tue May 05, 2009 11:02 am

Thanks for your thoughts scot. I also have never really mastered colour profiling.... don't do much print work so have never really had to!!

However, something that won't be making its way into my household is a printer, if somethings worthy of printing it'll be despatched to Loxleys - which removes that part of the headache. I believe you send a profile along with your image and they will do the rest.

The reasoning behind the calibrated screen is that if i am going to the trouble of spending time editing, I want to be sure that I am seeing things accurately ... i currently work between lots of uncalibrated screens and everything always looks different... so when I am carefully choosing and tweeaking to get the perfect shade of grey at home.. i bring it into work and it looks black (exaggerated for effect!) Hence I've wasted my time being picky!!

It's all for personal gratification - i like good tools ;)

I want to know if i do get something printed it'll look the way i want it to.

A web audience isn't worth getting too hung up on presenting to... too many variables!!

back to work!!!
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby John » Mon May 11, 2009 7:32 pm

Also get some good daylight light bulbs for your work area as it makes a tremendous difference.

If I had money to burn I would be buying the Samsung XL30 30-inch LED BLU monitor.

You won't see much change out of £3,000.

If you want to do it on a budget then they have a similar 23-inch model coming soon.

http://gizmodo.com/5130967/samsung-p237 ... al-for-400
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby RodrickLurvey » Fri Oct 22, 2010 1:44 pm

Yeah I've been looking at that Samsung and that would be a dream buy for me but there's no way I can afford it. What would you say is a good buy for a budget of £750?
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Re: Monitors for photography

Postby codenamecueball » Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:08 am

I used a system with two SpectraView 2690s, amazing monitors. Eizo are also a great bet for accuracy.
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