Computer monitors for image editing

[Derek Hopkins]

I am looking at buying a NEC Multisync LCD 2190 UX! 21.3 inch monitor and have a couple of questions:

1. judging by the price, which is around $1100 (Can) this should be a high end monitor. Do people find that monitors such as this one produce substantially more accurate colours, sharper images etc than the Samsungs, Acer's etc which are priced in the $300 range and

2. this particular monitor has a 500 to 1 contrast ratio which is at least half of what I have seen on most other monitors. Is this a concern?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Derek Hopkins

[Hansm]

I just received my NEC Multisync 2490WUXi2.
The price was € 600 ex VAT in the netherlands.
This one has 12 bits LUT and 1000:1 contrast ratio.
I just connected it to my Mac and calibrated it with the Spyder 2.
Colours are loking much more reliable than the "build in" iMac screen.

I don't know the type you mention but I undersrand from others that NEC gives very good monitors compared to the money you pay for it.

[genuino]

Hey guys, new member here and may I say what a nice website and resources here.
I can agree with the Spyder2 calibrating device, very good. On the monitor, I went through a few days of choosing a new one and this NEC was one of my choices, until I found the EIZO SX2461W, a little more but you get what you pay for, excellent in color accuracy and rendition, even without calibration. The controls are amazing, even CMY for offset printing, plus 5 year warranty and zero pixels policy, highly recommended.

[Derek Hopkins]

Thanks for the comment. I think this is basically the same unit I am looking at only bigger and perhaps wide screen.

[Derek Hopkins]

Thanks, I will look at Eizo . Is your monitor wide screen?

[Dave Humphries]

Having googled the model out of interest myself;
1) yes widescreen
2) about £700

[Derek Hopkins]

Thanks for looking that up Dave. I found the model here in Vancouver for about $1350 (Can)

[gaillard]

It actually uses the exact same philips LG panel (all that really matters in a LCD, for the most part) that the planar 2611W does.

Both excellent photo editing screens, especially since they retain their color distribution on all viewing angles. Won't find that on MVA or TM panels thats for sure.

[Howard]

I'm looking at either an HP 2475W _h-ips) at about NZ$860 or a Samsung F2380 (pva), NZ$530

Anyone got any comments on either?
cheers,
Howard

[Colin Southern]

Hi Howard,

Out of interest, I'm curious as to why you've "narrowed it down" to those two? There seems to be quite a few monitors on the market at the moment (inc ViewSonic) and to be honest, I really can't see a lot of difference between them in terms of post-processing (although ALL of them need to have a profile built for them via the likes of a Spyder III or Colormunki),

[Howard]

Hi Howard,

Out of interest, I'm curious as to why you've "narrowed it down" to those two? There seems to be quite a few monitors on the market at the moment (inc ViewSonic) and to be honest, I really can't see a lot of difference between them in terms of post-processing (although ALL of them need to have a profile built for them via the likes of a Spyder III or Colormunki),

Cos the's the only 2 I've actiually seen in person and looked at some of my photos on. I'm currently got on trila aan AOC V22 led lcd but the shiny reflective screen is a pain. $900 is about my limit as I'm thinking of a new lens as the CEO has decided we are doing a 4 week trip to Southern Africa next August

I thought an ips or pva panel would be better than a TN, but if you can suggest summat else within my budget 22 -24"
I also have a available a Monaco Optix XR thru my photoclub for calibration
Howard

[Colin Southern]

Hi Howard,

At present I'm using a 24" ViewSonic VX2433 at home - cost me $350 + GST - and it's absolutely fine. Probably the most significant thing to keep in mind is that before you can make basic judgements about how your images look on any monitor it's going to need to be both calibrated and profiled or what you're seeing could (read "probably will") have significant colour shifts and levels issues - so pretty hard to judge.

About the only judgement you can probably safely make is the reflectivity and viewing angles (mine has a matt finish and the brightness/contrast don't appear to change to any significant degree over the normal range of viewing angles).

[Howard]

Hi Colin - why are we up so late??

I guess that's a good recommendation from you then. No problem with change of contrast with viewing angle? That's why i was going for an IPS screen, but if you don't have a problem why should I. And The price is only about $320 currently so woohoo.

Cheers,
Howard
ps haven't sorted out the 2nd activation of the CS3 yet -been a bit slack - might have to ring Adobe as reports say their email replies a re slooooow.

[Colin Southern]

Hi Colin - why are we up so late??

I'm enjoying the "quiet time"

No problem with change of contrast with viewing angle?

Seems OK. It does vary a little if I move my head from, say, 90 deg to 45 deg, but seems fine over all the usual angles. I calibrated and profiled it as soon as I got it and can't see any differences between the images I process here and then look at again on my work screen. Or put another way, "now that I've got it, I'd happily buy the same one again".

[Howard]

I'm enjoying the "quiet time"
Seems OK. It does vary a little if I move my head from, say, 90 deg to 45 deg, but seems fine over all the usual angles. I calibrated and profiled it as soon as I got it and can't see any differences between the images I process here and then look at again on my work screen. Or put another way, "now that I've got it, I'd happily buy the same one again".

Thanks Colin - "buy the same again" is good enough for me especially from a pro photographer. I've asked my local PC shop for a price as he is usually pretty sharp.
The 600 smackeroonies diiference for the HP IPS screen will be put to good use elsewhere

Maybe a little quirk with the AOC monitor on trial - when looking at 90deg the background to the CIC website is a dark green, as is the Dyxum website. If I go about 15deg below horizontal I get black. And I have done a calibration with the Monaco???

Howard

[Colin Southern]

Maybe a little quirk with the AOC monitor on trial - when looking at 90deg the background to the CIC website is a dark green, as is the Dyxum website. If I go about 15deg below horizontal I get black. And I have done a calibration with the Monaco???

To be honest, I've never been a great fan of AOC products - pretty much bottom of the barrel price & quality wise (or at least they were a few years ago when I last had anything to do with them).

Colorimeters will do their thing at right-angles to the screen - but they can't compensate for different viewing angles (unfortunately)

[Howard]

Colin, the only reason I've got it on trial was to see what an LED backlit was like. AFAIK
It's probably one of the few monitors I could get for a home trial,
Howard

[Donald]

Thank you for this discussion folks.

With all this money I'm saving from having stopped smoking (6 DAYS AND I'M FINE IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW. NOW STOP GLOATING), a monitor was on the shopping list. The old (very old) Sampo was never designed for a rekindling of interest in photography.

I see that Amazon in the UK has the VX2433wm for 186 pounds sterling. Methinks the credit card is coming out tonight!

[Colin Southern]

With all this money I'm saving from having stopped smoking (6 DAYS AND I'M FINE IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW. NOW STOP GLOATING), a monitor was on the shopping list. The old (very old) Sampo was never designed for a rekindling of interest in photography.

Just remember - if you think it's going to be easy, or you think it's going to be difficult - you'll be right!

I see that Amazon in the UK has the VX2433wm for 186 pounds sterling. Me thinks the credit card is coming out tonight!

I'm quite surprised at how expensive it is there (about 50% higher then I'd expect) - are you sure that's the sharpest price?

[Donald]

I'm quite surprised at how expensive it is there (about 50% higher then I'd expect) - are you sure that's the sharpest price?

Now, that is interesting. because they're advertising that as the 'what an offer -slashed price', down from the 'normal' price of 289 pounds.

One thing does perplex me about monitors (not being terribly technically minded on the subject). From a UK perspective, I was very happy seeing what you had written in this thread and quite happy seeing the price Amazon quoted, given that looking at monitors on some of the other photo supply sites I was seeing figures of hundreds of pounds and even into the 4-figure bracket.

On the basis of 'you-get-what-you-pay-for', what is it that you get with the 4-figure monitor that doesn't come with, say, the VX2433wm? I know the comments above give a steer towards an answer, but I'd welcome a better understanding of the +'s and -'s about monitors.