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Better monitor for Photography?

G

guyducati

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 28, 2010
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Chicago IL currently, Tuscon AZ soon...
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You're probably better off asking a photography forum.... There are a whole bunch of factors that go into making a good photo monitor. Whether it's IPS, TFT, etc etc..... colour gamut, stability of colour over time. Go and ask the photo experts for the best advice.
 
both are nice monitors , but are they good for photos , not sure, like snberk103
said there is more then just the basic info needed these descriptions give you

but i doubt that a 27" monitor around the $300 mark will be able to be as good as the more expensive ones , on the other hand i heard that for example the cinema display which costs 3 times as much is not necessary a ideal photographers choice
 
Neither. Both are TN panels and (in my opinion) ridiculously low resolution for a 27" monitor. I think your money would be much better spent on a smaller IPS panel display. For the prices of the monitors you listed, look at the Dell U2311h. Right now, it's the best budget IPS display available. You can get better deals on refurbished monitors (such as the Dell 2408wfp) but they're hard to catch. If photography is your primary use, you really should look at IPS panels. VA (MVA or PVA) are also a good alternative, but much less common. If you can find one, they're usually cheaper.
 
dissolve said:
Neither. Both are TN panels and (in my opinion) ridiculously low resolution for a 27" monitor. I think your money would be much better spent on a smaller IPS panel display. For the prices of the monitors you listed, look at the Dell U2311h. Right now, it's the best budget IPS display available. You can get better deals on refurbished monitors (such as the Dell 2408wfp) but they're hard to catch. If photography is your primary use, you really should look at IPS panels. VA (MVA or PVA) are also a good alternative, but much less common. If you can find one, they're usually cheaper.
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I agree. 1920 X 1080 is very low resolution for a monitor of this size. You will be disappointed. If you want a 27" monitor, you should be looking at something capable of displaying 2560 X1440 or 2560 X 1600. If those are beyond your $$$ reach... then get something in the ~20-24" size that can display 1920 X 1080. Smaller is probably better.

/Jim
 
flynz4 said:
I agree. 1920 X 1080 is very low resolution for a monitor of this size. You will be disappointed. If you want a 27" monitor, you should be looking at something capable of displaying 2560 X1440 or 2560 X 1600. If those are beyond your $$$ reach... then get something in the ~20-24" size that can display 1920 X 1080. Smaller is probably better.

/Jim
Click to expand...

Along with this post, I will add that you should look into something LED as well. Reason being, it's best for photo editors because it gives "true to life imaging". Basically what you see is as close to what the final project will look like. Of course, to accomplish this to its true form you will need an HDMI cable for best quality, but nonetheless it is a good idea to look into :cool:
 
If you want a screen for photography and want 27 inch, you have to spend $800+

If you settle for a smaller screen, like a 24 inch you would get 1920x1200 res (screens made for photography are 16:10, not 16:9) which is higher than the 27 inch you've posted.

LED or "normal" (CCFL) backlight doesn't matter that much when it comes to color accuracy!

For photography you want either a VA or a IPS panel, not TN panels which you have posted.

VA or IPS is usually pretty expensive, but BenQ has released a cheaper VA panel recently Benq VW2420H, I havent tried it, but reviews says it has good picture quality, but lack some on ergonomics etc, but that does most cheap screens anyway.
Usually screens that are true 8-bit VAs with LED backlight costs twice as much.
 
Just to comment on LED backlighting, if your budget is in the range of the monitors posted, ignore it. Apple is the cheapest option for a LED IPS panel (I'm not even sure of another others, to be honest). But, even with those, they're using white LEDs only, not RGB LED backlighting. Right now, CCFL is your best bet for a relatively cheap, color accurate photography monitor. Hopefully, with time, LED will be a viable alternative, but the market is heavily favoring cheap panels with LED backlighting and 'HD resolution' because those are the terms that sell.

EDIT: I should have read the post before me. That BenQ looks like another alternative to the LED IPS displays. I can't find it available in the US though. Either way, focus on IPS or VA first.
 
My recommendation would be the Dell U2311h or the HP ZR24w. The other two are TN panels. I haven't read reviews on the HP so I can't comment on its quality. Looks more like a competitor to the Dell 2408wfp (a very highly regarded consumer-level IPS). Check reviews on the HP, but it seems either will be a good bet...or the 2408wfp if you can find a refurb on Dell's Outlet site.
 
Ok. Thanks for the replies. I do have a question though. Although it appears that it was released ~ March of this year, most retailers say "out of stock" or discontinued. Is there a new revision coming soon? Or is it just not a widely available monitor? It is IPS so I'm assuming there's a much lower demand for IPS displays.
 
Just remember one thing though when monitor shopping, (and people will cry blasphemy but they're wrong), its not so much the color accuracy of your monitor that is important in photography, but whether whats on the monitor matches your prints.

I'm not saying don't calibrate your monitor and printer because that is very important, especially if you are dealing with an external lab, but you can have the best calibrated monitor in the world, but if its not matching your prints its useless.
 
chrono1081 said:
Just remember one thing though when monitor shopping, (and people will cry blasphemy but they're wrong), its not so much the color accuracy of your monitor that is important in photography, but whether whats on the monitor matches your prints.

I'm not saying don't calibrate your monitor and printer because that is very important, especially if you are dealing with an external lab, but you can have the best calibrated monitor in the world, but if its not matching your prints its useless.
Click to expand...

I always thought of the two going hand-in-hand. A good panel will allow you to calibrate it to standard color spaces, which should provide better print matches. You can often upload the color profile of your printer and see how it'll print, which requires a color accurate display.

I agree with you, but I never thought of them as separate issues. To me, color accurate = print accurate. Not crying blasphemy ;)
 
dissolve said:
I always thought of the two going hand-in-hand. A good panel will allow you to calibrate it to standard color spaces, which should provide better print matches. You can often upload the color profile of your printer and see how it'll print, which requires a color accurate display.

I agree with you, but I never thought of them as separate issues. To me, color accurate = print accurate. Not crying blasphemy ;)
Click to expand...

They do go hand in hand, but a lot of people when they start out will print from home. I've watched friends (too many friends!) who spend a ton on a monitor, a ton on a printer, buy a monitor calibration device then be sorely disapointed because the prints don't match whats on the screen. They then get mad when they see the cost of a printer calibration device.

A color accurate screen will help and is necessary when printing especially to a lab, but if your prints don't match the screen its all for nothing :(
 
chrono1081 said:
Just remember one thing though when monitor shopping, (and people will cry blasphemy but they're wrong), its not so much the color accuracy of your monitor that is important in photography, but whether whats on the monitor matches your prints.

I'm not saying don't calibrate your monitor and printer because that is very important, especially if you are dealing with an external lab, but you can have the best calibrated monitor in the world, but if its not matching your prints its useless.
Click to expand...

Yes. To a point. IMO, of course. Absolutely - having a colour accurate monitor is only part of the workflow. And how accurate the colour of the monitor needs to be is also dependent on what the final product is. However, if the monitor is calibrated, and you are confident of the colour accuracy, then if the prints don't match expectations then you know where start changing the workflow. There is nothing more frustrating than having wonky prints, and not knowing if it's the monitor, printer, the software, or the user (eg using the wrong colour space).

In the end, one needs to make sure all the bits of the chain are strong and accurate. And I agree that worrying just about the monitor is not going to ensure colour accurate product.
 
chrono1081 said:
They do go hand in hand, but a lot of people when they start out will print from home. I've watched friends (too many friends!) who spend a ton on a monitor, a ton on a printer, buy a monitor calibration device then be sorely disapointed because the prints don't match whats on the screen. They then get mad when they see the cost of a printer calibration device.

A color accurate screen will help and is necessary when printing especially to a lab, but if your prints don't match the screen its all for nothing :(
Click to expand...

Ah ok, very good points. I had forgotten all about printer calibration (I don't print from home). I don't think the OP has mentioned printing desires so I think sticking with a reputable IPS panel will be a good start. Photography sure is an expensive hobby :p
 
dissolve said:
Ah ok, very good points. I had forgotten all about printer calibration (I don't print from home). I don't think the OP has mentioned printing desires so I think sticking with a reputable IPS panel will be a good start. Photography sure is an expensive hobby :p
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Yea I don't really do much printing at this point...so yea I'm not that picky about color accuracy...Which is why my budget is ~$450 instead of ~$1500

Edit: I've done some thinking, and I think that HP monitor might even be slight overkill for me. After all I have been living with just my 15" 1440x900 Macbook Pro screen for the last year and a half. I think I'm gonna save my money and buy the Dell U2311H, which is 23", IPS, and only $300. This way I can spend more of my money on lens/filters/etc :). If anyone sees some reason not to do this, let me know. I'll probably buy it tomorrow after first looking for a good cyber-Monday deal on a monitor.
 
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guyducati said:
Yea I don't really do much printing at this point...so yea I'm not that picky about color accuracy...Which is why my budget is ~$450 instead of ~$1500

Edit: I've done some thinking, and I think that HP monitor might even be slight overkill for me. After all I have been living with just my 15" 1440x900 Macbook Pro screen for the last year and a half. I think I'm gonna save my money and buy the Dell U2311H, which is 23", IPS, and only $300. This way I can spend more of my money on lens/filters/etc :). If anyone sees some reason not to do this, let me know. I'll probably buy it tomorrow after first looking for a good cyber-Monday deal on a monitor.
Click to expand...

I think this is a very good idea. Down the road you can add a second one, too ;)
 
dissolve said:
My recommendation would be the Dell U2311h or the HP ZR24w. The other two are TN panels. I haven't read reviews on the HP so I can't comment on its quality. Looks more like a competitor to the Dell 2408wfp (a very highly regarded consumer-level IPS). Check reviews on the HP, but it seems either will be a good bet...or the 2408wfp if you can find a refurb on Dell's Outlet site.
Click to expand...

I agree with this guy. If you want to do photography, YOU HAVE to buy a IPS panel. Ihave a HP ZR22w myself and I love it.
 
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