I currently have a mid-2011 27" iMac that I use mostly for photography. I've been quite pleased with it and had been running an old NEC 20" monitor as a second screen for web browsing.
I recently purchased the ASUS PA249Q with 99% Adobe RGB coverage to use as a second monitor and to proof images before printing. This was largely on the advice of a fellow photographer who disliked the iMac screen for color accurate work and I figured it was time to update the 7 year old NEC.
I calibrated both with the i1display and was surprised at how closely the iMac matched the new monitor - really quite subtle difference in color temp but that was it. I decided to order prints from my lab to see how the images on screen compared to the final product.
I opened the same images in PS on both monitors. When clicking 'Proof Colors' on the iMac and using Adobe RGB, the colors shifted a lot and not to a good place. The Asus had almost no shift.
BUT, the monitors (with Proof Colors unchecked) were remarkably close to each other and to the final prints!
With that in mind, I am now thinking of sending the Asus back to Amazon as it is returnable within 30 days and using the 2011 iMac as a secondary monitor vs computer when I purchase the retina iMac later this year (waiting on Rev B).
I considered using the 2011 iMac in TDM with the retina iMac but, if I understand it correctly, I cannot use any of the 2011 iMac ports to send data via TB to the retina iMac.
I'm now thinking a better setup is dual 27" iMacs. The 2011 would be for web browsing or spreadsheet use (essentially what I use the current second monitor for). The retina would be primary. This way I can use the old iMac's superdrive instead of purchasing a stand alone one.
Any thoughts on whether it makes sense to run these independently or is there a smarter way to use TDM with the above setup? With TDM, could I still use the iMac's superdrive via the retina iMac? Could the 2011 iMac's 1TB internal drive be used as a glorified Time Machine backup for other devices in the house?
Thanks!
E
I recently purchased the ASUS PA249Q with 99% Adobe RGB coverage to use as a second monitor and to proof images before printing. This was largely on the advice of a fellow photographer who disliked the iMac screen for color accurate work and I figured it was time to update the 7 year old NEC.
I calibrated both with the i1display and was surprised at how closely the iMac matched the new monitor - really quite subtle difference in color temp but that was it. I decided to order prints from my lab to see how the images on screen compared to the final product.
I opened the same images in PS on both monitors. When clicking 'Proof Colors' on the iMac and using Adobe RGB, the colors shifted a lot and not to a good place. The Asus had almost no shift.
BUT, the monitors (with Proof Colors unchecked) were remarkably close to each other and to the final prints!
With that in mind, I am now thinking of sending the Asus back to Amazon as it is returnable within 30 days and using the 2011 iMac as a secondary monitor vs computer when I purchase the retina iMac later this year (waiting on Rev B).
I considered using the 2011 iMac in TDM with the retina iMac but, if I understand it correctly, I cannot use any of the 2011 iMac ports to send data via TB to the retina iMac.
I'm now thinking a better setup is dual 27" iMacs. The 2011 would be for web browsing or spreadsheet use (essentially what I use the current second monitor for). The retina would be primary. This way I can use the old iMac's superdrive instead of purchasing a stand alone one.
Any thoughts on whether it makes sense to run these independently or is there a smarter way to use TDM with the above setup? With TDM, could I still use the iMac's superdrive via the retina iMac? Could the 2011 iMac's 1TB internal drive be used as a glorified Time Machine backup for other devices in the house?
Thanks!
E