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graphics work > CRT or LCD?

R

robins2001

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 20, 2003
82
0
Hi

I am a digital illustrator so i work with alot of graphics apps, mainly photoshop, illustrator, in design and director. I am also soon to be producing 3D work in lightwave and formZ.

What I am basically here to ask is, for this sort of work are the current LCD's up to the task?

I know the argument is that for professional graphics use, CRTs are/were better but how do the likes of the Apple LCDs and Formacs 1740 (which i am considering buying)

Ive heard that on LCDs dark browns and greys will appear black, is this true with contrast ratios of 400:1?

I just need reasuring before I pay out the money for an LCD

Sorry if this has already been covered 1000 times b4.

Thanks
 
for graphics work where color matters or for gaming, CRT's are the way to go LCD's still can't compete with them for color and aren't that great outside their native resolution
 
but dont you think all digital lcds like the formac series will be sufficient for my sort of stuff? i mean, dont get me wrong, i dont need 100% perfect colour for print or anything, just a good display which is nice to work on... i wouldnt mind an lcd for the brightness and the fact that they dont mess with your eyes like crts can do
 
pop in a 3d animation movie and see if you like the quality. if not, get a crt.
 
Originally posted by robins2001
but dont you think all digital lcds like the formac series will be sufficient for my sort of stuff? i mean, dont get me wrong, i dont need 100% perfect colour for print or anything, just a good display which is nice to work on... i wouldnt mind an lcd for the brightness and the fact that they dont mess with your eyes like crts can do
Click to expand...

Some of the Samsungs are around 98-99% colour accurate however they have slow refresh thems (means bad for games or movies). this is only true if you set time up right e.g. with some sort of calibrator.
 
While some LCDs can be color calibrated, there's no way to get around the issue of the viewing angle. Change the angle a few degrees and the perceived color changes significantly. Just put up a solid color on an LCD screen and look at it from top to bottom (keeping your head still). You'll almost certainly be able to detect a gradient in the color. Same with side-to-side movement.

If you're working with images, use a CRT.
 
well, apple's screens are now SWOP certified which basically means they are good for colour work, but, i like the higher resolution a crt gives, although the flicker does hurt after a few hours of intense close work...personally i use 21" crts (although i do have an SGI 1600sw flat panel which gives a great res too) but yeah, just go with whatever feels comfortable to you, keeping in mind refresh rates etc
 
If you are going to work all day at a CRT I suggest getting a monitor that is capable of a vertical refresh of 80Hz or more at the resolutions you plan to use.
 
Originally posted by yamabushi
If you are going to work all day at a CRT I suggest getting a monitor that is capable of a vertical refresh of 80Hz or more at the resolutions you plan to use.
Click to expand...

My current screen 15" fishbowl CRT @ 50Hz.
and I can play games for over 5 hours straight.
 
Originally posted by jtown
While some LCDs can be color calibrated, there's no way to get around the issue of the viewing angle. Change the angle a few degrees and the perceived color changes significantly. Just put up a solid color on an LCD screen and look at it from top to bottom (keeping your head still). You'll almost certainly be able to detect a gradient in the color. Same with side-to-side movement.

If you're working with images, use a CRT.
Click to expand...

How old is the TFT monitor you're using? ;)

They newer ones are really not as bad as you say angle wise. My friends design firm uses 17" Apple LCD monitors and has no problem with color registration.
 
I'd go with a 23" CRT, I've just started designing stuff for my upcming clothing company and with the LCD on my iMac its becoming incredibly annoying to get the right colour turn out. What comes up in illustrator comes out totally different on a test print out. This is even with the colour settings changed to how I need them.
 
Originally posted by mac15
I'd go with a 23" CRT, I've just started designing stuff for my upcming clothing company and with the LCD on my iMac its becoming incredibly annoying to get the right colour turn out. What comes up in illustrator comes out totally different on a test print out. This is even with the colour settings changed to how I need them.
Click to expand...

WOW..are you serious? If money is no object GO FOR 23 HD.

You guys are so wrong. I cant believe that you are saying this. I have a friend who works exclusevly in ilustrator 10 and Photoshop. He owns the same monitor I do and he is extatic abouit it. No problems at all. I'm talking about 23 cinema display.

And about calibrating the monitor and this is really funny. Calibrating CRT monitors were always such a pain. When I and my frend purchased the monitor...they borrowed me a digital calibrator (yeah it is not cheap..about a grand for a product) and the sofware is Eye-One Match 2. Man, this is it. We have been waiting for this so long ...the thing is...the product does the whole thing for you with a single button. And the colours? What you see is what you get printed out and I mean it.

My point? I would never go back...And not to mentioned i never had a single headache (in a year!!!) since I'm working on this beauty...

If you're short on the money...buy the 20 cinema...

but that's just my eyes...
 
do u calabrate monitors to individual printers or do they just need calabrating and then the print work will be correct for every printer?

if i get the 17" formac lcd i would like to calabrate it but cant afford the calabrator :( maybe i could get somone to lend em one...
 
Dual monitors

Try two 19 inch Diamondtron CRT for the price of a 22-23inch

My fav - Two 19"mitsubishi @ 1280x960 very useful for tools and workspace, if you use a tablet, it's good just setting the workspace screen to the entire tablet.

tangent question- 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1600x1200 = 4:3 ratio, why is 1280x1024 so prominent in video card/mnitor specification?:confused:
 
Re: Dual monitors

Originally posted by kettle
Try two 19 inch Diamondtron CRT for the price of a 22-23inch

My fav - Two 19"mitsubishi @ 1280x960 very useful for tools and workspace, if you use a tablet, it's good just setting the workspace screen to the entire tablet.

tangent question- 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1600x1200 = 4:3 ratio, why is 1280x1024 so prominent in video card/mnitor specification?:confused:
Click to expand...

my m8 has a 19" mitsubishi, they are great...why do you use 1280x960? thats seems like a widescreen res.....ive always used 1280x1024 on 17 and 19 inch screens, (4:3 screens)
 
Originally posted by Alte22a
I would say for the price of LCDs get a CRT like Lacie or Mitsubishi and spend the left over cash on Colour management soft/hardware.
Click to expand...

Hay, why are you saying this? I have been workining on CRT monitors for 14 years. Did you even try working 12+ ours on an apple cinema (20 or 23).?!?

Robins2001...about Colour management soft/hardware, maybe a reseller could that for you? If you have the money for LCD, go for it, you wont regret it.

Period!
 
Re: Re: Dual monitors

Originally posted by robins2001
my m8 has a 19" mitsubishi, they are great...why do you use 1280x960? thats seems like a widescreen res.....ive always used 1280x1024 on 17 and 19 inch screens, (4:3 screens)
Click to expand...

1280x960 = 4:3
1280x1024 = 5:4

If I use 1280x1024 on a 4:3 monitor like my Miitsubishi 19" then I narrow the screen until I get perfect proportions in a grapics app. where I have drawn an accurate square or whatever.

I was wondering, on an LCD screen with a native res of 1280x1024 and a 4:3 aspect ratio, would I be correct in thinking that the vertical screen pixels are more dense than the horizontal screen pixels?
 
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