Problem of reflections with glossy Imac monitor

[gglillo]

I'd like the imac 5k but the glossy screen scare me, i've worked so far only with matte ones. i don't have the possibility to try one so i've few questions regarding the reflections on screen

1. Usually i work on my photos with only the light of my desk lamp placed at the right side of the monitor, at left side far 2mt there is a windows, 2mt behind the desk there is a white wall.

2. I I like to watch also movies sitting in my armchair that is in front of the monitor close that white wall, the room in this case is dark.

3. i like riding my recumbent cyclet while i'm watching streeming videos. In this case i'm not straight in front at the monitor but aside at 45°. The room is most of the time dark, but not always.

Do you think i'll have troubles in these situations?
Thank

 

[aevan]

I'd like the imac 5k but the glossy screen scare me, i've worked so far only with matte ones. i don't have the possibility to try one so i've few questions regarding the reflections on screen

1. Usually i work on my photos with only the light of my desk lamp placed at the right side of the monitor, at left side far 2mt there is a windows, 2mt behind the desk there is a white wall.

2. I I like to watch also movies sitting in my armchair that is in front of the monitor close that white wall, the room in this case is dark.

3. i like riding my recumbent cyclet while i'm watching streeming videos. In this case i'm not straight in front at the monitor but aside at 45°. The room is most of the time dark, but not always.

Do you think i'll have troubles in these situations?
Thank

Glossy panels provide a much nicer picture with deeper blacks and better contrasts. Plainly speaking - they just look better. They can cause problems with reflection in certain scenarios, but I never understood how people choose just one place for their computer and refuse to move it to a better one. It's a workplace, often one of the most important parts of your daily routine (in my opinion) - if there is glare, just move it someplace else!

Sorry, had to get this out of my chest. Now, to answer your questions if I can

1. A light lamp shouldn't cause much problems, it is daylight that can create some issues if the window is behind you or to the side. A window to the side of your screen will probably give some nasty reflections, but you can either rotate the computer or pull down some shades while working.

2. I'm not sure what are you worried for in this scenario, but you'll have no problems watching movies in the dark.

3. Watching the iMac monitor from 45 degree angle will be fine, iMacs have great viewing angles and the 5K has even better thanks to photo-alignment and a compensation film. However, you do know you can easily, erm, turn the iMac towards you while you're working out?

 

[shaunp]

Glossy panels provide a much nicer picture with deeper blacks and better contrasts. Plainly speaking - they just look better. They can cause problems with reflection in certain scenarios, but I never understood how people choose just one place for their computer and refuse to move it to a better one. It's a workplace, often one of the most important parts of your daily routine (in my opinion) - if there is glare, just move it someplace else!

I couldn't disagree with you more. We have glossy screens because of the initial 'wow' factor and because they are cheaper to produce. They aren't 'better' at all. If so then why are all the high end monitors from Eizo, NEC, etc, all matt and all cost a premium over the glossy monitors? For example the Eizo 4K monitor is the best part of £4k. Simple because they produce a better image. Not a single one of the monitors aimed at the professional photography market is glossy, this is purely for consumers.

To the OP, if you are working in an environment where you know reflections are unavoidable (it's not always possible to just move somewhere else), consider getting a stand alone Mac (Mac Mini or Mac Pro) and connecting an external monitor to this. That way you will get a monitor that best suits your needs.

I have a nMP with a Dell U2711, and while the screen on the retina iMac is no doubt sharper, I don't have any issues with reflections and I have a window directly behind me. Okay there's some reflection if I'm working on a very dark image, but I can at least see the image, on my rMBP under the same conditions I can't - reflection wins in this case. It also has good colour accuracy, uniformity and can be connected to multiple devices not just a Mac.

Dell, Samsung, BenQ and a few others all make very good 4K monitors at a reasonable price these days that are good for photo editing. You probably won't notice the difference between 4K and 5K. Dell also make a 5K monitor but that too is glossy.

 

[aevan]

I couldn't disagree with you more. We have glossy screens because of the initial 'wow' factor and because they are cheaper to produce. They aren't 'better' at all. If so then why are all the high end monitors from Eizo, NEC, etc, all matt and all cost a premium over the glossy monitors?

A really high-end matte monitor is usually a specially treated glass (instead of matte plastic layer) and that's a different story. Sadly, I don't have much experience with those and can't speak from that viewpoint.

However, the OP is obviously planning on watching movies and videos and is not going to need an EIZO screen for thousands of dollars, so I can presume he's coming from standard, consumer matte screens. And when it comes to that, glossy screens look better. Why do you think a "wow" factor is a bad thing? It's the same story all over again, you have an amazing looking screen in the iMac 5K but someone will always come to say 'it's not 10-bit' or something. I don't care, and I bet the OP won't care too.

For most users, glossy screens look better. And that is the only thing that's important. We're not talking about people who buy and need EIZO monitors. These forums act like everyone is a hardcore professional.

Bottom line: yeah, he's better off with a glossy display.

 

[EnesM]

I'd like the imac 5k but the glossy screen scare me, i've worked so far only with matte ones. i don't have the possibility to try one so i've few questions regarding the reflections on screen

1. Usually i work on my photos with only the light of my desk lamp placed at the right side of the monitor, at left side far 2mt there is a windows, 2mt behind the desk there is a white wall.

2. I I like to watch also movies sitting in my armchair that is in front of the monitor close that white wall, the room in this case is dark.

3. i like riding my recumbent cyclet while i'm watching streeming videos. In this case i'm not straight in front at the monitor but aside at 45°. The room is most of the time dark, but not always.

Do you think i'll have troubles in these situations?
Thank

Have look at these two photos of my glossy Macbook Pro Retina. Behind me is a bright wall, and I'm in a blue-white striped shirt, with bright fluorescent light in the office coming from the top (which you can see in the other photo when I tilted the screen). You can only see the light source if it is behind you at such an angle that you can see it from the screen.

 

[mvnjpy]

I think the distinction needs to be made between glossy and reflective. One does not imply the other. For example, the previous gen iMacs are insanely reflective. They're pretty much unusable for me, which is why I've always used Dell screens. The new 5k iMacs however are glossy (I think?) but not reflective.

Also, I agree that glossy reflective screens aren't better color-reproduction wise to an equivalent matte screen. It's just marketing ********, and it's cheaper to make glossy screens.

 

[aevan]

Also, I agree that glossy reflective screens aren't better color-reproduction wise to an equivalent matte screen. It's just marketing ********, and it's cheaper to make glossy screens.

I never said they are better color-reproducion wise. They just look more awesome to the rest of us. And that's not marketing.

 

[shaunp]

Bottom line: yeah, he's better off with a glossy display.

Hahaha. Yeah, whatever! I'll stick with my matt screens thanks.

 

[aevan]

Hahaha. Yeah, whatever! I'll stick with my matt screens thanks.

You just stick with your matte screens because the really expensive ones have better color accuracy. They will look worse, especially compared to the iMac 5K, but if you're into print jobs and things like color specs are important, than fine. For the OP, I say just get the iMac 5K and enjoy the prettiest screen on the market.

 

[Roykor]

I never said they are better color-reproducion wise. They just look more awesome to the rest of us. And that's not marketing.

Haha, it is marketing! Of-course it is. It is looking awesome. If it was so good for your colors, other professional screen builders would use it to for there products right?

We have to be fair, that Apple is a big corporate huge compony that wants to sell you their stuff. And sometimes, eye-candy is on higher bar than practical use. Such as the glas reflective screen. With my iMac 2011, i suffer from this as well. As a matte painter, this is not always working for me and I have to darken the room to make me see the blacks, browns and dark blue.

😀

 

[aevan]

Haha, it is marketing! Of-course it is. It is looking awesome. If it was so good for your colors, other professional screen builders would use it to for there products right?

😀

First of all - matte or glossy doesn't affect colors - what does affect it is the LCD itself. We're talking about cover glass. The reason professional screen builders use matte is not because it's better for colors, but because it offers less glare - and most pros prefer that. But in order to create less glare, matte screens disperse light which makes the image has less contrast. For professionals this is less important, so it's a trade-off.

Now, as technology gets better new ways of reducing glare are arriving - such as creating special glass that has great transparency but still reduces glare. You're going to see more and more professional monitors switch to semi-glossy glass. For example, the 2015. line of Dell monitors "looks glossy" but has reduced glare. Once again, this has nothing to do with color accuracy. It's just that the monitors that do have better accuracy have matte screens because pros prefer reduced glare - not because matte screens are better for color.

And one last thing - not everyone is a professional. The OP isn't, at least that's what it looks like from his post. If a screen looks "more awesome" than a color accurate screen - then that screen is better for him, right?

When you think about it, for average consumers professional gear is often, actually, worse. Take DSLRs for example - a pro photographer must use one and will get best results with one, but an average consumer will actually be better off with a non-DSLR on automatic mode, because the advanced image settings will just confuse them and result in worse pictures.

So, all in all - for most people, it's nicer to go glossy and that's not marketing, it's fact. For professionals - matte is better only because best monitors are matte, but soon, that too is about to change.

BTW, I love it how everyone on this forum is a super professional.

 

[redheeler]

Have look at these two photos of my glossy Macbook Pro Retina. Behind me is a bright wall, and I'm in a blue-white striped shirt, with bright fluorescent light in the office coming from the top (which you can see in the other photo when I tilted the screen). You can only see the light source if it is behind you at such an angle that you can see it from the screen.

Recent iMacs are actually less reflective than rMBPs. I have compared the two side-by-side and there is a difference.

It's definitely tolerable, and much better than the mirror that is pre-Retina MBP and 2007-2012 iMac displays. If you had the screen turned to something darker, though, the reflection would be more visible.

 

[Roykor]

First of all - matte or glossy doesn't affect colors - what does affect it is the LCD itself. We're talking about cover glass. The reason professional screen builders use matte is not because it's better for colors, but because it offers less glare - and most pros prefer that. But in order to create less glare, matte screens disperse light which makes the image has less contrast. For professionals this is less important, so it's a trade-off.

I have to high five you because that is off course correct. But: in daily use, when you are working in a room where the sunlights can hit a wall behind you, or you wearing a light shirt, the reflexion of this is in your screen. I have that problem and that effects everything.

And one last thing - not everyone is a professional. The OP isn't, at least that's what it looks like from his post. If a screen looks "more awesome" than a color accurate screen - then that screen is better for him, right?

Hell yeah!

BTW, I love it how everyone on this forum is a super professional.

Haha, i can not help it. making drawings pays my bills 🙂

 

[aevan]

I have to high five you

High five!

Haha, i can not help it. making drawings pays my bills 🙂

Hahah, me too! I'm an illustrator in a game developer studio. I meant that in a way that most people here assume that everyone needs pro-grade gear and nothing else will do 🙂 And believe me - in our first years, we used such low-quality hardware that people here would have a stroke 🙂

 

[ixxx69]

It's just that the monitors that do have better accuracy have matte screens because pros prefer reduced glare - not because matte screens are better for color.

Everyone prefers reduced glare (really, do you want glare?), it's just that pros demand it and don't do their shopping at big box retailers where average shoppers are easily swayed by whatever's shiniest.

It's kind of similar phenomena to the way tv's are factory calibrated to look great in a big box store display (you don't want the tv next to yours to have even more ridiculously over-saturated colors), but have to be re-calibrated for actual realistic-looking picture.

And one last thing - not everyone is a professional. The OP isn't, at least that's what it looks like from his post. If a screen looks "more awesome" than a color accurate screen - then that screen is better for him, right?

Wow, talk about losing the thread of the thread. Whether the OP is a "pro" or not, the whole purpose of this thread is the issue of glossy iMac display. For the OP, "more awesome" would be no reflections.

When you think about it, for average consumers professional gear is often, actually, worse. Take DSLRs for example - a pro photographer must use one and will get best results with one, but an average consumer will actually be better off with a non-DSLR on automatic mode, because the advanced image settings will just confuse them and result in worse pictures.

Don't mean to pick on you, but this is not a good analogy. I don't know the first thing about aperture's, iso's, etc., but I borrow my office's DSLR all the time - stick it on auto setting and it takes amazing photos that are noticeably better than a typical non-DSLR or phone camera. I do understand your point though. 😉

So, all in all - for most people, it's nicer to go glossy and that's not marketing, it's fact. For professionals - matte is better only because best monitors are matte, but soon, that too is about to change.

Nonsense. Most people do not care for reflections and lots of people would not consider an iMac because of the glossy screen (I'm just one of them). Lots of people buy an iMac only to realize that issue of reflections once they get it home and there are windows or lights visible behind their seating area.

Laptops (which is what most people have these days) are a little less of an issue because of the smaller screen size and easier to adjust the laptop placement and/or viewing area.

BTW, I love it how everyone on this forum is a super professional.

For every person here who can't see any perspective other than the "pro", there's another person here who can't see any perspective other than the "college student" or the "hardware geek", or the "gamer", or the "newbie" or the... etc.

You're dismissiveness (and quite frankly just being a bully) about the "glossy/reflections" issue just shows how little perspective you have outside of your own experience.

 

[redheeler]

Nonsense. Most people do not care for reflections and lots of people would not consider an iMac because of the glossy screen (I'm just one of them). Lots of people buy an iMac only to realize that issue of reflections once they get it home and there are windows behind their seating area.

Laptops are a little bit less of an issue because of the smaller screen size and easier to adjust the laptop placement and/or viewing area.

For most people, including myself, some reflectivity is not a deal breaker issue. On my 2010 iMac it is really quite bad, but manageable on my Retina despite the fact that it sits next to a window. You tend to get used to a small amount of reflectivity after using an iMac for a while, and automatic brightness adjustment helps compensate for it in brighter conditions.

Actually, I would argue that laptops can be more of an issue, because they are often used outdoors and in bright light. Not to mention that rMBP displays are more reflective than iMac displays.

 

[ixxx69]

For most people, including myself, some reflectivity is not a deal breaker issue. On my 2010 iMac it is really quite bad, but manageable on my Retina despite the fact that it sits next to a window. You tend to get used to a small amount of reflectivity after using an iMac for a while, and automatic brightness adjustment helps compensate for it in brighter conditions.

I wouldn't disagree, and let's keep in mind that humans are extremely adaptable. We'll get used to just about anything. Of course that doesn't mean it's a good thing.

I've been an office worker for over 20 years... I went through the CRT phase of the '80s thru early 2000's. Glare was the evil I faced every day (made even worse by the black background of the software we used). In our office, we used be like MacGyver coming up with various anti-glare devices. As soon as the first LCD screens started appearing at a reasonable price (circa 2004), I started buying them - they were almost all non-glare matte back then. It was heaven.

Then the glossy's started appearing and took over the entire market in about a year, and it really wasn't even a consumer choice... in almost all instances, one year all the models had matte screens and the next they had glossy screens (Apple's brief laptop anti-glare screen "option" was a bad joke - it was a awful - they definitely were actively discouraging anyone from choosing it).

I've been buying Dell's "pro" displays with the matte screens ever since. The most recent ones aren't glossy by a far stretch, but it's a very mild anti-glare treatment, and if you have really bright light behind you, there is some glare. For me, it's a reasonable balance between pretty pictures and minimal glare, so I'm still happy with them. I haven't had a chance to see the newest iMac screens in a home/office setting with lots of windows.

Actually, I would argue that laptops can be more of an issue, because they are often used outdoors and in bright light. Not to mention that rMBP displays are more reflective than iMac displays.

More of an issue than what? Anti-reflective matt screens are often even worse in that you literally can't see what's on the screen in bright light - they just get washed out. You have to crank up the brightness even more than a glossy screen, which hurts battery life. At least with a glossy screen outdoors, in most circumstances you can position yourself so the sun is not directly behind you.

Also, it's kind of beside the point, but where are all these people that want to use their laptops outside under the glaring sun? In the university campus quad maybe? Their backyard? Everyone I see outside seems to be glued to their phone/phablet. 😉

 

[aevan]

Everyone prefers reduced glare (really, do you want glare?), it's just that pros demand it and don't do their shopping at big box retailers where average shoppers are easily swayed by whatever's shiniest.

You're dismissiveness (and quite frankly just being a bully) about the "glossy/reflections" issue just shows how little perspective you have outside of your own experience.

You're quite right, I am aware that I was being bullish and dismissive. The thing is, it was a response to the situation on these forums, where there is a constant elitist attitude towards everything. Just look at your first paragraph - "they don't do shopping where average shoppers are easily swayed by whatever's shiniest". So, I'm guessing people who prefer things you think are worse - prefer them because they are shiny.

Ok, since you brought it up - I am a professional artist and a game producer. I lead a team of around 30 people. We've been making games for less then a decade now. And I prefer the glossy screens because omg they look nicer, wow, shiny. I'm not even being sarcastic. No, seriously, they look nicer and the contrast is better and I like them more. So, when you say all these things, I can assume one of two things:

1. I am bad at my job because I do visual stuff and I still prefer glossy screens while matte screens are obviously important to pros.

-or-

2. The truth is, it really comes down to what looks nicer, even if you're a professional, and a glossy iMac 5K screen is quite nice and great even for pros. People like to criticise mainstream things and talk about professional gear because that makes them seem more accomplished.

So, pick one of these two, and go with it. As for me, I'll return to my shiny things! 🙂 I still recommend glossy screens to everyone because, wow, they look nicer.

 

[ixxx69]

You're quite right, I am aware that I was being bullish and dismissive. The thing is, it was a response to the situation on these forums, where there is a constant elitist attitude towards everything. Just look at your first paragraph - "they don't do shopping where average shoppers are easily swayed by whatever's shiniest". So, I'm guessing people who prefer things you think are worse - prefer them because they are shiny.

Yes, people gravitate towards shiny/sparkly/glossy/etc. Often shoppers don't think about the glare issue until they actually have to deal with it at home or in the office. And people adapt. But if glare wasn't an issue, then Apple wouldn't bother to mention the strides they've made in reducing it (of course they don't want to draw too much attention to the issue).

FTR, I don't think glossy screens are "worse" (nor did I say that... you have tendency to twist what people are saying throughout your replies).

So, when you say all these things, I can assume one of two things:

1. I am bad at my job because I do visual stuff and I still prefer glossy screens while matte screens are obviously important to pros.

-or-

2. The truth is, it really comes down to what looks nicer, even if you're a professional, and a glossy iMac 5K screen is quite nice and great even for pros. People like to criticise mainstream things and talk about professional gear because that makes them seem more accomplished.

So, pick one of these two, and go with it. As for me, I'll return to my shiny things! 🙂 I still recommend glossy screens to everyone because, wow, they look nicer.

This is such a weird conclusion to draw from what's been posted.

Seems to me, you're the one hung up on the "pro" thing, and making everyone out to be elitists.

I prefer anti-glare matte screens for my needs, but I wouldn't recommend them to everyone else based solely on my own opinion... it's really subjective. When making display recommendations, I bring up the glossy issue, but I recognize that glossy screens do look nice (as long as the reflections aren't getting in the way), and the reflections don't bother most people as much, or maybe where they'll be using the computer, it isn't an issue, etc. Each person can make their own choice as to how they feel about it. Unfortunately for those who prefer a matte screen, we often don't have a choice.

 

[EnesM]

Recent iMacs are actually less reflective than rMBPs. I have compared the two side-by-side and there is a difference.

I they are less reflective then there's nothing to worry about. I'm perfectly fine with my MBP even with a window behind me, as long as the window is not facing the sun at dawn or dusk 🙂

If you had the screen turned to something darker, though, the reflection would be more visible.

Lol, I just tried it and you are right, but that's the point, it's the first time I noticed it because I looked for it. You don't usually notice these things when you are concentrated on your job or movie or editing videos/photos