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Need recommendation for high-end flat screen monitor
Tanuki
Registered Users Posts: 184 Major grins
I'm going to purchase a MacBook Pro notebook in the next month, and I would like to get an external monitor for photo viewing/editing. I've been reading up on flatscreen monitors on some websites listed in another thread here at Dgrin, and it's been very enlightening to read about the different technologies. I'm still struggling to make a decision, though. Some sites provide "roundups" to help you know the top performers, but you know how it is, a roundup from over six months ago is already out of date.
I would appreciate if someone who keeps up with this stuff can help me come up with a short list of the best current 22-24" high-end models to consider for photo editing/viewing.
I would also like to hear some feedback on wide gamut displays, i.e., when you're working in a color managed app like LR or PS, is the wide gamut display really better, or is there some trade-off that needs to be considered?
One last question... how does the Apple Cinema displays stack up against the current competition? I know... I know... this question separates the monitor geeks from the Apple geeks. But I'm not really either (yet), so I'm asking this as a serious question. What got me considering this is that I read on monitor forum that in theory the LED Cinema display could be a very good performer. If it is, it would certainly simplify my purchase since I could buy it with the MacBook.
Mike
I would appreciate if someone who keeps up with this stuff can help me come up with a short list of the best current 22-24" high-end models to consider for photo editing/viewing.
I would also like to hear some feedback on wide gamut displays, i.e., when you're working in a color managed app like LR or PS, is the wide gamut display really better, or is there some trade-off that needs to be considered?
One last question... how does the Apple Cinema displays stack up against the current competition? I know... I know... this question separates the monitor geeks from the Apple geeks. But I'm not really either (yet), so I'm asking this as a serious question. What got me considering this is that I read on monitor forum that in theory the LED Cinema display could be a very good performer. If it is, it would certainly simplify my purchase since I could buy it with the MacBook.
Mike
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Apple's monitors are grand, and that new 24" LED one made for the MacBook Pro has a couple key features for you, such as a built-in charging cable and DisplayPort instead of DVI. http://www.apple.com/displays/
I've always liked Dell monitors. I believe the higher end Dells use the same glass as Apple's monitors, and are usually a few hundred cheaper.
Shan
Wow, the LaCie certainly has a wide gamut. Now to check the reviews and figure out whether or not that would be a good thing for me.
Thanks for the suggestion.
The integration of the Apple products is definitely a selling feature, and I' would be willing to pay more for it unless there is a much better quality monitor out there for my purposes.
I looked at the 24" LED at the Apple Store. I couldn't tell much because they had the brightness set to "blinding". Not surprisingly, the salesperson didn't know what "monitor calibration" was.
Mike
REALLY?! That's odd, since they sell monitor calibration equipment right there in the store... I bought mine at the physical store in Madison. That store's so small, I can't imagine that they carry it there and nowhere else.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/TN096ZM/A?mco=MTIxODk3Mw
22" monitors that do NOT use a TN panel:
- several Eizo's
- Lenovo L220X (1920x1200, S-PVA)
- HP LP2275w (1680x1050, S-PVA) http://prad.de/en/monitore/review/2008/review-hp-lp2275w.html
I believe the new Apple 24" uses an IPS type panel but am not 100% sure on this.
HP has a new 24" IPS paneled monitor, the LP2475w > http://prad.de/en/monitore/review/2008/review-hp-lp2475w.html
I think Lacie's, for the most part, are OEM'd from NEC, but offer enhancements.
You really should consider the NEC LCD2490WUXi which uses a H-IPS panel and has a 12bit LUT and available calibration system. Don't confuse it with the LCD2490WNX monitor which uses a S-PVA panel.
As to wide gamut monitors, I encourage you to read some of the posts on this issue on the DPreview forums > http://search.dpreview.com/?forumid=1004&scope=Forums&sort=date&q=wide+gamut
You will probably want to expand the search parameter to include all forums at DPreview but the PC Talk forum has some excellent posts as do the Retouching and also Printing forums. There are issues with these wide gamut monitors and the colour space you work in - SRGB for the Web or ARGB for elsewhere. This one thread has a long history and 101 posts at this writing > http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=25060360 .
You probably found and read this post but for reference, it lists several web pages that will help you determine what panel monitors are using > http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=897216&postcount=5
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I was in one of the Tokyo stores, which might be different. On the Apple Japanese page, they mention that calibration is supported but they don't seem to sell any calibration equipment. However I am relying on Google translator, so I could be misunderstanding.
Newsy,
I found the Prad review for the next size up in the NEC, the LCD2690WUXi. I went to Yodobashi and they had one on display. It was hooked up to a computer that was running a NEC marketing slideshow. I assume they had it set up properly for color management, because it looked pretty darn nice. I haven't seen colors like that since the last time I saw a (transparency film) slideshow. They also had the Apple Cinema display, and there's no question in my mind that the NEC is the way to go.
Thanks again!
Mike
We are quite fond of the 30" dell widescreen flat panels here at Smuggy.
http://wall-art.smugmug.com/
Bill