Advice on CRT???

spartan123

Anyone have any good advice on what CRT i should pick up for use with digital imaging work flow? So far I am not happy with LCD monitors and trying to get my post processing done.

thanks in advance.

David_S85

spartan123 wrote:

Anyone have any good advice on what CRT i should pick up for use with digital imaging work flow? So far I am not happy with LCD monitors and trying to get my post processing done.
thanks in advance.

I haven't shopped CRT's in years. Someone might show up soon that has, but FWIW, and just my opinion on the LCD vs. CRT debate...

{exit here if you don't want to read on about LCD's...}

I have just switched (finally!) to an LCD 23" panel after 10+ years with a Sony 19 inch CRT. Loved the Sony. Still do. It is sitting here next to the new monitor, and I continue to use it daily. There's no debate that CRT's are (still, as of Jan. 2006) brighter and display more colors, and are very cheap to buy. They are fast for video and gaming.

But...

For digital photo editing though, editing is, well..., digital. I used to worry about the cheaper LCD panels for reasons of contrast ratios and color limitations. I got over that. They're loads better now. As I don't use an LCD for gaming, video editing or watching movies, the speed limitations aren't there for me. As for colors, they still aren't equal, true. The good LCD displays are just amazing.

Still, digital editing is all about numbers. Black, grey and white points, white balance and skin tones. All the color issues simply come down to numbers on eyedroppers. Any monitor can show that. Same with histograms (levels) - just representative of numbers.

I find that as long as you're careful about white balance, then anything goes, as long as you just realize it is just about numbers. Sure, you might want to calibrate - but that's true of any display you get, CRT or LCD. Still not necessary in my book. An option though.

I see no advantage to keeping a CRT in the workflow anymore. The big advantage is screen size. The 19 inchers can go to 1600 by 1200. A 23 or 24 inch wide monitor, which are all dropping at 10% per month in price now, can easily display 1920 across by 1200 -- more than enough room to park tools and editing boxes along with an image or two. A huge workflow advantage, IMO.

If it's a money thing, then CRT can keep it inexpensive. But Most companies aren't going to be producing CRT's anymore, and some have already eliminated them completely.