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Monitor Advice
edmacke
Registered Users Posts: 22 Big grins
A while ago, in this thread, I got some really helpful advice in looking for a good quality monitor (toward the end).
I'm now in the process of building a new computer, and am now on the lookout for a new monitor. I'm wondering if the advice has changed much in the interim.
Here's what I'm looking for:
So what should I look for? And, especially, are there any specific models that stand out as winners?
ETA: I know there are some Dell monitors that get recommended (U2412M, U2311, etc.) but I'm kind of souring on Dell and their deteriorating quality control and customer service. I've had 1 Dell laptop die @ 13 months and quite a few problems with another laptop and my desktop.
I'm now in the process of building a new computer, and am now on the lookout for a new monitor. I'm wondering if the advice has changed much in the interim.
Here's what I'm looking for:
- My #1 priority is accurate color reproduction for photography
- I'd like to stay under $300, if possible
- I'll mostly use Lightroom under Win7 64-bit
- If it matters, for now I'm just using the Intel HD2000 graphics that comes with the i7-2600CPU (i.e. no graphics card).
So what should I look for? And, especially, are there any specific models that stand out as winners?
ETA: I know there are some Dell monitors that get recommended (U2412M, U2311, etc.) but I'm kind of souring on Dell and their deteriorating quality control and customer service. I've had 1 Dell laptop die @ 13 months and quite a few problems with another laptop and my desktop.
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Thanks, Chris, but unfortunately I have nowhere near that kind of budget.
I'm only an amateur shooter, so I don't need accuracy to the nth degree - I'm just looking for the best monitor I can get within my budget.
www.zblackwood.com
Dell: http://accessories.dell.com/sna/products/displays/productdetail.aspx?c=ca&l=en&s=corp&sku=320-7825
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/monitors/en/monitor-dell-2209wa-spec-sheet.pdf
EBay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=dell+2209WA+monitor&_sacat=See-All-Categories
www.leefortier.com
My 2209WA exhibits no tinting issues but my U2412M does (very slight). With most low cost (under $800) monitors using tft IPS panels supplied by LG Display there can be seen a slight tint of red on the left and green on the right. It is most visible on white or light gray screens. The centre of the screen is untinted and so I check colours, if critical, in that area.
Staying under $300 will limit you to the the following if you want a monitor with an IPS type panel:
24"
Dell U2412M
.... 1920x1200 6bit + AFRC (Advanced Frame Rate Control) e-IPS tft panel
.... sRGB gamut
.... 8bit internal LUT (Look Up Table, image processing bit depth in monitor)
.... only under $300 when on sale or with coupons
.... http://www.techbargains.com/dellcoupons.cfm
The 6bit + AFRC system works much better than the old 6bit + FRC system to simulate an 8bit colour depth of 16.7 million colours. Most review site note little if any banding and some artifacts in darker areas that would not be noticeable by most users.
There is also the...
HP ZR2440w
Samsung S24A850DW (has a Samsung made S-PLS panel)
but both can only be found for above $400
23"
There are a number of 23" 1920x1080 monitors with e-IPS type panels, sRGB gamut, and again almost all of them use a 6bit + AFRC system. One issue with several of these is that they do not adjust their brightness low enough for work in darker rooms to avoid the "dark print" issue.
Dell U2312HM (brightness)
LG IPS231P
Viewsonic VP2365-LED
NEC EA231WMi
and the
ASUS PA238Q
.... has a true 8bit panel and a 10bit LUT.
.... low brightness an issue
.... reports of back light edge bleeding
21.5"
All 1920x1080 e-IPS sRGB
Dell U2212HM
HP ZR2240w
LG IP226V
You can read about most of these monitors on these review sites:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews.htm
http://www.prad.de/en/monitore/reviews.html
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/reviews.php
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On an other note, I recently purchased a 24" ViewSonic (Model # VX2450wm-LED) and I'm very pleased with it. Also ordered a i1 Display 2 hardware calibration "puck" upon a sterling recommendation from Scott Kelby.
Monitor link at amazon
Good luck with your selection!
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Gear: Lots of Nikon bodies & glass, an office full of tools and toys
You will have to have the brightness down around 20 to 35% to get a white luminance level around 110 to 120 cd/m2 which is a good level for a 10x12ft den with a 60 watt bulb.
TFT Central has settings and an ICC profile you can download on their site:
Review.... http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2412m.htm
See the Contrast Stability chart - it gives 103 cd/m2 at 20 and 131 cd/m2 at 30. I have my brightness at 33% and contrast at 80% giving me 110 cd/m2 using an i1 Display 2 (which is a calibrator I'm not happy with; it's obsolete now).
Profiles and settings: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/icc_profiles.htm
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How you feel about Dell is how I feel about HP. We all have our faves and not so faves. If I had the spare cash I would have bought an NEC PA241w but I want the $$$ for a new lens.
You bought a monitor with a 23.6" 1920x1080 6bit + FRC "TN" tft LCD panel. A gamers monitor, ok but not optimal for editing images. It has viewing angle issues and is more prone to banding in the gray scale than the Dell U2412.
The Dell is a 24" 1920x1200 6bit + AFRC "e-IPS" tft LCD panel.
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I'm with you. I'm trying to stay away from Dell (and HP isn't far behind, either), but people seem to love a couple of the Dell monitors.
I'll definitely check out the Samsung, NEC, and LG's first using the info here and in the links.
What about the ASUS VS229H-P?
Looking at what tech specs are available for the monitors listed, the ASUS looks very similar (on paper) but is only $160 on Newegg.
IPS panel good
Stand poor but it's eight is about where I have my monitor in any case so for me it would work.
Price good
I know nothing about it's range of adjustment for brightness or what controls are available via the OSD menu. I would hope that they have a "Custom" or "User" mode where you can have full access to RGB sliders
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Thanks, Newsy.
I found this review on prad.de and they seemed to like it.
Re: the brightness, they say its range is 50 to 253 cd/m² (50 is good, no? I can never get my current monitor dim enough).
Re: user adjustment, they say "In the user mode, the colour channels red, green and blue can be adjusted prior to a calibration, but there is no option to adjust the gamma value."
And if I'm reading correctly, it seemed to calibrate well: Prior to the calibration, we adjust the white point in user mode and get 6,520K with RGB 99-96-100. Afterwards, colour temperature and gamma curve are almost optimal. Except for the LED-typical outliers at blue, the colour deviations are quite modest.
So, am I missing something?
The ASUS seems like a pretty decent little monitor, and I like the price: I could get (2) ASUS monitors for $320 or (1) Dell at $260.
I noted the following....
"Neither can be seen dithering nor does banding appear. Colour cast fails to appear, too. The fine grey gradient is not entirely uniform in the depths, however, which is probably due to an uneven brightness distribution of the display."
I can't confirm it from that review but I suspect this is a 6bit + AFRC panel but as the above comments confirm, it is not much to be concerned with what bit depth you have there. It just works as well as anything in this price range.
The only thing I didn't like was the issues with LED edge bleed, flash lighting, and clouds. This is just something you will see in inexpensive LED back lit monitors. You also see it in $1500 LED back lit HDTV's. You will likely not notice it if you stay away from dark screens and work in a moderately lit room.
Don't worry about the lack of gamma adjustment. You will sort that out with using a hardware calibrator, right?
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So, all things considered, how do you think this stacks up against the 3 you recommended (Dell U2212HM, HP ZR2240w, LG IPS226V)? There seems to be ~$100 price difference and I'm wondering what, if anything, I'm losing out on by going with the Asus.
That's the plan. I've got my eye on the new Syder 4 Express or Pro.
Warranty for hot and/or dead pixels??
Lower quality LED back light mounting.
Slightly smaller sRGB gamut.
Lack of adjustment in the stand.
These are the obvious ones but you will have to scrutinize the spec sheets for connectivity, etc.
If you ever plan to have TWO or more monitors connected at the same time and want them both to be calibrated both in RGB and in white and/or black luminance levels, do yourself a favour and get the Elite. The Pro and Express are crippled versions of the Elite software and do not offer the Measured Luminance module. Furthermore, I think the Elite is also optimized to configure and calibrate multiple monitors where with the other two you may have to use work arounds. It is worth the $$$ upgrade just in term of time savings.
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