Best LCD monitor for photography

Did quick search for this but couldn't find any related threads. What

is the best monitor out these days fo digital photography? I'm on a

PC running XP Pro. The size I am looking into is between 20-24

inches. Are there any sites that rate or review monitors specifically

for use of digital photography? Thanks.

The Eizo ColorEdge Series: CG220, CG210, CE240W, CE210W = $$$$. After that, the Eizo Flexscan series and Apple Cinema displays.

Okay, how about something below $1000. Apple monitors aren't compatable with PC, are they?

If your PC has a DVI port and you have a decent graphics card, yes Apple monitors are compatible with Windows based PC computers.

Yes you can use an Apple Cinema display with a PC. I have never bothered looking at LCD's under $1,000 - so I can't help with that. I use an Eizo Flexscan L997. The same screen as the CG series, but with more defects (I've counted 3 dead pixels - CG series is certified at 0 at delivery); and different control software.

 

The L997 is specified to have an sRGB colorspace - in fact, it is much larger than that when the monitor profile is viewed in GamutWorks colorspace analysis program. However, you do have to play with the 6 color setup portion of the software to get the screen to 6500K before calibrating. Once you do that, the screen will be extremely accurate (my screen measures 6493K with an X-Rite colorimeter), and the gamut is incredibly large.

I bought L997 with about 15 hours usage (you can tell hours usage from the software, and I don't think it is re-settable) for about $1000.00 In UK it comes with 4 years warranty, and after giving UK offices the serial number (prior to buying) they were able to tell me when it was manufactured which certainly substantiated the little usuage it had. They also confirmed that they would honour the warranty although it was sold into the German market. It was sold to me with 1 dead pixel, and is quite simply brilliant to my eye. I find the profiling of the monitor nearly a complete waste of time because mine just does not 'wander' over a 3 month period to a level that I can notice. At the time it was more money than I wanted to spend, but now I'm glad I did.

Just a thought, why don't you consider a CRT like a Mitsubishi Diamond Pro. for about 700 if you have the space on your desk? The most important thing is to have the most resolution as possible. Use this as a starting point to compare other LCD's. If you go to sites like Nextag.com and do a search on 20" LCD monitors they will show you all and where you can order them at the lowest price.

The most important thing with a monitor is that it can be calibrated and is stable. A suitable calibration system will cost between $250 and $2600. Calibration systems for monitor, scanner and printer start at about $1500.

 

No monitor has as much resolution as the least DSLR, and you can always use Photoshop to view an image pixel for pixel. An LCD monitor must be used exactly at its native resolution, or you get severe aliasing effects. If the resolution is too high for the screen size, you have trouble reading text in business and system applications. IMO, 1600x1200 in a 20 inch screen is too high, and 1280x1024 is about right.

If you have the appropriate DVI card, the Apple 20" and 23" Cinema Displays are excellent.

Very adjustable, very stable and beautiful imaging quality.

 

I run my 23" at 1920x1200 resolution. It is crisp and clear for everything.

 

Godfrey

Look for dell deals on 2005FPW or 2007FPW. I bought the former for $336. It supposed to be same as 20 inch apple display. No experience with Apple but my Dell looks great, but then I am not pro.

I have the Dell 24". FANTASTIC !

 

1920 x 1200 pixels is great for slide shows and give lots of desktop real estate! Go for it!

I think it also depends on how critical your eyes -- or your professional needs -- are. We have two Samsung 19" LCDs, and the color and image quality on each is outstanding. Both are dual input (digital / analog), and they cost between $450 and 600 (USD) after rebates. Each came bundled with calibration software; more than adequate for our non-professional needs. The first one (193P, purchased last summer) needed significant calibration out of the box. The later purchase (930B, this winter) was great from the first power-on. (We drive both with digital signals.) Highly recommended in this price range. LCD display technology has matured to the point that you have to pay price multiples to achieve marginal increases in image quality.

Will, I'm trying to find a link to the thread I had. It was a link @ dpreview I think. It compared the Apple vs. Dell. They were almost identicle in comparison, and made reference that 90 some% of all monitor screens were made by the same company...?

 

I run Dual 19" Hp's, and they are ok after calibration. The white's are very hot though. I have to do alot of tweaking to keep the whites under control.

 

Look at the Dell's & Apples. If I come across the link, I'll post it.

 

Mike

Thanks Mike. I was leaning towards the Dell 24inch anyways.

For photographic editing, next best thing after Eizo CG series (and also some European exotic monitors unavailable in the US) is NEC 2180/2190 or 1980/1990 (and also possibly 2090, but not 2080) with SpectraView software.

 

Updated version of SpectraView with support for 90s series was scheduled to be released in late April / early May.

I have been using the Dell 24" (2405 version) for about half a year now. It calibrates very well and I am still very, very happy with it. Of course it is great to have 24" widescreen for both photo editing (Photoshop) and archiving (iView). But besides that, the quality is also great. My CRT monitor (which was supposed to be so very good) just looks as if I haven�t cleaned my glasses. :-)

I'm looking for a new monitor as well. I'm a graphic designer, doing more and more Digital

photography and retouching. I've been considering LaCie Monitors and Apple. I wondered if

anyone (with more experience than I) can tell me how important contrast ratio is: is 1000x1

discernably better than 600x1. Also is 12-bit gamma an important improvement over 10-bit

gamma??

Although my contribution comes a year after the last response, perhaps it will be of some help to another intrepid googler trying to resolve the same issue.

In brief, my internet research has yielded the following:

 

IPS panels seem to be the best for photography and graphic arts applications, more so than S-PVA, P-MVA, and certainly TN.

 

Wide gamut displays might not be the best solution. (http://www.outbackphoto.com/tforum/viewtopic.php?TopicID=1700)

 

Apple displays are over-hyped.

 

LaCie monitors are just rebranded NEC's with a higher price tag.

 

It is very hard to find an LCD panel capable of both photo editing and games (fast response times and accurate colors/tweakability seem to be mutually exclusive)

 

As of this posting, Karl Lang recommends the NEC LCD2490WUXi-BK-SV for photo.

 

Hope this is of some help to someone!

Yes, almost a year later, an intrepid googler (namely, me!) has stumbled across this piece of advice. Thanks :)

Any yes a year later I have found the posting lol. However I have a different question on video card recommendations to match the monitors that have been discussed on this thread.

 

thanks

<p>two years later I also found this thread! thank you guys!</p>

<p>Perhaps someone will chime in with some new recommendations.</p>

<p>Yes, I would second that Robert, I am starting to look around for a 24 inch (monitor) and would love a recommendation, are the BenQ any good ?</p>

<p>I could use some more recommendations myself. I've just finished a photo show using my friend's 24 inch iMac calibrated with a Spyder3. The results were pretty accurate when compared to the profiled LAMBDA prints. <br>

I found this setup very suitable and am wondering what the drastic price increase for the Eizo monitors gets you. In the end, the biggest difference was the fact that I was doing editing on a backlit display and the final print was off reflected light. Nothing can help with that.</p>

<p>Two fantastics monitors por digital photo: HP LP2475w(Wide Color Gamut 92% NTSC) and Philips 240PW9ES(102% NTSC). 24" and H-IPS panel. Wonderfuls. From 450-600$.</p>