Mac folks - Apple Cinema Display vs. iMac G5 LCD

[jake_holt]

Ok, so I need some advice here - the time is drawing near to replace the old 466Mhz

G4 Power Mac. I'm considering 2 options - a fully loaded 20 inch iMac, or a Power

Mac G5 with a 20 or 23 inch Cinema Display. All power differences aside, since the

extra power of the dual-processor is nice but not necessary, I have decided that it has

come down to price and monitor quality - Basically, if the screen on the iMac is the

same quality as the Cinema Display, I'm going with the lower priced iMac, but if it's

lower quality, it's time to ante up for the G5 Power Mac. I've used both and I can't see

a difference right away, but I'd like to hear from someone who has some experience

with both, especially any opinions about calibration - I use Photoshop intensively, so I

don't want to end up with a crappy, low-end monitor that's impossible to calibrate.

This will be my first LCD, as I've been using the old Apple 17" CRT for 5 years now.

Thanks all!

[mawz]

The display on the iMac IS a 20" Cinema Display.

[jake_holt]

Cool - I wasn't sure if it was the same or if it was a cheaper technology.

[tedharris]

The 20 inch Apple Cinema Display and the 20" display on the iMac G5 are the same size but

they are NOT the same screen. Go for the separate screen. Further the iMac has a low RAM

limit so that if/when you uograde to CS 2 you will not be able to add sufficient RAM to use its

full 3.5 GB RAM accessability.

 

If you think the screens are the same take a well scanned large format image (say a 4x5

transparancy scanned at 1800 ppi on a Microtek 1800f) along on a CD or DVD and look at

the differences ...... they are easily visable.

[jake_holt]

Thanks Ted, I may try taking a disc down to the Apple store and see if they'll let me

try it out.

[doug_adama1]

Something else you may want to consider is noise. I?ve found that the fan that cools the

processor in the iMac is quite noisy. This can be mitigated under the Energy Saver

Preferences by clicking on the reduced processor performance, which reduces the time or

eliminates the need for the fan at cost of reduced processor performance.

 

Cheers,

Doug Adama

[Dennis Peek]

I am going through the same process - 5-year old Apple 17" CRT and a Dual 500 Gigabit

Ethernet G4. I am assuming that since the 20" iMac G5 is SWOP certified, it is at least on

par with the 20" Cinema Display even if it is not the same LCD. The question is really is it

adequate for your needs. I, too, use PhotoShop but my editing is on the light side.

Regardless, I believe the iMac G5 20" will be a vast improvement over my 500DP G4!

 

I'm headed to my local Apple Store this AM to look and I'll let you know what I think.

[tedharris]

The two are not even close if you are doing critical editing and do accurate, high quality

scanning. I start out with 4x5 or 5x7 transparancies scanned on a Micritek 1800f or

Optronics Colorgetter; thus, I am working with a file upwards of 300mb and as much as a gig

before I start adding layers. If you are working with smaller scanned files, files from a digital

camera or scans made on any of the Epson scanners or the Microtek i900 or Canon 9950 you

may not be able to see the difference.

 

A warning, do NOT look at the 23" Cinema display or you will come away a LOT poorer.

[Uhooru]

I have the imac w/20" screen and it is S.W.O.P. certified, and does calibrate color very well.

It is

virtually the same screen as the 20" ACD. It is not the same screen as the 23" or 30", they

are differnt. When doing my research I talked to the digital photo teacher at my school. He

said that the 23" is slightly better than the 20" imac, but you would have to have extensive

knowledge and experience in color calibration to get that extra bit of accuracy from it. He

felt, the imac was a very very good screen and was getting one himself. The company he

runs has been using macs for years and they are one of the very big professional digital

shops in O.C., he knows his stuff.

That doesn't make him the ultimate authority, but he had a strong emperically based

opinion.

So far, I'm getting very good results on mine with an Epson 2200, doing mostly B/W.

[chrisw_photog]

I work for an advertising agency for my day job and the one thing I can relate that might help is this, only art directors get the separate 23" displays while copyrighters get 20"iMacs. In speaking with the creatives they said the ACD's are better than the iMac G5s. I have the HP L2335 which is the same panel as the 23"ACD and it's simply amazing!