Dell UltraSharp monitors distort the real relative sharpness of images?

[gmahler5th]

I'm using a Lacie22blueIV (soon to be replaced by a ViewSonic VP 2250WB) as my primary monitor and a Dell

1905FP as my secondary monitor. The Dell has a definite advantage in relative sharpness when viewing the same

image side by side. So I'm wondering which is the true quality of the image, the somewhat soft version on the Lacie

or the sharper version on the Dell? The difference at times can be subtle or vast, depending on the image. But in

terms on actual editing of image, creative sharpening and output sharpening, I'd like to know which monitor is

recommended to be the true judge prior to output on my Epson R2400.

 

Looking forward to hearing your expieriences and sharing your knowledge about this topic.

[petemillis]

If you're output sharpening, you need to sharpen for the size the picture will be viewed at on the type of monitor of the viewer has, or for the size of the print you will be printing. How do you know what monitor the viewer has? If you sharpen on your softer Lacie then maybe the viewer will see over-sharpened images on some monitors. If you sharpen on the Dell then they may see soft images. There's no way of knowing. But for printing, you print the picture yourself so you are the one who needs to decide which monitor is best matched to what comes out of your printer. If your printed images look much softer than what they appear on the Dell then you know the Dell has too much sharpening. If your printed images look much sharper than they view on the Lacie, then you know the Lacie is too soft.

[petemillis]

Also....in the Dell Ultrasharp monitor, sharpening is applied above and beyond what you apply in software - this can be turned down though in the monitor set-up.

[frans_waterlander]

The Dell monitor applies sharpening? What nonsense is that?

[sheldonnalos]

My Dell Ultrasharp 2408 has a sharpness control in the OSD monitor settings. It has 5 settings to choose from (0,

25, 50, 75 or 100%) and they have a very dramatic effect. To my eyes the difference between setting at 0% and

setting at 100% is equivalent to maybe a 150, 0.75, 0 USM setting in Photoshop. I currently run it at 25% which

seems to have the most natural appearance on text and overall display quality.

[Ed_Ingold]

No LCD is worth much for photo editing right out of the box. Profile the Dell to get the contrast and color under control. I suggest you turn any monitor-based sharpening off, and see how that compares with the VP2250 and prints.

[petemillis]

Frans, it's not nonsense. The Dell Ultrasharp has adjustable sharpening for the pictures it displays. Obviously it doesn't sharpen the image file itself though.

[frans_waterlander]

And again I ask, what nonsense is that? Why would you want your monitor to display a distorted image? Oh, I get it; it's for those that don't have the foggiest idea what they are doing, but feel good about this "cool" monitor that is "way better than the competition". Silly me.

[petemillis]

Frans, I agree - I can't think of any reason why a monitor with in-built sharpening would be desirable for photograph editing.