Which monitor is best for photographers?

Forums › Digital Imaging › Which monitor is best for photographers?

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#198546 13-Jul-2016 12:10

I'm running a Mac Mini quad core i7 16 GB Ram with FCPX, Photoshop CC, Adobe Bridge and Lightroom. My current monitor is a Dell S2740L Display.

This is a reasonably well reviewed monitor that I bought about 2 years ago from PBTech. Unfortunately its always had a very distinctive pink cast to it.

I have tried calibrating it many times through the Dell display driver controls on both my previous Windows 7 desktop, and now my Apple OSX El Capitan mac mini. Even by reducing red and increasing the blue I cannot get it looking neutral enough. I have also tried calibrating through the OSX display driver controls. It gets close(ish) but when you walk into the room and see it compared to any other monitor it just still looks pink.

The other thing that drives me nuts about the Dell is the non-responsive touch controls on the side of the monitor. Often the monitor drops into a power save mode and/ or a "lock" mode when its its in use. Grr, its a big hassle to use the menu when the display buttons are so unresposive.

I know the 5K Apple Cinema Displays are very highly rated, but thats too much money for me right now. Has anyone used a non-Apple display around 27" for photographic work which they like and can recommend?

My use is not everyday, more like one day a week but used in a mostly professional capacity.

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lNomNoml

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#1590932 13-Jul-2016 12:37

I don't know much about photography but I would recommend one of these:

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=MONDEL2717&name=Dell-U2717D-27-Ultrasharp-InfinityEdge-IPS-LED-Mon

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=MONDEL2735&name=Dell-P2715Q-27-UHD-4K-UltraSharp-Monitor---3840-x-

This one would be best given that it has 100% sRGB:

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=MONAS66190&name=Asus-PB279Q-27-4K-UHD-LED-IPS-panel-Monitor--3840x

kiwipawl

273 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1590986 13-Jul-2016 14:05

I have used several of these http://www.eizoglobal.com/solutions/graphics/hobby-photography.html

They have top of the line pro models that will cost you a arm and a leg, but also have really good high end amateur models as well. If you want high quality, stable and low eye strain in my experence they are the best.

I used to regularly calibrate them every month but the was no drop off in accuracy or colour temperature and changed to 6 omnthly calibrations. Even then there was very little change.

timmmay

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#1591039 13-Jul-2016 15:18

Gold standard: Eizo (too much IMHO)

Silver Standard (maybe gold): NEC (probably too much IMHO)

Bronze Standard: Dell IPS - ie not what you have.

I have a Dell U2312HM (from memory) calibrated with a Sypder 3 or 4 Express. It works well. I'm a professional photographer, my prints are as close to my monitor as I can reasonably expect. Remember you're not working with exact pantone matches you just want pretty accurate, and a backlit monitor will never look the same as a front lit print.

TFTCentral have great reviews.

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#1592347 14-Jul-2016 10:28

timmmay:

Bronze Standard: Dell IPS - ie not what you have.

The Dell S2740L which I have is an IPS model. It still has a lousy picture for colour grading unfortunately. Thanks for the other suggestions though I will look them up.

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timmmay

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#1592350 14-Jul-2016 10:30

bluedisk:

The Dell S2740L which I have is an IPS model. It still has a lousy picture for colour grading unfortunately. Thanks for the other suggestions though I will look them up.

Yes it is, something I read (which of course I can't find) suggested it was a slightly lower end IPS, which could be right or wrong. The Dell monitor range I recommended is used by a lot of pro photographers. Just don't expect miracles, like I said back lit will always look different from front lit.

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#1595845 20-Jul-2016 20:24

I'd also get a colour meter and management software, I recommend the Xrite i1display pro, also known as i1D3. Some of the other brands can be like a box of chocolates, you never know what you might get and how long it will last.

If you really want long term colour calibration accuracy where you can integrate the printing, I would recommend an Xrite i1pro2(E) spectrometer.

I have the i1display pro, i1proD spectro and a Jeti 1211 spectroradiometer

You really can't guess colour correction without an accurate reference as much as you like to think you can. A meter eliminates the guesswork.

Actually I recommend you get a meter/software before you change the panel.

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RileyB

247 posts

Master Geek

#1599037 26-Jul-2016 14:10

Forget about your monitor, you need a new PC!

On a more serious note: http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=27067 *drops mic*

If you want to spend less, any of the dell ultrasharps are great, they have 1440p 4k and 5k models in 27" I think.

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timmmay

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#1599039 26-Jul-2016 14:12

Not sure why a photographer needs super high res monitors. Just view at 100% and you're good. Might even be more difficult to see details if 100% is smaller. Same as not needing 100% gamut coverage, so long as the important parts like skin tones are accurate the rest can pretty much fall wherever they end up, other than maybe a quick out of gamut check for critical parts.

RileyB

247 posts

Master Geek

#1599095 26-Jul-2016 15:08

Nice to be actually be able to see and use all that resolution our modern DSLR's have. Would rival cheaper printers in terms of DPI as well.

The main reason for 5k is for editing 4k video at 1:1 and still having room around it for tools bars etc.

timmmay

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#1599101 26-Jul-2016 15:18

I'm not sure seeing on a screen while editing is really "use". To me the final output is use, which could be a screen of course, but is often print, album, or online.

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#1599103 26-Jul-2016 15:24

RileyB:

Forget about your monitor, you need a new PC!

On a more serious note: http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=27067 *drops mic*

If you want to spend less, any of the dell ultrasharps are great, they have 1440p 4k and 5k models in 27" I think.

I use a PC as well, but I've been put off Dell IPS monitors after using this one "DELL S2740L", its highly rated but not that great in my opinion.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#1599109 26-Jul-2016 15:30

timmmay:

I'm not sure seeing on a screen while editing is really "use". To me the final output is use, which could be a screen of course, but is often print, album, or online.

It is for me as I'm using it for colour grading video on Final Cut Pro as well as stills. I'm not doing the primary colour grades, just smaller clips for promos etc.

I figure that there are more photographers lurking here than professional broadcast cameramen like myself, so thats how I framed the question.

I'm just amazed at how pink this DELL S2740L looks even after multiple sessions of "calibration" using display drivers. I know a "Spyder" calibration tool is really the way to go, but it seems like I can't get the pink tinge out of this display no matter what I do.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

RileyB

247 posts

Master Geek

#1599129 26-Jul-2016 16:22

If you doing video editing, I've heard a lot of editors liking the ultra wide screens (3440x1440) as it gives them a nice big timeline

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#1599265 26-Jul-2016 21:32

Bluedisk, I'll start by saying I'm not trying to sell service by my next few comments, my intent is to advise free of any return.

Basically I have seen this path before, people chasing equipment and $$$ to no end because of a few basics not taken into account.

Also if you are just using your eyes for critical adjustment of the display, well you could be just falling foul of reference or lack there of to adjust to and or lack of adjustment parameters. BUT, if the display has poor primary tracking especially in the sub 40% region of luminance there can be little you can do except correct the display with an external LUT box.

If there is an underline colour error because of the design you are pretty much screwed. This quite often doesn't change with new displays, just different problems to deal with, so be aware of that especially marketing claims (spec sheets).

Most correction software in relation to PC's correct only the greyscale and white point. Some allow correction of primary points and thus points within the Gamut. However whether the software utilizes the profile is a different matter. Luckily most graphical software does, but not all, but an external LUT box doesn't care and corrects all.

Another cautionary tail is be aware of metamerisim error. Basically you could be seeing something someone else won't because of the slight difference between one person and another and how we perceive spikey spectral distribution.

Be aware with video right now the changing landscape is a mine field.

Another 4 or 5 reasons to purchase a quality measurement tool, spyders perform in the ok realm where they are entry level tools. The Xrite line is better and the next step up for colormeter designs, then you have various spectral devices. If you are serious about colour grading for video do not under estimate calibration tools.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....