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Monitor for photo editing, what to buy

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JohnC24

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Hi all,

I am thinking about getting a monitor for editing my photos, however, i got 2 questions:

1) I currently use my sony laptop with (i guess) TN LCD 1080p display (bought it new in 2011).

Contrast and clarity whise, does it make sense to buy a new Led IPS monitor?

2) I was searching for a good but reasonably priced monitor for photo editing, yet I got lost in the great amount of technical specs and models the manufacturers have.

I have found this Dell 2413 (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=320-9567) and the Dell U2415.

which appeare to be nice for its

- reasonable price ($ 550 - € 450), which also is my max budget

- IPS panel with 99 % sRGB colorspace

- factory calibrated colors.

However, I've found lots of critics on the monitor having 'ghosting' problems.

I also noticed that for example LG offers lots of IPS panels. I can't really tell which one is any good, and the same for other manufacturers.

So my question to you is, what monitors for photo editing can you recommend me?

Thanx in advance!

kind regards

John
 
I just found this thread, as I am also shopping for an IPS monitor for photo editing. Anyone else have some input? Basically bumping the thread in hopes of hearing more responses.
 
I bought this monitor a year ago. I have been very pleased with it's output. It comes precalibrated for AdobeRGB and sRGP. Thinking of replacing my second monitor with another one of these.

ASUS PA249Q 24-Inch Screen LCD Monitor

Here is a link to ASUS: http://www.asus.com/us/Monitors/PA249Q/
 
I have been using a Dell 23 inch "U" series monitor for 2-3 years now. If it died I would order another one. Great ergonomics, matte screen, very reasonable price. Price lower now then when I bought mine. I give it a 5 star rating.

Best Regards,

Guido
 
I am also looking for a good 24" wide gamut monitor (prefer 16:10) for image editing work only.

I started a thread: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/55456798

I ordered and am returned two Dell U2413 monitors due to magenta/cyan tinting in the corners on dark backgrounds. I very much wanted this monitor to work for me as it is the most inexpensive wide gamut.

This is a picture of the issue taken with daylight WB: http://g1.img-dpreview.com/440124733761434CAF20F6257F116806.jpg

As you can see totally unacceptable for image editing. For bright full screen images it is not noticeable, but if an image has darker corners they looked hazed. Also my image editing SW (also like DPR web interface) uses a dark grey background, so I see a magenta grey around the top of the editor and a cyan tinge at the bottom.

I ordered a 2nd thinking it would be better, but it was near identical.

So I am now considering which to get:

NEC PA242W-BK ($750)

Asus PA249Q ($480)

Eizo CS240 ($830)

I am leaning toward the NEC
 
If you have the same issue with an NEC monitor, then what do you do?

Best Regards,

Guido
 
When I was looking for an IPS monitor, I read the reviews at TFT central and chose a Dell. My Brother has a calibrated Eizo and while it is larger, my eyes do not see a large enough difference to justify the additional cost . Now, please be advised that my eyes are 61 years old.I wear glasses, he is 58 and does not wear glasses. Does this make a difference?

It seemed rather odd to me that you had 2 samples of the same monitor that exhibited the same problem. Could you have a problem with your video card? Is the card using a current driver? Have you tried a new cable? If you borrowed a friend's monitor, could you replicate what had previously taken place?

It is just as important, IMO, to properly calibrate, and set up your monitor and to be able to control any influences that impact the screen. My Dell is set up in a dedicated room with no light falling directly on the screen.

Just my .02 worth.Hope this helped.

Best Regards,

Guido
 
guido1953 said:
When I was looking for an IPS monitor, I read the reviews at TFT central and chose a Dell. My Brother has a calibrated Eizo and while it is larger, my eyes do not see a large enough difference to justify the additional cost . Now, please be advised that my eyes are 61 years old.I wear glasses, he is 58 and does not wear glasses. Does this make a difference?

It seemed rather odd to me that you had 2 samples of the same monitor that exhibited the same problem. Could you have a problem with your video card? Is the card using a current driver? Have you tried a new cable? If you borrowed a friend's monitor, could you replicate what had previously taken place?

It is just as important, IMO, to properly calibrate, and set up your monitor and to be able to control any influences that impact the screen. My Dell is set up in a dedicated room with no light falling directly on the screen.

Just my .02 worth.Hope this helped.

Best Regards,

Guido
Click to expand...
The corner glow has nothing to do with cables or vid card or calibration. It is present even with no computer attached.

Both samples had it, but not the same distribution of the corner glow.

Other customers have noted the exact same issue.

My prior Dell 2007wfp does not have this issue at all.

When I get a monitor that works it does go into my photo studio with proper lighting.
 
I read the two U2413 reviews that Pictus provided on his contribution. They did not experience the problem that you did on your samples. They did mention, while not being a "professional" monitor, it was still good.

I hope you resolve your dilemma.

Best Regards,

Guido
 
guido1953 said:
I read the two U2413 reviews that Pictus provided on his contribution. They did not experience the problem that you did on your samples. They did mention, while not being a "professional" monitor, it was still good.

I hope you resolve your dilemma.

Best Regards,

Guido
Click to expand...
Yes and based on those reviews I bought one figuring the complaints were from overly picky folks and/or bad luck. I ordered a 2nd thinking it was just bad luck.

As to perfect 'professional' picture, this flaw goes way beyond that. I'd rather work on a standard gamut monitor without this issue vs. this full gamut with the tinted glowing corners. The other 'flaws' to perfection, for example slight only machine measurable or trained observer differences in uniformity or color I could live with, but not a flaw that is so readily apparent it can not be ignored while working.
 
noisebeam:

I hear your frustration and I am sorry for you.. If you have the $, then try an NEC. If you have a similar problem with the NEC, then you need to problem solve and resolve.

I hope the NEC rocks your world.

Best Regards,

Guido
 
noisebeam said:
The corner glow has nothing to do with cables or vid card or calibration. It is present even with no computer attached.

Both samples had it, but not the same distribution of the corner glow.

Other customers have noted the exact same issue.

My prior Dell 2007wfp does not have this issue at all.

When I get a monitor that works it does go into my photo studio with proper lighting.
Click to expand...
.

The U2413 with its' AH-IPS matrix and GB-LED backllight is a bit different from the 2007WFP that had either a S-IPS matrix or a S-PVA matrix with a CCFL backlight.

I believe the S-IPS panel of the 2007WFP would show a dark blue/magenta tint/caste in the upper corners with a black screen as the background but only if you looked at it from across the screen and at a shallow angle. So maybe not as irritating but certainly S-IPS panels from a few years back had their own issues. The 2007WFP also exhibited noticeable banding in the grays which was difficult to eliminate despite being an 8bit panel.

Naturally, the S-PVA had none of this but it would crush the blacks when viewed straight on.

There are been posts in various forums which allude to Dell and others buying lower grade panels while NEC and EIZO buy the top grade. This, and superior electronics, may explain the increase in cost as well as the lack of caste's inherent to the panel.

.
 
JohnC24 said:
Hi all,

I am thinking about getting a monitor for editing my photos, however, i got 2 questions:

1) I currently use my sony laptop with (i guess) TN LCD 1080p display (bought it new in 2011).

Contrast and clarity whise, does it make sense to buy a new Led IPS monitor?

2) I was searching for a good but reasonably priced monitor for photo editing, yet I got lost in the great amount of technical specs and models the manufacturers have.

I have found this Dell 2413 (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=320-9567) and the Dell U2415.

which appeare to be nice for its

- reasonable price ($ 550 - € 450), which also is my max budget

- IPS panel with 99 % sRGB colorspace

- factory calibrated colors.

However, I've found lots of critics on the monitor having 'ghosting' problems.

I also noticed that for example LG offers lots of IPS panels. I can't really tell which one is any good, and the same for other manufacturers.

So my question to you is, what monitors for photo editing can you recommend me?

Thanx in advance!

kind regards

John
Click to expand...
I had the same challenge. Wanting a good but reasonably priced monitor... and getting lost in the specs. As is often the case, when I read specs and reviews I find myself spending more as they convince me that certain features or ratings are needed.

But then I sat back and considered my current monitor. It was just the stock monitor that came with my Dell six years ago - nothing special and definitely not an IPS monitor. Yet it took calibration well and I've never felt like it limited my photo editing (prints look good). So I figure that any new model with IPS will be an improvement, and honestly I just can't justify the price of the better monitors. So I pulled the trigger on a Dell U2414H. Maybe not the best, but not the cheapest either. Hopefully it serves me well.
 
Pictus said:
noisebeam said:
How would you pick between the two (putting cost delta aside as a non factor)?
Click to expand...
Look at the reviews and get the one with better calibration response(lower delta) and better panel homogeneity.
Click to expand...
I am getting the NEC.

But I am not sure if with SpectraviewII or not. Eventually I do want calibrator (I used older Xrite iDisplay now, but it does not work with wide gamut)

Looks like prices now are:

PA242W without SVII = $750 or PA242W with SVII = $1000. The SVII SW/HW package separate = $235

(seems lower cost to buy PA242W and SVII SW/HE separate)

But will the SVII SW/HW package calibrate non-NEC monitor? This thread (2010) seems to suggest yes: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/2869841

But I've read elsewhere, NO.

On another tangent... I am also tempted by the NEC PA272W monitor ($1000 or $1200 with SVII)

It is 16:9 2560 x 1440 (vs. PA242 16:10 1920 x 1200). Main concern is that text/toobars in some SW will be too small for me on this 27" monitor with smaller ppi?
 
I've gotten in the comfortable habit of using my Spyder 2 Express calibrator monthly with my venerable non-IPS 19" Viewsonic monitor but 1) I'm about upgrade slightly to a 23" or 24" IPS monitor which will just fit within my $400 budget, and 2) I just picked up the Spyder 4 Elite in Vancouver, Canada, on the last weekend at the close-out and US Dollar exchange equivalevt price of $112 as a welcoming present for my new monitor which has not yet been selected.

I had considered Dell but it seems that most, perhaps all, of the Dell U series can only be calbrated by another, more expensive calibrator whose brand name I can't recall but has been noted in many posts re the U Dells. Now I realize my Canadian calibrator purchase shouldn't drive my monitor selection but I must admit it does, just a bit.

My choices are now pretty much narrowed down to the low-end NECs and Asus and I hope I can a satisfactort upgrade with those choices.

--
Jim Mohundro
 
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