Best Monitor in 19-21 inch range for photo work?

[John Harrison82293]

Anyone have any suggestions for a really good monitor in the 19-21 inch rainge. I have always heard to use a CRT but if this has changed I would be interested in a 17 inch LCD. I have an old Sony that I love and have always been a fan of theirs.
Anyone have any recommendations and best place to get it?
John R.

 

[razzi]

Go for the Samsung Syncmaster 172T - an excellent monitor (and it has a very good contrast ratio of 500:1, so it's pretty good for photo work)

--
Razzi.photo - http://users.pandora.be/razzi/

 

[smoody]

I haven't used a tube monitor in years so I can't compare the state-of-the art in CRT vs. LCD but I have the Dell 1900FP and love it. The DVI connector provides a straight digital path from the graphics card to the monitor. I see details using DVI that are lost when going digital to analog (CRT) or digital to analog to digital (LCD). I also have the 20 inch Dell. The thing is a beast. The industrial design of the 19" beats the 20" by a mile if that matters to you at all.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • -- - - - - - - - - - - - SMoody

http://www.pbase.com/smoody
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[Sadja Herzog]

Canonains are a great crowd, but post prodessing is not necessarily their top priority.

I'm a wide ranging reader, but no expert and have no 1st hand familiarity with LCDs and PS. However, from my reading I believe that CRTs are still preferred by pros and sharpness and detail is not what it's about. It has to do with color depth and richness, as well as detail, and I believe that CRTs lend themselves better to calibration. BTW, many new monitors have digital inputs.

I believe that the LaCie Blue is the top rated CRT, following by Trinitron based models.

 

[Isaac Sibson]

I'm a wide ranging reader, but no expert and have no 1st hand
familiarity with LCDs and PS. However, from my reading I believe
that CRTs are still preferred by pros and sharpness and detail is
not what it's about. It has to do with color depth and richness,
as well as detail, and I believe that CRTs lend themselves better
to calibration. BTW, many new monitors have digital inputs.

I've used LCDs for PS once or twice. Never again. CRT all the way.

I believe that the LaCie Blue is the top rated CRT, following by
Trinitron based models.

LaCie's Electron Blue series are extremely highly regarded as they are tuned for accurate colour rendition. Many models (older sonys in particular, but they seem to have figured this out now) can be rather oversaturated and unrealistic. However, Sony pretty much own the CAD market, both with their own monitors and with the monitors they make for Compaq, Dell, HP, IBM, Sun and SGi.

I use a Sony 21" E500 as my primary screen, with Adi 19" and 14" as secondary and tertiary.

My ideal setup would be either a pair of Sony F520 or a pair of LaCie Electron 22 Blue IV, in either case running off a Matrox Parhelia.

--
Mostly Full Frame user!

EOS Tree + Nikon Coolscan III
Deef Hurty.

 

[pawix]

These are the best monitors. TFT, DVI.
Don't know if they are available in US.

--
Pawix is still learning
http://www.pbase.com/pawix

 

[George Thompson]

We use the Eizo for technical monitoring and in edit suites for video. Everything else is Samsung as far as flat screen panels.
GT

 

[Thomsi]

Also recommend LaCie.

Sometimes you can get a refurished one from Integrated CADD services (shipping directly from LaCie USA)
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/intcad/laciehardware.html
Thomsi

I'm a wide ranging reader, but no expert and have no 1st hand
familiarity with LCDs and PS. However, from my reading I believe
that CRTs are still preferred by pros and sharpness and detail is
not what it's about. It has to do with color depth and richness,
as well as detail, and I believe that CRTs lend themselves better
to calibration. BTW, many new monitors have digital inputs.

I've used LCDs for PS once or twice. Never again. CRT all the way.

I believe that the LaCie Blue is the top rated CRT, following by
Trinitron based models.

LaCie's Electron Blue series are extremely highly regarded as they
are tuned for accurate colour rendition. Many models (older sonys
in particular, but they seem to have figured this out now) can be
rather oversaturated and unrealistic. However, Sony pretty much own
the CAD market, both with their own monitors and with the monitors
they make for Compaq, Dell, HP, IBM, Sun and SGi.

I use a Sony 21" E500 as my primary screen, with Adi 19" and 14" as
secondary and tertiary.

My ideal setup would be either a pair of Sony F520 or a pair of
LaCie Electron 22 Blue IV, in either case running off a Matrox
Parhelia.

--
Mostly Full Frame user!

EOS Tree + Nikon Coolscan III
Deef Hurty.

 

[cpr1954]

I use a Sony Trinitron... 19".. love it..
CRT's are the best for viewing and working with photos..

cheers

Anyone have any suggestions for a really good monitor in the 19-21
inch rainge. I have always heard to use a CRT but if this has
changed I would be interested in a 17 inch LCD. I have an old Sony
that I love and have always been a fan of theirs.
Anyone have any recommendations and best place to get it?
John R.

--
CANON 10D - S-30 - A-1 film

 

[jim reid]

Probably the best way to assess the performance of the different monitors is to place them side side and see the difference. Your selection may even be based on personal preferences not on the most effective/most costly monitor. Maybe there are computer stores in your area that would let you do that. Take in a CD/disk with your favorite picture on it and try it out. When you finally make your decision make sure you buy the color testing software/hardware that will let you calibrate the monitor. Having said that I have used a 19" Sony (Dell) Trinitron for years and I like it very much. Again personal preference not necessarily the best monitor you can buy.

Good Luck Jim

Anyone have any suggestions for a really good monitor in the 19-21
inch rainge. I have always heard to use a CRT but if this has
changed I would be interested in a 17 inch LCD. I have an old Sony
that I love and have always been a fan of theirs.
Anyone have any recommendations and best place to get it?
John R.

--
Jim Reid

 

[darren]

hi john,

i have tried a few LCDs (sumsung and fujitsu) and a 21" CRT (Sony G520).

I don't think the LCD even comes close for photo display at high res yet...all the colors and highlights will go crazy on a LCD...i cannot even tell the diffence btn a shot by a 10D and a Sony S75 (3mp) on the LCD!

My only complaint about the sony would be:

1) ONly 75Hz while viewing at 2048x1536
2) need to warm up a bit b4 achieving good convergence at the edges.

otherwise:
power color
power resolution
power geometry.

Anyone have any suggestions for a really good monitor in the 19-21
inch rainge. I have always heard to use a CRT but if this has
changed I would be interested in a 17 inch LCD. I have an old Sony
that I love and have always been a fan of theirs.
Anyone have any recommendations and best place to get it?
John R.

 

[Dan Honemann]

I have a Viewsonic VX2000 20.1" LCD and am extremely happy with it.

Dan

 

[KC Chambers]

I haven't used a tube monitor in years so I can't compare the
state-of-the art in CRT vs. LCD but I have the Dell 1900FP and love
it. The DVI connector provides a straight digital path from the
graphics card to the monitor.

I see details using DVI that are
lost when going digital to analog (CRT) or digital to analog to
digital (LCD).

There is not necessarily ANY information (detail) loss in going from digital to analog. This is according to basic digital signal processing theory (DSP).

I think this is a very careless and inaccurate remark. Please review your basic Fourier and La'Place transforms to further understand this issue.

If there is any lose due to digital to analog conversion it is likely neglible compared with the myriad of other factors (color acuracy,dpi, refresh rates, price, etc...) affecting the choice of display device.

What you said DOES apply to ADC (digital sampling of analog-> digital). This is when information is lost due to sampling and aliasing occurs. Again a thorough understanding of time to frequency domain transformations is required. But for those without background in advanced integration and differential eqn's the Nyquist frequency provides a useful rule of thumb.

Even ADC probably poses little problems as far as detail is concerned due to the extremely cheap DSP chips that have been developed in recent years. They provide ample sample resolution and frequencies.

I would go with a CRT personally. They simple have much much better pictures ESPECIALLY for the money. I really don't think there is any comparison, objectively by the specs, or subjectively.

If you truely want quailty. If want what is chich though, go with an LCD. Your video card is also important.

I use and recommend any trinitron or similar high resolution 19" or greater tube with an ATI radeon 9700 or other good video card.

Good luck!

KC

This gist is

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • -- - - - - - - - - - - - SMoody

http://www.pbase.com/smoody
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--
Love my Canons=es forty + es nine-hundred

 

[smoody]

My remark is NOT careless. It comes from my experience in real world situations.

There are many MINUTE details I can see on my DVI LCD display that I have not been able to see on my friend's CRTs -- including a very subtle banding that occurs in 1Ds photos from time to time. I don't doubt that, in theory, your mathematics are right, but when you're dealing with lighting pixels on a pixel-based LCD display vs. hoping the very analog gun on a CRT is properly aligned and whatnot, then, the LCD at least 9 times out of 10.

This is not about theory, it's about implementation and mantufacturing quality tolerences. That's my opinion based on my real world experience. You might have different real world experiences and opinions, but that does not make me careless.

So please do not label me as careless. In my opinion, making a buying deicision based on mathematical priciples is careless.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • -- - - - - - - - - - - - SMoody

http://www.pbase.com/smoody
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

[Miro118619]

There is no LCD on this world that comes close to good CRT in resolution and color definition. If you want the best, will have to sacrifice the space for quality. Get good CRT monitor and calibrate it. Do not use signal cable extensions or switch boxes because they pick up noise (DVI has the edge there, but it's limited in resolution, 1280xsomething, I believe). Also, very important, you will need good video card.

I am using Viewsonic PF790 (flat screen) and Geforce4 Ti video card and I'm extremly happy with it. Only problem I have is HDTV and radio transmitter close to my apartment, that can interfere with the monitor, so it appears as it's flickering every once in a while... But that's what the big tube does.

Few years ago I saw the top of the line Xerox LCD display with ultra high resolution. The picture looked as it was drawn on the piece of paper using black ink. However, it was b&w. And very slow.

My 5c,

-Miro

I have a Viewsonic VX2000 20.1" LCD and am extremely happy with it.

Dan

 

[John Davis]

All that is nice and good but what we are talking about here is practical implementation of large production commercial products. 2 extra steps - A/D and D/A can certainly degrade the signal.

Fourier and Laplace transforms... you did forget wavelet and Hartley in the mix.

John

I haven't used a tube monitor in years so I can't compare the
state-of-the art in CRT vs. LCD but I have the Dell 1900FP and love
it. The DVI connector provides a straight digital path from the
graphics card to the monitor.

I see details using DVI that are
lost when going digital to analog (CRT) or digital to analog to
digital (LCD).

There is not necessarily ANY information (detail) loss in going
from digital to analog. This is according to basic digital signal
processing theory (DSP).

I think this is a very careless and inaccurate remark. Please
review your basic Fourier and La'Place transforms to further
understand this issue.

If there is any lose due to digital to analog conversion it is
likely neglible compared with the myriad of other factors (color
acuracy,dpi, refresh rates, price, etc...) affecting the choice of
display device.

What you said DOES apply to ADC (digital sampling of
analog-> digital). This is when information is lost due to sampling
and aliasing occurs. Again a thorough understanding of time to
frequency domain transformations is required. But for those
without background in advanced integration and differential eqn's
the Nyquist frequency provides a useful rule of thumb.

Even ADC probably poses little problems as far as detail is
concerned due to the extremely cheap DSP chips that have been
developed in recent years. They provide ample sample resolution
and frequencies.

I would go with a CRT personally. They simple have much much
better pictures ESPECIALLY for the money. I really don't think
there is any comparison, objectively by the specs, or subjectively.

If you truely want quailty. If want what is chich though, go with
an LCD. Your video card is also important.

I use and recommend any trinitron or similar high resolution 19" or
greater tube with an ATI radeon 9700 or other good video card.

Good luck!

KC

This gist is

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • -- - - - - - - - - - - - SMoody

http://www.pbase.com/smoody
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

--
Love my Canons=es forty + es nine-hundred

 

[John Davis]

Anyone have any suggestions for a really good monitor in the 19-21
inch rainge. I have always heard to use a CRT but if this has
changed I would be interested in a 17 inch LCD. I have an old Sony
that I love and have always been a fan of theirs.
Anyone have any recommendations and best place to get it?
John R.

Probably the best LCD panel for photography is the SHARP LL-T1820.

John

 

[Ted B.47613]

I recently bought a Viewsonic VX900 LCD display. I could never get the contrast right. It seemed to drop off rapidly in the shadows and no amount of contrast/brightness adj. would bring them back while still preserving the rest of the luminance range. I had it attached to the ATI 9700 All In Wonder, btw, using the digital connector & cable.

When I went back to my Viewsonic PF790, there were waves of interference in the shadowmask screen (whatever that's called) on the CRT. It may have been vibration from the huge cooling fan on the video card, or it may have been RF of some kind, but I had to go back to my old Geforce DDR card as well. Compusa was very reluctant to take back the ATI card, but I spend a little money there from time to time and I think they were good enough at math to make the right decision.

Perhaps the LCD monitors will work if calibrated with a Spyder that can adjust the gamma curve, but I am put off from getting one until my Spyder can do LCDs. Even then, I'd have to see a calibrated LCD panel before I'd take the plunge again.

But boy did I enjoy all that extra destop real estate while I had it.

One more issue: I have a 5 year old and a 19 month old and the worry about something being tossed into the front of the LCD and ruining it, or damage from littel fingers, made me feel it was the wrong type of monitor for my house. Some LCDs have protective plastic/glass in front of the screen, but the Viewsonic did not.

Ted

I haven't used a tube monitor in years so I can't compare the
state-of-the art in CRT vs. LCD but I have the Dell 1900FP and love
it. The DVI connector provides a straight digital path from the
graphics card to the monitor.

I see details using DVI that are
lost when going digital to analog (CRT) or digital to analog to
digital (LCD).

There is not necessarily ANY information (detail) loss in going
from digital to analog. This is according to basic digital signal
processing theory (DSP).

I think this is a very careless and inaccurate remark. Please
review your basic Fourier and La'Place transforms to further
understand this issue.

If there is any lose due to digital to analog conversion it is
likely neglible compared with the myriad of other factors (color
acuracy,dpi, refresh rates, price, etc...) affecting the choice of
display device.

What you said DOES apply to ADC (digital sampling of
analog-> digital). This is when information is lost due to sampling
and aliasing occurs. Again a thorough understanding of time to
frequency domain transformations is required. But for those
without background in advanced integration and differential eqn's
the Nyquist frequency provides a useful rule of thumb.

Even ADC probably poses little problems as far as detail is
concerned due to the extremely cheap DSP chips that have been
developed in recent years. They provide ample sample resolution
and frequencies.

I would go with a CRT personally. They simple have much much
better pictures ESPECIALLY for the money. I really don't think
there is any comparison, objectively by the specs, or subjectively.

If you truely want quailty. If want what is chich though, go with
an LCD. Your video card is also important.

I use and recommend any trinitron or similar high resolution 19" or
greater tube with an ATI radeon 9700 or other good video card.

Good luck!

KC

This gist is

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • -- - - - - - - - - - - - SMoody

http://www.pbase.com/smoody
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

--
Love my Canons=es forty + es nine-hundred

--
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
Will Rogers

 

[kalahari]

I use a 21" trinitron CRT -- flat screen type -- I am not so sure if this is the best monitor to use. At least when calibrating using the Spyder. It makes a large correction close to the black point. The black point has a strong red tone when calibrated to 6500k.

The built in D65 profile does not have this issue. The issue only shows up when using the Precalibration feature in the profiling software.

cheers

Anyone have any suggestions for a really good monitor in the 19-21
inch rainge. I have always heard to use a CRT but if this has
changed I would be interested in a 17 inch LCD. I have an old Sony
that I love and have always been a fan of theirs.
Anyone have any recommendations and best place to get it?
John R.

--
CANON 10D - S-30 - A-1 film

 

[KC Chambers]

I agree. Anyone who knows what they are talking about will tell you CRT, LCD is not even in the same league.

Miro,
An RF choke might help with the radio interference.

I just designed a high frequency amplifier for short-wave radio (7.1 MHz) and gots some for the ant. Coax. for it (a balun actually).

Check out Palomar Engineering on the web. They have some nice chokes and are knowledgeable enough to help you.

KC

I am using Viewsonic PF790 (flat screen) and Geforce4 Ti video card
and I'm extremly happy with it. Only problem I have is HDTV and
radio transmitter close to my apartment, that can interfere with
the monitor, so it appears as it's flickering every once in a
while... But that's what the big tube does.

Few years ago I saw the top of the line Xerox LCD display with
ultra high resolution. The picture looked as it was drawn on the
piece of paper using black ink. However, it was b&w. And very slow.

My 5c,

-Miro

I have a Viewsonic VX2000 20.1" LCD and am extremely happy with it.

Dan

--
Love my Canons=es forty + es nine-hundred