Posted by Genny K. on November 18, 2013 at 1:24 AM
What are the latest suggestions for a really good monitor for photo editing?
I have been using a 17-inch CRT monitor for years! Now I'm ready for something bigger and better.
I use Windows and have an HP computer with Vista at the moment, but there's a good chance I will get a new computer in the next year, too, as it is getting older. This monitor will only be used for photo editing; nothing else. I want at least a 24-inch monitor.
Budget is $700 to $1400 or so. I am not interested in good looks, just good performance. My office has no windows, so I can control lighting and reflections. Also, I am considering getting a second monitor, too, so I can have my PS tools out of the way, and I have room. I have 2 monitors at work and I really like them.
Oh, and this is my present for Christmas so hurry and give me suggestions so I can give them to my husband so he can get it for me!!!
Posted by Genny K. on November 18, 2013 at 2:45 AM
Oh, I was also going to add, I do all my own printing. I have had an HP Designjet 130 for 7 years.
I saw the NEC P241W mentioned, and looked at the 27" too. I guess I am leaning toward the PA242 W-BK-SV, which has the Spectraview.I looked at La Cie, but did not see anything any better. Is there anything else out there I should look at. I have waited quite a while for this and I want a good one.
I have an older NEC monitor (P221W) with Spectraview and like it a lot. The NEC is a great solution at good price point. Of the two 24" monitors you mention, one has a slightly wider gamut than the other. The NEC MultiSync PA241W-BK-SV 24.1" Widescreen with Spectraview II software and colorimeter will be the best deal, since you'd pay a premium for only a slight increase in color gamut. ( 98.1 vs 99.3% Adobe RGB).
Calibration via SpectraView and sensor is very easy: You attach the sensor, create a profile target file and then run the calibration. Adjustments to luminance, contrast ratio, etc are done automatically--it's basically a hands-off operation. The results are excellent.
Highly recommended.
--P.
Posted by John Mumaw on November 18, 2013 at 2:13 PM
I have close to the same model as mentioned above (NEC 2490WUXi) and can also highly recommend it and the accompanying calibration software. If you decide to purchase a NEC monitor, Preston and I both use similar tweaked settings within SpectraView and optimized for photography that we will gladly share with you when it comes time to calibrate.
Posted by Dottie L Lloyd on November 18, 2013 at 2:16 PM
Genny,
I have the NEC PA271W with SpectraView II and LOVE IT. Combined with Epson Stylus Pro 3800 I get great prints that look like what I have on the screen.
Dottie
Posted by Genny K. on November 19, 2013 at 2:19 AM
Thanks for the info and comments. I see that B&H does not have the PA241 in stock, but they do have the PA242..... there certainly is plenty to learn about this. I did some research on the CCFL and LED as I had not heard about that before. Several people on other forums had pointed out that a CCFL is more affected by age than an LED. Since I don't use my monitor all that much, compared to those who have theirs on all day, I guess a CCFL would last a long time for me if I went with that.
There is not that much difference in cost between the PA241 and the PA242. Purty expensive, though....
Posted by Gary Minish on November 19, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Genny,
I have a Dell U3014 30" Ultrasharp monitor and am extremely happy with it. It has an IPS screen and comes with sRGB & AdobeRGB pre-calibrated presets (complete with calibration certificates) or you can calibrate it yourself. The large, high reolution screen (2560x1600) is great for working on photos and if you size some photos for the display resolution and do a slideshow I can gaurantee that you will be blown away! The Ultrasharp monitors come with a quality guarantee and I learned from experience that Dell honors it. When my monitor arrived I noticed right away that it had uneven brightness. An all white screen was bright white on one side and almost gray on the other. I called Dell and they shipped me a new one immediately, no questions asked, via FedEx express. I didn't have to return the first one until I got the new one. The new one was perfect and still is after almost two years of use. The price is at the top of the range you gave but Dell's prices fluctuate pretty frequently. I watched for a couple weeks and caught mine on sale for $1100 plus free shipping to Alaska. They also have smaller, lower resolution versions of the same screen at significantly lower prices but in my opinion the large screen is more than worth the difference.
Whatever you decide to get, I am sure you will be amazed compared to working on a CRT!
Good luck with your shopping :-)
Gary
Posted by Bruce King on November 19, 2013 at 2:18 PM
I've got the NEC PA241W and really like it. I see Amazon has it on sale for around $750 without Spectraview but still a great buy.
Here's another article from the same site that discusses Hardware Calibration Targets for NEC monitors w/ Spectra View. These targets are good starting points: You'll likely have to tweak them for your needs.
Hope this helps,
--P
Posted by Genny K. on November 24, 2013 at 6:08 PM
Thanks for all the input everyone! I think I am going with the PA242W-BK-SV, Preston. And thanks for the links to calibration info. It will be such a change from the small monitor I'm using now!
Discussion
10 repliesI have been using a 17-inch CRT monitor for years! Now I'm ready for something bigger and better.
I use Windows and have an HP computer with Vista at the moment, but there's a good chance I will get a new computer in the next year, too, as it is getting older. This monitor will only be used for photo editing; nothing else. I want at least a 24-inch monitor.
Budget is $700 to $1400 or so. I am not interested in good looks, just good performance. My office has no windows, so I can control lighting and reflections. Also, I am considering getting a second monitor, too, so I can have my PS tools out of the way, and I have room. I have 2 monitors at work and I really like them.
Oh, and this is my present for Christmas so hurry and give me suggestions so I can give them to my husband so he can get it for me!!!
I saw the NEC P241W mentioned, and looked at the 27" too. I guess I am leaning toward the PA242 W-BK-SV, which has the Spectraview.I looked at La Cie, but did not see anything any better. Is there anything else out there I should look at. I have waited quite a while for this and I want a good one.
I have an older NEC monitor (P221W) with Spectraview and like it a lot. The NEC is a great solution at good price point. Of the two 24" monitors you mention, one has a slightly wider gamut than the other. The NEC MultiSync PA241W-BK-SV 24.1" Widescreen with Spectraview II software and colorimeter will be the best deal, since you'd pay a premium for only a slight increase in color gamut. ( 98.1 vs 99.3% Adobe RGB).
Calibration via SpectraView and sensor is very easy: You attach the sensor, create a profile target file and then run the calibration. Adjustments to luminance, contrast ratio, etc are done automatically--it's basically a hands-off operation. The results are excellent.
Highly recommended.
--P.
I have the NEC PA271W with SpectraView II and LOVE IT. Combined with Epson Stylus Pro 3800 I get great prints that look like what I have on the screen.
Dottie
There is not that much difference in cost between the PA241 and the PA242. Purty expensive, though....
I have a Dell U3014 30" Ultrasharp monitor and am extremely happy with it. It has an IPS screen and comes with sRGB & AdobeRGB pre-calibrated presets (complete with calibration certificates) or you can calibrate it yourself. The large, high reolution screen (2560x1600) is great for working on photos and if you size some photos for the display resolution and do a slideshow I can gaurantee that you will be blown away! The Ultrasharp monitors come with a quality guarantee and I learned from experience that Dell honors it. When my monitor arrived I noticed right away that it had uneven brightness. An all white screen was bright white on one side and almost gray on the other. I called Dell and they shipped me a new one immediately, no questions asked, via FedEx express. I didn't have to return the first one until I got the new one. The new one was perfect and still is after almost two years of use. The price is at the top of the range you gave but Dell's prices fluctuate pretty frequently. I watched for a couple weeks and caught mine on sale for $1100 plus free shipping to Alaska. They also have smaller, lower resolution versions of the same screen at significantly lower prices but in my opinion the large screen is more than worth the difference.
Whatever you decide to get, I am sure you will be amazed compared to working on a CRT!
Good luck with your shopping :-)
Gary
http://www.amazon.com/NEC-Display-Solutions-PA241W-BK-24-1-Inch/dp/B0036V76NY
What did you decide?
If you did go with NEC and Spectra View, here's a good article about using the software:
Using Spectra View
Here's another article from the same site that discusses Hardware Calibration Targets for NEC monitors w/ Spectra View. These targets are good starting points: You'll likely have to tweak them for your needs.
Hope this helps,
--P