Monitor advice needed please

saxon_image

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22 Aug 2011 - 7:20 PM

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I'm thinking of upgrading both PC and monitor shortly. PC choice is relatively easy. However, there seem to be new LED panels available claiming to offer a huge contrast ratio and rapid response time with "intense detail and vivid colours" over LCD. Does anyone have any experience of these that they could share.

I currently have a 19 inch Samsung Syncmaster 931which has served me well for four years but with monitor prices low moving to modern 22 inch seems to make sense - but which type is best for photo editing and easiest to calibrate?

Thanks.

Paul

Big Bri

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22 Aug 2011 - 7:35 PM

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I have an HP one, picture quality is good, very bright, but the thing is so damn light that the slightest breeze makes it rock!

GlennH (e2 Member)

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22 Aug 2011 - 8:06 PM

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LED and LCD are the same product Paul, except one refers to backlighting and the other refers to panel technology.

Really there's no benefit from a photographer's point of view in buying an LED screen, at least at the moment, because they tend to feature low-end panels and have no particular advantage for photo editing. They're very much in vogue in laptops because they preserve energy and enable a slimmer design. Might be great for gaming.

Huge contrast ratios are usually trumped-up marketing hype, and are a red herring as far as photographers are concerned anyway, given that photographic output (ie prints) has a relatively low contrast ratio.

saxon_image

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22 Aug 2011 - 10:01 PM

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Thanks folks - very useful.

Paul

cameracat (e2 Member)

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22 Aug 2011 - 10:13 PM

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Quote: claiming to offer a huge contrast ratio and rapid response time

Just to add to GennH input, Yep! Those overblown contrast figures are just that marketing hype, Not worth paying attention to......The other give away on a " Cheapo " panel is the fast response times, Generally these will be " TN " type panels, That are in all honesty total crap for serious photographic work.....End Off ....


Quote: moving to modern 22 inch seems to make sense

Just keep an eye on the resolution they offer, Anything with so called HD figures ie: 1080 etc, Is gonna be pants for photo work, Ideally you want something around 1600 or higher on the width, With around 1200 or so on the height ( Kinda depends on overall size and panel quality ).....!!!

This Dell model is a good example of a decent panel ( IPS technology ) with a decent resolution at a decent price, Just check the reviews on it.....

Whatever, You look at double check the viewing angles, 178 degrees V & H is brilliant, Anything lower than that a waste of time.....

EDIT: Haha me slow again tonight..... Add to that " And what Chris_L says...

speedprint

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22 Aug 2011 - 10:58 PM

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you might like to check this out
http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/s-ips-lcd-list.ph

GlennH (e2 Member)

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22 Aug 2011 - 11:39 PM

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My biggest concern with the Dell U2311H that Vince linked to would be that it has a 6-bit LG e-IPS panel, which would ordinarily be off-putting for its potential lack of colour accuracy and increased likelihood of banding. However, colour accuracy is precisely what TFT Central rave about with regard to this monitor, so it's obviously armed with exceptional dithering capability. Perhaps a new era in affordable, higher quality displays.

Personally I'm never preoccupied by resolution when looking at monitors. I've even noticed one or two well-travelled photographers bemoaning screens that make everything look deceptively sharp because of a fine pixel pitch.

GlennH (e2 Member)

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23 Aug 2011 - 7:57 AM

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Quote: How van you tell if a monitor is an S-IPS model is that indicated in a monitors model name or part number?

Generally has to be researched, although the spec is more likely to be given if it's a selling point. Dell for instance use a lot of panels made by LG, so certain details that are breezed over by them (such as 6-bit colour depth) can be seen more clearly if you trace the product back to LG.