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marshmallow88
marshmallow88
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Which monitor for accurate color management?

Aug 1, 2011 8:56 PM

I shoot digital product and food photography using a mac powerbook. I've been using a LaCie CRT (yes, I said CRT) monitor for fine tuning my photos. It has finally started acting up so I'm ready for a new monitor. Can anyone recommend a dependable monitor that has color, brightness and contrast controls for use with establishing color managed profiles using eye1 macbeth (now that company is called something else which I can not remember at the moment). Obviously it needs to be accurate when it comes to color, brightness and contrast as well.

I ended up using my laptop screen this past shoot cause I had no other choice - but it made me really nervous.....

thanks -

 

2198 Views   14 Replies   Latest reply: marshmallow88, Sep 15, 2011 3:46 PM
 
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    1. Tai Lao,
    Aug 1, 2011 9:22 PM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    First of all, my sincere condolences for your loss.  Losing your last high-end CRT is a traumatic loss.  I'm still hanging on to two (2) of them!  (Knock on wood!)

     

    Highly recommended monitors:

     

     

     

    The NEC 2690 and 2490.

     

    You want to use the SpectraView II software to conduct all the work internally and use GammaComp and ColorComp.

     

     

     

    If Andrew Rodney chimes in with updated recommendations, listen to his advice.

     

     

     

    ____________

    Wo Tai Lao Le

    我太老了

     
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  • Andrew Rodney
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    Apr 16, 2009
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    2. Andrew Rodney,
    Aug 2, 2011 6:45 AM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    I’d look into the newer line of NEC SpectraView’s (PA series). You’ll want to calibrate them with their insturment which is mated for the wide gamut panel and use their SpectraView II software (or Multiprofiler without an instrument, your pick).

     
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  • Gernot Hoffmann
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    3. Gernot Hoffmann,
    Aug 2, 2011 11:07 AM   in reply to Tai Lao
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    If Andrew Rodney chimes in with updated recommendations, listen to his advice.

     

    That's probably traditional chinese wisdom.

     

    Hundred thousands of people are using correctly calibrated monitors.

     

    Best regards --Gernot Hoffmann

     
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  • marshmallow88
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    4. marshmallow88,
    Aug 2, 2011 7:20 PM   in reply to Andrew Rodney
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    Trying not to spend extra money - is the old Gretag Macbeth profiling

    software/system not good with the recommended monitors?

     
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    5. Tai Lao,
    Aug 2, 2011 8:44 PM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    marshmallow88 wrote:

     

    Trying not to spend extra money - is the old Gretag Macbeth profiling

    software/system not good with the recommended monitors?

     

    Do you want honest advice and recommendations or are you just looking for reassurance? 

     

    If the former, just see the above posts.  If the latter, I wouldn't know what to tell you. 

     

     

     

    ____________

    Wo Tai Lao Le

    我太老了

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    6. Tai Lao,
    Aug 2, 2011 8:48 PM   in reply to Gernot Hoffmann
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    Gernot Hoffmann wrote:

     

    …That's probably traditional chinese wisdom…

     

    Vielleicht das auch… 

     
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  • Andrew Rodney
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    Apr 16, 2009
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    7. Andrew Rodney,
    Aug 3, 2011 6:33 AM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    marshmallow88 wrote:

     

    Trying not to spend extra money - is the old Gretag Macbeth profiling

    software/system not good with the recommended monitors?

    The instrument may be supported in SpectraView II depending on how old it is. But you want to drive the calibration and profile process on a SpectraView II using their software to take full control of the panel. You do not want to use the GretagMacbeth software to calibrate the SpectraView II system.

     
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  • marshmallow88
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    8. marshmallow88,
    Sep 14, 2011 4:45 PM   in reply to Andrew Rodney
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    Andrew - thank you for the helpful information.  The PA series is a little higher than I wanted to spend (when adding in the spectravision II) - what do you (and anyone else reading this) think about the

    NEC MultiSync P221W-BK 22" Widescreen LCD Computer Display with Calibrator

     

    it comes with the spectravision II and is only $600\

     

    I do product and food photography for print (sell sheets)

     
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  • Andrew Rodney
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    Apr 16, 2009
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    9. Andrew Rodney,
    Sep 14, 2011 5:02 PM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    If you can’t afford or justify the PA, go P221W with software and instrument. Its the NEC entry level SpectraView but sill provides a lot of bang for the buck.

     
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  • marshmallow88
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    10. marshmallow88,
    Sep 14, 2011 5:17 PM   in reply to Andrew Rodney
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    Can you give me an idea of the difference in the color accuracy.  I can buy it if I need to.

     

    And will I be able to plug my mac powerbook into it?

     
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  • Andrew Rodney
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    11. Andrew Rodney,
    Sep 14, 2011 5:18 PM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    The big differences is the PA is a IPS display and the P221W isn’t. The PA is a newer, more expensive panel that access PIP, can access the newer Multiprofiler software.

     
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  • marshmallow88
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    12. marshmallow88,
    Sep 14, 2011 5:23 PM   in reply to Andrew Rodney
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    Thanks Andrew - but - maybe you can talk down to me a little bit

     

     

    I didn't really understand that.  What does it mean in terms of how accurate the color will be?  I have to provide images to my client color managed to go to print.

     
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  • Andrew Rodney
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    Apr 16, 2009
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    13. Andrew Rodney,
    Sep 14, 2011 5:40 PM   in reply to marshmallow88
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    If you can afford the PA series, get that, if not, get the P221W.

     
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  • marshmallow88
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    14. marshmallow88,
    Sep 15, 2011 3:46 PM   in reply to Andrew Rodney
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    Thanks for everybody's input.  I ended up getting the NEC 241W-BK-SV.  It was more than I wanted to spend but it does offer the whole solution (including the SV) and I know that when I'm under the gun, getting those images processed under a timeline, I'm going to want to be working with a dependable monitor/color management system.

     
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