Which Monitor Do You Use For Your Photo Editing?

[Mamiya2Nikon]

I'm looking for a 22" flat screen LCD monitor that doesn't have TN Matrix Panels. As great as Eizo and LaCie monitors are for editing images, they don't produce sharp text characters for business applications. This narrows my choices down to S-IPS flat screen LCD monitors.

Can you recommend a non-TN matrix monitor that does a good job with color accuracy and also text?

Thanks.

[Mamiya2Nikon]

Originally Posted by Arfur

I don't know if they do or don't have "TN Matrix Panels", but I use glossy 20" and 24" iMac screens for image editing. And they are razor sharp.

Thanks for your response, Arfur. I've heard good things about iMac monitors. How accurate is the color? Is it practical to connect them to PC's?

[wingspar]

Originally Posted by Mamiya2Nikon

As great as Eizo and LaCie monitors are for editing images, they don't produce sharp text characters for business applications.

They don’t? Should I take my LaCie 324 back?

Seriously, where did you hear that? Must be a bad rumor somewhere.

[SyCo]

A TN panel doesn't make a good image editing monitor. VA are ok such as Dells Ultrasharp but typically cost twice as much. IPS offer the best quality but be prepared to pay.

This should give you some details.
LCD Panel Technology Explained - S-IPS, H-IPS, S-PVA, MVA and TN

[SyCo]

Originally Posted by Arfur

iMacs are PCs

PC = Personel computer. Mac. Linux and Windows, all PC's.

[Mamiya2Nikon]

Gary, I said that due to some reviews of a Eizo monitor which is along with La Cie, the "cream of the crop." One reviewer in particular, showed enlarged images of text and said that they were not sharp. I think that he/she said that was due to the S-PVA panel.
That's why I made the statement about text.

Even if that's not your experience, a LaCie or Eizo is way over my budget, anyway.

Rob

[SyCo]

You might want to checkout slickdeals.net lots of bargains posted in the forums there.

[wingspar]

Originally Posted by Mamiya2Nikon

Gary, I said that due to some reviews of a Eizo monitor which is along with La Cie, the "cream of the crop." One reviewer in particular, showed enlarged images of text and said that they were not sharp. I think that he/she said that was due to the S-PVA panel.
That's why I made the statement about text.

Even if that's not your experience, a LaCie or Eizo is way over my budget, anyway.

No, that is Not my experience, and the LaCie 324 is an S-PVA panel. I couldn’t afford the IPS panels that LaCie makes. You could probably enlarge the text from just about any monitor, and get results that are not sharp, specially if you are not using the monitors native resolution.

Anyway, I won’t go further since it’s out of your budget anyway. I’ve learned to read reviews with a grain of salt. Some are more dependable than others. If I went by the reviews, there is no way I would have bought this monitor. I did my own research, and capped it off by taking a long trip just to look at one. I came from a CRT monitor, and there was some things to get used to, but I really like this monitor.

The Dell 2209WA is an IPS panel, and got nothing but rave reviews from users in all the photo forums. Dell sold them for around $230 or less, depending on whether you ordered online, or talked to a salesman on the phone. I was going to get one for my other computer, but it seems like they have discontinued the 2209WA, one of the most popular monitors ever, tho I read where they will start selling them again in the next month or two once they have built their stock back up. That’s a rumor, but if they go back on the market, I’ll get one. There are more than one 2209 model, just make sure it is the 2209WA. Any other letters behind the 2209, keep looking.

If you wanted to go with a 24" panel, both Dell and HP seem to have IPS panels that are very popular. Not sure of the model numbers, so I’ll not try and mention them from memory. The Fred Miranda Post-processing & Printing Forum is very active on monitors, and is where I would, and did post all my questions when I did my research for a new monitor a few months ago.

If you go to this page and type in IPS, it will bring up all the IPS monitors on the market, and there is a bunch.

[Tareq]

I bought Eizo ColorEdge CG222W about 2 days ago, first impression it is an outstanding monitor, but not sure after long turn with this monitor how it will perform, so i can wait and see, and i bought it to use it with my Mac Mini after my laptop MacBook Pro doesn't work anymore and fix is way so expensive.
Now after this monitor i am so tempting to buy a new monitor for my another computer [Windows based] for gaming and movies and another stuff not photo editing, and i want it to be in 20-22" range, so i am not sure this time what should i get.

[gryphonslair99]

Maybe this will help: Comprehensive List of S-IPS/H-IPS/e-IPS and other IPS Based LCD Monitors

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by Mamiya2Nikon

Can you recommend a non-TN matrix monitor that does a good job with color accuracy and also text?

Sure can. I use and can highly recommend this one:

NEC | MultiSync 2690WU2-BK-SV 25.5" | LCD2690W2-BK-SV | B&H

and without the color calibrator:

NEC | MultiSync 2690WUXi2 25.5" | LCD2690WUXI2-BK | B&H

But if I were buying today, I'd look closely at this:

NEC | MultiSync 3090WQXi 30" Widescreen | LCD3090WQXI-BK

What I've discovered is that you quickly get used to lots of screen space. I wouldn't want to go smaller than 25" or so. Last time I tried 30" screens there were issues with color uniformity. The NEC is probably a notch above most others on the market.

[vadim]

Originally Posted by Arfur

I don't know if they do or don't have "TN Matrix Panels", but I use glossy 20" and 24" iMac screens for image editing. And they are razor sharp.

My understanding that 'sharpness' of a monitor whatever it means is a very minor factor for photoediting. Correct color reproduction, correct black/white levels, viewing angles adn gamut width play far more important role.

[Tareq]

Originally Posted by vadim

My understanding that 'sharpness' of a monitor whatever it means is a very minor factor for photoediting. Correct color reproduction, correct black/white levels, viewing angles adn gamut width play far more important role.

Exactly, same my points, but i am sure he will not meaning only sharpness, sure he will say that even the colors and brightness levels and whatever are also great, mostly people in photography world mostly going with sharp results always over the colors results, dunno, but i think they prefer sharp result with wrong colors over soft or blurred result with amazing or correct colors.