I need a new monitor

[Hockeyshots]

Hello, everyone...

My first post. I just found this forum and I'm hoping to kind of make it a second home.

I did a quick search and scoped out some FAQs to see if this particular question had been asked and answered, and I didn't see that it had. But I'll admit, I didn't exactly scour the site looking. If there already is a thread or FAQ that speaks to this question, please point me at it. Thanks in advance.

My monitor has had it, at least as far as digital photo processing is concerned. It's far to bright and has developed an ever so slight greenish cast to it. It's a 21" Dell flat screen CRT (the Sony Monitor) and till now it's been awesome. But it's time is drawing near and a new monitor is definitely in my not too distant future.

So, I'm curious. What do you guys use, and what would you suggest? My preference is higher end v. lower end. I'll tell you, I've seen what I believe would be an excellent PC monitor: a high-def 20-something" Sony Wega TV, flat screen CRT. Beautiful picture. But it's not exactly a PC monitor. It's more like a TV that can be used as a PC monitor. So I don't know.

What do you guys say?

Thanks. HS.

[Photo-John]

HS-
Sorry it's taken me a while to get to your post.

Before we talk about monitors we should talk about color management and monitor calibration. Have you calibrated your old monitor? Do you know about color management? If not, that's the place to start. And here's are a couple of links to information on color management.

http://www.photographyreview.com/pho...guide4crx.aspx
http://www.pcphotoreview.com/colorvi...tlightcrx.aspx

No matter what monitor you buy, you won't get accurate, predictable color unless you use some sort of calibration system.

It does sound like your monitor has seen better days. You can probably squeeze some more life out of it if you use a good calibration system to profile it. But if you're ready to buy a new one, I've got some ideas.

I've always used Sony monitors and unless something has really changed, CRTs are still the way to go. I don't know anything about using a high-def Sony WEGA TV for a computer monitor. I don't think the resolution of high-def TVs is as high as a good computer monitor yet, though. If I was going to buy a new monitor (I'm actually thinking about it), I'd be looking at the high-end Sony Artisan monitor or a LaCie. Both are made for high-end graphics work and are designed and offered with hardware calibration devices. Here are links to a couple:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...QS=MT_GDMC520K

Hmmm - I just checked the LaCie site and they're no longer selling CRTs. But this looks pretty sweet: http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10539

I've been looking at this discontinued Sony 24" CRT: http://www.shop.com/op/~24inch_SONY_...-prod-18593686

Warning - I don't know anything about that vendor.

Remember, calibration is the key. Figure a color mnagement package into whatever you buy.

[Hockeyshots]

Have you calibrated your old monitor?

No, I never did, but that's because by the time I started seriously processing my digital photos (about 1 year ago) my monitor was already on the downhill slide.

Do you know about color management?

Yeah.

It does sound like your monitor has seen better days. You can probably squeeze some more life out of it if you use a good calibration system to profile it.

No, really, it's done. When it winks out during power save, it still illuminates the room with a greenish glow and you can see a few diagonal video lines/artifacts across the screen. If I power it down and try to power it back up again, sometimes it is reluctant to display a workable screen (it stays dark). It can stay that way through a PC reboot sometimes. Trust me, it's done.

I don't think the resolution of high-def TVs is as high as a good computer monitor yet, though.

Sometimes it's amazing the things one can forget. When I read this comment I thought to myself, bonehead - you know this. Thanks for jarring that thought loose.

I'm with you on the Sony's. I've always had an appreciation for Sony CRTs, whether TV or PC monitor. I too like that Sony 24" monitor. I'll let you know what I end up with.

As nice as the LaCie's look (in price and description) I'm still a little gunshy regarding photo processing on LCD. The price and the footprint are really nice, but I'm concerned about longevity when compared with a CRT. Also, I read somewhere about problems with accurate black reproduction. I'll have to see whether I can find that report and I'll post a link to it. I just tried to find it and can't.

By the way, I noticed that you were the only respondent (kind of hard to miss this). As a new member to the forum, I find it to be a little slow. I'm use to participating in forums where there can be hundreds of posts a day and usually more than one response to a new thread. Just curious.

Thanks again.

[Photo-John]

There used to be a few choices for professional level CRTs. I didn't check if Vuescan still has one, so it may be that the Sony Artisan is the only one left. I'd love one but can't afford it. That other Sony looks really good to me. It's been out of production for a while. There are two versions - the Sony version and an HP-branded model. I've been looking at them on ebay. I have a friend who's CEO of a company and they have a bunch of them. That's how I became aware of it.

You're right about this forum not being so busy. The ViewFinder, Help Files, and Photo Critique forum here are pretty busy. But this forum doesn't generate as much interest. I make sure to pay attention to it so that people get the help they need. Slowly, but surely, it's growing. The interest on this site is more about photography and cameras and people are just starting to become aware and interested in the preipheral equipment and issues. I'm adding some new image-related content in the Learn section and that should help. But you're right, this isn't the busiest forum. There's a good level of knowledge and a very friendly community here. But I do wish that some of these other forums would get more attention.

Let me know what you decide to buy. And let me know if you find a good deal on that 24-inch Sony. I may be interested in buying one, too.

[freygr]

Hello, everyone...

clip...

My monitor has had it, at least as far as digital photo processing is concerned. It's far to bright and has developed an ever so slight greenish cast to it. It's a 21" Dell flat screen CRT (the Sony Monitor) and till now it's been awesome. But it's time is drawing near and a new monitor is definitely in my not too distant future.

clip....

Well in the magazine "Digital Photography" there was an article. It basical said the flat screen LCD color wise are right on. My old Prinston CRT had been dieing for the last year and my childern and wife gave me a 17" viewsonic LCD. It's great, my prints match the color on the monitor.

GRF

[Peter_AUS]

Some of the LCD monitors that are being released have the ability to set the colours using the colour calibration instruments. I do my daughters LCD's all the time with my Eye1 display calibration instrument.

As Photo-John has said and you jogged your memory, CRT is still the way to go, with large screens. The thing with LCD monitors is the refresh rates, unless you get them with 8ms or less (and these costs money), you still have jittering in screen refreshing as you change screens.

I have been using a PHilips Brilliance 202P4 (actually have my hands on two of them at present), and although clearer, they don't hold there colour settings in the corners or sides very well at all. I'm thinking of complaining to Philips about it, because for $1,000 monitors that isn't a good thing.

The problem is, not may people are making CRT's anymore, and where they are it is only the high end expensive models.

Benq make a pretty good 19" widescreen model than can be rotated to landscape/portrait as needed, which is not a bad idea.

There have been very good reports about the Dell LCD sizes of 21" and upwards as well by photographers in other forums, so that might be a way to go, as Dell USA run specials all the time for you people, and nowhere else I can find, especially here in Australia, might be worth looking at.

Viewsonic have always had a very good name, I got one, returned it with a dead pixel on opening a new box.

The thing to remember when purchasing LCD's, they mostly come without a "No Dead Pixel Warranty", which means if it has one then bad luck, unless you pay premium price that includes the warranty, which most don't I have found here in Australia anyway. I was lucky being able to return it as it was too obvious on the screen. Had it been in a lower/upper corner I wouldn't have worried about it, but I did pay a few hundred for it, so thought I should get one that read good.

[Hockeyshots]

[My] wife gave me a 17" viewsonic LCD. It's great, my prints match the color on the monitor.

Benq make a pretty good 19" widescreen model than can be rotated to landscape/portrait as needed, which is not a bad idea.

There have been very good reports about the Dell LCD sizes of 21" and upwards as well by photographers in other forums, so that might be a way to go...

Viewsonic have always had a very good name...

I'll look into that. I don't know much about ViewSonic other than I've heard of them. 17" is a little smaller than I'm looking for, but I'm sure they have something closer to the 21" I'm used to working with.

I have a Dell 21" LCD at work (UltraSharp 2001FP I'm using right now) that I'm not too sure about. Now granted, it hasn't been color calibrated (this is a software shop not a photo house) but the imagery looks extremely contrasted, even after some basic tweaking. It is a decent monitor, though. I notice that Dell is running a special right now on their 24" UltraSharp LCD monitors (w/3 year warranty, $879). That's an interesting deal for a 24" LCD monitor if I could somehow be convinced that this monitor would provide very good results in a digital darkroom. Anyone? Links?

It would appear that ViewSonic has a comparably priced 21" monitor in their Pro Series. Any comments on their monitors?

Never heard of Benq. I'll check them out.

Thanks for the ideas and comments. I appreciate them.

[Peter_AUS]

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/de...series/g225fb/

[Sebastian]

The Dell 20.1 inch wide screen is an excellent panel, but the design falls short when it comes to the case/backlight. The backlighting is uneven, and creates hot spots across the image, most noticeable when the screen is all black. The panel used is the same exact unit as the 20 inch Apple Cinema display, but Apple uses a better backlight for color accuracy and has a better design that does not exhibit the hot spots.

The Dell, once properly profiled, should be excellent. The Apple would be preferred.

The king of the hill right now is the Eizo CG220, 22 inches at about $6,000. But that buys you an LCD that can display the entire Adobe color space and is SWOP certified.

Sorry PJ, Artisans are no longer made.

[Photo-John]

Sorry PJ, Artisans are no longer made.

I'm pretty sure the big one is still listed on Sony's site. The small one has been gone for a while. But I checked a few days ago and the big (and expensive) one was still there. It would be a shame to be forced to move to an LCD.

[Sebastian]

I'm pretty sure the big one is still listed on Sony's site. The small one has been gone for a while. But I checked a few days ago and the big (and expensive) one was still there. It would be a shame to be forced to move to an LCD.

Go to their site and search for it. I dare you. I DOUBLE dare you. Yeah, I went there...

[Hockeyshots]

The panel used is the same exact unit as the 20 inch Apple Cinema display, but Apple uses a better backlight for color accuracy and has a better design that does not exhibit the hot spots.

The Dell, once properly profiled, should be excellent. The Apple would be preferred.

The 23" Apple version runs about $500 more than the Dell 24". I think at that price (and going by your assessment that once profiled the Dell should be fine) the Dell is looking pretty good as my next possible monitor choice. As much as I'd like a CRT, they just consume so much desktop space. Frankly, I find it to be an extremely tough decision.

Regarding the Eizo: nice monitor, but even at the low price of $5500.00 I think I have to take a pass.

HS

[Sebastian]

As much as I'd like a CRT, they just consume so much desktop space. Frankly, I find it to be an extremely tough decision.

Regarding the Eizo: nice monitor, but even at the low price of $5500.00 I think I have to take a pass.

HS

Doubt it helps, but I have been using nothing but LCDs for three years now. The real thing that made my editing effective was the hardware calibrator. All monitors are going to be off, some more than others. Once you get used to it, the difference is not as critical as it may appear at first. Profile it, and move on. Once you start billing out several hundred G's a year, that's when you start worrying about $5,500 LCDs with $300 plastic hoods...

[Photo-John]

Go to their site and search for it. I dare you. I DOUBLE dare you. Yeah, I went there...

You obviously didn't check my first reply in this thread: http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...QS=MT_GDMC520K

Pay up, sucka!

[Sebastian]

Did you try adding it to your cart? And searching the site yields nothing on artisan, or the model number. Every major carrier has it listed as unavailable. Monitoroutlet.com isn't so nice, they simply list it as discontinued. Luminous Landscape forums have references to them being discontinued (the entire line) since before October of 2005.

My, my, my, have the tables turned? ;)

[RebelXT-WH2CYK]

Sceptre makes, fantastic, low cost LCDs. they're a relatively new brand, i bet they'll be top of the line in a few years, i got a 19" from them.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824112177

high contrast, crisp pictures, 8ms, i love this LCD :-D and its cool looking too..

rarely any dead pixels, i got 1 dead pixel, but my 3 other friends got none, im going to buy a second this summer so I can run dual monitors. :-)