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AbbyEmmy
Participant
January 22, 2020
Question

Need Your Help With Selectig a New Monitor Please

  • January 22, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 748 views

I am looking to replace my monitor and I need your help, please, in purchasing a new one for using in LR and PS.  What I would like to get is a 24" monitor in the mid to low high-end price range.  I would truly appreciate it and greatful if you could please supply the brand and model number for your suggestions that you are actually using and have success with.  Thanking you in advance and I truly appreciate any suggestions and input you can provide.

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4 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 30, 2020

I'm partial to Eizo myself - which is not to say that the NEC PA/Spectraviews are inferior in any way. They are both state of the art and the defacto industry standard. Anything else is a gamble. Do you feel lucky?

 

The reason I prefer Eizo is ColorNavigator. At least version 6 which I'm using. The new version 7 seems to be  a dumbed down version squarely aimed at people who think calibration is "difficult". I tried it briefly, and while all the advanced functions seem to be still there, they are now so deeply hidden in sub-menus that most users will never find them or know how to change them. And those are precisely the features that I use the most.

 

Above all, the ease with which you change calibration targets and associated profile. This is not only useful for matching different paper qualities or viewing environments, but you also have at your fingertips an sRGB emulation for the rare occasions when you need to use non-color managed software:

 

Which brings me to an important point. You say,

"thinking about getting one with sRGB and aRGB color modes."

Don't make the common mistake of thinking Adobe RGB has any special significance with these monitors. An Adobe RGB preset is pointless. You calibrate the unit to native response. That this native response just happens to cover Adobe RGB makes no difference from a color management perspective. Monitor gamut is what it is, it doesn't have to match anything else. But this gives the marketing folks something to sell. Don't bite.

 

The sRGB preset is more useful, because it emulates a standard monitor and allows you to work with software that isn't color managed. If you have to.

 

All in all, I think $954 for an Eizo CS2420, Colornavigator and sensor included, is a no-brainer. It's simply maximum value for your money. You will not regret it. That's a promise.

NB, colourmanagement
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 30, 2020

Hi

At the lower price point its tough to get really good uniformity.

Rememnber the screen wil be wrking for you for 5 yeasrts at least so work out cost that way.

The manufacturers select panels for quality to specific ranges - based on enduser price. The better ones go to the Eizo CG models and such. 

Eizo are a trusted brand IMO. You seem to get what you pay for, which, sadly, isn't always the case in life.

Its unlikely to be possible but if you can get to see the one you buy that would be a plus.

benQ seem good if you get a good example, but their software [required to support their hardware LUT] reportedly leaves rather a lot to be desired. 

 

I hope this helps

 

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement.net

[please do not use the reply button on a message in the thread, only use the one at the top of the page, to maintain chronological order]

D Fosse
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 22, 2020

Best buy currently on the market, unbeatable value for money:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1246464-REG/eizo_cs2420_bk_cnx_coloredge_cs2420_24_16_10.html 

 

You should normally spend as much on the monitor as the computer. The monitor is the only piece of hardware that directly impacts the quality of your work. It's an investment in your work. The computer, on the other hand, produces exactly the same result whether it's cheap or expensive.

 

The problem with monitors is that the things that really matter don't show up in the specs. Panel uniformity, highlight and shadow separation, even and regular tone response curve. So a lot of manufacturers aim to blow up the spec sheet at the lowest possible price, while cutting corners on basic panel quality.

 

There are two manufacturers that consistently deliver high quality at tight tolerances: Eizo and NEC. Some say they are "expensive", but they are not. You get exactly what you pay for.

AbbyEmmy
AbbyEmmyAuthor
Participant
January 22, 2020

Thank you for your reply and input.  I was looking at the Ben Q240 but there are a lot of comments saying if you get a good copy and I don't know how to test to see if it is good or not.  I was also looking at the Eizo CS2420 and the NEC PA243W.  Any comments on these two and do you prefer one over the other.  Thank again

D Fosse
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 22, 2020

"I was also looking at the Eizo CS2420 and the NEC PA243W. "

 

Both of those are superb units. I couldn't really pick one over the other.

 

Whichever one you end up with, make sure you get the edition with calibration software and sensor included. I still think that Eizo ColorNavigator has a slight edge over NEC Spectraview, but they are both good. I have used both.

 

As for "good copy" - here's what you don't want. This is a real-life photograph of a Dell U2713:

 

And here's my old and trusted Eizo CG246. I've had this for six years and no plans to replace it yet:

JJMack
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 22, 2020

A price range would be better. I like the Dell 24" IPS 4K 185ppi Display I purchased in 2016  for $380 it price is now higher around $430

JJMack