best monitors to edit images on that wont break the bank

[bradley_whit6]

My wife is an aspiring fine arts photographer/editor- currently working of a 2008 macbook, which I know is not the best thing to be editing photos on. I have read some of the forums which talk about wide gamut and sRGD gamut but, frankly, they exceed my technical knowledge. I would like to get her a monitor that she can hook to her macbook that wont break the bank but gives her a higher quality image to work on- one more similar to what professionals will review her images on once they are submitted. I recently got her a wacom 4 tablet and she is using PS6 and LR4 as her main editing suites, if that matters. Her intentions are to submit these images as potential book covers- which means they will eventually be printed. Any suggestions?

[Todd Shaner]

It all comes down to marketing decisions, which in this case were between Dell and X-Rite. In return Dell probably got a better deal from X-Rite on the software development. NEC Spectraview is a similar situation also with X-Rite calibrator exclusivity.

[Todd Shaner]

It looks like the newer NEC Spectraview II software does allow using Datacolor calibrators including Spyder 3 & 4 models:

http://www.necdisplay.com/support-and-services/spectra-view-II/Compatibility#system_requirements

The software can be purchased separately for about $100 and then you can use any calibrator on the list above.

[Noel Carboni]

No, I have a Windows system.

-Noel

[Noel Carboni]

Yes, that's what I'm referring to.  I imagine that there will be a few designs where they don't get it quite right, then the even newer designs will correct the early problems.  I have high hopes for the U3013 in development.

-Noel

[Frankuu]

How about ASUS PB278Q, my brother using this one, it's great.

[Frankuu]

See this site, http://thedigitalcamera.net/best-monitor-for-photo-editing-and-photography/ it's a good guide to buy a photograph monitor.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Just to prove that I can ignor the bit about not breaking the bank as well as anyone, Tom's Hardware has just reviewd a bizarre 21:9 format display, but says it is expensive

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nec-ea294wmi-monitor-review,3633.html

How would you use a display like this?  I guess it would be like have two monitors in one display, so lots of room to have all your panels open.

[Noel Carboni]

I tried fitting a desktop capture on that display and my 3200 x 1200 Photoshop layout wouldn't fit - it's still wider across two 20" 4:3 monitors than that NEC could hold.  My layout is 8 x 3, or 24:9.

-Noel

[Trevor.Dennis]

Noel, I am always facinated by how people arrange their Workspaces.  I see you go for a very clean main monitor with even your toolbar on the second monitor. It's interesting how workspaces evolve as we find our balance of the features we use most often changes.  I like a nice big brush panel so you can quickly and easily change the brush shape.  I also love the freebee panels and put them as fly-outs on the right of my main screen along with not so often used panels like Actions, Character paragraph etc.  That makes then super easy to access without using up screen space.

[Noel Carboni]

We set up what we need.  Yours looks like an efficient layout as well.  I don't do enough painting to keep the brushes visible all the time.  However, I really like having room for the Navigator panel.  It's handy to see at a glance where you are, and you can use it to pan as well.  In the above downsized screengrab it looks like I have some wasted space in the middle, but that's because the 3D panel and Actions panel share the same spot (haven't found a need for both to be visible simultaneously yet).

Even with two full monitors taken up, there are still panels I don't keep visible that I do use occasionally.  I'll have to get a third monitor sooner or later!

-Noel

[DaveJDSP]

Hi Bradley,

Going back to your original question at the top, I encourage you to focus on your end goal - getting real paying work done. Don't waste time fooling around with hand-wringing and researching and discussing. Just get the right tool for the job and spend your time using it and getting work out the door (instead of discussing it).

Use a reliable cost-effective tool to create your images that will allow you to see what you are doing and what your customers are seeing. Also, if this work is going to print, your customers will most likely be working in the Adobe RGB colorspace, so that is what you want to work in and see.

Get this and be done with it: http://www.necdisplay.com/p/desktop-monitors/pa302w-bk-sv

(or a smaller version of the same thing http://www.necdisplay.com/p/desktop-monitors/pa242w-bk-sv).

bhphotovideo.com is an excellent source.     NEC PA242W-BK-SV

You want a NEC monitor that ends in "2-w-bk-sv".

It is HIGHLY cost-effective. Maybe THE most cost-effective monitor out there for doing and getting paid for real work.

GB-R LED backlight provides 99.3% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. Also these monitors provide built-in hardware calibration which saves time and money and aggravation beyond belief.

Perfect? No.

Excellent and cost-effective? Yes.

You obviously love your wife and want to help her succeed. This will be a good and cost-effective step in that direction.

Onward!

Dave