geoffL
old hand
Reged: 15/06/2007
Posts: 740
Loc: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
|
|
I'm considering getting a replacement monitor. I've currently got a 4:3 format Acer 19inch LCD.
This has been fine but am looking to go widescreen to give extra 'working room' to the sides. So two questions...
1) what size widescreen would I need to go for to get a similar height screen as I have now? I guess I could sit down and do the maths but does anyone know?
2) in terms of pic quality what will I get by spending a bit more. This monitor has been ok but I suspect I'm missing some of the more subtle colours that you might see on a more dedicated 'photo' monitor. Has anyone had experience of this transition and care to comment on how much difference it makes?
3) Finally if anyone's gone down this route can anyone suggest some models to consider which give a good compromise on quality/cost. I'm wnating to keep this side of £400 unless anyone can pursuade me otherwise.
Thanks
--------------------
Geoff Love
Take a look at my other pictures at:
www.geofflove.co.uk
|
Monobod
'Phantom' of the forum!
Reged: 03/04/2003
Posts: 5992
Loc: Just West of Norwich, Norfolk
|
|
I am not sure about this, but I have heard somewhere, that some widescreen monitors may stretch the image to fit the screen, thus distorting a photographic image.
I am not sure what you need the extra width for, unless it is a spreadsheet perhaps. This may be rubbish, so please correct me if I am wrong.
One other solution perhaps, is to have two normal apect ratio monitors. One for the image, one for a document file. I'm sure this must be possible.
Personally, I use the DELL 20" Ultrasharp screen, which has very good contrast and displays 90% of the AdobeRGB colour space. I can see a discernable change in colour tones when converting images from Adobe to sRGB for web posting.
Worth a look and very good value.
--------------------
David.
-----------------------------------------------
Photos hosted by Flickr.
www.flickr.com/photos/monobod/
-----------------------------------------------
I see the world thro' a viewfinder, but the world watches me via CCTV!
|
beejaybee
Marvin
Reged: 18/07/2007
Posts: 4980
Loc: Really Here In Name Only
|
|
Quote:
I am not sure about this, but I have heard somewhere, that some widescreen monitors may stretch the image to fit the screen, thus distorting a photographic image.
They will if you set the display resolution to e.g. 1280x1024 on a 1536x1024 monitor.
But, for a TFT panel, the display resolution should always be set to the native resolution of the panel. In which case there will be no distortion i.e. an image of a square will measure square.
|
RichardK
member
Reged: 21/11/2006
Posts: 104
Loc: London
|
|
The Dell ultrasharp series are okay (I have the 20" at work and would only criticise it for slightly weak looking colours), although there seem to be a few problems with the new 2408 24" widescreen model. A shame as I was all lined up to buy one (about £430 on-line). An updated "A01" revision is apparently due out in July.
NEC are reputedly very good, but £500+. Currently have my eye on a BenQ FP241W as comments found via Google seem to be good.
Richard
|
Monobod
'Phantom' of the forum!
Reged: 03/04/2003
Posts: 5992
Loc: Just West of Norwich, Norfolk
|
|
Quote:
The Dell ultrasharp series are okay (I have the 20" at work and would only criticise it for slightly weak looking colours), although there seem to be a few problems with the new 2408 24" widescreen model. A shame as I was all lined up to buy one (about £430 on-line). An updated "A01" revision is apparently due out in July.
NEC are reputedly very good, but £500+. Currently have my eye on a BenQ FP241W as comments found via Google seem to be good.
Richard
Has yours been calibrated? I ask because I have no problem with the colours on mine....... 
--------------------
David.
-----------------------------------------------
Photos hosted by Flickr.
www.flickr.com/photos/monobod/
-----------------------------------------------
I see the world thro' a viewfinder, but the world watches me via CCTV!
|
geoffL
old hand
Reged: 15/06/2007
Posts: 740
Loc: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
|
|
thanks for comments - the BenQ one looks interesting..........
Ta
--------------------
Geoff Love
Take a look at my other pictures at:
www.geofflove.co.uk
|
Malcolm_Stewart
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 11/07/2005
Posts: 2582
Loc: Milton Keynes, UK
|
|
You don't say how much you're prepared to spend.
There's an article on monitors in the current month's "Digital Photo PRO" Number 21 July 2008. Prices start at ~£600.
If only these reviews would indicate how critical the viewing angle is for these flat panel displays, which I've heard is one reason why they cost so much. I'm still using an EIZO Trinitron CRT which is very insensitive to viewing angle.
--------------------
Malcolm Stewart
|
Dodge
member
Reged: 27/09/2007
Posts: 186
|
|
I took a slightly unconventional approach last year and bought a 32" Samsung lcd TV which has a VGA input, to use purely for my PC.
This i thought would give me a large space to work with Auto Cad etc.... And also lets me have several items of work open on screen at the same time because of the size.
The best thing is that its also fantastic for working on Photoshop and viewing your images, one of the better decisions i have made.
I think it came in at around 600 pounds but you can get some really good deals now.
Hope this helped.
--------------------
_________________________________________________
DAVE
_________________________________________________
|
Malcolm_Stewart
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 11/07/2005
Posts: 2582
Loc: Milton Keynes, UK
|
|
Quote:
...
I think it came in at around 600 pounds but you can get some really good deals now.
Hope this helped.
Since I last posted in this thread (June 2008), my trusty old Eizo was clearly getting towards the end of its life (EHT problems), so I googled for CRT Monitors, and found an outfit near Ely, from which I've now bought a used Dell 19" CRT with Trinitron tube for £60. I'm well pleased with it, and just hope that I'll get another 7 years from it as I did from the Eizo.
--------------------
Malcolm Stewart
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
