Monitor Preferences?

[SWPhotoImaging]

I am posting this one both here and in EOS, in hopes of gathering feedback from the most people.

What kind of monitor do you use for your post-processing? CRT? LCD? type, brand, size, ???

I have a 17"LCD, and am planning to get a 2nd monitor so I can spread out my tools/menus and images, and am wondering if I should get a CRT rather than a second LCD panel, fo rbetter color rendition, etc.

Your feedback appreciated.

[ecobo]

CRT monitors are much better. They produce better colors.
We use SAMSUNG 700NF 17" monitors with Mitsubishi Dimondtron picture tubes. They produce absolutely correct colors and this is the reason for keeping them for almost two years. We do graphic design and the correct colors are very important for our work.
Do not buy a Trinitron monitor, no matter if it is SONY, VIEWSONIC or any other. Trinitron tubes produce very saturated, "fluorescent" colors and are not suitable for color correction work.
No matter what monitor you buy, you will need a calibration software to extract the best of the display. Adobe Gamma is a nice working basic calibration program, that is installed with Photoshop. You can find in in your Control panel.
One more thing: Macintosh systems have better color management than Windows systems. If you're a color-maniac, buy a Mac.

[Jesper]

Hmmm... looking at my monitor... it says "Trinitron" on the upper left corner and "Sony" on the bottom.... but I don't think it's a bad monitor (Multiscan E400, 19 inch, CRT).

I'm using a Spyder to calibrate and profile my monitor. In my opinion, software-only solutions such as Adobe Gamma are absolutely not accurate enough for calibrating and profiling. Using a device to measure colors is much more accurate than using your eyes to estimate the color accuracy.

Ecobo - you say you keep your monitors for almost two years, and the way you describe it sounds as if that's very long. Now you're working professionally with color reproduction, but can you say more about how long a monitor is useable for accurate colors? My monitor is probably 4 or 5 years old now, I'm starting to wonder if it's time for a new one (though I'm still very happy with it).

[ecobo]

Two years is a long time for a monitor, if it works 16 hours a day. But our SAMSUNGs with Dimondtron Mitsubishi tubes looks like brand new, so I don't know yet. We have had a bad experience with some MAG monitors, that failed to produce right colors after 3 monts of work. We also keep an ADI ProVista, 5 years old monitor, that still works fine. So, it's different with different monitors. For now, the Mitsubishi Dimindtron tubes seems to be the best on the market. Mitsubishi makes their own monitors with the mark EyeQ. These are the perfect monitors IMHO, but they are 2 times more expensive than a SAMSUNG with the same tube and characteristics.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Ughh! Mag is CRAP! :(


I am partial to Sony Aperture Grills.. (trintron) .. the Mitsubishi "Diamondtron" is nearly the same thing.. also very high quality Aperture grill .

These are what I allways recomend.. 19" or larger AG CRT.. preferably Sony.

[ecobo]

CyberDyneSystems wrote:
I am partial to Sony Aperture Grills.. (trintron) .. the Mitsubishi "Diamondtron" is nearly the same thing.. also very high quality Aperture grill .
Yes, you're right: it's NEARLY the same thing. The difference is that Trinitron tubes have one electron gun for all colors and Dimondtrons have three - separate for each color. This is a very important difference and that's why Dimondtrons have better color management.