Favorite photo editing monitor

[Randy Stout]

Good evening all:

I am going to add a large, second monitor to my workflow. I am a Mac guy. I would appreciate peoples thoughts on the best monitors for photo editing, and feelings on size, etc. I am aware of the Apple Cinema line, but assume there are other good choices. I certainly want one that can be calibrated fully.

Thanks so much, and good pictures to you all!

Randy

[Fabs Forns]

The love of my life is my Apple Cinema 30"
I don't need a second monitor with it ;)

[David Kennedy]

The HP LP2465 is a very popular 24" monitor. E.J. Peiker was the first person (as far as I'm aware) to proclaim it to be worthy of consideration as its almost as good as the Apple monitors, but for less money.

[David Kennedy]

The love of my life is my Apple Cinema 30"
I don't need a second monitor with it ;)

Would that I could afford it! :D

[Gib Robinson]

Randy,

Eizo makes arguably the best monitors for accurate color and precise, stable calibration. If price is not a primary concern, take a look at them. I've never talked to an Eizo owner who didn't rave about the.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks everyone. Looks like several good choices!

Randy

[Alfred Forns]

Randy I have to vote for the 30 apple btw I think there is an replacement coming soon? Might want to check !!!

[Bill Jobes]

I agree on the Apple 30 Cinema.
I use it with the MAC Pro after years of smaller monitor PC editing.
There is, hands down, no comparison between the Apple 30 and the very nice Samsung 213 sitting adjacent to it.
The full screen beauty of a 1Ds III image on the Apple 30 will make you weep.
That's when you think of the price you paid.
The picture is pretty nice too! :)

[MarcusArmani]

Actually If you do research you can save some money, Finding out what panel is actually inside is the key, S-IPS Panels are really good for photo editing, the Apple Cinema 20 inch is great but the dell 2007FWP has the same exact panel for half the price, this is the case with many lcds. S-PVA and MVA are middle of the road panels, which can do a decent but not great job. TN is to be avoided at all costs....

[Humberto Guarin]

Just got the Eizo Color Edge CG241W and it is the most fantastic monitor I have seen in my life. It has a 12-bit hardware calibration with a 16 bit internal processing. Each monitor is individually calibrated at the factory to have the prefect and most consistent Gamma. It is a little bit in the expensive side but it is the D3 of the monitors.
You can look at it in http://www.eizo.com/products/graphics/cg241w/index.asp

[Ric Grupe]

Nice!

So...am I correct in assuming that my GretagMacbeth (now X-Rite) calibration puck will work with the included Eizo calibration software?

[Johnny Bravo]

The love of my life is my Apple Cinema 30"
I don't need a second monitor with it ;)

I lusted for that monitor for a long time, but then HP came out with their 30 incher and my long-deferred switch to Mac was deferred once again. The HP 30 incher is a wonder.

[Humberto Guarin]

Nice!

So...am I correct in assuming that my GretagMacbeth (now X-Rite) calibration puck will work with the included Eizo calibration software?

Yes, and the calibration is a piece of cake.

[Jim Poor]

I love my 30" Cinema Displays. I was sure I was in heaven when I got the first, but then a fluke happened and I inherited a second. Now my office looks like the bridge of the Enterprise.

As for the "same panel = same monitor" argument, that is simply not the case. So much more goes into a monitor than just the panel and those "little" items make a world of difference in how well the panel performs.

[Steve Ashton]

Got to agree with JIm, I have tried a few monitors and the photoshop guys in my agency use a mixture which I get to work on. The 30" mac screen is just superb I can't fault it in any way... but for the price.

[Ed Okie]

Adding another variable to an answer that doesn't have an absolute "this is it" answer: Two smaller monitors may cost less than one large system, be more desk-friendly, visually less intrusive in the room. Use the side monitor for instant display availability of all menu items, the image itself (full screen) is on the monitor in front. With this left-right twin setup workflow method, both monitors don't have to be "the best" since one is primarily used for menu-item display.
Downside of anyone's monitor-brand user comments (myself included), it's almost impossible to objectively compare various systems from long-term user experience; we end up touting "the one I have - it's really great!" (Eizo in my case, and it's only the FlexScan line, not their highest-end CG line - I continue to be impressed with the year-old unit). Another point not to overlook: if vertical height is desired (Internet viewing an example, or the normal vertical page), "widescreen" monitors come up very short - it takes about a 22" widescreen to deliver the same vertical height as a "normal" 19" monitor of 4:3 proportions. Two 19's side by side deliver appreciable viewing space.
Underlying all comments about brand or model - color calibration is vital, some monitors have limited capability. Laptops are a perfect example... are usually dreadful when critically examined.

[Maxis Gamez]

If you can't afford Apple, HP LCD are terrific. Dell LCD's are another option.

[William Malacarne]

I have this one under consideration....Samsung 305T

Bill

[James Shadle]

Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC
I purchased a new 3007WFP-HC packaged for an OE.

The monitor is making my life much easier and I saved a ton of dough buying the OE packaged monitor.

Easy to calibrate,great color and contrast, I can tilt it (or slouch in my chair) and it still looks like it did when set properly.

No more re-doing images because I was off axis!

James