Hi,
gracia@yadtel.net (2009-11-12 at 1329.34 -0500):

recomendation??

I've been looking online at ViewSonic X Series VX2433wm Black 23.6" 2ms(GTG); 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor - Maximum Resolution: 1920 x 1080

If you want to have good colours, avoid TN panels, they are normally 6 bit per colour, not 8, and colour changes with angle in noticeable ways (we are talking about image retouch, right?). You can see what I mean in http://www.digitalversus.com/duels.php?ty=6 (select view angles from selector) and the panel type (TN, IPS, PVA, etc) can be looked up in http://www.flatpanelshd.com/panels.php.

Up to $300 is within my budget

Good colour quality and cheap at the same time are rare. :[

GSR

On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 1:07 PM, GSR - FR wrote:

Hi,
gracia@yadtel.net (2009-11-12 at 1329.34 -0500):

recomendation??

I've been looking online at ViewSonic X Series VX2433wm Black 23.6" 2ms(GTG); 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor - Maximum Resolution: 1920 x 1080

If you want to have good colours, avoid TN panels, they are normally 6 bit per colour, not 8, and colour changes with angle in noticeable ways (we are talking about image retouch, right?). You can see what I mean in http://www.digitalversus.com/duels.php?ty=6 (select view angles from selector) and the panel type (TN, IPS, PVA, etc) can be looked up in http://www.flatpanelshd.com/panels.php.

I agree, I recently bought a high-resolution TN screen and it is horrible (Dell SP2309W, 2048x1152, 100 DPI). The viewing angles are terrible, especially up and down. There is no position in which you can sit where the entire screen shows consistent color. The black level and backlight bleed is really bad, and it has a glossy screen which means I see myself in the reflect and the overhead lights glare off of it. That must be why it is so cheap (around $300 USD). It's okay for games or movies (with the lights out) but for photo work or anything where accurate colors matter, it is really annoying and I don't recommend it.

On the other hand I have had great experience with Dell Ultrasharp series, which usually have IPS or PVA panels, I think. I would recommend them as a combination of price and performance. They've usually got good on-screen menus and various ports and features (rotate to portrait orientation, etc). I personally have two Dell Ultrasharp 2007FP's (1600x1200, 100 DPI) one with IPS panel and one with PVA panel, and the PVA version actually looks better. The IPS version has bad color banding problems on gradients. Both have great viewing angles and colors don't shift at all when you move around. Black levels are good, too.

Or if you've got a lot of money to spend you can drop $2000 or so on a HP DreamColor :)

Also I wouldn't put too much stock into the millisecond ratings. I've played the same game in a supposedly 20ms and 2ms screens and can't tell any difference at all. I think it's a bit of marketing (like selling 240Hz TV's to watch a 24fps movie...). And for Gimp work it is especially meaningless. Actually the screen I have used with really low ms rating has this weird "sparkling" effect in the pixels that i think must be some kind of hardware compensation to try to improve the framerate. (I'm guessing...)

Here's another site with monitor panel info in a nice table: http://lcdtech.no-ip.info/en/data/lcd.panels.in.monitors.htm

On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 11:38 AM, Volker Lenhardt wrote:

Paul Hartman schrieb:

On the other hand I have had great experience with Dell Ultrasharp series, which usually have IPS or PVA panels, I think. I would recommend them as a combination of price and performance. They've usually got good on-screen menus and various ports and features (rotate to portrait orientation, etc). I personally have two Dell Ultrasharp 2007FP's (1600x1200, 100 DPI) one with IPS panel and one with PVA panel, and the PVA version actually looks better. The IPS version has bad color banding problems on gradients. Both have great viewing angles and colors don't shift at all when you move around. Black levels are good, too.

I agree. It seems you can't get a monitor for $300 that is good enough for graphical work. I've been looking for one for some time and have found one of the Dell Ultrasharp series with S-PVA panel that has reasonable performance for a reasonable price: Dell 2408WFP. But I had to lay 500 EUR on the desk. Meanwhile I've got to learn that you can't have it cheaper. Have a look at Prad: http://www.prad.de/en/index.html.

I was encouraged by our University's Media Department that had bought a few of these monitors for graphical work. Sure they would had loved to choose from the top league, but they have to pinch and scrape in the same way as people like you and me do.

The Dell 2408WFP seems to be a good compromise. Eizo is a good name, too, but slightly higher in price yet.

Good luck Gracia Volker

I'm replying this to the list since Volker's email appears to have been sent only to me! :)

Paul Hartman schrieb:

On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 11:38 AM, Volker Lenhardt

I'm replying this to the list since Volker's email appears to have been sent only to me! :)

Thank you, Paul. I did mean to send it to the list. I hope this one is better aimed.

Volker