Monitor for Photo Processing

UnknownVT

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Monitor for Photo Processing


I recently went through the process of choosing a monitor specifically for photo post processing – this has taken me over a year of research to find something that was suitable, and inexpensive.
Hopefully sharing my experience may be helpful.

Many know that in LCD technology, the panel to aim for is IPS (in-plane switching) because it is capable of showing more colors/wider color gamut, and have wider viewing angles with consistent and accurate colors.

So wider gamut/more colors is desirable –
an examination of monitor specs show things like 82% or 72% gamut –
but without any indication of what gamut or color space.

Although it would seem more colors or wider gamut is better –
so is 82% better than 72%?
BUT 82% or 72% of what?

That's when I realized those figures do not matter -
what was really important to me was the ability to display 100% of the photographic working color space -
ie: 100% sRGB

Even a gazillion% gamut is absolutely useless, if it cannot display all the sRGB colors ie: 100% sRGB.

OK some may argue that a monitor would be superior if it can display AdobeRGB or NTSC color space(s) -
but only if it is 100% sRGB capable in the first place –
since the displayable end result for the web and most printers is standardized on sRGB.

Doing searches of 100% sRGB IPS – will find monitors, and some surprisingly were not very expensive.

That is when I realized that some of those monitors actually had an sRGB preset that set a factory calibrated 100% sRGB – this was better than expected –
since that virtually means separate monitor calibration was no longer as critical as it used to be.

This discovery was HUGE.

Were there differences in IPS panels? – well of course, only a few months ago there was general opinion that cheap IPS monitors were not really recommended.
3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Buy A Cheap IPS Monitor

So the LCD panel technology was important too – not just blanket approval of any generic IPS.

Fortunately we have currently many smartphones with stunning very high pixel density screens -
have some of this new technology made it way to computer monitor screens?

Some of those names were AMOLED (Samsung) and AH-IPS (LG).

As far as I know there are no AMOLED monitors -
BUT – there are AH-IPS monitors now.
and searching on AH-IPS finds that LG claims AH-IPS been certified by Intertek as having accurate colors (this is really important)

Searching for AH-IPS 100% sRGB does find monitors, and in fact some inexpensive ones.

Just to set the scene –
Dell UltraSharp U2713HM – this is a 27" screen, but at $650-700 street price - hardly cheap.

But there were also:

ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED 22" Frameless LED Display

ViewSonic VX2370S-LED 23" Frameless LED Display

These actually were some of the lowest priced IPS monitors available.
This was like a dream come true – monitors based on the latest AH-IPS, with 100% sRGB factory calibrated preset.

I bought the 22" ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED since I have limited desk space, and prefer a higher pixel density.
VX2370Smh-LED_front_zpsb6cd8f57.jpg


The first thing I did so to set the monitor for 100% sRGB -
which was just a simple set on the OSD to sRGB - and that was it -

Then I went to the various on-line monitor calibration sites to check the monitor -
it passed any and all the tests I could throw at it with ease.

This is a handy reference page that collects together the most useful calibration sites -
5 Online Tools to Help Calibrate Your Monitor

That includes the sites that I had found the most useful:
Photo Friday: Monitor Calibration Tool
and
Lagom LCD Monitor Test Pages

Some of this has been discussed in the thread:
new Monitor Advice Please (
multipage.gif
1 2 3 ... Last Page)
starting with Post #37

Hope this was of some help.
 

UnknownVT

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Messages
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I need to qualify my post thread from what I have learnt since.

First this really is more about the Budget end of monitors for photo processing -
there are many worthy monitors that are hundreds, if not thousands of $$ more.

I am not, and cannot really address that end of the price range.

The reason why I was so enthusiastic about the ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED 22" Frameless LED Display -
is mainly because it had 100% sRGB on a factory calibrated preset -
so that setting virtually makes initial calibration redundant.

Acknowledge: calibration especially if optimal accuracy is required, and monitors will drift with age - so making re-calibration necessary

From the very comprehensive and thorough reviews at reputable sites such as:
LCD and TFT Monitor Reviews
PRAD | Review
Reviews of HDTVs and monitors - FlatpanelsHD

On their tests, the factory preset sRGB have been satisfactory.

That's where AH-IPS was important -
LG claims AH-IPS has been certified by Intertek as being color accurate.

This means the panel itself is intrinsically more color accurate - so it is easier to have 100% sRGB -
and unless there is evidence of faster deterioration of the panel itself -
it probably stands to reason that it would maintain its color accuracy better than other IPS panel types.

Hence the importance of AH-IPS, and obviously 100% sRGB on a factory calibrated Preset.

I have heard feedback that 100% sRGB may only refer to the gamut -
however at least on this ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED the preset seems to disable any other adjustment even brightness and contrast -
so it appears that the preset sets sRGB color space -
again those reviews of other monitors - especially the ones that use AH-IPS seems to show the sRGB preset/emulation are very satisfactory.

Short of having a calibration tool
I can only do my checking by eye - as mentioned already:

A handy reference page that collects together the most useful calibration sites -
5 Online Tools to Help Calibrate Your Monitor

The pages and images I found most useful for checking my monitor:

Black and white levels - I like the Photo Friday: Monitor Calibration Tool
PhotoFriday_zps29942905.jpg

I can easily see the black levels A, B, and C, and white levels I can also see easily X,Y, and Z

In terms of Color - I looked at the tft.Vanity.dk Online Monitor Test - Color Range Multiple
tftVanity_dkMultiColor_zpsb2e77aa4.jpg


and also the Lagom.nl Contrast test
lagon_nl_Contrast_zps836f3185.jpg

I can see each color segment easily.

For continuous tone I used tft.Vanity.dk Online Monitor Test - Trailing Main test
tftVanity_dkTrailing_zps20b382d6.jpg

the tones were continuous.

Like I said, short of actually using a calibration tool - by eye the monitor seems well adjusted on the factory preset for sRGB.
(note: calibration tools are $150-$250 street price - my monitor was only $160!)

But I do take the point, a sRGB preset may not be as accurate as it can be potentially, and once the monitor ages things may shift - but for now it is brand new and things "seem" OK - within reason.
I am not against calibration - just for now I do not have the capability, other than by eye.

I looked at those monitor review sites - in particular the AH-IPS panel monitors, since that is the technology this ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED is based on - those monitors (eg: Dell U2713H, Dell U2913WM) seem to do pretty well on their sRGB factory preset - seems almost to me to be within experimental errors - or at least someone inexperienced in monitor calibration - like me, for example :eek:

Having said all that, I am impressed with this budget ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED monitor -
as it were - straight out of the box with its sRGB preset capability.

EDIT to ADD
I just realized from elsewhere I may have caused some inadvertent confusion by the imprecise use of terminology:

To clarify -
The ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED is specified as 100% sRGB gamut -
but it also has a sRGB Preset which is supposed to be factory calibrated -
I sometimes may have confused the matter by referring to it as 100% sRGB Preset

No, the monitor is spec'd as 100% sRGB gamut,
and separate from that, it has a preset for sRGB color space/emulation.

I hope that is clearer.

and it is on the sRGB preset that makes the monitor seem well adjusted - "passing" all those on-line monitor calibration images.

My apologies if I caused any confusion.
 
Last edited:

will

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Why was the color accuracy so important to you in post photo processing? Are you viewing the photos on this monitor? are you adjusting the photos for sale? ( weddings, scenic, etc... ) Do you eventually print the photos? Printing adds a whole other set of criteria to the final image. I have a older KODAK sublimation printer that only does 4 x 6 prints. Best quality of any of my other printers.

I have an older ViewSonic monitor - I do like to see my pictures display on this monitor.
 

UnknownVT

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Messages
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Why was the color accuracy so important to you in post photo processing? Are you viewing the photos on this monitor? are you adjusting the photos for sale? ( weddings, scenic, etc... ) Do you eventually print the photos? Printing adds a whole other set of criteria to the final image.
Hi Will, thanks for responding.

I post a lot of photos on the web (please see links in my sig)

Color accuracy and the sRGB standard are very important to me since my photos potentially are viewed by others -
and although I do understand not all monitors can be well adjusted -
it would be a losing battle if the originating monitor was badly adjusted.

I print very little these days, and mostly I now send them out to be printed -
so it is very important that the originating monitor is adjusted to the sRGB standard -
as printers are all standardized on sRGB - so hopefully WYSIWYG
and any deviation at least will not be the original's fault.

This ViewSonic VX2270Smh-LED -
not only has a preset to set the sRGB color space -
but claims to display 100% sRGB gamut
and uses the latest IPS technology - AH-IPS -
LG claims AH-IPS has been certified by Intertek as being color accurate.

and I managed to get all this at a price that was not much more than the bottom of the range monitor (as low as $135 shipped).

I first became aware of a problem when I was still using a crt monitor
(although many will look down on this - the sRGB standard was spec'd around computer monitors - but in those days it was crt - so can intrinsically display 100% sRGB)
please see this post - although it turned out more to do with the basic difference in character of crt and lcd monitors - it kind of put me in the market for a lcd.

After almost 1.5 years' worth of ingestion I ended up with this Viewsonic VX2270Smh-LED monitor -
and it was such a good buy that I thought I'd share my thoughts.

Thanks
 

will

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Messages
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Mine is an older model ViewSonic VG2230wm LCD Display
 

UnknownVT

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Messages
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Mine is an older model ViewSonic VG2230wm LCD Display
It looks like your monitor has a sRGB preset to set the sRGB color work space:

SRGB Color Management The sRGB color management chip technology ensures color accuracy both on the screen and prints when used with other sRGB-compliant peripherals.

and from the pdf manual (page: 11):
Color Adjust provides several color adjustment modes, including preset color temperatures ...........
sRGB-This is quickly becoming the industry standard for color management, with support being included in many of the latest applications. Enabling this setting allows the LCD display to more accurately display colors the way they were originally intended. Enabling the sRGB setting will cause the Contrast and Brightness adjustments to be disabled.
 
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