New monitor advice

[WhiskyBottle]

Hi folks

I am looking to upgrade my computer monitor. The new monitor will be a second monitor to sit alongside my existing 17"CRT. I'll run windows on the CRT and the photo processing stuff on the TFT monitor, mostly Photoshop and CaptureNX.

I've decided 22" wide screen for size. anything less would be smaller height than what I've got, and 24" would be to big (& expensive).

Question is what to look for in the spec.?

One I've spotted is the LG W2252TQ
Spec is:

Contrast Ratio 10000:1
Image Brightness 300 cd/m2
Interface DVI VGA (HD-15)
Max Resolution 1680 x 1050
Response Time 2 ms
Signal Input DVI-D, VGA

Contrast ratio seems much higher than most others, and response time is faster. Is this good?

Anyone use this screen.

It has two inputs, and I believe it can use both to switch between two computers.

Thanks

Martin

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by WhiskyBottle

Hi folks

I am looking to upgrade my computer monitor. The new monitor will be a second monitor to sit alongside my existing 17"CRT. I'll run windows on the CRT and the photo processing stuff on the TFT monitor, mostly Photoshop and CaptureNX.

I've decided 22" wide screen for size. anything less would be smaller height than what I've got, and 24" would be to big (& expensive).

Question is what to look for in the spec.?

One I've spotted is the LG W2252TQ
Spec is:

Contrast Ratio 10000:1
Image Brightness 300 cd/m2
Interface DVI VGA (HD-15)
Max Resolution 1680 x 1050
Response Time 2 ms
Signal Input DVI-D, VGA

Contrast ratio seems much higher than most others, and response time is faster. Is this good?

Anyone use this screen.

It has two inputs, and I believe it can use both to switch between two computers.

Thanks

Martin

I've recently purchased a Samsung Syncmaster 223BW. It replaced my old 17" TFT which blew up!

It has really surprised me with the quality of the display and also highlighted how many editing errors I'd completely missed on the old one!
It's far,far better quality all round. I've just discovered one stuck pixel on it, but to be honest I can only see it with a magnifying glass!

I think most modern screens are of such a high quality you'll be fine with just about any, at least with a decent name on the front. One point worth mentioning, if you buy away from the high street you tend to get three years warranty as standard. Don't fall for the extended warranty trap offered by certain retail chains.

As for the details, the response times are only really relevant for games and DVD display, but even my old 17" TFT with a 25ms rate was absolutely fine. I could see no ghosting on it at all.
The details on that one all sound perfectly good to me.

[DavyG]

Originally Posted by glsammy

I've recently purchased a Samsung Syncmaster 223BW. It replaced my old 17" TFT which blew up!

It has really surprised me with the quality of the display and also highlighted how many editing errors I'd completely missed on the old one!
It's far,far better quality all round. I've just discovered one stuck pixel on it, but to be honest I can only see it with a magnifying glass!

I think most modern screens are of such a high quality you'll be fine with just about any, at least with a decent name on the front. One point worth mentioning, if you buy away from the high street you tend to get three years warranty as standard. Don't fall for the extended warranty trap offered by certain retail chains.

As for the details, the response times are only really relevant for games and DVD display, but even my old 17" TFT with a 25ms rate was absolutely fine. I could see no ghosting on it at all.
The details on that one all sound perfectly good to me.

Graham,

Are you still happy with your monitor?

How is the colour rendition, do you use a calibration device?

I'm asking as I'm looking for an LCD monitor which will be good for processing pics on.

Dave

[nightshade]

The best monitor I have seen recently is a Samsung 220 a 22" monitor
the colours are amazingly faithful as a default

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by DavyG

Graham,

Are you still happy with your monitor?

How is the colour rendition, do you use a calibration device?

I'm asking as I'm looking for an LCD monitor which will be good for processing pics on.

Dave

I'm very happy with it. I haven't used any kind of calibration device, all I know is that the images I print look just as they look on the screen. The main benefit to me is the improved resolution. I really can see far more detail than before, I can see many editing errors on my older images that were simply impossible for me to see before.
As for the stuck pixel I commented on I got rid of that very easily, I flicked it with my finger and it was gone.
There's a good menu structure to change many aspects of the image, including colour temperature and many other colour controls but I haven't altered any of them as the original image to me looks spot on.
I'd recommend it to anyone. It's not one of those shiny surface types, which personally I don't like. I dare say many of the current ones with a decent name on it would be just as good.

[djeyewater]

For photo editing response time isn't that important, generally S-IPS panels are considered to be best for photo editing due to good colour accuracy and viewing angles, with S-PVA panels second best and TN Film panels not really recommended for colour accurate work.

IPS panels tend to be very expensive, PVA panels reasonable, and TN film the cheapest. You can check what type of panel a monitor uses and read up on the different types at www.tftcentral.co.uk.

Dave

[Geoff F]

Yes, for photographic work correct colour is more important than speed. When I needed a new monitor recently, I went for an Iiyama which enabled me to choose sRGB colours. Seems to match camera and printer quite accurately. After looking around I thought this was the best balance between price and quality.

[DuncanE]

Through My design work, (I have designed a display or 2) I have been told that the responce time is a little bit of a fib - so take it with a pinch of salt.

[nightshade]

As GL Sammy has said the Samsungs are excellent monitors but for a wild card how about the HP2207H 22"

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by nightshade

As GL Sammy has said the Samsungs are excellent monitors but for a wild card how about the HP2207H 22"

I have the HP2207H and am very happy with it. Great contrast and colours and very sharp.

Dave P.

[ron1863]

I just bought a Samsung T220 22" monitor for approx. £185 on Boxing day from PC World.
Excellent, especially compared to my old monitor which was a Xerox 19" and as Graham says, a decent monitor helps you see any errors in your photographs.

[DavyG]

Thanks for replying so quickly Graham, it's appreciated.

Thanks also to everyone else who responded, there's some good advice to be had here.

Ron, it sounds like you grabbed a bargain, that particular monitor had some very good reviews.

Dave

[WhiskyBottle]

I bought the LG W2252TQ as originally planned. It now sits next to the CRT. The CRT is the first monitor and does the windows stuff, and the LG does the photo stuff. It was a very bright out of the box, but that was easily adjusted. I'm very pleased with it.

Typical photo editing setup would be NikonView and my database on the CRT, and CaptureNX and Photoshop on the LG wide screen. I would recommend a dual screen setup if you've got the space.

Only trouble is the CRT looks a bit sad now. I could do with another flat screen of the same spec. and height as the W2252TQ, but standard aspect ratio

Martin

[DavyG]

Thanks WhiskyBottle.

I actually run a dual screen setup, up until today I was using a 17" HP1730 LCD as my day to day screen with a Lacie 19" Electron19blueIV CRT as my main photo editor.

The main problem I experienced was that the HP colours were noticeably cooler then the Lacie and I inevitably forgot to switch the Lacie on when editing.

Based on the advice given here, I've now replaced the HP with a Samsung T220.

There's still a slight difference between the monitors but I've been able to adjust the Samsung so that the difference is minimal.

I notice that Geoff F mentioned that he set his monitor to sRGB, my Lacie has this function, maybe it's something I need to investigate further.

Thanks again to everyone who offered guidance.

Dave

[Jim Ford]

Nobody seems to want big CRT monitors dominating their desks anymore, so consequently they can be picked up very cheaply. I bought a Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 230 for £5 in 2007 at a car boot sale. The seller looked surprised when I just picked it up and walked off with it to my car 200yds away - I ended up with bruises on my forearms from the weight!

Although it looked clean with no screen burn, I quite expected it to not work and the fiver to be wasted - but I've been using it ever since, calibrating it every week or so with a ColorMunki.

Jim

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by WhiskyBottle

.... I'll run windows on the CRT and the photo processing stuff on the TFT monitor.....

I always thought CRT's were better for image processing than TFT's ?

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Tormentil

I always thought CRT's were better for image processing than TFT's ?

That's also my understanding.

Jim

[WhiskyBottle]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

That's also my understanding.

Jim

Me too, but my CRT's are ex-works and have been around a bit. The flat screen is much crisper with more contrast. It's also got more screen area so that makes image processing much easier.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by WhiskyBottle

Me too, but my CRT's are ex-works and have been around a bit. The flat screen is much crisper with more contrast. It's also got more screen area so that makes image processing much easier.

I've seen it stated that the default brightness of a TFT monitor is usually far too high. Do you calibrate your TFT monitor, 'WhiskyBottle'?

When my CRT display starts up, the screen looks nice and bright and contrasty, but when the calibration profile kicks in it looks much more subdued.

Jim

[JennyS]

I've been reading this thread with interest as I need a new monitor, mainly for photo editing.

But there is a question that I haven't been able to find an answer to: on a 22" widescreen monitor (Max Resolution 1680 x 1050) will square images display as square or will they appear slightly rectangular?

Explanation/clarification would be very appreciated, but not too technical please, as I'm a bit challenged on that score

[WhiskyBottle]

Jim

I don't have any calibration devices (yet...). But yes the monitor was way too bright out of the box. Easily toned down though.

I'm now after a matching TV based on the same monitor to replace the CRT

Jenny

The pictures display at the correct aspect ration, at the correct size, or a fraction of. They don't stretch to fill the screen as you see on wide screen TV's which always seem to be full of fat people

The benifit of this is there's room at the sides of the picture for the editing toolboxes.

The exception to this is if you the picture as a windows wallpaper with the fit to screen option.