There are quite a few LCD displays that are professional quality and support good photographic reproduction, as well as custom calibration and profiling. The best and also the most expensive are the Eizo ColorEdge models. Next are the NEC Multisync 90 series, and their new P221W model if it is now available, and the best buy is the LGE Flatron L2000Cp. A good source for a competitive price and reliable marketing service is Amazon.com, but check out both B&H and Adorama as well for price.

Excellent, thanks as always for very prompt reply and sound advice!

I recommend the NEC 90 Series with the letter i in the product name to indicate an IPS panel. You won't be able to tell the difference between such a monitor and an Eizo equivalent, but you'll pay a lot less. The NEC P221W is a model recommended for business use, not for color critical applications as it doesn't have an IPS panel.

Frans Waterlander
Photography
Gallery: www.picasaweb.google.com/frans2001

Frans,
Interesting suggestions. I'm curious why you believe the P221W is not suitable for graphic work such as photo editing. It has 96% coverage of AdobeRGB, while the LCD1990SXi-BK-SV provides only 75%. Similarly, the P221W has 92% gamut size vs. NTSC, while the 90i unit has only 72%.

S-IPS panels provide a viewing angle up to 178 degrees, according to LCD Explained. Well, the P221W claims the same viewing angle.

The only 19" 90 series with an "i" in the name comes bundled with SpectraView, with an estimated street price of $1K. Too rich for me. Other, larger 90 series models with an "i" in the name but without SpectraView run in the $800+ range. Still more than I want to spend.

NEC describes the P221W as designed for the graphics/photography professional. From what I can see of the specs, it looks pretty good for the price (between $500-$600). Unless I'm willing to cough up a few hundred dollars more, I don't see a good alternative. Am I missing something? I'm very open to other alternatives in this price range.

You might ask Frans what he is using, or how many LCD displays he has used and tested.

Oh!, by the way, an LCD that is well respected by users and a model also made for pro-graphics use, is the Samsung Syncmaster 245T. It is 24 inch and wide format screen, if size and a wide format is something you want to consider. For its size and performance quality it is also quite affordable.

I think the Samsung 24" widescreen is a bit much for my workspace and more than I need. One reason I like the P221W is that the effective resolution looks about the same as the 19" monitor. I deliberately purchase the 19" size for general use because it spreads the same resolution as a 17" LCD over a larger area, making everything larger and easier to read. The P221W seems to be similar to the 19" in that respect, as far as I could tell from the specs.

This monitor serves as a general purpose monitor for my desktop at home; editing photos is just one of many tasks done there. So readability of text is at least as important as color accuracy and viewing angle, etc.

FYI, the current lead time through one major vendor is estimated as three weeks (unfortunately, these estimates are often optimistic). No one has the P221W in stock. So I ordered one through a vendor we use at work. Coincidentally, Silverfast is also backordered on the Kodachrome targets, so I guess my scanning project will be on hold for a few weeks while I wait for the correct tools.

Steve,

You get what you pay for.

Personally I have not chosen a large, or a wide format LCD, preferring the 20.1 (20 inch) old CRT standard aspect ratio displays. This size actually has the same viewing area as a 21" Sony CRT. In addition of all of the number of LCD displays I have worked with representing a lot of choices, even using dual 30 inch displays, the 20 inch, regardless of brand (I have three 20 inch LCD's, an NEC, an LGE and a Samsung) are sharper noticeably than other sizes.

In light of the kind os uses you described I think your best choice would be the LGE L2000Cp, which is really a best buy at between $400 and $500.

In case LGE is unfamiliar it is the world's second largest maker of LCD's and a primary supplier to Apple Computer.

David,
I agree about preferring the "normal" dimensions. I don't like widescreen monitors for ordinary use. But the trend seems to be moving that way.

My only hesitation with the 20" size is the resolution. The reason why I like the 19" size is the resolution. It basically takes the 17" 1280x1024 resolution and applies it to a larger area, making text larger and easier to read. The 20" L1200CP, which is only slightly larger than the 19" in area, has a substantially higher resolution at 1600x1200.

This explains why everything looks very sharp on the 20", but it also means that icons and labels on the desktop, and application menus, are relatively small and more difficult to read. Because I won't be able to have the benefit of trying the 20" size myself, I'll have to rely on you to "be my eyes." I gather you don't find the 20" resolution to be an issue for non-graphic work? I can still cancel the order for the NEC and get the LG instead. Sounds like I should seriously consider doing that. It would at least get me a monitor now, instead of waiting a month or more.

Tx,
Steve

Frans, I absolutely agree. If price was no object, I'd use only professional-grade equipment for everything. But the "optimal" point on the cost/benefit continuum is different for each person. Just as I can't justify a Hasselblad or even a D3 for the kind of photography I do, I also can't justify a relatively expensive monitor for the type of graphic editing I do.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Steve

First of all the 20.1 inch size was the first primarily digital LCD screen design and also the first ones targeted to serious graphics markets. The 17" and 19" sizes were released when most LCD's were used in analog mode connected to older analog video cards.

Also you have to take into account that LCD displays are ALL derived from displays made for TV, which is the largest part of the LCD market. And that once a size configuration is established in the industry, other than upgrades to the control electronics , the screen remains the same in characteristics.

The 20.1 inch size seems to be an unusual configuration in screen design performance as it is also the size the major companies have used for their very high-end RGB LED models. In other words the 20 inch LCD's seem to stand out among computer LCD displays, maybe because it was the first one intended to be primarily used with digital input, and the first one the manufacturers were serious about the more demanding performance expectations of professional graphics users.(I have never seen this 20.1 inch screen size used for a TV!)

I am 75 years old and my eyes after a lifetime of intense visual work are a bit "tired" so I do appreciate a screen that is easy to read (text). Being a writer as well as a photographer that of course is essential. And even though 1200x1600 is a fine resolution, it is not a problem as far as text is concerned as all of the applications I use allow me to set font size on screen to my preference. Icons at a 20" native resolution are small but big enough that there is no problem recognizing them. And finally although even larger screens are available. I don't find them any advantage because to get the same angle of view so I can see the entire screen I have to move the screen further away - so then what has the larger size gained?

I must admit everyone's visual and perceptual comfort will be a little different, but the comparative objective factors working with different sizes has convinced me the 20 inch is the best balance of resolution and size both to work on photo images and to work with text documents - and as I said before for some reason when the display screen designers made the 20.1 inch screen it turned out to be the sharpest and that is true of Sony, LGE, NEC, Samsung, all the prime manufacturers.

David,
Thanks very much for the detailed and thoughtful explanation. I'll give the LG a try.
Steve

I understand the reasoning behind the 19" size after trying a number of 20 and 24 inch displays and dealing with the small text size in File Explorer, Outlook, etc.

One monitor that looks very interesting is the new Dell 22". It comes with an e-IPS panel type (great 178 degree viewing angle) and is only $299 with free shipping. That price is incredible for an IPS panel (it is only $30 more than a crappy TN panel Ultrasharp). I am not sure how e-IPS differs from S-IPS and H-IPS, but the monitor got rave reviews from the Australian Cnet tester.

Additionally, even though this monitor is a 22", its pixel resolution is the same as that for most 20 and 21" widescreen monitors. This should help old eyes.

If I hadn't just gotten a great deal on a new NEC 2090UXi, I would be ordering the Dell 22" to try out.

Doug
---
www.BetterScanning.com

Have you tried raising the fonts in Windows. Right click on the desltop>Properties>Settings>Advanced. Additionally you can raise the size of the desktop icons and fonts under Properties>Appearance. And last of all, you can get as large a monitor as you want and change the resolution so everything appears larger.

Quote:
I understand the reasoning behind the 19" size after trying a number of 20 and 24 inch displays and dealing with the small text size in File Explorer, Outlook, etc.

Hi Larry -

Thanks, and yes, I had done those but the text is still relatively smaller than on a 19" at native resolution. I get by, but my eyes are not what they used to be!

Doug
---
www.BetterScanning.com

If your using Windows, Icon size and desktop font size, and menu font sizes are all ajustable. Dont know about the Mac but would expect the same.

The Apple Mac also provide selection adjustment to desired font and icon screen sizes in most cases.

Anything under $300 for photographers on a budget?

The new Dell 2209WA (I think that is the number) is a 22" monitor with an IPS panel (e-IPS) in it that is getting great reviews and has recently been $299.

Wow. It is on sale now for $239:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/produ...&lid=628335

You might want to do some research on this one. I don't have one but it has gotten good reviews online.

Not really. All you can get is a consumer home/office display for that price, and most in that class have a smallish color gamut and poor adjustment control, often insufficient to calibrate and profile the display.

It is better to save money on a cheaper computer if digital photography is important to you, and put the savings into a better LCD display.

First of all Dell does not manufacture LCD displays, they buy their displays from OEM suppliers and then put their own branding on the display. The buyer has no idea of who made the display or what the real specifications might be.

What are the credentials of these on-line reviewers? Do you think they have the instrumentation and software necessary to measure what the real image reproduction performance is?

Anyway, there are only two major, prime manufacturers of LCD displays that are in the affordable category: Samsung and LG Electronics. Go to their web sites and find a model with specifications that meet your needs, Then find a US seller that has a competitive price for that display make and model. Then you know what you have and what the price is relative to the manufacturers MSRP.

The absolute minimum price I have seen for a pro-graphics performance LCD display is a bit above $435 for a 20 inch 3:4 aspect ratio LGE L2000Cp display.

Resurrecting an old thread here. What is the verdict on the NEC 221W? I'm in the market to replace my Sony Trinitron. I have had great success using it and calibrating it with my Spyder. But My wife wants more desk space and wants the "HUGE" her words CRT gone. I'm retired early due to 4 back surgeries so while I want top of the line, I'm on low end afford ability scale. $4-500 is probably the most I can go.
So in reading this thread I'd be looking at the LG 245T or the NEC 221W. Or has there been anything new on the low end of the scale since this was last visited? Thanks, Dave

Earlier in this thread (a year and a half ago?) you gave a nice rundown of LCD monitors for good photograph use. Any chance of an update?

ah

I recently bought a new monitor and my choise fell on the
Dell U2711 I was choosing this monitor due to the following
specifications 27 inch whidescreen, a Resolution of 2560x1440
Decent reviews (However no't so many 5 stars) and the fact that it was having an IPS screen. It looked good right out of the box. But it wasn't untill I hooked up my i1-Display 2 to it and and made a new profile that it made me smile from ear to ear I got an Average dE2000 of 0.5 on the first atempt I was so happy that I had to write a review of this great combo so I did. Here it is: Dell U2711 + i1-Display 2 Combo reviewed

Regards/ Stefan @ stockholmviews.com