[Photo Tramp]

I'm starting to have problems with my old CRT monitor (The brightness control is fading in and out) I have been looking at LCD flat screen monitors but don't know which is better for viewing Photos. Or better what should I be looking for in resolution, contrast, dot pitch and such. I'm not really wanting to spend a fortune But I should be able to get a reasonable one for between $200-300.
any Ideas????

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

[slip]

Hi

I am a firm believer that a good CRT is still the best way to go as they display many more colors then a LCD, but they are difficult to find.
here is a LCD that gets good reviews but is a bit above your price point, at $449 dollars.
20" widescreen Home & Home Office: UltraSharp 2007WFP Wide Flat Panel with Height Adjustable Stand

the one thing I don't like about LCD is the resolution stays the same: on a CRT I can have 1600x1200 32bit color on my 19" monitor, which rocks with photoshop

good luck with your purchase

randy

[barondla]

Saw a Samsung Syncmaster lcd that looked really good. It is a wide screen lcd. For photos, is it an advantage or disadvantage to have a widescreen format? For watching normal tv there are big + -.
For static pics is the faster screen any better? Watched a whole wall of computer monitors displaying the same signal. They varied from 8ms to about 4ms. Was surprised that they all seemed the same speed when the still shots cycled. Would this have shown up with movement? Need a new monitor some day.
thanks
barondla

[slip]

Saw a Samsung Syncmaster lcd that looked really good. It is a wide screen lcd. For photos, is it an advantage or disadvantage to have a widescreen format? For watching normal tv there are big + -.
For static pics is the faster screen any better? Watched a whole wall of computer monitors displaying the same signal. They varied from 8ms to about 4ms. Was surprised that they all seemed the same speed when the still shots cycled. Would this have shown up with movement? Need a new monitor some day.
thanks
barondla

The best advantage to a wide screen with photos is you can put 2 side by side
As far as "fast" monitors goes, there would be no difference between a monitor that had a response of 16ms or 4ms.
but as far as I last read, the faster monitors are usually not as accurate with the colors as a "slower" monitor around 16ms

What a faster monitor will be good for is gaming, watching movies that has lots of action. faster means less ghosting (a small blur behind a moving object on the screen)


also, a lot of manufactures claim that there monitors are fast, but in real tests some of them are not as fast as they claim.

so in conclusion, read some reviews before venturing out, and take in consideration what the main purpose of the monitor is.,


hope this helps

[jfdavis58]

The graphics line from this manufacturer: EIZO / Graphics Monitors are considered by many top pro photographers/graphics designers to be the undisputed leader. Sit before you click through to the price.

Personally I lean toward the modest offerings from ViewSonic; at least I can see some of those in local stores.

[-=JoN=-]

AG Neovo......Stunning displays..very clear and sharp

[cyberlord]

In your price range, or very near it, the Acer 22" wide screen is great bang for the buck.

As far as the *best* monitor.. I dunno if fits that category, but any monitor in your price range won't be the *best*.

The Acer is reasonable as a photo monitor and I am very happy with mine as I use it for video also and it doent have any ghosting that I can notice.

Tim

[Adam]

Just my 2 cents, but if you're thinking of buying a laptop, make sure the screen has a 1280x800 resolution or higher with Truebrite/Xbrite technology. It really makes a difference!

[Photo Tramp]

Thank you all for the comments and recomendations I have been really doing my research on monitors for graphics. I have been told by those who know and use them every day that a Good CRT monitor is the best for what I want to do (photography) So I have looked into CRT monitors and found for he price and quality in res. and refresh speed ViewSonic Makes a graphics monitor for around $300.00 I looked at their Pro models and they run the same. So after looking at them in the show room I have decided to buy the ViewSonic and get back to work on my Photos. I will have it by next weekend and can't wait.

Thanks again for your help it really did help in the decision.

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

[barondla]

What exact model viewsonic are you going with?
thanks
barondla

[slip]

Thank you all for the comments and recomendations I have been really doing my research on monitors for graphics. I have been told by those who know and use them every day that a Good CRT monitor is the best for what I want to do (photography) So I have looked into CRT monitors and found for he price and quality in res. and refresh speed ViewSonic Makes a graphics monitor for around $300.00 I looked at their Pro models and they run the same. So after looking at them in the show room I have decided to buy the ViewSonic and get back to work on my Photos. I will have it by next weekend and can't wait.

Thanks again for your help it really did help in the decision.

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

I think that you will like your choice. what size did you go with?
If you have a good graphics card, and it is a 19" monitor and can handle it, 1600x1200 resolution really rocks using photoshop. make sure it is at least 24 bit color and min. 72 hz refresh rate.

here is an idea on what you can do with your old monitor....
buy a cheap second graphics card, install it (it is easier then you think) and run a dual monitor set up.
I have a dual monitor setup for photoshop and I can drag all the tools, extra windows, etc on the second monitor and have the first monitor just for photo editing....... it is a snap in windows xp. (the 2 monitors become one big monitor)
the quality of the second monitor does not matter as the first one is the one you do the editing on.
we use that second monitor to put tutorials up and follow them with photoshop on the main monitor. It also works great for school, if you have kids.
total cost of my dual monitor setup was 50 dollars for the pci card, 5 dollar for a still really great working 17" crt from salvation army.
just a thought
If you do it, you will never go back to one monitor

[Photo Tramp]

What exact model viewsonic are you going with?
thanks
barondla

Well the exact model is the ViewSonic 19" CRT G90fB runs $239.00 with out shipping charges from ViewSonic and $224.00 with out shipping charges from B&H, but my local PC guy here can get it for me at his price and it will be even less in price and I won't have to pay shipping either. The next model up would have been their 21" and run about $550.00 which I didn't want to spend and I really don't have the room on my desk for anything as large as my TV. This 19" is just as deep as my old 17" but will give me about 2 more inches of viewing.

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

[Photo Tramp]

I think that you will like your choice. what size did you go with?
If you have a good graphics card, and it is a 19" monitor and can handle it, 1600x1200 resolution really rocks using photoshop. make sure it is at least 24 bit color and min. 72 hz refresh rate.

here is an idea on what you can do with your old monitor....
buy a cheap second graphics card, install it (it is easier then you think) and run a dual monitor set up.
I have a dual monitor setup for photoshop and I can drag all the tools, extra windows, etc on the second monitor and have the first monitor just for photo editing....... it is a snap in windows xp. (the 2 monitors become one big monitor)
the quality of the second monitor does not matter as the first one is the one you do the editing on.
we use that second monitor to put tutorials up and follow them with photoshop on the main monitor. It also works great for school, if you have kids.
total cost of my dual monitor setup was 50 dollars for the pci card, 5 dollar for a still really great working 17" crt from salvation army.
just a thought
If you do it, you will never go back to one monitor

Hay Slipchuck. thanks for asking.
I went with the Viewsonic 19" g90fB from their graphics collection the Res is 1920-1440 with a refresh rate between 50-160hz with 0.21mm horizontal dot pitch and 0.25mm diagonal dot pitch.

I went with the 19" because of space since I am confined to our smaller 2nd bedroom/pantry/office. I would love to be able to take up your idea about two monitors but as I said earlier I don't have the space. The old monitor isn't worth saving so I'll get rid of that to my computer guy (let him fix it or get rid of it) Anyway I did find out it wasn't just the monitor I was having trouble with (no not the graphics card either) the whole system crashed earlier Tuesday night the computer just all of a sudden just shut off and then tried to reboot it's self got to the first beep in post and would shut down and reboot again. that's all it would do so I made a mad Dash to the shop and wanted a new main board and CPU, well to make a long story short they didn't have any in stock and could order both for me (Wait 3-4 weeks) Well I needed one right then. I walked out of the shop with a Compaq SR1610NX had a 3500+ processor and a very good main board for upgrading. I took it home and put my DVD R/RW and DVD R only in to it along with 2 gig of ram and my old 300 gig hard drive. (cleaned and formated, I'll use it for photo file storage along with my 300 gig external HD) It came with a copy of Windows XP Pro and the normal garbage of a new computer. Never the less I did the upgrade flushed the crap from the system and I now have a new computer and service clause good for a year, and a new monitor on the way (OH BTW the computers total cost $156.00 compaired to $200+ for a new main board and CPU.

I think I really did make out this week even though the frustration rate was enough to raise my blood preasure several points. Any way thats the Saga. and as some one quotes " Now you know the rest of the story"

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

[xandy]

David, are you satisfied with your new monitor?

[and]

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