Any idea if Viewsonic VX2370SMH is good/decent for photo editing ?

AnovG · 11-16-2016, 08:36 PM

Hi everyone,

Do you have any idea if this monitor will be any good for post processing ? I am shooting with a Pentax K-S1 and I am an amatuer aspiring to get in to concert photography. Anyway, I need to finish my new desktop build for post processing and the monitor is the last remaining piece. I gave the Dell Ultrasharps a long thought, but it is over my budget ($175 at max), don't have a lot of cash left after buying the other parts for the desktop. I will be borrowing/buying a calibration device as soon as I can to work with. The reason I picked this is because it is cheap, has 8 bit display and 100% sRGB coverage. If you have any other recommendation, please let me know. Thank you.

http://www.viewsonic.com/us/vx2370smh-led.html

Anov

**Digitalis** · 11-16-2016, 11:15 PM

With appropriate calibration hardware, along with diligent use of said hardware, should make just about any IPS based display perfectly fine for photographic purposes.

victormeldrew · 11-17-2016, 05:34 AM

Viewsonic make reasonably good budget screens...I owned one (a different model) for some time and it was obsolete before it was broken, which is all you can ask.
But, as said, with calibration any IPS display is perfectly good for post. Once you're earning you will want to get the best you can, but until then it should be fine.

reeftool · 11-17-2016, 06:43 AM

If your monitor is an IPS screen and calibrated along with decent resolution, at least 1920 x 1080, then it should do fine. The 23 inch IPS LG screen I'm currently using can be found for $150. Prices have come down considerably in recent years since the PC industry got shamed over the crappy monitors they were selling after $200 tablets started using hi-res IPS screens.

AnovG · 11-17-2016, 10:51 AM

Thank you guys. Yes, this is an IPS panel with 8 bit display, a claimed 100% sRGB coverage & 7 ms response time. Anyway, with your feedback my search for an IPS panel has ended and I am gonna buy it. This purchase puts me within the budget I had given myself to build the desktop. I have a long way to go before I can start earning.

What is the cheapest (preferably <$100) calibrator that provides acceptable results ? Waiting for the Black Fridy sales to buy the calibrator.

Anov

victormeldrew · 11-17-2016, 11:00 AM

The cheap end of calibrators tend to be very crippled but do the job if you just want simple automated calibration of a single display. Personally I settled on the Colormunki Display, which is one up from the basic Smile...but both would do the job. The Spider range has been getting some poor reviews on the software front of late but otherwise does the same job. I settled on Colormunki simply because of a) reviews and b) price/feature value.

AnovG · 11-17-2016, 12:51 PM

To be honest, I have zero idea about monitor calibrator. Colormunki Smile is being sold by Adorama for $55. This is by far the cheapest for any calibration device I have seen. I think as long as it can calibrate the screen, I will be happy. The question is, should I buy it now, or should I wait for Thanksgiving ? What do you suggest ?

victormeldrew · 11-17-2016, 01:55 PM

It will calibrate the screen, but unlike higher models, will only do so in an automatic mode, not allow you to adjust the results or create custom profiles etc. To be honest, I have always found the full-auto mode gives perfectly acceptable results so I haven't had much need for the additional features. The higher models are quicker too, saving a few minutes per calibration...again no big deal.

Whether or not there will be any meaningful discount in the future and whether you will be better waiting is beyond my abilities. The last time I read anything about 'black friday' deals, they were shown to be mostly bunk...usually taking the form of artificially inflated prices leading to fictional discounts.

Class A · 11-17-2016, 08:52 PM

Originally posted by Digitalis

With appropriate calibration hardware, along with diligent use of said hardware, should make just about any IPS based display perfectly fine for photographic purposes.

So the higher-priced monitors are just a complete rip-off?

I don't think so.

A bad monitor can have banding issues after calibration; even if it uses a decent panel the firmware may dish up a weird gamma behaviour.

There can be differences in the bit-depth supported and in the coverage of standard colour gammuts.

Cheaper displays will also suffer from homogeneity issues (regarding brightness and in particular regarding colour).

Of course, achievable black levels differ and light leaks or clouding, etc are also more common on cheaper panels.

The list could be continued, but I guess it has become already clear that a calibrator cannot turn a crappy monitor into a good one.

Price differences between calibrators can also be justified as there are different inter-instrument variations and different capabilities to deal with various types of panel types. Measuring speed and accuracy with respect to dark tones also vary.

I'm not saying it is not possible to get an OK looking image with budget equipment, but the idea that all devices do basically the same job has no merit at all.

**Digitalis** · 11-17-2016, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by Class A

I'm not saying it is not possible to get an OK looking image with budget equipment, but the idea that all devices do basically the same job has no merit at all.

OK MR.Pedantic, I never said budget equipment was able to perform in the same league as the high-end self-calibrating double-digit LUT equipment that I work with. But with regular calibration, a budget IPS monitor from viewsonic* should be fine - not perfect, but fine for entry level amateur photography. IMO anything under $500USD is going to more than a few compromises regarding colour accuracy and tonal range.

If the OP does well as a photographer and gets paid well, they should be able to spring for a better monitor down the road.

*Last I heard Viewsonic get their IPS panels from Samsung and LG, both of which are competent and reliable manufacturers.

Class A · 11-17-2016, 10:32 PM

Originally posted by Digitalis

OK MR.Pedantic,

Good morning to you too.

I intended to present a counter position to essentially everyone who downplayed the differences between budget and pricier equipment. I just happened to quote you as the first one to make an explicit statement along those lines.

I did not mean any personal offence and I'm sorry if it came across that way.

Originally posted by Digitalis

But with regular calibration, a budget IPS monitor from viewsonic* should be fine - not perfect, but fine for entry level amateur photography.

OK, when you mean "not perfect, but fine" why don't you write that instead of "perfectly fine"? I would have picked another phrase from another poster in that instance.

We seem to agree on the compromises present in budget equipment, apparently just not on how to word it.

Originally posted by Digitalis

*Last I heard Viewsonic get their IPS panels from Samsung and LG, both of which are competent and reliable manufacturers.

Like virtually everyone else does.

The question still is what kind of panel, from what quality tier it is, what the control electronics are like, and what the firmware is capable of / what it is botching up.

**Digitalis** · 11-18-2016, 12:06 AM

Originally posted by Class A

when you mean "not perfect, but fine" why don't you write that instead of "perfectly fine"? I would have picked another phrase from another poster in that instance.

I chose an attributive intensifier: which when interpreted in a literal sense, could be seen as misleading. My bad.

Originally posted by Class A

We seem to agree on the compromises present in budget equipment, apparently just not on how to word it.

Being an INTJ means I communicate honestly in a rather blunt and to-the-point fashion. I consciously edit a lot of the things I say and write, after a long time this does get fatiguing: in person I come across as quiet because I don't say much - but that is because If I say anything at all, it is heavily edited and has to fulfill the criteria of being of value to the conversation. Writing on this medium means you have to use a high degree tact and as a result my choice of words may somewhat dilute because, if I was to write on this subject how I wanted to: I would probably end up eating a ban*.

* I know, people who hold the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC in high regard would consider this a travesty.

victormeldrew · 11-18-2016, 05:54 AM

To suggest to an amateur on a budget that budget equipment is perfectly fine is perfectly fine in my book.
High end kit is not perfectly fine for someone on a budget...quite the opposite. It's unaffordable, so non-existant.
Professional features are not perfectly fine for an amateur, they are unnecessary, so a waste of money.

Of course, a Ferrari is better than a Kia...but not for a new driver on a budget...the Kia is perfectly fine for them. Does the job, in budget, perfect.

11-16-2016, 08:36 PM	#1
AnovG New Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 17	Any idea if Viewsonic VX2370SMH is good/decent for photo editing ? Hi everyone, Do you have any idea if this monitor will be any good for post processing ? I am shooting with a Pentax K-S1 and I am an amatuer aspiring to get in to concert photography. Anyway, I need to finish my new desktop build for post processing and the monitor is the last remaining piece. I gave the Dell Ultrasharps a long thought, but it is over my budget ($175 at max), don't have a lot of cash left after buying the other parts for the desktop. I will be borrowing/buying a calibration device as soon as I can to work with. The reason I picked this is because it is cheap, has 8 bit display and 100% sRGB coverage. If you have any other recommendation, please let me know. Thank you. http://www.viewsonic.com/us/vx2370smh-led.html Anov

11-17-2016, 09:05 PM	#10
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by Class A I'm not saying it is not possible to get an OK looking image with budget equipment, but the idea that all devices do basically the same job has no merit at all. OK MR.Pedantic, I never said budget equipment was able to perform in the same league as the high-end self-calibrating double-digit LUT equipment that I work with. But with regular calibration, a budget IPS monitor from viewsonic* should be fine - not perfect, but fine for entry level amateur photography. IMO anything under $500USD is going to more than a few compromises regarding colour accuracy and tonal range. If the OP does well as a photographer and gets paid well, they should be able to spring for a better monitor down the road. Last I heard Viewsonic get their IPS panels from Samsung and LG, both of which are competent and reliable manufacturers. Last edited by Digitalis; 11-17-2016 at 09:15 PM.*

11-18-2016, 12:06 AM	#12
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by Class A when you mean "not perfect, but fine" why don't you write that instead of "perfectly fine"? I would have picked another phrase from another poster in that instance. I chose an attributive intensifier: which when interpreted in a literal sense, could be seen as misleading. My bad. Originally posted by Class A We seem to agree on the compromises present in budget equipment, apparently just not on how to word it. Being an INTJ means I communicate honestly in a rather blunt and to-the-point fashion. I consciously edit a lot of the things I say and write, after a long time this does get fatiguing: in person I come across as quiet because I don't say much - but that is because If I say anything at all, it is heavily edited and has to fulfill the criteria of being of value to the conversation. Writing on this medium means you have to use a high degree tact and as a result my choice of words may somewhat dilute because, if I was to write on this subject how I wanted to: I would probably end up eating a ban. I know, people who hold the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC in high regard would consider this a travesty. Last edited by Digitalis; 11-18-2016 at 12:12 AM.

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11-16-2016, 11:15 PM	#2
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	With appropriate calibration hardware, along with diligent use of said hardware, should make just about any IPS based display perfectly fine for photographic purposes.

11-17-2016, 05:34 AM	#3
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	Viewsonic make reasonably good budget screens...I owned one (a different model) for some time and it was obsolete before it was broken, which is all you can ask. But, as said, with calibration any IPS display is perfectly good for post. Once you're earning you will want to get the best you can, but until then it should be fine.

11-17-2016, 06:43 AM	#4
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,554	If your monitor is an IPS screen and calibrated along with decent resolution, at least 1920 x 1080, then it should do fine. The 23 inch IPS LG screen I'm currently using can be found for $150. Prices have come down considerably in recent years since the PC industry got shamed over the crappy monitors they were selling after $200 tablets started using hi-res IPS screens.

11-17-2016, 10:51 AM	#5
AnovG New Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 17 Original Poster	Thank you guys. Yes, this is an IPS panel with 8 bit display, a claimed 100% sRGB coverage & 7 ms response time. Anyway, with your feedback my search for an IPS panel has ended and I am gonna buy it. This purchase puts me within the budget I had given myself to build the desktop. I have a long way to go before I can start earning. What is the cheapest (preferably <$100) calibrator that provides acceptable results ? Waiting for the Black Fridy sales to buy the calibrator. Anov

11-17-2016, 11:00 AM	#6
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	The cheap end of calibrators tend to be very crippled but do the job if you just want simple automated calibration of a single display. Personally I settled on the Colormunki Display, which is one up from the basic Smile...but both would do the job. The Spider range has been getting some poor reviews on the software front of late but otherwise does the same job. I settled on Colormunki simply because of a) reviews and b) price/feature value.

11-17-2016, 12:51 PM	#7
AnovG New Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 17 Original Poster	To be honest, I have zero idea about monitor calibrator. Colormunki Smile is being sold by Adorama for $55. This is by far the cheapest for any calibration device I have seen. I think as long as it can calibrate the screen, I will be happy. The question is, should I buy it now, or should I wait for Thanksgiving ? What do you suggest ?

11-17-2016, 01:55 PM	#8
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	It will calibrate the screen, but unlike higher models, will only do so in an automatic mode, not allow you to adjust the results or create custom profiles etc. To be honest, I have always found the full-auto mode gives perfectly acceptable results so I haven't had much need for the additional features. The higher models are quicker too, saving a few minutes per calibration...again no big deal. Whether or not there will be any meaningful discount in the future and whether you will be better waiting is beyond my abilities. The last time I read anything about 'black friday' deals, they were shown to be mostly bunk...usually taking the form of artificially inflated prices leading to fictional discounts.

11-17-2016, 08:52 PM	#9
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by Digitalis With appropriate calibration hardware, along with diligent use of said hardware, should make just about any IPS based display perfectly fine for photographic purposes. So the higher-priced monitors are just a complete rip-off? I don't think so. A bad monitor can have banding issues after calibration; even if it uses a decent panel the firmware may dish up a weird gamma behaviour. There can be differences in the bit-depth supported and in the coverage of standard colour gammuts. Cheaper displays will also suffer from homogeneity issues (regarding brightness and in particular regarding colour). Of course, achievable black levels differ and light leaks or clouding, etc are also more common on cheaper panels. The list could be continued, but I guess it has become already clear that a calibrator cannot turn a crappy monitor into a good one. Price differences between calibrators can also be justified as there are different inter-instrument variations and different capabilities to deal with various types of panel types. Measuring speed and accuracy with respect to dark tones also vary. I'm not saying it is not possible to get an OK looking image with budget equipment, but the idea that all devices do basically the same job has no merit at all.

11-17-2016, 10:32 PM	#11
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by Digitalis OK MR.Pedantic, Good morning to you too. I intended to present a counter position to essentially everyone who downplayed the differences between budget and pricier equipment. I just happened to quote you as the first one to make an explicit statement along those lines. I did not mean any personal offence and I'm sorry if it came across that way. Originally posted by Digitalis But with regular calibration, a budget IPS monitor from viewsonic* should be fine - not perfect, but fine for entry level amateur photography. OK, when you mean "not perfect, but fine" why don't you write that instead of "perfectly fine"? I would have picked another phrase from another poster in that instance. We seem to agree on the compromises present in budget equipment, apparently just not on how to word it. Originally posted by Digitalis *Last I heard Viewsonic get their IPS panels from Samsung and LG, both of which are competent and reliable manufacturers. Like virtually everyone else does. The question still is what kind of panel, from what quality tier it is, what the control electronics are like, and what the firmware is capable of / what it is botching up.

11-18-2016, 05:54 AM	#13
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	To suggest to an amateur on a budget that budget equipment is perfectly fine is perfectly fine in my book. High end kit is not perfectly fine for someone on a budget...quite the opposite. It's unaffordable, so non-existant. Professional features are not perfectly fine for an amateur, they are unnecessary, so a waste of money. Of course, a Ferrari is better than a Kia...but not for a new driver on a budget...the Kia is perfectly fine for them. Does the job, in budget, perfect.