LCD Monitor Recommendations

[Leongfm]

I am considering buying a quality LCD monitor (for PC) for photo editing and general use. Here are my basic criteria:

- 17" or 19" screen
- support both analog and DVI output
- support colour management (colour profile)

Any good brand/model to recommend? What kind of prices I am looking at? Are high contrast (700-to-1 ratio) and fast response time (less than 16ms) critical for photo editing?

Thanks.

FM

 

[cyrilng]

I am considering buying a quality LCD monitor (for PC) for photo editing and general use. Here are my basic criteria:

- 17" or 19" screen
- support both analog and DVI output
- support colour management (colour profile)

Any good brand/model to recommend? What kind of prices I am looking at? Are high contrast (700-to-1 ratio) and fast response time (less than 16ms) critical for photo editing?

Thanks.

FM

I think some of the Sharp LCDs support color profiling. http://www.sharpsystems.com/products/lcd_monitors/15-17_inch/
http://www.sharpsystems.com/products/lcd_monitors/18-20_inch/

Expect to pay $800-1000+ for those features you are looking for.

High contrast would be good but fast response time is only important for less blurring when viewing moving images like games.

 

[Leongfm]

I went to SLS today to look for 17"/19" LCD monitor and found that the Samsung 173T (17") seemed to fit my needs above at $859. The price of the 19" version (193T) was almost $400 more so I think it was not worth it (same resolution as 17" but the pixels are larger).

I asked one of the more reputable shops (Fu****) if they would let me exchange the monitor if I found some dead/bright pixels they replied that they would only exchange if they are 4 or more problematic pixels. According to them, Samsung would only guarantee certain LCD models but not others.

My questions are:
- is this a common practice for the shops not to offer 1-to-1 exchange even if there are problematic pixels?
- is it common to get 1 or 2 problematic pixels on LCD monitors?
- is Samsung 173T good for photo editing? Is it easy to colour profile it?

Thanks for your help.

 

[zod]

i bought my cmv lcd from a shop in sls. sorry can't remember name
but they said if the dead/hot pixel is in the center, they can exchange

anyway, i found 1 ard the center and went back to change. they din even check

 

[theITguy]

I went to SLS today to look for 17"/19" LCD monitor and found that the Samsung 173T (17") seemed to fit my needs above at $859. The price of the 19" version (193T) was almost $400 more so I think it was not worth it (same resolution as 17" but the pixels are larger).

I asked one of the more reputable shops (Fu****) if they would let me exchange the monitor if I found some dead/bright pixels they replied that they would only exchange if they are 4 or more problematic pixels. According to them, Samsung would only guarantee certain LCD models but not others.

My questions are:
- is this a common practice for the shops not to offer 1-to-1 exchange even if there are problematic pixels?
- is it common to get 1 or 2 problematic pixels on LCD monitors?
- is Samsung 173T good for photo editing? Is it easy to colour profile it?

Thanks for your help.

Hi,

1. Depends on the shop and number of pixels involved.
2. Yes, and definitely. You will be lucky not to any at all.
3. Not sure coz I do not own one. Waiting for OLED flat panel coz it has much better colour saturation than LCD.


Word of Advice: Check directly with Samsung, do not ever trust information give by shops in SLS.


This is from someone who has spend last 5 years on PC, and the part on SLS shops is very true most of the time. Afterall they are making sales to profit.

 

[Splutter]

Sorry if I OT abit here, but are lcds a good choice when doing photo-editing? I heard they do not display as much dynamic range as crts, or have lcds caught up?

 

[cyrilng]

I went to SLS today to look for 17"/19" LCD monitor and found that the Samsung 173T (17") seemed to fit my needs above at $859. The price of the 19" version (193T) was almost $400 more so I think it was not worth it (same resolution as 17" but the pixels are larger).

I asked one of the more reputable shops (Fu****) if they would let me exchange the monitor if I found some dead/bright pixels they replied that they would only exchange if they are 4 or more problematic pixels. According to them, Samsung would only guarantee certain LCD models but not others.

My questions are:
- is this a common practice for the shops not to offer 1-to-1 exchange even if there are problematic pixels?
- is it common to get 1 or 2 problematic pixels on LCD monitors?
- is Samsung 173T good for photo editing? Is it easy to colour profile it?

Thanks for your help.

Did you not check out any of the Sharps?
It used to be common to find at least one or 2 dead pixels but I think standards are improving & some brands even have a zero dead pixel policy.

 

[Leongfm]

Did you not check out any of the Sharps?
It used to be common to find at least one or 2 dead pixels but I think standards are improving & some brands even have a zero dead pixel policy.

Hi Cyriling

I did not really check out the Sharp LCDs as they are not as popular as Samsung. I think they are more expensive than Samsung as well.

FM

 

[cyrilng]

Hi Cyriling

I did not really check out the Sharp LCDs as they are not as popular as Samsung. I think they are more expensive than Samsung as well.

FM

That's because they are better than the Samsungs & come with built-in color profiling. Sharp make many of the LCD panels used by other LCD monitor makers. :thumbsup: