NEC 2470WNX for photoshop?

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philg

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I'm torn between the LCD20WMGX2 (but would like 1900x1200), the LCD2490UXI-BK-SV ($$$) and the LCD2090UXI-BK-SV (but want 1900x1200 and gaming refresh rates).

I'm replacing a Dell 21" Trinitron CRT (1600x1200 at 75hz). My priorities are:

1. Photography (either Spectraview or Eye One Display 2 a must) for submitting stock photos. I shoot landscapes and wildlife with an intermediate DSLR.
2. Screen resolution for 2 pages side by side, GIS work
3. Refresh rate for games.

Will the 2470WNX do a good job at photo work, or will the S-PVA panel shift color depending on my point of view?
 
No LCD's are good for photoshop work.

Well, one: NEC SpectraView 2180WG

there you go.

a little out of everybody's price range @ $6600. Why so expensive? Because its practically the only panel made for photo editing.

honestly, if you do graphics work, you'll want to stick with a crt, period.

LCD's are not made to do photoshop/photo editing. And people who do SERIOUS photoshop work will never use one. They're made to do spreadsheets and office work. They are pretty much ALL 6 bit panels, FAKING 8 bit colors because of dithering.

getting the one eye display is good (i have one too ;) ) and it'll help, but is no solution for a panel that cant reproduce the right colors in the first place.

they are getting better, but we're STILL looking at a few years before the come close to getting it right as a mainstream product.

"There are quite a few other high quality models in this size that are worthy of consideration, including the NEC 2180UX, the Lacie 321 (an OEM version of the UX), and the Eizo CG210. The latest Apple 23" Cinemadisplay is also a good choice in this feature, quality, and price range."

there are your photoshop ready LCD monitors:)
 
What makes an S-IPS Apple Cinema display any better than an AS-IPS NEC2490UXI-BK-SV with a 12bit lookup table, integral colour calibration and tuned surface luminance?
 
Dunan said:
LCD's are not made to do photoshop/photo editing. And people who do SERIOUS photoshop work will never use one. They're made to do spreadsheets and office work. They are pretty much ALL 6 bit panels, FAKING 8 bit colors because of dithering.
Click to expand...

Only TN panels are not 8 bit anymore. Current PVA, MVA, and IPS panels are all capable of 8 bit, which is to say that each pixel is capable of 256 unique states.

Mofongo
 
philg said:
What makes an S-IPS Apple Cinema display any better than an AS-IPS NEC2490UXI-BK-SV with a 12bit lookup table, integral colour calibration and tuned surface luminance?
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure Dunan is confused. The 24 inch NEC will totally beat out the Apple 23 inch. The apple does not even have very advanced calibration capabilities.
 
To Travbomb: A very nice and diplomatic way of putting it.

Don’t listen to Dunan. He is very behind the times. There are several flat panel monitors that are even certified from SWOP and ICS for accuracy for color and printing. If you look at the Eizo monitors you will even find that some of their displays are not even IPS type panels but also have the certifications. I will say that the best monitors are still CRT for a person that does Photoshop for his living (And I mean top of the line CRT’s). But most of us use the monitor for other things and is mostly placed in a home and not in an office environment. I do a lot of Photoshop work and the PVA panels just do not meet my standards of color accuracy. The other problem with MVA/PVA technology is that they have color shifts in the panels (all of them). A lot of people can not see it but they do not work for hours with the monitor to fine tune a picture. It is there and very noticeable to us that do this kind of work. The only panel I would recommend to you would be an IPS panel because it produces more accurate color rendering to print and does not have the color shifting. Coming from a Dell Trinitron monitor (I had a 19”) you will be pleased with the color reproduction that will be better than what you have now and it would also allow you to play games without any problem.

There is a new IPS monitor that just started shipping yesterday. The PLANAR PX2611W seems to have the same panel as the NEC 2690 but without the 12 bit lookup table adjustments. I am trying to get some more information on it from Planer. For me the NEC 2490 has been the only choice that I feel that I have. I really do not want to spend the dollars for the NEC 2490 because it is just way overpriced in today’s market. If it was several hundred dollars less I would get it right now.
 
i cant be too far behind the times since you agreed with everything i said:confused:
CRT's are better for that type of work, period.
LCD's were NOT directly made for photoshop/image work.
they were made to save space in the office, then they migrated to home use.
and there is not one person that i know, even in our portal/web development dept. that WANTS to, or willingly will use an LCD for their work:)

the LCD's i posted are the only true color correct LCD's out there for pro's, and the price reflects that.
 
Keep your old CRT and use it in dual monitor mode. You'll need it if you work with any dark colors. CRT + LCD combo is definately the best way to go.
 
Scyles said:
Keep your old CRT and use it in dual monitor mode. You'll need it if you work with any dark colors. CRT + LCD combo is definately the best way to go.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm getting intermittent slight color shifts on my CRT so I think it's on the way out (goes cool-warm-greenish over small time intervals). Any way to fix that? It's a little psychedelic but not so good for photo work.

Sounds like IPS is the way to go from comments so far. That leaves me with either LCD20WGMX2, LCD2090UXi-BK-SV or LCD2490UXi-BK-SV in present NECs. I'm not into playing the panel lottery with Dell or LG monitors.

Any comment on the LCD2470WNX's color/shading sensitivity to viewing angle?
 
Keeping and using your old Dell monitor is not a bad idea as long as you calibrate it very often. I am sure you have quite a bit of hours on it and it is not as good as it was a couple of years ago. It is really not a quality monitor for Photoshop work (It was Dell’s best though) but it obviously has sufficed for your work so far. That is why an IPS monitor will work well for you and surpass your expectations. As Scyles mentioned, the major difference in the minus department will be that the Blacks will not be as good. The pluses will be an increase of color accuracy than what your Dell gives you now.

To Dunan: I am sorry for jumping on you like that but I do not think that the OP or I are in the same league as you. If he is working on a Dell and it has achieved the results for his needs, then an IPS monitor will work just fine for his needs.
 
I was writing my last post when you posted yours. You are really pushing for the 2470. The 2470 is not an IPS panel model, it is an S-PVA and you will not like the color shift. The color is excellent on that model though. My advice is to purchase a Dell 2407 and see if you can live with the color shifting for a week or two. If it does not work out for you then return it. It has the same panel as the NEC2470 but the NEC has better parts. Dell has an excellent return policy. This way you are not stuck with a PVA monitor.
 
I agree, you definately do not want a PVA monitor. The 30" Dell is a guaranteed IPS. That'd be my first choice (the non-HC version can be had for under $1K). The 26" NEC is, I'm fairly sure, an IPS. Of course the 20WMGX2 is an IPS. Its too bad about the panel lotteries, else the 20" Dell and Acer would be the bargain choices.

Keep in mind that if you follow the Dell return policy, you'll be getting a refurbished monitor unless you get a full refund and go through the order process from the beginning.
 
For Travbomb: What is and what happened to the MFM line that you had previously talked about here.
 
Scyles said:
I agree, you definately do not want a PVA monitor. The 30" Dell is a guaranteed IPS. That'd be my first choice (the non-HC version can be had for under $1K). The 26" NEC is, I'm fairly sure, an IPS. Of course the 20WMGX2 is an IPS. Its too bad about the panel lotteries, else the 20" Dell and Acer would be the bargain choices.

Keep in mind that if you follow the Dell return policy, you'll be getting a refurbished monitor unless you get a full refund and go through the order process from the beginning.
Click to expand...

Only trouble is I've got an older 3 GHz machine with an AGP slot. No two video cards for me... Any other way to handle those mammoth resolutions? :(

Part of me wants to cheap out, save $1000 and get the LCD20WMGX2 + Eye One Display 2 (can also use it to calibrate my laptop). I could save the cash for an EOS 5D body. The other part says to go whole hog for the LCD2490Uxi-BK-SV. Screen real estate is the biggest factor in choosing between the two.
 
QUOTE
"It is really not a quality monitor for Photoshop work"
"LCD's were NOT directly made for photoshop/image work."
"No LCD's are good for photoshop work."

I use Photoshop for many things (one for a living) and lcds are more than fine for me.
 
For Frychiko: What type of panel are you using for a monitor and have you used other LCD panels for your work?


I am having the same problem philg. One side of me says just buy the stupid NEC 2490 and be done with it and another side says, spend $500 less and get the Planar 26” (It just came out) that has the same panel as the NEC2690. But the NEC has better electronics inside. It’s a choice of the near sided view (Very valid) and the far sided view (Very valid) because it is something I have to live with for 3 to 4 years.

I personally do not like the super resolution of the 30” panels. It makes the picture I am working on smaller and I must enlarge the picture that much more to see the detail that I am working on. I have found that the max resolution that I like is 1920X1200 (And that is what I am going to purchase again) but the ideal work is with a 22” and its smaller dot pitch. High Definition video work was the deciding factor in purchasing a 24” widescreen monitor again. Unless I purchase the 26” Planar.
 
Frychiko said:
QUOTE
"It is really not a quality monitor for Photoshop work"
"LCD's were NOT directly made for photoshop/image work."
"No LCD's are good for photoshop work."

I use Photoshop for many things (one for a living) and lcds are more than fine for me.
Click to expand...

Read Dunan's sig and it makes his views very plain. But it also shows he is very biased and out of touch with reality. I am more than willing to bet the vast majority of design studios have switched to high-end LCDs. I work for a company that runs three very popular commerce sites and I remember visiting the photo studio (all digital cameras) for the websites (every image is shot in-house) in 2002-2004 and it was all CRTs except for the managers offices. I just stopped by a few weeks ago and there isn't a single CRT in the studio anymore. Nothing but 23" or larger Apple Displays. There are plenty of designs studios around here and I am sure I could stop any number and see something very similar.

Can anyone even name a single high-end CRT being manufactured now? Do you really think design studios are going to use refurbished hardware? For better or worse its a LCD world until something new hits the market.
 
In 2005-2006 there was a huge upswing to purchase the 23” Apple display. There were times in 2005 when you had to wait several weeks for delivery. It was the best LCD you could purchase and it would calibrate accurately for post printing work very nicely. Now there is competition out there and it will grow with IPS panels coming out more and more.
 
My two cents...

I purchased a 2470 three weeks ago and concluded to be a very good monitor for the price...no dead pixels, perfect. It replaced a LaCie Photonvision 20" (entry level three years old). I mainly do besides web related programs, Photoshop and light CAD. It calibrated very well using the GretagMcbeth Display One colorimeter with its own software iMatch 3. While color performance was better to my eyes than the LaCie, I decided I wanted a wider color gamut...now the choker, I returned the 2470 and in spite all the talk...I purchased a 2690WUXi (thanks Travbomb) a week ago. I was also contemplating the 2490 (same electronics but not the same wide gamut as the 2690)...

I can only say it is the best monitor I have ever had period...no dead pixels, no noise and extremely light bleeding on the top left at the edge...not an issue! I have never seen colors display this good using Photoshop and Lightroom...especially green and red in any monitor! Now, keep in mind that has only been software calibrated (as above), and can only imagine what it will look like when I get the Spectraview software, and take full benefit of hardware (14 bit) calibration!

Whoever is looking at a 2490 for color work applications...do yourself a favor and spend the extra "couple hundreds" and go for the 2690...you will not regret it!!
 
The 2490/2690 are definately some of the best LCD's you can buy. I just hate the price premium, getting what you pay for and all that.
 
Well, I've ruled out the 2470WNX and now it's down to the 2090, 2490 or 2690 with Spectraview...
 
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