Monitor Advice

[Cleanimage]

I've finally decided to replace my 7 year old Dell monitor. I'm looking at the following monitors: Dell 2713H and Asus PA279Q. Both monitors are 27 inches and cover 99% of the RGB color space. I probably don't need the RGB coverage but I've always shot in RAW so I thought it might be interesting to see how the enhanced color would play out with my images.

If anyone has experience with these monitors, I'd appreciate some feedback. If you have other suggestions, I'd appreciate your recommendations.

Also, for the folks who gave me advice on the 105 macro and Think Tank Airport Takeoff bag; thanks again.

 

[X Ray]

For the price, I love my Asus PA248Q. I believe it's just a 24 inch version of the one you're considering.

It basically had all the ins and outs that I wanted. I knew I would use all of the 4 USB 3.0 ports. This was a huge deal for me. It's nice and convenient to plug my memory cards into my card reader right at the monitor since I keep my tower under my bed.

 

[barry lloyd]

I went for the
Dell Ultrasharp U2412M 24 inch IPS Widescreen LED Monitor
IPS monitors are so much better, check them out on youtube

 

[TonyW]

... I'm looking at the following monitors: Dell 2713H and Asus PA279Q. Both monitors are 27 inches and cover 99% of the RGB color space. I probably don't need the RGB coverage but I've always shot in RAW so I thought it might be interesting to see how the enhanced color would play out with my images.

If anyone has experience with these monitors, I'd appreciate some feedback. If you have other suggestions, I'd appreciate your recommendations.

No experience of these but from what I have read I do not think you would be disappointed with either.

Coverage of 100% Adobe RGB can be of importance for critical colour work. Your camera sensor will certainly be capable of capturing a colour gamut in excess of Adobe RGB (even though raw does not have a colour gamut). Some modern printers, inksets and papers are also capable of exceeding Adobe RGB gamut. That is not to say that you will not get excellent results staying within an sRGB workflow.

Asus Toms hardware review
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/proart-pq279q-wide-gamut-review,review-32827.html

Dell TFT central review
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2713h.htm
One thing that did appeal to me about the Dell is the fact that it supports hardware calibration which allows direct access to the monitors 14 bit LUT. The downside seems to be that although Dell supply their own colour calibration solution (by X-Rite) you are out of luck if you already own a calibration device and that device is not the X Rite i1 Display Pro (X-Rite have locked the software to this device only). i1Display Pro currently retails around $230 so maybe worth considering if you do not already have a unit that is capable of wide gamut profiling.

 

[TonyW]

No experience of these but from what I have read I do not think you would be disappointed with either.

Coverage of 100% Adobe RGB can be of importance for critical colour work. Your camera sensor will certainly be capable of capturing a colour gamut in excess of Adobe RGB (even though raw does not have a colour gamut). Some modern printers, inksets and papers are also capable of exceeding Adobe RGB gamut. That is not to say that you will not get excellent results staying within an sRGB workflow.

Asus Toms hardware review
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/proart-pq279q-wide-gamut-review,review-32827.html

Dell TFT central review
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2713h.htm
One thing that did appeal to me about the Dell is the fact that it supports hardware calibration which allows direct access to the monitors 14 bit LUT. The downside seems to be that although Dell supply their own colour calibration solution (by X-Rite) you are out of luck if you already own a calibration device and that device is not the X Rite i1 Display Pro (X-Rite have locked the software to this device only). i1Display Pro currently retails around $230 so maybe worth considering if you do not already have a unit that is capable of wide gamut profiling.

EDIT: If you are looking to increase your budget and also looking for a pro monitor NEC and Eizo are really the standards

 

[X Ray]

IPS monitors are so much better, check them out on youtube

I believe the Asus monitors are IPS.

 

[X Ray]

EDIT: If you are looking to increase your budget and also looking for a pro monitor NEC and Eizo are really the standards

I wish I would have just bought an Eizo a few years ago when I bought my TV. I never use my TV. That was a waste of 2400 bucks.

 

[barry lloyd]

What is often over looked is mentioning if one want a monitor for serious professional use or as a good consumer version. As photography is just a hobby for me the latter is what I would go for. So often happens a difference of opinion on what one should should not get as looked at from a different starting point. For example calibration-computers-printers-monitors all fall into either for professional or amateur use sectors, a request should specify which area they want the item for

 

[Cleanimage]

I went for the
Dell Ultrasharp U2412M 24 inch IPS Widescreen LED Monitor
IPS monitors are so much better, check them out on youtube

Barry - Fully agree. My old monitor is an IPS monitor and both of the monitors I'm considering are IPS.

 

[Cleanimage]

No experience of these but from what I have read I do not think you would be disappointed with either.

Coverage of 100% Adobe RGB can be of importance for critical colour work. Your camera sensor will certainly be capable of capturing a colour gamut in excess of Adobe RGB (even though raw does not have a colour gamut). Some modern printers, inksets and papers are also capable of exceeding Adobe RGB gamut. That is not to say that you will not get excellent results staying within an sRGB workflow.

Asus Toms hardware review
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/proart-pq279q-wide-gamut-review,review-32827.html

Dell TFT central review
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2713h.htm
One thing that did appeal to me about the Dell is the fact that it supports hardware calibration which allows direct access to the monitors 14 bit LUT. The downside seems to be that although Dell supply their own colour calibration solution (by X-Rite) you are out of luck if you already own a calibration device and that device is not the X Rite i1 Display Pro (X-Rite have locked the software to this device only). i1Display Pro currently retails around $230 so maybe worth considering if you do not already have a unit that is capable of wide gamut profiling.

Tony - Thanks for the input. I saw where the X-Rite could be used for hardware calibration on the Dell. I've got a spyder pro but would probably want to buy the X-rite if I go with the Dell. Dell and Asus also make some excellent SRGB coverage monitors but I thought that it might be fun and interesting to expand my horizons a bit.

 

[Cleanimage]

EDIT: If you are looking to increase your budget and also looking for a pro monitor NEC and Eizo are really the standards

Tony - I seriously considered the NEC and Eizo models but as an amateur hobbyist I just can't see pushing my budget that far. If I had made up my mind a year ago I could have purchased an NEC in the price range of the Asus but their new 27 inch model went up about 35% in price. Oh well.

 

[Cleanimage]

What is often over looked is mentioning if one want a monitor for serious professional use or as a good consumer version. As photography is just a hobby for me the latter is what I would go for. So often happens a difference of opinion on what one should should not get as looked at from a different starting point. For example calibration-computers-printers-monitors all fall into either for professional or amateur use sectors, a request should specify which area they want the item for

Barry - Good point. I'm looking for an excellent monitor but as an amateur hobbyist I don't think that I'm willing to hike my budget to the level it would take to purchase a professional monitor.

 

[TonyW]

Tony - I seriously considered the NEC and Eizo models but as an amateur hobbyist I just can't see pushing my budget that far. If I had made up my mind a year ago I could have purchased an NEC in the price range of the Asus but their new 27 inch model went up about 35% in price. Oh well.

John, I can understand and most of us do have to set a budget somewhere or somehow perhaps justify a particular purchase. On the other hand I see plenty of hobbyists investing large amounts of money in DSLR's and glass e.g. several bodies D800's + D4's and the holy trinity! then neglect probably the single most important part of the imaging chain that follows - the monitor!

Please understand that I am not criticising your short listed models as I do believe that you will be happy with either. Neither monitor could be described as budget priced and certainly you would probably be looking at double the cost for similar sized monitor from Eizo or NEC. One question to ask is do you actually need a 27" monitor or would a 24" from either of the top two manufacturers be a better choice and still be within your budget limits?
http://www.nativedigital.com/nec-mu...Y0TKj8yE7e5ptyU2Gxi8XWRe6kCSkOoPfQaAoQy8P8HAQ
http://shop.colourconfidence.com/product.php/4503/eizo-coloredge-cx240

I am only putting forward options and you may already have considered this route. What I can say from personal experience is that I could buy either NEC or Eizo virtually any model without fear of getting a poor performing unit.

 

[Cleanimage]

John, I can understand and most of us do have to set a budget somewhere or somehow perhaps justify a particular purchase. On the other hand I see plenty of hobbyists investing large amounts of money in DSLR's and glass e.g. several bodies D800's + D4's and the holy trinity! then neglect probably the single most important part of the imaging chain that follows - the monitor!

Please understand that I am not criticising your short listed models as I do believe that you will be happy with either. Neither monitor could be described as budget priced and certainly you would probably be looking at double the cost for similar sized monitor from Eizo or NEC. One question to ask is do you actually need a 27" monitor or would a 24" from either of the top two manufacturers be a better choice and still be within your budget limits?
http://www.nativedigital.com/nec-mu...Y0TKj8yE7e5ptyU2Gxi8XWRe6kCSkOoPfQaAoQy8P8HAQ
http://shop.colourconfidence.com/product.php/4503/eizo-coloredge-cx240

I am only putting forward options and you may already have considered this route. What I can say from personal experience is that I could buy either NEC or Eizo virtually any model without fear of getting a poor performing unit.

Tony - Your point is well taken about using a cheap monitor while buying a load of expensive photographic equipment. I appreciate your input and certainly don't consider it as criticism of my short list to suggest the smaller but more capable monitors by NEC or Eizo.

 

[Marlene]

I was just checking out the Dell U3014 and read someplace that the warranty on a Dell monitor is not good unless you use a Dell computer. Anyone know if this is true?

 

[Growltiger]

I was just checking out the Dell U3014 and read someplace that the warranty on a Dell monitor is not good unless you use a Dell computer. Anyone know if this is true?

Where did you read this ridiculous assertion?

 

[Cleanimage]

Marlene - B&H advertises Dell monitors with a three year limited manufacturer's warranty. While Dell will bundle their monitors with their computers, this does not affect the warranty if you buy the monitor separately.

 

[Marlene]

Where did you read this ridiculous assertion?

Not sure where I saw it but I did see it, honest.

Thanks CI.

 

[Marlene]

Anyone that may be considering the Dell U3014 - it's $1500 at Dell.US and $1600 at Dell.ca AND $1050 at Adorama - http://www.adorama.com/DEU3014.html

 

[Growltiger]

Not sure where I saw it but I did see it, honest.

Thanks CI.

I believe you!
It just shows you can't believe everything you read on the internet!