Re: The importance of monitor calibration

[Bob Zelin]

so you want to know what monitor to buy today ? The world has changed dramatically in 3 years, and monitor technology is very different today than 3 years ago. Also delivery today is often done via the web, with critical NTSC and PAL grading not as critical for many users.

With that said, CRT’s are no longer used by 99% of the people out there, and in my opinion, there is no reason to buy an old CRT, because your color grading will not correspond to your audience that will view their image on a LCD or Plasma display.

So, what’s a great “inexpensive” LCD monitor – the HP Dreamcolor is about $2000 US. LCD monitors from JVC, Panasonic, Sony, FSI, TV Logic, CineTal, eCinema, and others are all still over $3000. However, today, you can get wonderful 42″ Plasma displays for under $1000 (like the Panasonic TH42 series) that are widely used by Broadcast facilities on a budget (and used as client monitors for those guys that have the expensive LCD monitors on their desk).

But if you are saying “look, I still have no money, what great monitor can I get, and calibrate, that will cost me under $300” –
I only have the same answer I had for you 3 years ago.

It is my advice to you, that you find a job at a facility, that has wonderful equipment. Work late hours, and use their expensive equipment to color grade your personal project.

Bob Zelin

[Maurice Jansen]

Hi Jan

we recently installed a few Eizo-CG223W. price under 1000Euro.
very nice monitor for it’s money. and absoluty good for your job.

https://www.eizo.com/global/products/coloredge/cg223w/index.html

grt
Maurice

People saying they don’t make mistake’s often make nothing at all!

[Jan Gallasch]

hey guys,

first of all: thanks for your answers!

@ Bob: i read about the HP Dreamcolor, but 2000$ (+300$ for the calibration unit) is too much money for me.

@ Maurice: i also read about the Ezio. Can you tell me how exactly it is calibrated? As far as i know, it has this “EIZO ColorNavigator” Software to do teh calibration work. How is that working out for you? Can i Calibrate the monitor “manualy”? (= does it have a blue only mode?)

@ topic: just to throw another one in mix: is there anyone out there who owns/works with a SONY LMD-2030W? Any experiences?

[Bob Zelin]

I think that the Sony LMD series of monitors is the worst of any LCD monitor on the market (except for Marshall LCD monitors). You are better off with any other brand.

This monitor is $1229 in the US, making it one of the least expensive “professional” monitors, but is a 1650×1080 resolution LCD monitor, with no SDI input (it’s an option card – Sony BLM-320D).
You can get better performance from most 42″ Plasma displays today, for dramatically less money.

Bob Zelin

[Maurice Jansen]

hi jan

as it is a plain monitor made for the graphic’s world it does not support blue only. as far as i know the software support various probe’s to coloranalyze the display. it has a factory LUT for the 709 colorspace.
if your budget is so limited i guess a coloranalyzer is a bit out of range though ;-0 and maybe also a bit overdon

keep your budget and your market in mind.

grt
Maurice

People saying they don’t make mistake’s often make nothing at all!

[David Shulkin]

I second Bob’s thoughts on the Sony LMD’s. I have four of them in 17″ and 23″ (HD & SD-SDI inputs). DO NOT waste your money for any color grading! I have no problem with them for our production and confidence monitoring (as I know the limitations), but would not recommend for this application.

[Jan Gallasch]

Hey guys,

thanks for the answers. Since there’s nothing out there that does what i want it to do (at least not for my current budget), and i don’t want to go for a half assed solution, i’m gonna wait two to three months, save my money and probably buy a Flanders LM-1760W.
Any thougths?

[Walter Soyka]

[Jan Gallasch] “Since there’s nothing out there that does what i want it to do (at least not for my current budget), and i don’t want to go for a half assed solution, i’m gonna wait two to three months, save my money and probably buy a Flanders LM-1760W. Any thougths?”

Flanders makes nice monitors, and they are all great values.

I didn’t see a capture card (AJA, Blackmagic Design, or Matrox) in your system specs above. You’ll need one to feed your FSI.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
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