20" iMac or MacBook+ external LCD

[Ken Lee]

I don't know which brand/models are best, but to me an important consideration for fine art photographers, is "angle of view".

In the worst case, we perceive different colors, brightness, and contrast - as we change the viewing angle. That may be acceptable with small laptop screens, which are so small, that we always view them directly, but with a 20-inch monitor or greater, it becomes a real problem.

You don't want to have to move your head around all the time, to looking straight at the monitor.

Before you purchase, try to see the monitor in actual use.

[AutumnJazz]

I would agree with trying to see a monitor in use, but I wouldn't focus on the colors so long as it has a good panel that you know has accurate colors.

Give me a bit, I'm trying to find a good 20" monitor.

Edit: Oh my, I was rather wrong about the new Cinemascreen (24") being overpriced. It is a new panel, H-IPS (which is the best right now, afaik). The older 24" model was overpriced. The 20" and 30" are still overpriced. H-IPS seems to only come in 24" and larger, I'm afraid.

http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/s-ips-lcd-list.php

I know it is not widescreen, and it is 200e more than your budget, but this monitor has an A-TW-IPS panel. A-TW-IPS might be better than H-IPS, I'm not quite sure.

[Matus Kalisky]

Thanks, I had a looka t the above webpage and learned that the best (whatever that means) technology on the market is the S-IPS/H-IPS technology. Subsequently I quickly searched via www.idealo.de (list of online shops, but has a detailed search engine) and found following LCDs using this technology with reasonable price (under 500 euro)


- Hewlett-Packard HP LP2475w
- LG W2600HP

I have also found that the Dell 2007WFP sould be a S-IPS model. Just can not manage to find one for sale here in Germany.

I am wondering wheter getting a refurbished model would be a good idea ...

[AutumnJazz]

The 2007WFP was S-IPS and S-PVA. PVA is slightly better than TN, but I would stay away from it.

In my general experience dealing with refurbished products (not from Dell, though) is that they are usually better than their new products because good companies will rebuild them and make them adhere to higher quality control/assurance than with new products, as the new products are assumed to work better from the start. I personally prefer buying refurbished over new, if I can, for that reason.

(A recent example I can think of is my refurbished Nikon 35/2 lens...I've gotten new Nikon lenses before, and this one just seemed better...weird to describe, and probably just my imagination, however, the glass and mechanics were/are perfect.)

[seawolf66]

May I suggest you look into the Viewsonic LCD for your computer needs , I have one and Like it a Lot, and they have a good warranty on them ! Thats all: