Best monitor for photo editing and viewing - suggestions wanted

[Preston]

Bill,

I know you'll be happy with the NEC's and SpectraView. I suggest that you go to NEC's SpectraView Downloads page and get the latest version of SpectraView and install it. The version on the CD is likely an older version, since NEC updates it frequently.

--P

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

I Am reading and Discovered that the NEC PA241W gives its best performance when connected using "Display Port"
The desktop Mac Pro I am buying has a video card that has dual DVI ports but no Display Port.
It is a nice card, from what I read, but seems to be mainly for gaming.
I am not a gamer. Can't find anything about photography.

NVIDIA GTX 285 1 GB RAM built for Mac

I want the wide color range that these NEC monitors can deliver.
Using Spectraview and the NEC puck what can I expect using the 2 DVI ports to connect the 2 monitors.
The Mac Pro is a 2012 model and does not have Thunderbolt connections.
No Mac Pro does???
Any thoughts, to be honest I'm way above budget.
Thanks,
Bill

[Peter De Smidt]

You _might_ be able to get a higher bit image via a Display Port, but only assuming that your application, OS, video card and monitor all allow that.

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Hi Pete
Monitors are NEC PA241w
2012 Mac Pro desktop
I will be using latest PS and LR
No problem so far

It is just the video card I have a question about.

A possibility is that when Mac upgrades their next version of MAC PRO that it will incorporate Thunderbolt.
Then I may be able to upgrade my video card and have Thunderbolt capability
The NEC's I have do not have that capability but I hope that there will be a cable that will connect Display Port input to Thunderbolt output.

Actually what I'd like the most is to discover that the dual DVI input/output I have will be ENOUGH!!!

I guess my basic question is will the DVI connection provide the 98% aRGB that I am after? Some reviews I have read say they are happy with the DVI, but they are not talking photography. Gamers rule what is written .
Thanks
Bill

[Peter De Smidt]

I'm not following. What does Thunderbolt have to do with it? Aren't we talking Display Port? Note that the overwhelming number of screens used for image editing haven't been higher bit, and those "regular" screens worked just fine. It is very easy to get caught up in the chase for "the best". Some people enjoy that chase and have the money to pursue it, and that's great. Others, though, just want to make a good choice that'll let them get on with what they want to do. I fall more into the latter category. If I were you, I'd simply use what you're getting, some great monitors and calibration items. Down the road if you need a new system, you can always check into displayport/high bit pipeline.

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

I guess when I read that PA241W only displays its best performance when connected via Display Port.
I DO NOT know what I will get when I hook it up using 2 DVI connections.
I want to take advantage of the technology I have already paid for.
I want to make sure I am not running this sports car on regular.

If the DVI hook up is good enough to give the wide color gamet, then that is more than good enough for me.

I do not enjoy this part
I want to get it right and move on

A large problem is that I have never bought a monitor or built a system before.

This forum has been an unbelievable help
Again thanks
Bill

[Uri A]

Check this straightforward article and you'll be good.

http://photo.net/learn/digital-photo...nt/101-basics/

No offense to you personally Brent, but I am speechless (almost) about this article. Who would agree with this statement: "Always export your images in SRGB if you intend to ... print them in an external lab"?

[Corran]

What's wrong with that?
More specifically, you should export in whatever color space your lab uses. I know many of the bigger labs that cater to everyone (not the boutique places) use sRGB standard. I know some boutiques use Adobe RGB. They also, in my opinion, charge you more simply for the pleasure of saying you used the "upscale" lab in many situations.

[Peter De Smidt]

If the DVI hook up is good enough to give the wide color gamet, then that is more than good enough for me.
Bill

It's not really about gamut. Your monitor will meet it's specs with either and 8-bit-per channel workflow or a 10-bit-per-channel one. In other words, if your display is rated for 100% of Abobe RGB, then that's what you'll get, unless the display is defective. Normal monitors are 8-bit-per-channel which'll give you about 16 million colors. A 10-bit-per-channel system will give you more colors, but the new colors will be within the same color space. It's like a football field. You can mark it off in yards, for example, or you can mark it off in feet. Neither measurement will make the field any bigger, but the one with more steps will give smaller changes between adjacent steps.

[Kirk Gittings]

Also..........I have battled with these issues since I first started doing anything digital. IMO for example trying to get a monitor image that perfectly matches a print so you don't have to make test prints is like chasing your tail. At some point you accept the fact that color calibration, profiling, softproofing etc. is never going to be perfect (and even if it is the person you send the file to has crappy profiling) and you do the best you can and send the file or start making test prints and waste some paper and ink.

IMHO for most everyone I know, teach, sleep with, shoot with, drink with or what ever with-at some point it is a far better investment to simply put gas in the car and go make images and buy a stack of paper and have at it! You can calibrate till you fry your brain cells and never make any images!