8-bit video path and wide-gamut monitors

[gkroeger]

Thanks to a reference in a previous thread here, I followed a long, winding thread on hardforum.com concerning the new NEC LCD2690WUXi monitor which claims to cover over 90% of the Adobe RGB gamut.  Several posters there suggested that such a wide gamut leads to less accurate rendition of less saturated colors due to stretching 8-bit coverage over more colors, and that a 10-bit path was really needed to use that bigger gamut.

In theory this make sense, but what about reality.  These posters clearly were not photographers.  Have any of you used or experienced a very wide gamut monitor?  Any issues or enhanced banding in areas of low saturation (ie, skin tones or skys)?  For that matter, is a little extra color reach at the saturated edges of the gamut triangle really visible at all?

Thanks for any reality check you can provide!

Glenn

[eronald]

Yes, the wider gamut is *really* visible. How well things are really rendered via the existing hardware and software imaging pipelines is an interesting question, up for debate. I saw some of the marketed first generation, but haven't seen finished versions of any more recent products -

 If you see some of these monitors, why don't you tell us your impressions ?

Edmund

Thanks to a reference in a previous thread here, I followed a long, winding thread on hardforum.com concerning the new NEC LCD2690WUXi monitor which claims to cover over 90% of the Adobe RGB gamut.  Several posters there suggested that such a wide gamut leads to less accurate rendition of less saturated colors due to stretching 8-bit coverage over more colors, and that a 10-bit path was really needed to use that bigger gamut.

In theory this make sense, but what about reality.  These posters clearly were not photographers.  Have any of you used or experienced a very wide gamut monitor?  Any issues or enhanced banding in areas of low saturation (ie, skin tones or skys)?  For that matter, is a little extra color reach at the saturated edges of the gamut triangle really visible at all?

Thanks for any reality check you can provide!

Glenn
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[gkroeger]

Yes, the wider gamut is *really* visible. How well things are really rendered via the existing hardware and software imaging pipelines is an interesting question, up for debate. I saw some of the marketed first generation, but haven't seen finished versions of any more recent products -

 If you see some of these monitors, why don't you tell us your impressions ?

Edmund
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Thanks for the first hand on the first generation... I am going to try to get a first hand look at the 2690.

Bldnn

[61Dynamic]

Calling AdobeRGB "wide-gamut" is being a bit generous but I guess it's easier than saying "wider than kinda-like-sRGB" gamut all the time.

I can't imagine there would be any issue with AdobeRGB for a 8bpc display any more than there would be for a 8bpc Jpeg assuming no fussing with the LUTs has occurred. I think looking at just the gamut and bit-depth over-simplifies the issue. The video-card, operating system and the calibration tool also should be considered as they all have an effect on the end result.

With current systems there is a very strong argument in favor of not being able to fully utilize a larger-than-average-gamut display. That however is not the same as there being no benefit to them.

Michael's review of the 2180WG is worth a read as is this statement from Karl Lang on the subject.

The Adobe-RGB displays are currently quite expensive and I really don't see $2,000 worth of benefit over a standard display. By the time prices become more reasonable I believe newer display technologies as well as new high-bit-depth capable interconnect standards will be hitting the market with force. Once the latter in particular comes into play the issue will be worth more debate and investigation.

The future of display technology is very exiting. It won't be long before displays are many times more superior to anything we've had yet.

*Edit* I haven't been following the prices of AdobeRGB-based displays. Looks like prices have come down quite a bit.