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Author Topic: Hardware calibration monitors - here's hoping  (Read 3526 times)

nsecomb

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Hardware calibration monitors - here's hoping
« on: February 02, 2008, 09:21:18 pm »

Hi folks,

I've recently, after 26 years of amateur film photography and then a 2 year wait for digital imaging technology to mature, begun the move into digital imaging.  Having settled on a Canon 40D setup and started purchasing (including Lightroom in large part to the reviews and learning support available on LL), I websurfed (all) yesterday on the subject of monitors.

The commentary from Will Hollingworth was especially useful in regards to the question of NEC 2490 v's 2690.  As I intend to focus on printing and display, not images for the web etc, the 2690 seemed right.

It was therefore disappointing to discover that in respect of implementing an afforable wide-gamut process, I may be a bit early in respect of monitors (and possibly printers/papers).  I say this because to acquire a wide gamut monitor with configurable LUTs (that you can calibrate easily and well using dedicated software and a colorimeter that is filtered for wide-gamut), for a good price, you have to live in the U.S.  If I lived in the U.S., then at the moment I could buy a NEC 2690 spectraview for around AUD$1500.   [www.necdisplay.com/Products/Series/... Spectraview]

As at the time of writing, in Australia my choices (using the above criteria) are:
1) Eizo CG241W for AUD$3250 (and I have to separately buy a colorimeter, which is not filtered for wide-gamut, for around AUD$375);     [www.shopbot.com.au] or
2) NEC 2690 Spectraview "solution" from NEC Australia for AUD$2779 (and I have to separately buy a colorimeter, which is not filtered for wide-gamut, for around AUD$375).   [www.nec.com.au/spectra.htm]  Note: this price is after a $400 rebate on the monitor that runs until 14 April 2008;   or
3) NEC 2690 WUXi for AUD$1720, buy a i1 which is not filtered for wide-gamut, for around $350, and then try and run the gauntlet of software lockouts by having a friend purchase SpectravisionII software in the U.S. for under AUD$150 and ship it to me.  Total: AUD$2210, but I run the risk of not being able to get the SpectraviewII software to run on a locally purchased machine if NEC has taken further steps to restrict the software to the U.S.  

It seems I need to wait for economic forces to work their magic, i.e. more competition in the 24'' and 26'' configurable LUT monitor niche, better manufacturer market awareness and cross-continent cooperation between branches, the availability of wide-gamut filtered colorimeters+software increasing, and prices declining.  In respect of NEC, there is a real chance that I and others waiting will see an affordable alternative product come out from another manufacturer and they, not NEC Australia, will get our business because.  Frankly a premium >135% [($2779+$400+$350)/$1500] on top of the price of the same product with similar add-ons in another country is really concerning, and would seem hard to explain away on the basis of movements in bi-lateral exchange rates, the small value percentage attributed by freighting a bulk lot of the units to Australia, or 15% customs duty.

Here's hoping the economic magic happens sooner rather than later, in the meantime I'll be accumulating a backlog of images to edit and print.


regards,

Nigel

P.S. apologies if I got any technical terminology wrong.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2008, 09:23:08 pm by nsecomb »
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Josh-H

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Hardware calibration monitors - here's hoping
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2008, 10:20:32 pm »

Quote
Hi folks,

I've recently, after 26 years of amateur film photography and then a 2 year wait for digital imaging technology to mature, begun the move into digital imaging.  Having settled on a Canon 40D setup and started purchasing (including Lightroom in large part to the reviews and learning support available on LL), I websurfed (all) yesterday on the subject of monitors.

The commentary from Will Hollingworth was especially useful in regards to the question of NEC 2490 v's 2690.  As I intend to focus on printing and display, not images for the web etc, the 2690 seemed right.

It was therefore disappointing to discover that in respect of implementing an afforable wide-gamut process, I may be a bit early in respect of monitors (and possibly printers/papers).  I say this because to acquire a wide gamut monitor with configurable LUTs (that you can calibrate easily and well using dedicated software and a colorimeter that is filtered for wide-gamut), for a good price, you have to live in the U.S.  If I lived in the U.S., then at the moment I could buy a NEC 2690 spectraview for around AUD$1500.   [www.necdisplay.com/Products/Series/... Spectraview]

As at the time of writing, in Australia my choices (using the above criteria) are:
1) Eizo CG241W for AUD$3250 (and I have to separately buy a colorimeter, which is not filtered for wide-gamut, for around AUD$375);     [www.shopbot.com.au] or
2) NEC 2690 Spectraview "solution" from NEC Australia for AUD$2779 (and I have to separately buy a colorimeter, which is not filtered for wide-gamut, for around AUD$375).   [www.nec.com.au/spectra.htm]  Note: this price is after a $400 rebate on the monitor that runs until 14 April 2008;   or
3) NEC 2690 WUXi for AUD$1720, buy a i1 which is not filtered for wide-gamut, for around $350, and then try and run the gauntlet of software lockouts by having a friend purchase SpectravisionII software in the U.S. for under AUD$150 and ship it to me.  Total: AUD$2210, but I run the risk of not being able to get the SpectraviewII software to run on a locally purchased machine if NEC has taken further steps to restrict the software to the U.S.   

It seems I need to wait for economic forces to work their magic, i.e. more competition in the 24'' and 26'' configurable LUT monitor niche, better manufacturer market awareness and cross-continent cooperation between branches, the availability of wide-gamut filtered colorimeters+software increasing, and prices declining.  In respect of NEC, there is a real chance that I and others waiting will see an affordable alternative product come out from another manufacturer and they, not NEC Australia, will get our business because.  Frankly a premium >135% [($2779+$400+$350)/$1500] on top of the price of the same product with similar add-ons in another country is really concerning, and would seem hard to explain away on the basis of movements in bi-lateral exchange rates, the small value percentage attributed by freighting a bulk lot of the units to Australia, or 15% customs duty.

Here's hoping the economic magic happens sooner rather than later, in the meantime I'll be accumulating a backlog of images to edit and print.
regards,

Nigel

P.S. apologies if I got any technical terminology wrong.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=171890\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Nigel - I live in Australia and own and use the 2690 with SpectraView II software. And I have been through the exact same thought process and issues.

I purchased the normal NEC 2690 WUXI a couple of months ago and can confirm SpectraView II works no problem with it. It is after all the SAME monitor, minus the software and hood.

NEC Australia cant supply the Spectraview II software here for licence reasons. Not sure exactly why.. but bottom line is they cant supply it. I went through the ringer trying to get it out of them. And no where in the USA will ship it to Australia that I could find.

I did however find a local source for the latest version of SpectraView II and now have it running with my 2690 WUXI using the i1 V.2.

PM me and I can put you on the right track for SpectraView II if you decide on the 2690 WUXI.

Edit - forgot to add, make sure your video card is on the list of compatible ones for SpectraView II.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2008, 04:24:27 am by Josh-H »
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