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Author Topic: Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase  (Read 4808 times)

KrishnaM

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« on: September 09, 2009, 12:53:09 am »

This is my first posting in this forum. I am in process of moving from pc to mac. I decided on getting the new quad core mac pro. For monitor, I have been going back & forth between the NEC 2490 and 2690 displays. I have been reading about the color spaces, wide gamut monitors in this forum and dpreview site. I am not a professional photographer but a serious enthusiast. I have never taken pictures in aRGB and truly don't know what have I been missing. However after reading here, I really want to move towards wide gamut format. I am tempted to go with NEC 2690 after reading the positive reports here. However still I am not clear about the sRGB controversy. Definitely I'll be using this monitor for all purposes. Also I have other cameras which do not shoot in RAW or aRGB. I'll really appreciate if you all can guide me into right direction. I want to know:

1) How do you all use this monitor to watch sRGB content i.e. editing sRGB photos in Photoshop, video editing, uploading the pictures to web and general browsing  etc. How complicated is to switch between aRGB and sRGB modes? I read some where that one may have to calibrate the video card settings.

2) I was told the all the mac software are color managed and I don't need to worry. Is it true?

3) Is Nikon NX2 color managed software? Is there a list of color managed softwares?

4) What other compromise I may have to make?

I am hoping for some detailed answers (which will help me making informed decision and avoid any costly mistake).


Thanks,
Krishna
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Mark D Segal

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2009, 08:32:55 am »

The move away from sRGB to a wider space is not related to your display; rather it is related to the colour gamut of your printer. Are you plannning to make prints? What printer will you use? If you will be using anything as good as an Epson 3800 with a good quality gloss paper the colour gamut of that combination can slightly exceed ARGB(98) so you would want to work at least in that space to make sure you cpature all the colour that can be printed. I work in ProPhoto as added insurance.

Most of the displays we use are about sRGB gamut, but what you are considering approaches ARGB(98), which is really adequate.

Colour management is set-up in the software you use for processing your images. The only "compromise" you need to make is to do some reading about how to set-up a colour-managed workflow with your software and you'll be fine. For example, I would highly recommend you buy and watch the "Camera to Print" video tutorial from Michael and Jeff available on this website. It's a great bargain for the content.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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digitaldog

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2009, 09:46:27 am »

Quote from: KrishnaM
1) How do you all use this monitor to watch sRGB content i.e. editing sRGB photos in Photoshop, video editing, uploading the pictures to web and general browsing  etc. How complicated is to switch between aRGB and sRGB modes? I read some where that one may have to calibrate the video card settings.

2) I was told the all the mac software are color managed and I don't need to worry. Is it true?

3) Is Nikon NX2 color managed software? Is there a list of color managed softwares?

4) What other compromise I may have to make?

1-2. Photoshop will handle the sRGB data just fine. As to other applications, depends on if they are color managed or not. Not all are. Safari which you'll have on your Mac will run fine (its ICC aware). While you can switch (kind of) between sRGB and the calibrated wide gamut, there will be no custom profile for sRGB so its kind of a waste since its not providing a calibrated and profiled preview. IF you have a non ICC aware application, it might be useful. I have a 2690 and 3090 and never do this.

3. I suspect it is (I don't use it). Nikon's idea of color management is kind of silly in some cases (like how they rename sRGB) but otherwise, should be fine with this display.

4. If you are working with very saturated images, none. If you work with very subtle colored images that fall within sRGB, it will be more difficult to see them due to the wide gamut display. The distance between subtle colors in sRGB is smaller than Adobe RGB (1998). Think of the sRGB as a balloon with 16.7 million dots on it, then think of the same balloon blown up 3X in size. The distance between each dot is greater. Same idea with an sRGB document of subtle colors being shown on a wide gamut display. Its nothing to lose sleep over, especially if you do work with capture and output devices that exceed sRGB (which are plenty). Ideally, the best solution is a dual display system where you have an sRGB and wide gamut display.
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KrishnaM

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2009, 11:45:23 am »

Thanks for the replies. I'll definitely look at the "Camera to Print" video tutorial. I was planning to go with Epson 2880 or 3800 printer. I am excited about learning wide format photography and I'll put what ever effort needed to learn. As I mentioned before, photography is only a hobby and sRGB content is important for me. I was worrying because till I am good at aRGB photography, the monitor will be used for sRGB content a lot. I am sure lot of you are in my position i.e. use this monitor for photography and general purpose use.
  The two monitors solution is probably ideal but to ask my wife to approve funds for both 2490 and 2690 may be little difficult. I was planning to purchase a cheaper 17" display to serve as second monitor for photoshop purpose. That'll probably enough to surf the web. However for editing sRGB photos or video editing (nothing professional) I'll be using the 2690 monitor as Photoshop and video editing softwares(?) are color managed and I am presuming should not be a problem.
   I read lot of postings stating how easy it was to calibrate the monitor using Apple mac pro. I hope they are right as I am plunging on to this monitor.


Thanks,
Krishna

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Mark D Segal

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2009, 01:29:48 pm »

Krishna - Ya - many of us have wives so we know the situation all too well. In this case, you can re-assure her that the investment in the second display for showing menus need be no big deal. You don't need anything the least bit fancy for this purpose. I'm using an old Samsung Syncmaster which my son was going to dispose of, and it serves the purpose just fine.

Before you spring for an Epson 3800, wait a bit. The Epson 3880 is just around the corner and from what we hear will be a better printer. As for a 2880 versus as 3800, I recently completed a cost comparison (for another exercise) using retail prices on the Toronto market and worked out that as long as you intend to print more than about 300 6*9 inch images or equivalent in a year, it's actually cheaper to buy a 3800 because of the huge saving in the cost of ink.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2009, 01:30:21 pm by MarkDS »
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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KrishnaM

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2009, 10:02:11 pm »

I am still looking for answers to my questions in the first message. I'll appreciate if any NEC 2690 owner can clarify my concerns about viewing sRGB content in this monitor.

thanks,
Krishna
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Paul Sumi

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Help with NEC 2690 monitor purchase
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2009, 11:20:06 pm »

Krishna,

You don't mention where you are located.  But if you are in the United States, you should purchase the SpectraView II software from NEC to calibrate your monitor. It works directly with the display's LUTs instead of the video card.  You can use a variety of spectros and colorimeters, or you can also buy NEC's puck.

I've been using the 2690 on a MS box for the better part of a year.  Photoshop of course is color managed, and I am using Firefox as my browser (also color managed).  sRGB is not a problem in either app even in wide gamut mode.

I have the older version of the 2690 which has a sRGB mode which cannot be calibrated.  I understand the newer model's sRGB mode can be calibrated.  I don't find the absence to be a great loss.

I also have a second monitor (a cheap Dell) which I use for PS palettes and other uses including checking images bound for the Internet.

Paul
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