Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Monitor purchase advice  (Read 4193 times)

Rory

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 528
    • Recent images
Monitor purchase advice
« on: December 19, 2012, 01:02:56 pm »

I am planning on purchasing a new monitor and would appreciate a little help before I pull the trigger.  I have a windows 7 64bit 8 core computer and currently am using a Dell 3008 WFP monitor.  I am a wildlife and nature photographer, shooting with a D800 and a D4.  I do not do my own printing, and have had good success with the prints I have had made by local labs.  In general I am happy with the Dell 3008, but it does not do well differentiating darker shades of grey to black.

Because I already have a Dell, I am looking at the ultrasharp 3011, but I am also interested in the NEC PA301W, primarily due to the feedback on this site.

My questions are:

1.  What will I see on the NEC vs the Dell?
2.  Do I need to get a special video card for either of these monitors because of the 10bit color?
3.  Should I be considering any other monitors?

Thanks in advance.
« Last Edit: December 19, 2012, 01:55:40 pm by Rory »
Logged
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/roryhi

Steve House

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 247
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2012, 01:12:40 pm »

What is your current video card?
Logged

Rory

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 528
    • Recent images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2012, 01:30:15 pm »

A nVidia GeForce 7900GS.  I plan on keeping this card and the Dell 3008 and get another card for the new monitor.
« Last Edit: December 19, 2012, 01:57:25 pm by Rory »
Logged
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/roryhi

Doug Fisher

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2012, 02:10:52 pm »

The hardware on most new separate component Nvidia and ATI cards is capable of 10 bit but the companies might still be blocking the capability within the driver, so you will need to confirm things with their customer support.  I believe you need a displayport to get 10 bit versus HDMI (someone can check me on that).  With a monitor that large with that many pixels to drive, I wouldn't go with a lower end card but you won't need to get one of the super expensive cards either unless you want to do gaming.

Doug

Rory

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 528
    • Recent images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2012, 04:44:19 pm »

The hardware on most new separate component Nvidia and ATI cards is capable of 10 bit but the companies might still be blocking the capability within the driver, so you will need to confirm things with their customer support.  I believe you need a displayport to get 10 bit versus HDMI (someone can check me on that).  With a monitor that large with that many pixels to drive, I wouldn't go with a lower end card but you won't need to get one of the super expensive cards either unless you want to do gaming.

Doug

This is from the nVidia site:

Quote
NVIDIA Geforce graphics cards have offered 10-bit per color out to a full screen Direct X surface since the Geforce 200 series GPUs.  Due to the way most applications use traditional Windows API functions to create the application UI and viewport display, this method is not used for professional applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop.  These programs use OpenGL 10-bit per color buffers which require an NVIDIA Quadro GPU with DisplayPort connector.  A small number of monitors support 10-bit per color with Quadro graphics cards over DVI.

This appears to imply that every element of the combination of application software, operating system, video card, video connection and display must support 10 bit color in order to achieve true 10 bit color output.  I use Lightroom - I'm guessing it is using the windows API and limited to 8bit - is this true? 

Logged
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/roryhi

Doug Fisher

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2012, 01:15:40 pm »

>>This appears to imply that every element of the combination of application software, operating system, video card, video connection and display must support 10 bit color in order to achieve true 10 bit color output. <<

Correct.  Every link in the chain must support 10 bit.  In my case, the broken link is the driver for my video card (as I said, the hardware of the video card actually supports it).  It is Nvidia and ATI's way of forcing you to buy the more expensive Quadra and Crossfire series of cards.

Steve Weldon

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1479
    • Bangkok Images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2012, 02:37:46 pm »

Rory -

If color is important to you then I do think the NEC Spectraview Series monitors are far and away the easiest to profile.  If sRGB accuracy is important (you run a website or post/sell images on-line or use standard printing services.. then the NEC Spectagview series has a special sRGB mode which limits the gamut to just sRGB.  They are more expensive, but I find them well worth the difference.
Logged
----------------------------------------------
http://www.BangkokImages.com

Rory

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 528
    • Recent images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2012, 02:39:54 pm »

Rory -

If color is important to you then I do think the NEC Spectraview Series monitors are far and away the easiest to profile.  If sRGB accuracy is important (you run a website or post/sell images on-line or use standard printing services.. then the NEC Spectagview series has a special sRGB mode which limits the gamut to just sRGB.  They are more expensive, but I find them well worth the difference.

Thanks Steve.  What video card and connection are you using?
Logged
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/roryhi

Steve Weldon

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1479
    • Bangkok Images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2012, 04:39:19 pm »

Thanks Steve.  What video card and connection are you using?

I'm not using a 10 bit system (yet), so a ATI 6870 driving two LCD2690uxi2's. 

I spec and build workstations as part of the services I perform for my clients.   I just ordered the components for a photographer who drives a 30" NEC  80% of the time and renders video and time lapse the other 20% of the time.  For him I selected the Nvidia GTX 670. I like this one for the big fans which promises more quiet operation.
Logged
----------------------------------------------
http://www.BangkokImages.com

Rory

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 528
    • Recent images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2012, 11:07:15 am »

I like this one for the big fans which promises more quiet operation.[/url]

Wow - looks like a monster card.  Help much appreciated!
Logged
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/roryhi

Steve Weldon

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1479
    • Bangkok Images
Re: Monitor purchase advice
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2012, 03:58:07 pm »

Wow - looks like a monster card.  Help much appreciated!
Well.. the card itself is small.. and the outsized fans make both look bigger than they are.
Logged
----------------------------------------------
http://www.BangkokImages.com
Pages: [1]   Go Up