Which monitor?

[D Fuller]

It’s time to replace my main monitor, and I am attempting to create a working environment using LightSpace to calibrate a monitor to standard targets for both still photography and video color grading. Since I work for print, broadcast, and web, I want to be able to switch between Adobe RGB, sRGB, and Rec 2020.

I’m considering three ≈30-inch 4K monitors that seem to fit the bill, but since I can’t see them in person where I live, I thought I’d ask if anyone here has used (or seen) two or more of them and could give me their thoughts. The monitors are:
Eizo ColorEdge CG319X
NEC MultiSync PA311D
BenQ SW321C
In your view, and assuming calibration with LightSpace software and an I1 probe, is the NEC significantly better than the BenQ? And is the Eizo enough better than the other two to be worth twice the cost?

Is there another monitor I should consider?

[digitaldog]

There are really no such standard targets. But yes, you do need to calibrate and profile the display for a desired result. That's what calibration does, it puts a device in a desired behavior and allows you to recalibrate to that behavior for devices like displays that are not stable in behavior over time.
Consider a display with calibration that is done inside the panel using electronics that are used, with full software host control over calibration with a good instrument. One that allows multiple calibrations and profiles to be loaded on the fly for differing needs. For me, that's a SpectraView.

[D Fuller]

There are really no such standard targets. But yes, you do need to calibrate and profile the display for a desired result. That's what calibration does, it puts a device in a desired behavior and allows you to recalibrate to that behavior for devices like displays that are not stable in behavior over time.
Consider a display with calibration that is done inside the panel using electronics that are used, with full software host control over calibration with a good instrument. One that allows multiple calibrations and profiles to be loaded on the fly for differing needs. For me, that's a SpectraView.

Aren’t sRGB and Adobe RGB standards? In the video world, the calibrated monitor is the reference, so it has to be calibrated to a standard like Rec 2020 or Rec 709. I’ve been calibrating my system to my monitor for some time, using an I1 probe and their software. Now I’m trying to do exactly what you suggest, using a monitor that can hold a LUT (hopefully several).

The SpectraView is my Leading candidate. Do you have any insight into its performance with video?

[digitaldog]

Aren’t sRGB and Adobe RGB standards?

First question to answer: Which sRGB?
https://ninedegreesbelow.com/photography/srgb-profile-comparison.html
Next, sRGB from the original spec calls for specifics such as a very, very low (80cd/m2) backlight, specifics based on CRT phosphors and ambient conditions for the display itself. 
Adobe RGB (1998) was a mistake in creation, not that again, you can't target that (for what reason would be the next question). It was supposed to be SMPTE-240M until the SMPTE told Adobe in 1997, they got two of the primaries wrong and Adobe changed the name because, it wasn't SMPTE-240M.
As far as I'm concerned, sRGB is an output color space for web and mobile devices today (that's changing). And you can soft proof to it as long as you also understand, sRGB absolutely doesn't ensure anyone else will see what you're seeing since you can't control how others see what you post to the web:

sRGB urban legend & myths Part 2
In this 17 minute video, I'll discuss some more sRGB misinformation and cover:
When to use sRGB and what to expect on the web and mobile devices
How sRGB doesn't insure a visual match without color management, how to check
The downsides of an all sRGB workflow
sRGB's color gamut vs. "professional" output devices
The future of sRGB and wide gamut display technology
Photo print labs that demand sRGB for output

High resolution: http://digitaldog.net/files/sRGBMythsPart2.mp4
Low resolution on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyvVUL1gWVs

[simon.garrett@iee.org]

On choice of monitor, I can't speak about NEC (not used them) but I've used both Eizo and Benq from the same range, though not 30 / 31 inch. 

Both mine are good quality, though Eizo is more uniform in brightness across the screen.

One thing that might matter to you, if you change colour space regularly: Eizo is much better for this.  The Eizo Colornavigator software enables you to switch monitor colour space and change monitor profile with one click.  On the Benq, you have to press buttons on the monitor (or a separate puck with buttons on it) and then you have to go into Control Panel -> Colour Management and change the profile (not sure for Macs, but you will have to change profile manually, the Benq hardware and software won't do it). 

Bear in mind that if you change monitor colour space and profile, with many programs you have to exit and restart the program or it won't notice the change in profile.  Photoshop picks up the new profile without restarting, LR doesn't, most browsers don't. 

[D Fuller]

In the video world, there's an Asus monitor that seems to be getting a good deal of attention. The Asus ProArt Display PA32UCX-PK. Anyone here have any experience with Asus' ProArt monitors?