software or a new monitor for photo-editing?

Q. I have a very limited budget. I'm using a computer I built myself a few years back and the pc specs are fine but I'm toying with two options and wondering what you think. Right now I'm using photoshop cs2 to edit photos but I'm really in need of something to help with organizing as I'm getting more serious about my photography. The monitor I am currently using is the Dell M782P CRT and I can afford to either get a decent sized LCD monitor or buy Adobe Lightroom 3 and the pantone huey pro so I can calibrate my crt. Which option would you say would be the most prudent and why?

A. The calibration tool is the best way to go for now.

I still use a CRT for my critical colour correction. There are very, very few LCD monitors that can be used to adjust contrast, brightness and colour. Those that can cost upwards of $2500 and more. Those LCD monitors are designated to AdobeRGB standards. Some less costly ones have a sRGB setting, but are still not recommended as monitors for producing "contract" proof quality images.

Lightroom 3 is an amazing product for shooters.

There is one thing you may want to budget for in the next few months. That is the Xrite Colorchecker Passport ($99).

Here is how that works when using it to custom white balance all of your shoots.

http://www.xritephoto.com/ph_learning.aspx?action=webinarsarchive&eventid=803&eventdateid=4460

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What are some of the better LCD computer monitors for editing and viewing digital photos?

Q. That is if you could get whatever you wanted within a somewhat reasonable price! Thanks!

(As in something under $1,500)

A. See http://www.popphoto.com/cameraaccessories/3831/which-monitor-should-i-buy.html for some ideas.

They mention the 21" Gateway FPD2185W for $450 and the 23" Apple Cinema HD for $1,000, but state that neither one can display the full gamut of Adobe RGB. For that, their pick is (sorry) the $2,000 Samsung SyncMaster XL20 LED BLU.

The conclusion: "If you can afford it, the Samsung SyncMaster XL20 LED BLU monitor has the widest color gamut, best viewing angle, longest lifespan, and highest calibration stability of any LCD monitor we've seen for $2,000 or less."

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How Good is LED monitor Compare to LCD Monitor For photo Editing and Gaming?

Q. I have thinking to Purchase LED or LCD monitor monitor for my photo editing purpose but also for GAming, but my question which are the best for editing?

A. For those who don't know, LED monitors are just LCD monitors that use bright white LEDs instead of fluorescent bulbs as the backlight.

The main advantage of LED monitors is that they consume much less power than traditional monitors. They can also have improved contrast ratios since LEDs can be dimmed over a wider range of brightness (the backlight is dimmed when displaying dark colors).

For accurate color reproduction when photo editing, either LED or LCD technology would be fine. The best monitor for the job would depend on other factors such as panel type. A more expensive IPS panel would be better than a cheaper TN panel that would have significant color shifting when the viewing angle changed.

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Where can I find a generic driver for my new 19 inch LCD monitor?

Q. My old CRT monitor died, so i trotted down to Best Buy and bought an inexpensive 19 inch LCD monitor. When I got it home, I discovered that the drivers on the disc are only for Windows Vista, and my computer uses XP. I have also checked the company's website, no luck. I wouldn't care much, except I use this system for photo editing. All of the graphics are stretched to fit the wider screen. Any suggestions?

A. you dont need drivers for almost all monitors. the basic ones windows install work fine and there will be no difference

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What is a good LCD monitor for doing some photo work (hobby not pro) Budget = $400?

Q. Looking for a monitor good for doing photo editing but not anything completely professional. In researching monitors, many mention the gaming, video, text capabilities but not photo. I just want something that will have good color accuracy so that if I print what I see it's fairly the same thing.

A. Wait, maybe your budget is actually $500? Isn't that what you said, $500?

HP LP2475w (24 inch H-IPS panel, 1920 x 1200), $507,

http://www.provantage.com/hewlett-packard-hp-kd911a8-aba~7CMPK0P6.htm

Pantone Huey color calibrator, $65,

http://www.provantage.com/pantone-meu101~7PANT04J.htm

Reviews,

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hp_lp2475w.htm

http://www.trustedreviews.com/monitors/review/2009/03/27/HP-LP2475w---24in-H-IPS-Display/p1

Original Question

What is a good monitor for photo editing?

Q. I need one that has plenty of controls for adjusting the picture so I can calibrate it correctly, size is not too important.

Would I be better off with a LCD or a CRT? I've heard of CRT's being preferred by professional editors.

A. LCD monitor is the best for photo editing

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Where can I find a generic driver for my new 19 inch LCD monitor?

Q. My old CRT monitor died, so i trotted down to Best Buy and bought an inexpensive 19 inch LCD monitor. When I got it home, I discovered that the drivers on the disc are only for Windows Vista, and my computer uses XP. I have also checked the company's website, no luck. I wouldn't care much, except I use this system for photo editing. All of the graphics are stretched to fit the wider screen. Any suggestions?

A. you dont need drivers for almost all monitors. the basic ones windows install work fine and there will be no difference

Original Question

How do I get true color on my computer monitor for photo editing?

Q. I have a nice Nikon camera that I use to record moments in life and also for artistic expression however I have no idea how or what to do to get true color on my monitor for the photo editing in Photoshop and other photo editing programs. Can anybody tell me in a step by step manner what to do to accomplish this?

A. Two things. First - you need a monitor that is consistent in color representation from different angles. If you have an old CRT monitor - you're done. It's great in that respect, though does require calibration more often. If yours is a new and cool slick LCD - most consumer level monitors are horrible at that. The LCD monitors that are good at any angle bear Super IPS (aka S-IPS) panels and normally sell at $600-700ish or higher (up to a few thousand), depending on brand and size. If your budget does not allow for this expense - you need to adjust your sitting position such that you are level with the middle of monitor and looking straight at it at about 90 degree angle.

The second thing you need is a way to calibrate it. There are many devices that do it for you, such as mentioned Spyder, or the one I own and am very happy with:http://www.amazon.com/Pantone-MEU101-huey/dp/B000CR78C4 - when activated, this device is placed on your monitor, it will show different colors on display and will read them with its sensors to see how they need to be adjusted to represent the actual colors.

The poor mans version of this (again, if budget does not permit for one) is Adobe Gamma, which comes with Photoshop (not sure if it only comes with full version, or elements too though). You may be able to find it in your Control Panel (or in a few other places - read the info below). It basically does the same things as the hardware calibration device, but asks YOU to answer the questions of what you see on the screen and to make adjustments, until you see what you're supposed to (such as it will adjust brightness until you can see the given number of shades of gray on the screen). It does not do as nice of a job, because you are a very subjective measuring device, but is better than nothing. Here's more information on Adobe Gamma and how it works: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/321/321608.html

LEM.

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What is the difference in LCD monitors?

Q. I am planning to buy a new monitor for a new PC, and I wasn't sure what kind to get. I do web design on it and I watch a lot of movies. I also do photo editing and digital drawing. I want something with nice sharp picture, but I wasn't sure what all the numbers mean on the listings. I have been looking at Tigerdirect. Could someone explain the differences and what all the little numbers mean for each?

23" 1366x768 / 720p Native / 8ms / 700:1 Contrast Ratio / HDMI / ATSC Tuner / HD LCD TV

Samsung SyncMaster 216BW 21.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor - 5ms, 1000:1(DC 3000:1), WSXGA+ 1680x1050, Gloss Black, DVI-D, D-sub, 300 cd/m2

The 1000:1 thing and the 720p are what I dont understand at all. Please impart your knowledge upon me.
I know one listing is a monitor and one is a tv, but assuming they will both work with my computer, what do you think.

A. The number 720 stands for 720 lines of vertical display resolution, while the letter p stands for progressive scan or non-interlaced.

1000:1 is a contrast ratio this explains it:
The contrast ratio is a measure of a display system, defined as the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest color to the luminosity of the darkest color that the system is capable of producing

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What is the difference between a regular LCD Monitor and an HDTV or HD Monitor?

Q. I am in the market for a 22-24" monitor for my computer. I will use it for web surfing, photo editing, and the occasional watching of videos via YouTube or Hulu. Is it worth the investment to get a HD or HDTV monitor? What benefits does it offer that a regular LCD does not?

A. Sounds like you need just a regular LCD monitor, the only time someone needs a HD Monitor is if they are gaming, also watching TV if it has a built in tuner or advanced video or photo editing.

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How Good is LED monitor Compare to LCD Monitor For photo Editing and Gaming?

Q. I have thinking to Purchase LED or LCD monitor monitor for my photo editing purpose but also for GAming, but my question which are the best for editing?

A. For those who don't know, LED monitors are just LCD monitors that use bright white LEDs instead of fluorescent bulbs as the backlight.

The main advantage of LED monitors is that they consume much less power than traditional monitors. They can also have improved contrast ratios since LEDs can be dimmed over a wider range of brightness (the backlight is dimmed when displaying dark colors).

For accurate color reproduction when photo editing, either LED or LCD technology would be fine. The best monitor for the job would depend on other factors such as panel type. A more expensive IPS panel would be better than a cheaper TN panel that would have significant color shifting when the viewing angle changed.

Original Question

Where can I find a generic driver for my new 19 inch LCD monitor?

Q. My old CRT monitor died, so i trotted down to Best Buy and bought an inexpensive 19 inch LCD monitor. When I got it home, I discovered that the drivers on the disc are only for Windows Vista, and my computer uses XP. I have also checked the company's website, no luck. I wouldn't care much, except I use this system for photo editing. All of the graphics are stretched to fit the wider screen. Any suggestions?

A. you dont need drivers for almost all monitors. the basic ones windows install work fine and there will be no difference

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What kind of graphics card is compatible with my pc and monitor?

Q. I’m upgrading my pc from Win XP to Win 7 OS and need to get a new graphics card that has/supports DirectX 11. I don’t know what type graphics card is compatible with my machine, but it has the following:

1. Athlon64 4200 Dual Core (2.2Ghz) CPU
2. MSI K9N4 Ultra F motherboard , NVIDIA nForce 500 Chipset based with PCIe x 16 slot
3. Acer model P205H LCD monitor with 1600 x 900 resolution

I recently added more RAM to accommodate Windows 7, but now need to upgrade the graphics. I don't game; I mostly use my computer for financial management, photo editing and storage, and some web surfing. I'd also like to be able to stream movies. Please help me determine what kind/type of graphics card is compatible and meets these needs along with being under $150. Thank you!

A. What motherboard?

Original Question

What is the difference in LCD monitors?

Q. I am planning to buy a new monitor for a new PC, and I wasn't sure what kind to get. I do web design on it and I watch a lot of movies. I also do photo editing and digital drawing. I want something with nice sharp picture, but I wasn't sure what all the numbers mean on the listings. I have been looking at Tigerdirect. Could someone explain the differences and what all the little numbers mean for each?

23" 1366x768 / 720p Native / 8ms / 700:1 Contrast Ratio / HDMI / ATSC Tuner / HD LCD TV

Samsung SyncMaster 216BW 21.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor - 5ms, 1000:1(DC 3000:1), WSXGA+ 1680x1050, Gloss Black, DVI-D, D-sub, 300 cd/m2

The 1000:1 thing and the 720p are what I dont understand at all. Please impart your knowledge upon me.
I know one listing is a monitor and one is a tv, but assuming they will both work with my computer, what do you think.

A. The number 720 stands for 720 lines of vertical display resolution, while the letter p stands for progressive scan or non-interlaced.

1000:1 is a contrast ratio this explains it:
The contrast ratio is a measure of a display system, defined as the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest color to the luminosity of the darkest color that the system is capable of producing

Original Question

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