New LED 24" Apple Cinema Display

[Jerry Skrocki]

Originally Posted by Martin_Doudoroff

I recall Andrew Rodney explained elsewhere that a spectrophotometer is needed, not a colorimeter (until colorimeters are updated to correctly interpret the results produced by the LED spectrum).

Not to beat a dead horse, but I believe you have misinterpreted his statement.

A colorimeter is the instrument of choice for calibrating monitors. A colorimeter is only as good as the built in filters since it only measures transmissive light. Any colorimeter produced within the last two years has the necessary filters to calibrate/profile a LED backlit display.

The Datacolor Spyder 3 calibration device was specifically engineered to calibrate LED backlit displays as well as wide gamut, laptop, CRT and Projectors.

A spectrophotometer is best suited for measuring reflective material because it contains a light source that is emitted with the resulting reflected light measured and used for calibration calculation.

The Xite ColorMunki is a specialized spectrophotometer that can measure both reflective and transmissive light and was also designed for measuring LED displays.

In general a spectrophotometer is not recommended for monitor calibration because of poor performance in the black luminance range.

The problem with calibrating Apple's glossy glass covered displays is not the LED backlighting, it is the light diffusion caused by the tinted glass covering.

[Martin_Doudoroff]

Originally Posted by Jerry Skrocki

Not to beat a dead horse, but I believe you have misinterpreted his statement.

I have, in part. After reviewing the posts I was alluding to, what I should have said was that there is reason to exercise caution when attempting to profile any LED-illumined LCD, including the new Apple displays.

I believe the last word was as follows:

Originally Posted by AndrewRodney

The illuminant in many, modern white or full color LED's will cause some (most) Colorimeters to produce awful results.

Now,

Originally Posted by Jerry Skrocki

Any colorimeter produced within the last two years has the necessary filters to calibrate/profile a LED backlit display.

How do you substantiate this statement? I understand that the Spyder 3 Elite is capable—according to both DataColor and you—but there are a lot of other colorimeters floating around, and it's far from clear to me which ones can be trusted to perform under LED circumstances and which cannot.

Regardless, the new Apple 24" display is completely unproven at any level. I'm skeptical that it was designed with photographers in mind.

[Jerry Skrocki]

Originally Posted by Martin_Doudoroff

How do you substantiate this statement? I understand that the Spyder 3 Elite is capable—according to both DataColor and you—but there are a lot of other colorimeters floating around, and it's far from clear to me which ones can be trusted to perform under LED circumstances and which cannot.

Reviewing my statement, It should have read: The Spyder3 is the only new colorimeter produced in the last two years.

The last heated debate that I had with Mr. Rodney resulted from my statement that the Eye One Display 2 was getting a little long in the tooth. In fact, this colorimeter has had problems with white LED displays as evidenced in the following (now dated) calibration test by Rob Galbraith:

Rob Galbraith DPI: Evaluating the MacBook Pro 15 inch LED-backlit display

Since this was published, DataColor responded with the Spyder3 and XRite with the ColorMunki. Either device is more than capable.

I will not be investing in this new monitor. Aside from the issues with calibration/glossy glass surface, the mini display port is a deal breaker.

Jerry

[BobSmith]

Originally Posted by Jerry Skrocki

the mini display port is a deal breaker.

I wondered about that too. Surely Apple wouldn't make a display that ONLY works with such a small subset of their own computers. I would hope that inexpensive adapters would be available as they are on the computer side to get from mini DVI to std DVI or DVI the VGA and so forth but I've not seen that stated in anything I've read so far. I have a relatively new 17" MacBook Pro that needs a dedicated external display for one particular location where I use it often. I like everything I see about this one except the glossy screen.

Bob Smith

[Martin_Doudoroff]

Cables are available to adapt the mini display port from the Mac Book and Mac Book Pro for use with conventional DVI monitors, but it is not currently clear whether a cable can be used to adapt conventional DVI to the mini display port cable on the new monitor. There's some copy on the Apple site implying that the new monitor requires a new Mac Book or Mac Book Pro. Apple has said as much that they're going to migrate all their products to the new connector style. Perhaps they'll leave the old Cinema Displays on the market until that process has completed?

Regardless, if I was going to buy a new screen today for photography work, I'd buy one of those NECs discussed elsewhere on this forum.

[Felix01]

Originally Posted by Martin_Doudoroff

Saw one of the new 24" LED-backed displays this morning at my neighborhood Apple store.

Thanks for the heads-up, Martin. I'll have to stop in for a look. When "The Steve" said they'd ship in November, I didn't realize the Apple Retail Stores would have them earlier for previewing.