Monitor Recommendations?

[RonHildebrand]

I don't know how old Ron's Triniton tube is, but I've been told that those made in the last year or so do not have the quality that they used to have. I don't know if this is a general drop in overall quality, or just a quality control problem, letting more poor quality samples through.

I'm extremely happy with my two year old LaCie 19" (Blue II) with a Mits Diamondtron tube, although I did go through two others with problems before I got this one. Luckily, mine is crystal clear and sharp across the screen with both type and graphics, and has no localized color casts.I've heard of lots of others having problems getting good LaCie models on the first try, too.

I've also heard good things about the top of the line Hitachi monitors, and these might be worth a look, too.

The bottom line is that monitor buying is fraught with unknowns. Quality between individual samples of the same model can vary greatly. Just because my LaCie (pretty much a Mitsubishi) or Ron's Sony are great monitors, doesn't mean your copy of the same monitor will also be that good.

The best way to buy is to resist the temptation of saving $50 or so by "ordering in" if you can buy in person and check your monitor out on the spot. (I had no choice and ordered directly from LaCie, because Reno NV HAS no high end monitors available for purchase.) Next best is to make sure that the place you buy from has a liberal enough return policy so you can exchange a below par monitor immediately and without hassel.

One last bit of advice- the clarity and quality of the image you see on screen isn't due just to the monitor quality. It's equally affected by the graphics card you use. If your machine doesn't double as a 3D gamer, a Matrox G400 or G450 make great choices, and are quite reasonably priced.

Ron H

[Jil_Tardiff]

I just went through this over the past 18 months. I've been using Viewsonic at home for the past 8 years, Sony at work.

No doubt that Viewsonic is not wwhat it used to be. I bought a PF790 in Dec 2000, beautiful image (once you tame the geometry), however it started flickering within 5 months and had to be sent back *twice*. I finally replaced it with the Mitsubishi DP920 and I'm kicking myself because I didn't do it sooner.

I'm so pleased with the Mitsubishi that I bought the 17" DP 710s to run next to my SGI 1600SW LCD at work. I found it was the easiest way to keep my work/color flow consistent. Someone else in my suite has been struggling with Sonys lately, they really don't seem to be what they used to be.

My 0.02.

Jil

[mjaynes]

Ron wrote regarding Apple Cinema Display:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> Enlightened? I wouldn't use a apple if you gave me one. I always feel like I have one hand tied behind my back when I'm forced to use one. The last apple I liked was my ][e.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Maybe En-Brightened? I have a La Cie Electron-22-Blue III in my office and an Apple Cinema Display at home, both calibrated. With equal or better color and contrast; the Cinema Display is MUCH brighter, has a wide viewing angle (more so than the La Cie because of the hood) and is simply beautiful.

Regarding Apple, these types of threads seem to get ugly and way off topic, and I hope not to, Ron's comments are harsh, as nearly every major software title is available for both platforms. Especially in about any creative field. While at times using a Mac can feel like swimming upstream, there are many, many times the flow of the stream seems to change direction.

Question for Ron, prefaced by your portraits are of the best I have ever seen, and I ask with respect and without tongue in cheek. Has your decision to not go to a digital back, at all, been influenced by the lack, or slowly coming support of Windows by many DB manufacturers? I know you've perfected a style of buttery skin textures and like the CMOS of the D30, now with a few backs available with CMOS sensors, does it peek an interest? Have you ever had a demo by one of the manufacturers?

..and finally thank you, while not a portrait photographer, I have gleaned much useful information form this forum.

--mjaynes

[Ron]

[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Ron ]