What to look for when buying a monitor for image editing
Post-processing photos and images is a lot easier with a good screen
Source: pa / dpa Themendie / Andrea Warnecke
With a good monitor for image processing, photos can be optimally adjusted after taking a picture. When buying a screen, however, there are a few things to consider – the most important information here at a glance.
GJust as important as a professional camera is a good monitor for image processing. The subsequent adjustment of colors, contrasts and brightness or even Photoshop editing is not only much easier with a good screen, but also delivers professional results. However, it is important to find out about the various functions and features before buying. In this way you can find a good monitor that meets your requirements and your personal price expectations.
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Good monitors for image editing: a quick overview of the products
- LG 27UK670-B UHD 4K Computer Monitor *
- BenQ PD2500Q Computer Monitor*
- Dell S2721NX Computer Monitor*
- Viewsonic ColorPro VP2785-4K Fotografen Monitor*
- BenQ PhotoVue Monitor SW270C Fotografen Monitor*
Monitor resolution: which one is suitable?
Many photographers are now turning to a 27-inch 4K monitor *: This allows for particularly detailed image editing. The so-called wide quad high definition resolution * is also popular, whereas you should do without a 27-inch full HD monitor, which is hardly satisfactory for most image editors.
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27 inch monitor
Buy LG UHD 4K Monitor online now
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27 inch monitor
Buy BenQ WQHD Monitor online now
Anyone who works as a photographer and therefore regularly and professionally edits photos can also think about buying an anti-glare monitor for image processing, the screen surface of which is instead matt and protects against irritation from blinding light conditions and annoying reflections. If the device also has an IPS panel, such as the Dell S2721NX *, you can view the display from different angles without the image losing quality. Even when exposed to sunlight, the already better color rendering is not impaired.
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Monitor
Buy Dell S2721NX online now
Portable screen: ideal for on the go
Anyone who travels a lot as a photographer and would like to do the image processing while on the move can also use a small portable screen * like the one from IVV. The monitor with IPS panel with stable viewing angles has a 4K screen resolution and, at 15.6 inches, fits perfectly in a laptop bag. In addition, this model is very flexible and can be used by gamers, photographers and video editors for mobile work.
Professional image processing with monitors for photographers and graphic artists
Those who are passionate about what they do can also invest a little more money and buy a monitor to raise their own image processing to a professional level. The advantages are mostly related to the colors, which look more real on professional monitors, as the color spaces are expanded and allow greater gradations in the tones.
But first every monitor has to be calibrated so that colors can be displayed as faithfully as possible. When buying, you should therefore also pay attention to whether monitors have an integrated hardware calibration – this is the case, for example, with the Viewsonic ColorPro VP2785-4K *. Many cheaper models require color management software and external devices for setting, with which calibration is also easy.
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Photographers Monitor
Buy VIEWSONIC VP2785-4K online now
Tip: The capable colorimeter Spyder X Pro * is ideal here, with which the color values of the display can be determined and quickly adjusted using software.
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Buy Datacolor SpyderX Pro online now
With the PhotoVue monitor SW270C *, the popular screen manufacturer BenQ has launched a professional version especially for photographers. It also has the aforementioned IPS panel and also provides 99 percent AdobeRGB color space coverage. This function enables maximum illuminated and real colors, which is especially important for cropping images.
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Photographers Monitor
Buy the BenQ PhotoVue SW270C online now
The graphic monitor ColorEdge CS2731 from EIZO * is in a higher price class, but still under 1,000.00 euros and therefore cheaper than competing models of the same quality. Screens of this brand are among the most popular on the market and their functions shine in many ways: great picture quality and color illumination, they are anti-reflective and have a very high viewing angle stability.
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Graphics Monitor
Buy the EIZO ColorEdge CS2731 online now
Photo editing monitor: an overview of the most important features and requirements
A good monitor for photographers must meet a few other requirements:
- IPS panel for working with stable viewing angles
- 98 to 100 percent sRGB / 99 percent Adobe RGB color space
- at least 10 bit color depth
- 108 PPI pixel density or more
- 350 cd / m² brightness or more
- Highest possible contrast ratio (1000: 1)
- Flicker free
- Ergonomic through height adjustability
- Screen with anti-glare display (also possible with a matt finish)
- Pivot function – adjusts the monitor to the portrait position (ideal for office work)
- if necessary with integrated hardware calibration
- USB-C connection for Mac users if required
Tip: TN displays (Twisted Nematic) are less suitable for image processing, as they are quite low in contrast and the colors can change a little depending on the viewing angle.
*This text contains affiliate links. This means: If you complete a purchase using the links marked with an asterisk, WELT will receive a small commission. The reporting doesn’t affect that. You can find our standards of transparency and journalistic independence at axelspringer.de/unabhaengigkeit.
*This article was first published in August 2020.
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