Best mid-priced monitor for photo editing?

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Abinoone

Abinoone

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Marketplace
Member's gallery
I'm looking for a good, mid-priced (under $1,000) monitor to use for photo editing with my Lenovo S740 15IRH laptop. Ideally, I'd like a 27" 4K IPS with 100% sRGB and built-in calibration capability, if such is available in the sub-$1,000 realm. Any suggestions based on your personal experience would be much appreciated.
 
Member's gallery
bleirer said:
The Benq 270C might meet your price and your other expectations except it is only 2K, but it is fully Adobe RGB so that is a plus for photography, where only SRGB would be a limitation. The 271C would be 4k and Adobe RGB, but a little out of your range.

www.benq.com

Compare All Monitors

www.benq.com
Click to expand...
Do you think 4K improves the quality of the image that much more than this model BenQ? I’ve read some reports that 4K may not provide much of an advantage over quality, lower resolution monitors.
 
Member's gallery
For photo editing, I've read that more pixels allow for better photo editing, so I went with 4k. Checking Craig's List I see the 27" 4k version for $300-$750 in like new condition. Might be an option...e.g., several in NYC.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Take a look at this one: Lenovo ThinkVision P27u-20 27-inch Monitor. I purchased one late last year and have been happy with its performance. It's 3840 x 2160 UHD, 100% sRGB, close to 100% Adobe RGB and priced competitively.
 
Abinoone said:
Do you think 4K improves the quality of the image that much more than this model BenQ? I’ve read some reports that 4K may not provide much of an advantage over quality, lower resolution monitors.
Click to expand...

I personally don't see the importance of the 4k for photography. To me 100% is 100% when zooming. You just scroll a little more for pixel peeping. I use the previous version of the 270 and have no plans to upgrade. But there may be reasons for 4k I'm missing.
 
Member's gallery
Abinoone said:
Do you think 4K improves the quality of the image that much more than this model BenQ? I’ve read some reports that 4K may not provide much of an advantage over quality, lower resolution monitors.
Click to expand...
If you plan to get into video editing, a 4k monitor is a good investment. For photo editing there's no real reason. That's not only based on my personal experience but that from several photo editors and prepress professionals I work with that prepare publication and professional gallery print work.
 
Member's gallery
Unless you're selling your work, 100% of any color gamut is an extremely expensive upgrade. Accurate colors are obviously important, but to what degree? The human eye can only see about a million colors and 100% srgb covers 16.7 million...so 15.7 million colors you won't be able to differentiate. Furthermore, everyone viewing your images will see something slightly different anyway. You can get some good monitors for way under 1k, you just have to decide how much the color gamut is worth to you personally. As a brand BenQ is reliable. Eizo is really top of the line, you could also look at used monitors. B&H usually has a decent selection that could save a couple hundred dollars. For the other brands you should really look at each individual model as some are winners and some are problematic.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
I concur.

It depends on your end output & display media, the size mostly:

1) Do you print your own work ? If you do, you will want a fairly color-accurate monitor to work with the printer. There are a whole lot of courses on workflow, color space, etc.

2) If you use third party printing service, use their color profile & soft proof before sending the files.

3) If the photos are only used for digital display, ie: cellphone, tablets or online forums, most sub-1K monitors are adequate.

4) If you venture into videography, a 27" 4K monitor or better still, dual monitor set up would help.

The monitor landscape is a strange world, there are sub-600, sub-1k and 4~5K models; for color-critical works, Eizo monitors are mostly good for photography, albeit some people find the brightness lacking.

Good luck in choosing your monitor.

Oliver
 
Member's gallery
After a lot of Dell, LG, HP, etc second displays and a LOT of Apple monitors. I've settled on an Eizo. The Apple monitors were generally by far the best of the others, though the NEC photo monitor OK, but the Eizo seems better at displaying relatively subtle gradients. I think that monitors that ship with color calibration devices and software tend to be more accurate than others. Or at least that seems to show that they're paying attention to rendering accuracy. I haven't tried a BenQ, nor any of the $4-5K-plus monitors, nor have I tried anything bigger than 27" (don't need, don't want).

But as noted, it really depends on what you want it for. If you're printing to paper color accuracy and shade are critical. If all your displaying will be digital I'm not sure how much that matters.

No experience at all with video.
 
Member's gallery
Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and recommendations - very helpful as I pondered what to do. I thought you might like to know what I settled on, in case anyone else is considering a new monitor: the Dell 2720Q Ultrasharp 4K IPS (special mention to JGD Photo), which I was able to pick up at B&H for “only” $1399. While costing more than I had hoped to spend, I felt that it would give me a great photo editing tool, with 100% RGB coverage, 98% DCI-P3, 16-9 aspect ratio, monitor hood and, best of all, a built-in color calibration tool. A very serious contender was the BenQ SW271C (another great photo editing monitor), but what ultimately convinced me to go with the Dell was the 4K resolution, and the built-in colorimeter. Hopefully I won’t be posting about my colossal mistake in a few weeks. 🥴

Thanks again everyone!
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
A BenQ also needs a Spider to calibrate.
That’s the point of a BenQ

I have only BenQ’s
From Z9 Adobe 1998 to BenQ to WHCC prints is exactly what I’m seeing on the BenQ’s.
 
Member's gallery
Hello again everyone,
Just a quick update on my monitor selection, in case anyone else is considering purchasing a new one. Earlier I reported that I’d purchased the Dell 2720Q Ultrasharp 4K IPS and, while I thought it was a pretty good monitor, I ended up returning it. Instead, I bought a BenQ PD2725U for $845, and I’m extremely pleased with my choice. It’s a great, well designed and made 4K monitor with excellent color gamut and resolution. I couldn’t be more pleased, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high end, but not crazy expensive, monitor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top