Are back-lit LED screens good for photo processing?

Phate

Phate

Phate

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Hi Guys,

I've been eyeing up a 24" screen for a while now and my favourite company, Iiyama, have released, and is on deal at OcUK a 24" Back-lit LED screen.

Now...the temptation to buy this bad boy is high enough, basically I want to confirm if back-lit LED screens is good for photo processing/better than my current 17" TFT (apart from the obvious size gain) (oo-er)

I'll be calibrating it anyway, so the colours will be spot on, but I'd like to know if anyone can shed some light :)

If it's fine, I think I'll be ordering tomorrow :)

Cheers,
Jake

Screen in question - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-060-IY&groupid=17&catid=510&subcat=
 
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The LED backlight itself makes little difference to the suitability of a panel for photo processing. Panel type, however, makes a huge difference - and the Iiyama you are considering here is one of the cheaper 'TN panels'. You can't calibrate a TN panel so that colours will be 'spot on' because the viewing angles are too poor. Even considering looking at the panel from directly infront a given colour will look different depending on its position on the screen. This is better explained in terms of the viewing dependency of the gamma curve type tests - http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/viewing_angle.php
 
PCM2 said:
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Monitors out of the factory NEVER display the correct colours. Calibration will dramatically improve this...ok it might not be 100% perfect but it'll be damn near enough :)

I know what you are saying with the viewing angles but I work close to my monitor and it'll be directly infront of me anyway.
 
Phate said:
I'll be calibrating it anyway, so the colours will be spot on, but I'd like to know if anyone can shed some light :)
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I should point out that this simply isn't true unfortunately. If it is a TN panel it's immediately unsuitable for editing (your entire picture changes if you're slouching in your chair, for example), but not only that, when you calibrate the display you take a reading from the very centre of the screen. The problem with this is unless the screen incorporates uniformity compensation what might be correct in the middle may not work for everywhere else. That's before you start to consider unit to unit inconsistencies common in cheaper colorimeters.

I would suggest saving some more money toward a good IPS panel monitor such as the Dell U2410. Don't spend all your money on the photo gear and then neglect the one aspect of your workflow that every single picture will run through and depend upon.
 
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Did you actually understand the majority of what I was saying? Sorry, not meaning to sound patronising - but re-read it and click on the link. It doesn't matter where you are sitting in relation to the monitor. Adrianr is talking along the same lines as me here.
 
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For photo work you should really consider an IPS panel mate, it'll make things a lot more accurate and give you better results, as well as being nicer to look at! They are more expensive, but for your usage, it is probably worth it.

I have been looking at 24" panels, and I've had some great Iiyama CRTs in the past, but this LED LCD doesn't seem much better than any run-of-the-mill TN panels. This site doesn't think much of it either. You may as well just buy a cheaper one and save the money if you must go TN LED, though there are better alternatives, typically from Samsung it would seem at the moment.
 
Phate said:
I know what you are saying with the viewing angles but I work close to my monitor and it'll be directly infront of me anyway.
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The problem is even worse if you're sat closer to it, because the angles from your eyes to various parts of the screen become even more extreme.
 
Really can't reccomend a TN panel if your doing serious photo/image editing, but sometimes I'm lazy and do it on the same TN panel as I use for programming as I can't be bothered to swap over and tbh the result isn't any worse for it, tho I'm constantly sub-consciously adjusting/checking results to make sure its right.
 
PCM2 said:
Did you actually understand the majority of what I was saying? Sorry, not meaning to sound patronising - but re-read it and click on the link. It doesn't matter where you are sitting in relation to the monitor. Adrianr is talking along the same lines as me here.
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Apologies, I replied in a rush (am I the middle of getting ready to go out :o)

Yes I did understand what you said. Whilst it may not be perfect, will it not be 'good enough' ? - Appreciate everyone else has different standards but I've never had issues on my 17" (Iiyama Prolite E435s incase you wondered) and I've processed near 25,000 photos on it now. Colours have always been fine once printed, massively due to calibration.

Adrianr said:
I would suggest saving some more money toward a good IPS panel monitor such as the Dell U2410. Don't spend all your money on the photo gear and then neglect the one aspect of your workflow that every single picture will run through and depend upon.
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Hmm, not really an option. I'm shelling out a lot right now, and whilst I'm not one to skimp out at all, I'd rather spend money on other things, about to shell out for a new lens, new hard drives etc, and something I've been wanting to upgrade for a long time is my screen (I must emphasise purely down to size and no other reason) and this fits in budget :)

I know it sounds like I've come to the pros and asked and I'm ignoring it which I'm not doing by any means, I'm just not after something perfect, just something good :)
 
Phate said:
Apologies, I replied in a rush (am I the middle of getting ready to go out :o)

Yes I did understand what you said. Whilst it may not be perfect, will it not be 'good enough' ? - Appreciate everyone else has different standards but I've never had issues on my 17" (Iiyama Prolite E435s incase you wondered) and I've processed near 25,000 photos on it now. Colours have always been fine once printed, massively due to calibration.



Hmm, not really an option. I'm shelling out a lot right now, and whilst I'm not one to skimp out at all, I'd rather spend money on other things, about to shell out for a new lens, new hard drives etc, and something I've been wanting to upgrade for a long time is my screen (I must emphasise purely down to size and no other reason) and this fits in budget :)

I know it sounds like I've come to the pros and asked and I'm ignoring it which I'm not doing by any means, I'm just not after something perfect, just something good :)
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Can you stretch to something like the Dell 2311H?
 
If you are planning to spend ~£170 for photo work then I suggest you have a look for a good quality second-hand (or refurbished) Dell Ultrasharp 2209WA. This monitor uses an E-IPS panel similar to the newer U2x11H monitors, and would be very good for your uses.

Also, you may want to have a look for second hand Dell 2407WFP (HC) and 2408WFP monitors - these are big (24in, 1920x1200) S-PVA monitors. They are not quite as good as an IPS monitor - but they would be far better than a TN and no doubt the higher resolution will be appreciated.
 
It could be that the 'colour shift' we are referring to here is less pronounced on a 17" panel simply because of the much lower screen area. Try looking at these images on your current monitor and see how they look. I can assure you that the variability on any 24inch TN panel would make you quite rightly question the accuracy of what your monitor is showing you. Is it purely photo processing for printing purposes that you'll be using the monitor for?
 
PCM2 said:
It could be that the 'colour shift' we are referring to here is less pronounced on a 17" panel simply because of the much lower screen area. Try looking at these images on your current monitor and see how they look. I can assure you that the variability on any 24inch TN panel would make you quite rightly question the accuracy of what your monitor is showing you. Is it purely photo processing for printing purposes that you'll be using the monitor for?
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The blue, green and red were fine, but the purple and top image is where I saw the changes mainly.

Well it'll be used for everything, I rarely game these days. Mainly what I do is

Photography
Photoshopping
All the usuals, web browsing, movies, I watch HD where I can.
 
Ok so must be the screen size making it acceptable ;). Did the 'Lagom text' look blended grey to you or pinkish and shifting as you moved your head about?
 
Adrianr said:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-046-DE

Has a proper panel in it for a start. 8bit IPS. Downside is the resolution (I truely dislike 1920x1080 for work, but it will be better than your 17" regardless).

cmndr_andi's advice is also very sound. Though bear in mind you probably wont get any warranty with any 2407's now.
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That's too much to be perfectly honest. I have to factor other things in to, new printer, (chucking £300ish at hard drives alone too :eek:) - £200 is my budget for a screen if that helps? and I really want 24"
 
PCM2 said:
Ok so must be the screen size making it acceptable ;). Did the 'Lagom text' look blended grey to you or pinkish and shifting as you moved your head about?
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Starts to fade and blend towards the top, middle and downwards its fine though.
 
Phate said:
That's too much to be perfectly honest. I have to factor other things in to, new printer, (chucking £300ish at hard drives alone too :eek:) - £200 is my budget for a screen if that helps? and I really want 24"
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Ok.. I think you're spreading your cash a bit thin here, and prioritizing completely the wrong aspects of this new monitor. 24" is no good if it's 24" of arse ;)

Look at a second hand Dell 2209W as per andi's suggestion.
 
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