Now that you’ve bought your new computer, it’s time for the perfect monitor. Photographers need quality, consistency, accurate color, and a wide color gamut to support our artistic endeavors.
There are four key elements a photographer should look for in a monitor.
1. Size matters.
When choosing which monitor to buy with your computer, size really does matter. I would recommend getting the largest monitor you can.
I often hear photographers say that they wish their monitor was larger. Choosing a larger screen is something you will likely not regret. Being able to have a large workspace on your monitor for editing is so helpful because you are able to see more information on the screen, instead of having to click more to open other windows or make decisions while are you working.
It might seem silly, but being able to see more of your images and the details of it while you are editing can make a huge difference. Most likely, you will have fewer windows open at once, be able to have a larger workspace overall and see the “big picture” more easily.
There have been studies that indicate that when you have to remember more, you are able to focus on less and it causes more stress. When you are only seeing a limited amount of your data and you have to remember the rest, it really can be more inefficient than seeing more of your data on the screen at once.
Go big! You won’t regret it.
2. Get as high a resolution as you can afford.
When choosing the size of the screen, don’t forget about the aspect ratio and resolution. I would recommend getting as high of a resolution as possible on your monitor, and typically the higher resolution means a larger screen.
There are several higher end options. I would go for the 5K (5000 px wide) if you can afford it. The 5K displays are obviously larger than the 4K (4000px wide) displays.
The difference between the 5K and the 4K might seems small in name but there is actually a 50% difference in the raw pixel count. The quality and amount of pixels in the 5K is definitely worth the price difference between the two.
If you aren’t able to get a 5K or even the 4K, I would recommend getting a monitor that has a 16:9 ratio. There are monitors that are widescreen and have a larger difference in their ratio, for example, some of the ultra widescreens (especially curved monitors) have an aspect ratio of 21:9 but they often have a much less resolution that can make the purchase not worth it.
A Retina screen simply refers to how many dots per inch (dpi) there are on the screen. Once it reaches a certain point where you can no longer see any individual pixels, it starts to look more like real life. That is why a Retina monitor can often seem to have more depth and detail in comparison to a non-Retina monitor.
3. Go for IPS/PLS.
IPS/PLS stands for in-plane switching/plane line switching on liquid crystal displays (LCD). It is a thin display panel that is known for displaying accurate colors from all viewing angles and does not lighten or show tailing when touched which is especially helpful on touch screens.
An IPS panel offers a higher contrast ratio (which means better blacks), very high color accuracy, and very little color shift when you change your viewing angle. PLS is basically the same as an IPS panel. PLS is Samsung’s version of IPS and telling them apart is almost impossible.
The least expensive and most popular panel available is a TN (twisted nematic) monitor. It is for general purpose but the quality is really lacking because they generally have poor viewing angles and color reproduction. If you are on a very limited budget, a higher end TN monitor can be an option.
A VA (vertical alignment) monitor is another option and better than the TN monitor, but it still does not compare to the IPS/PLS monitors with its color and viewing angles. An advantage of a VA screen is they can have a higher refresh rate. It is a great option that is solidly between a TN and a IPS/PLS monitor.
4. Make sure it has a wide color gamut.
The entire range of colors available on a screen is called a color gamut and most are a percentage of a certain color space. Most entry level screens have a percentage of the sRGB color space and the higher the percentage, the better the color.
A monitor that has close to 100% sRGB can be okay for regular every day use but it isn’t ideal for post-processing. The most helpful option is to get a screen that shows the same amount of colors on your monitor as your camera can see while you are shooting – which is a wide color gamut monitor.
A wide-gamut RGB color space (also known as an extended gamut) offers a large range of colors by using pure spectral primary colors. It is able to store a wider range of color values than sRGB and Adobe RGB and displays those colors with the most accuracy.
Post-processing requires a larger array of colors and the added expense of a wide color gamut monitor will be worth it for all of your editing needs when matching your prints to your post-processing vision.
