With a graphics monitor for photo editing purposes, color is the most important thing. If you are looking for a graphics monitor that has both color quality and is within your budget, this article will provide you with useful information to help you choose the desired monitor.
When considering choosing a graphics monitor for photo editing? You should start wondering if it’s really worth investing in a higher-end monitor. Often, you will see monitors referred to with the word “professional.” (These displays are specifically designed to ensure color accuracy). The short answer is: YES. Especially when “professional” graphics monitors have very good prices compared to before.
Most conventional monitors don’t deliver the same performance as a professional graphics monitor. So why spend time taking beautiful photos when you don’t have a quality screen to show it off?
Graphic displays designed for photo editing have the ability to display more colors to work with. They feature a range of color enhancing technologies. This results in a more accurate image displayed on the screen. These are features and ideal conditions that are especially important for those whose work depends on image accuracy.
The screen must be able to display colors similar to real life. Normal screens cannot display the full colors of the original image. Therefore, changes made to these incorrect colors can make what you are trying to edit worse.
Previously, professional graphics monitors often had high prices, making it difficult for all users to have the opportunity to buy them. But now there are many products that meet your needs and still have a reasonable price.
The Most Important Elements of a Graphic Display
There are too many different features offered on a computer screen. When evaluating a professional graphics monitor for photo editing, the user’s goal is to maximize the color accuracy of images seen on the monitor. Some key features affect color, performance, and image quality.
Most important features:
sRGB / Adobe RGB color space
Gamma parameters
LUT lookup table
Delta E is low
Compensation and uniformity of images
High-end panel technology
Anti-glare screen surface
Hardware calibration
High-end design
Latest connection port
Screen size and resolution
Covered Color Space
The best photo editing monitors work with as wide a range of colors as possible. Color gamut refers to the entire range of colors visible to the human eye. Using as much of this range as possible, you can make the colors of your photo, illustration or painting really beautiful. Because the range of colors produced by digital devices is different, you will get different results. This is true across cameras, editing software, monitors, and printers.
Color space represents defined sets of colors in an infinite color palette. They are interpolated using abstract mathematical models. Wider color space contains more colors; Smaller color spaces have fewer colors. The human eye can see about 10 million colors, which is the physical limit of the human color space.
Different digital devices are designed to operate in different color spaces. The wider the scope of use of the device, the better. In theory, an infinite number of color spaces can be defined. In fact, several color space standards set the standard for digital photo, video, graphic design and image processing technologies.
The CIE color space defines the human visible spectrum. The sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces are well-known digital color spaces used in photo editing. They are defined graphically as triangles in CIE space.
Interesting facts about popular color spaces:
sRGB is the most common denominator color space standard used in many applications, including the Internet.
Adobe RGB is a well-known standard among graphic designers, photographers, and other creative professionals and is used as an editing space.
NTSC, EBU, Rec.709, and Rec.2020 are common color spaces used for video, film, and television broadcast.
No monitor can display colors outside its available color space. For example, a monitor that only covers the sRGB space cannot display all the colors in the larger Adobe RGB space.
This is a typical case. You take photos with a camera that uses Adobe RGB space. You then view the image on an sRGB display. What you see is missing color. Saturated colors outside the sRGB gamut will exist as encoded data, but you won’t be able to see them.
Here’s another example. Imagine shooting with a camera set that captures images using the sRGB color space. Then you use a universal display that only covers a portion of this color space. When you view these images, they will also be lacking in color.
Bottom line: When you view photos on a screen with a smaller color space than the screen on which they were captured, the missing color data reduces the level of detail. The result will be a blurrier image and less vivid colors.
Recommended color spaces for monitors for photo editing: Professional-grade monitors for photo editing and other color work that include expanded color spaces for outstanding accuracy and vivid color detail . At a minimum, you’ll want Full sRGB. Otherwise, the Adobe RGB color space monitor is the best monitor for photo editing.
Table of Contents
Gamma Parameters
Gamma is a complex term that refers to the vividness of images displayed on a screen. Gamma adjustment plays an important role in getting the best results from your photography efforts. The term gamma has several meanings. When it comes to digital devices, gamma is defined as the mathematical encoding of brightness (aka “luminance”) into a value for each individual pixel. The goal of gamma is to make digital images look as vivid as possible.
It’s important to know that gamma is defined as how you see the individual pixels of an image. The monitor uses this index to adjust the output of the image. Higher display gammas result in darker images with greater contrast.
Experts agree that a gamma display level of 2.2 provides a consistent perception of color tones. Nowadays, most monitor companies develop monitors with native 2.2 gamma preset. Good professional monitors for photo editing also allow users to easily adjust gamma to suit their needs. The correct term for this is monitor gamma calibration, also known as gamma correction. Digital color experts agree that it is an important function.
Here’s how one expert explains: “Gamma correction is important if you’re interested in displaying images accurately on your computer screen. Gamma correction controls the overall brightness of the image. Images that are not edited properly can be too blown out or too dark… Changing the level of gamma correction not only changes the brightness but also the ratio from red to green to blue.”
Basic gamma parameters:
Gamma 1.8 – Enhances visibility and detail in dark scenes
Gamma 2.0 – Enhances detail in dark scenes for clearer viewing
Gamma 2.2 – Ready to use
Gamma 2.4 – Enhances detail in bright scenes for vivid colors
Gamma 2.6 – Highlights black and white scenes; suitable for viewing documents
Recommended gamma features in monitors for photo editing: Gamma determines how vivid and lifelike the image is. The original gamma of 2.2 is a given index. Make sure your professional monitor allows you to fine-tune other gamma settings.
LUT Lookup Table
The best professional-grade monitors for photo editing have hardware-integrated lookup tables (LUTs). These panels help enhance the display’s color rendering capabilities. LUTs provide on-the-fly adaptation, adding color gradations as needed based on the image(s) being displayed. This is an automatic function, LUTs apply complex color correction calculations to adjust gamma to create optimal color mapping.
LUTs are measured in bits. Higher bit levels indicate stronger color adjustment capabilities and a larger color palette. General-purpose consumer displays are typically 8-bit. These general-use displays provide a usable palette of 16.7 million colors. Professional monitors for photo editing equipped with 10, 12 or 14-bit LUTs. Optimized for LUT power, the 14bit lookup table provides 4.39 trillion colors. That’s 260,000 times greater color accuracy than conventional displays.
Lookup tables come in standard (1D) or 3D formats. Monitors with 3D LUTs have greater color capabilities than monitors with limited 1D LUTs. Delivering clearer colors, 3D LUTs create smoother, highly blended gradations. Colors created by 3D LUTs are also more vibrant and accurate.
LUTs are always a recommended feature for monitors for photo editing: Any type of LUT is better than none. The most fully featured professional graphics monitors will include 14bit 3D LUTs.
Low Delta E Value
Delta E measures how well the human eye perceives differences in color. For photo editing, it’s a tool capable of evaluating how well a display achieves color fidelity. Delta E (ΔE – or dE) is the change in visual perception of two given colors. The value ranges from 0 to 100. Numbers less than 0 are not visible to the human eye. A value of 100 indicates completely opposite colors.
The Delta E index shown on the screen is designed for photo editing. To meet color-critical needs, this number represents the degree to which the color displayed by the monitor correlates to the “perfect” color value. The lower the number, the better the performance.
The human eye has a Delta E of about 1. Any value less than that is essentially invisible. In fact, achieving “perfect” Delta E in a display is not even possible. Even the most expensive monitor should not have a Delta E of zero.
Flagship displays may require a Delta E of 1 or slightly lower. Next are high-end, high-priced monitors with Delta E <2. Many mid-range monitors to use have Delta E <3 or <4. Recently, high-spec monitors with Delta E <2 are sold at moderate prices.
Recommended Delta E for monitors for photo editing: This is the lower the specification the better. Delta E <1 comes with a hefty price tag. Many professionals find the Delta E <2 perfect for their photo editing needs.
Screen Uniformity: Panel Technology & Color Compensation
Consistent color of the monitor’s display image is important for accurate viewing and editing. The biggest factor affecting the color uniformity of the screen is the viewing angle of the screen. The wider the viewing angle, the more images and colors diminish as your vision moves from the center of the screen.
Outside the viewing angle allowed by the display, the image loses contrast. They become faded or poorly saturated. Reduced brightness and reduced contrast are also common. For photo editors and color-conscious users, this image degradation makes it difficult to view, evaluate, and edit images accurately.
The panel used in the display determines the maximum viewing angle of the display. The TN panel offers 170º horizontal and 160º vertical viewing angles. Advanced panel technologies such as IPS panels, provide the widest maximum viewing capacity of 178º horizontally and vertically. Newer AMVA panels also offer similar maximum viewing angles. However, IPS panels are still the gold standard for the professional monitor segment.
Optimal color performance lies in the center of the screen. Even the highest quality premium panels suffer from slight color variations on the screen. Some changes in brightness on the screen simply cannot be avoided. Imagine a screen divided into several equivalent parts. Because brightness varies across screens, the same color will appear slightly different in each of these sections. Professional graphic displays for photo editing will compensate for this necessity.
Top professional graphics monitors must include color uniformity compensation. Color compensation selectively adjusts hue and dimming. As a result, good professional monitors will achieve uniformity across the screen. A typical specification defining uniformity compensation – via brightness adjustment – is denoted as Lv <5%. This shows that variations in brightness will be controlled within 5%. In contrast, conventional displays vary by up to 30%.
Recommended monitor uniformity for photo editing: Features to improve on-screen color accuracy are a hallmark of professional monitors. Wide viewing angle of 178º / 178º is a must. You’ll also want a built-in color uniformity function that works in a range of color spaces.
High Quality Panels
The type of panel that the LCD display is built around affects a number of important performance characteristics. Include:
View
Color reproduction
Contrast
LCD screens use TN, VA or IPS panel technology. TN panels do not have the performance needed for a screen for photo editing. Premium IPS and VA (AMVA) panel technology delivers wider viewing angles, higher contrast ratio, and better color accuracy. These panels virtually eliminate image distortion and color shifting. They enhance viewing comfort and improve the general user experience.
IPS displays have become the standard display of choice for those concerned with color. Additionally, AMVA panels have also begun to offer worthwhile color performance specifications. However, for many professional users, IPS displays still occupy the top spot in the design environment. IPS panels provide the best support for screen technologies and color spaces. IPS panels offer higher color depth and contrast ratio, which improves color accuracy.
IPS screens have become less expensive and more accessible. Because this IPS display is becoming the display of choice for many photography enthusiasts and other hobbyists and even general users who care about color. Here’s an example of a 27-inch IPS display.
Recommended panel for photo editing: Color-related functions of the TN display are limited. High-end IPS or AMVA panel. And remember that most photography professionals prefer IPS panels.
Screen Surface
There are 2 types of screen surfaces: rough or mirror. The mirror surface provides sharp, vivid images. Saturated colors and deep dark tones make the mirror display great for gaming and watching movies. However, mirror screens are not suitable for photo editing because they reflect light. This screen performs particularly poorly in brightly lit areas.
Matte screen prevents reflections. This makes these monitors the best choice for photo editing. Experts also found this monitor to be the best for accurate color calibration. You can see a matte screen in a bright room much easier than you can see a mirror screen in the same room. If you plan to use the screen in a bright room, you should buy a matte screen.
Therefore, recommended screen surfaces for graphics monitors for photo editing: Most professional users prefer a matte surface to reduce glare. Although mirror screens provide vivid images, many people find them too saturated.
Color Calibration
Display calibration improves brightness, contrast, and color reproduction. The gamma adjustment mentioned above is just one example of how to calibrate a display. Many experts consider color calibration very important for digital photography.
Consumer and business monitors have minimal functionality to maintain the accuracy of such adjustments. Professional graphics displays include color space and gamma settings to facilitate precise adjustment.
The most accurate monitor calibration is achieved using a “color calibrator”. Color measurement accessories and software provide a wide range of features. The color balancer is placed on the control screen to measure and adjust the color on the screen. This correction method provides the most accurate representation of the original image.
The best monitors for photo editing have “hardware calibration” capabilities. This calibration takes place through software that connects the graphics card to the monitor. With hardware calibration, the colorimeter adjusts the display’s internal LUTs. It stores the optimized results in the monitor’s display. As a result, calibration will be faster, and results will be more accurate.
Recommended calibration of monitor for photo editing: Color space and gamma setting are two options that can be preferred. Adding a color scaler (or “puck”) is the gold standard in professional design. The monitor has built-in hardware calibration for greater accuracy and helps you work with peace of mind.
Screen Size
A minimum size of 24 inches is recommended for monitors for photo editing. However, 27 inches or more is more optimal. The goal is to be able to fully view your product while still having room for toolbars. Using an additional monitor is also quite common. A dual-monitor setup allows you to view full-screen images on one display while completing tasks and performing actions on the other display.
Recommended screen size for monitors for photo editing: Choose the largest (and highest resolution) monitor that fits your workspace and budget. Consider adding a second monitor for convenience and increased productivity.
Resolution
Screen resolution represents the number of pixels a screen can display horizontally and vertically. The 4K screen has a resolution of 3840 pixels horizontally and 2160 pixels vertically (3840 x 2160).
The higher the resolution, the more image data is displayed on your screen. With a high-resolution screen, you’ll be able to see more of what you’re doing without having to scroll a lot. More pixels also means clearer images. Higher resolution screens deliver sharper images.
When it comes to resolution, most experts say higher is better. For a 24-inch monitor, choose an FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080. For a 27-inch monitor, it’s 2560 x 1440 QHD. The optimal 32-inch display will have 4K (3840 x 2160) UHD resolution. UltraWide (21:9) 1440p monitors (usually curved) are also a good choice. As for screen size, there are a few things to keep in mind:
First, don’t assume that resolution correlates to screen size. That’s a mistake! Screens of the same size may have different resolutions. Second, LCD screens should be used at their native resolution. Select the display with the native resolution you’re going to be working with. Third, if you’re considering a 4K display, make sure the software is compatible. A 4K display can be a great tool for photo editing, working well with Photoshop and Illustrator.
Recommended screen resolution for photo editing: The higher the resolution, the better for your chosen screen size.
Premium Design
A well-designed graphic display makes your operations easier, more efficient and more comfortable. The monitor has a borderless design that is ideal for maximizing productivity and creative workspaces with two or more monitor setups. A rotatable base also makes it easier to arrange your working angle. The rough screen surface will significantly reduce reflection for greater convenience in editing and viewing images. Ergonomically designed tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustments can maximize comfort. Ambient light sensor to automatically adjust screen brightness quickly. The sensor automatically reduces backlight brightness when the screen is not in use. Advanced auto-swap and rotation features let you rotate the screen 180 degrees, viewing your images horizontally or vertically at your convenience.
Diverse Connection Ports
Currently, high-end monitors have a variety of connection ports such as USB, DisplayPort and HDMI. More options mean easy connectivity to the devices you use now and in the future. A USB 3.0 port provides device charging, while a USB 3.1 Type C port provides charging along with audio. The ability to “daisy-chain” two or more displays via DisplayPort offers greater flexibility.
Conclude
Professional graphics monitors for photo editing produce more accurate colors than consumer monitors. It offers a variety of color control features that help you get the most out of your images. If your job, hobby or passion involves viewing and manipulating images on a screen, it’s time to upgrade to a professional monitor.
Universal monitors cannot provide consistent, color-accurate images. By investing in a monitor for image editing, you get the color range, calibration capabilities, and color management features to view and edit with greater color accuracy and detail.