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Archive 2018 · 4k or 2k monitor?

ryn996
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I have a HP Z24i 24" 1920x1200 currently. I'm thinking about getting a new monitor, 27"-32" and likely 4k. The 2560x1440 (2k) doesn't seem like much of an upgrade. Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of using LR/PS with 4k...or any other issues with going to a 4k monitor. I'd also get a Quadro video card.

Nov 22, 2018 at 10:50 AM

Tirpitz666
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I won't shoot for 4K unless you are aiming at least to a 32", 4K on a 27" is a bit too much for my tastes and probably you will have to scale a lot in order to have readable text (already on the 32" you will need some scaling for sure, I'm rocking a 40" 4K display and the PS interface is barely visible without scaling at typical desktop usage distance).

I'm obviously taking for granted that you are either running Win10 or you are on a Mac, otherwise scaling could be an issue on older Win versions (especially Win 7), as the implementation was primitive at best...

Nov 22, 2018 at 11:28 AM

Chris.P
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 4k or 2k monitor?

4K makes a nice difference even on 27" screens. I use both and I can tell a good difference in sharpness when reviewing photos and general text viewing. It's just a little easier on the eyes and when you go 1:1 you can tell a large difference. Unless you game at all where 4K would kill your performance, I'd go 4K for 27" still. You don't really need a Quadro card just to push a 4K monitor either if that is your only reason. Onboard video will work just fine for 4K unless you wanted to leverage the GPU power of a card for some PS or LR tasks. I have my 1080Ti enabled to do that but I really don't see much difference.

As for text scaling, Windows 10 does it just fine. Windows 7, not so much.

Just make sure it is an IPS display, not TN. That is really more important than the 2K vs 4K. If it is a pro grade monitor it will have some sort of color accuracy guarantee out of the box as well and though it will not be as good as having it calibrated it will be better than most of the off-the-shelf profiles.

Nov 22, 2018 at 12:33 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 4k or 2k monitor?

Yea I’m tempted to get a 4K . I want a Adobe RgB wide gamut one

Nov 22, 2018 at 01:07 PM

AdaptedLenses
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 4k or 2k monitor?

Have two Dell 27” 4K monitors and at that size I like it. Got a 13” HP Spectre with 4K, and on a small screen I wish I’d save d a few bucks and gotten 2k. Just food for thought if anyone’s thinking about laptops.

Nov 22, 2018 at 01:28 PM

kroyston
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I just bought a 4K 27” AdobeRGB monitor. It’s a heck of an upgrade from my old Dell U2410 1920x1200, glad I made the move.

Nov 22, 2018 at 01:42 PM

IzelPhotograph
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 4k or 2k monitor?

Something to keep in mind with 4k screens on anything less that 32" is the pixel density. Like MacBook Pros and their retina screens, they do make images look sharper than they actually are.

For work, I always use a 2k 27" screen as the PPI is around 109 which is a little denser than ideal but it is close enough. I love my MacBook Pro for editing but there is no way I'd use it to quality check an image for sharpness or check for other imperfections.

This of course only matters if you're selling your work or printing and need to make sure it is 100% fit for the job/purpose. If you're not then just go with a screen that's nice to work with.

Some links, quotes and stuff below that may be useful.

DPI / PPI calculator - https://www.sven.de/dpi/

How to choose a monitor for photo editing - https://digital-photography-school.com/choose-right-monitor-photo-editing/

"Although several factors may affect the sharpness of an image on your screen (e.g. contrast, anti-glare filters, viewer-to-screen distance), the central thing that dictates sharpness is the monitor’s pixel density, or dot pitch.

As an example, an average desktop monitor might have a pixel density of around 90-100 ppi, while the 27” 5K iMac with Retina display has a pixel density of 217 ppi. That’s impressive in a big screen.

An extremely dense pixel pitch tends to have a flattering effect on photos, just like every photo looks sharp on a smartphone, but isn’t a necessity for efficient photo editing."

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MONITOR FOR PHOTO EDITING - https://www.viewsonic.com/library/photography/how-to-choose-best-monitor-editing

"When it comes to resolution, most pros say the higher the better. For a 24-inch monitor, opt for a 1920 x 1080 FHD resolution. For a 27-inch monitor, it’s a 2560 x 1440 QHD. A 32-inch monitor will optimally have 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) UHD. UltraWide (21:9) 1440p (often curved) monitors are also good options. For screen size, there are some important considerations:"

Nov 22, 2018 at 03:15 PM

Charlie N
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 4k or 2k monitor?

Scale vs native resolution.

I would rather have a larger screen with native resolution, than small, scaled

Nov 22, 2018 at 04:01 PM

jmmaher
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 4k or 2k monitor?

My monitor recently died and I had the same question. After a lot of research I purchased a 2K BenQ that was designed for photography. Great monitor and choice.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1176775-REG/benq_sw2700pt_27_photographer_monitor_with.html

Jim

Nov 22, 2018 at 04:33 PM

traveler
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I went a completely different route and am thrilled. I went with one of the new "ultrawide" versions, a 38" Viewsonic VP3881 which is factory set for 100% sRgb which is what I shoot in. The 3840x1600 resolution is certainly all I need and superbly detailed. I looked at the idea of a 4K screen as well but in the end this is ideal for all I do. The color accuracy is just wonderful let alone the sharpness and detail rendered. I already printed to my new Pro-1000 printer and they are in 100% agreement as to WYSIWYG. Can't ask for more than that. The "immersive" view of the slightly curved ultrawide display is amazing not just for photo editing but just about anything such as watching a movie or even my work I do which allows me to place multiple screens on it and I can work more efficiently. All in all it was the best way to go for me. Viewsonic has a winner with this baby.

Nov 22, 2018 at 05:02 PM

trstahly
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I have had 5k iMacs for several years, when I look at my portfolios on other peoples computers or my MacBook Pro loaded 2017 model they look like crap.

I am hoping they release some 8k monitors in Jan at CES

Nov 22, 2018 at 05:18 PM

Melindra
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · 4k or 2k monitor?

Our company went 4K last year and now we can't go back.
The extra real estate = efficiency.

Especially when you have tools spread out ok one screen and tour output on another, less time zooming in and out and more comfortable viewing.

The most important thing isn't resolution though, as usual, it's colour integrity, however, all things equal, an increase in resolution (and usually a teen size also) isost beneficial.

Nov 22, 2018 at 05:22 PM

racetratr
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I agree with IzelPhotograph and others who caution about high rez monitors if your main goal is making prints. Super resolution screens may look nice, but they actually make it harder to judge critical sharpness at a reasonable desktop size.

Many of them are also very bright, and can be uneven or hard to profile well once brightness is reduced to the proper level for printing. Resampling in order to get images or text to "fit," or to be legible, can cause graphics card problems in Photoshop, as well.

I recommend these posts by Lloyd Chambers:

https://diglloyd.com/blog/2017/20170108_2112-choosing-pro-display.html

https://diglloyd.com/blog/2017/20170107_1234-evaluating-images-pixel-density.html

https://diglloyd.com/blog/2016/20160127_1832-iMac5K-for-image-viewing.html

Chambers loves his iMac Retina 5K for viewing enjoyment, but he uses a high end 2K NEC for accurate, even, calibrated image editing. With my Mac Pro, I use a different, older, hardware-profiled NEC, which has been a trooper for several years. My second monitor is an old matte screen Apple Cinema Display, which handles palettes, email, etc. Eizo 2k monitors, often adopted by color professionals, would be another, more expensive, choice.

I'm hard core about this. To me, the Retina screens look beyond "hyper-realistic." They look garish, glary, shiny. Walking into an Apple Store these days makes me feel like I'm going to get a migraine. Of course I'm already prejudiced because I concentrate almost exclusively on making prints. I know plenty of photographers who love their iMacs and other 5K displays.

Nov 22, 2018 at 05:30 PM

-rce-
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I finally wound up with a Dell UP2516D and like it a lot.

They claim:
"
- Wide color coverage offers 100 percent Adobe RGB and 100 percent sRGB as well as two new color spaces
- Amazing clarity with QHD resolution 2560 x 1440p for exceptional viewing on an expansive 25 inch screen with in plane switching
"

I ran a Spyder Pro over it and the difference in profiles is just about non-existent. (to my eyes anyway)

Nov 22, 2018 at 05:53 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I use a NEC 27 inch wide gamut so I’m reluctant to upgrade.

Nov 22, 2018 at 06:30 PM

DaveFP
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · 4k or 2k monitor?

I use a 31" 4k and I would never go back to less. I judge images at 200% on this unit.

Nov 22, 2018 at 09:33 PM

Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · 4k or 2k monitor?

GMPhotography wrote:
Yea I’m tempted to get a 4K . I want a Adobe RgB wide gamut one

BenQ SW320 is an excellent pro grade wide gamut 4K 32” monitor. It’s about the best at the price, next step up is the crazy priced Eizo’s. Dell and Asus also have some nice choices too.

I’m also of the opinion 4K needs to be 31-32”. One thing I notice on my 15.6” laptop with 4K is that when using Photoshop you get a false sense of noise and sharpness, the pixel pitch is so small, although you learn to look at 200%. The 27” 4K monitors aren’t anywhere near as bad but outside of Photoshop it’s hard to get the correct scaling on windows. Some apps are fine others are hopeless. I have apps on my laptop that have not scaled according to the windows settings and fonts are about 4 point in size, only muscle memory let’s me be able to use them.

Nov 22, 2018 at 11:08 PM

IzelPhotograph
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · 4k or 2k monitor?

racetratr wrote:
I agree with IzelPhotograph and others who caution about high rez monitors if your main goal is making prints. Super resolution screens may look nice, but they actually make it harder to judge critical sharpness at a reasonable desktop size.

Many of them are also very bright, and can be uneven or hard to profile well once brightness is reduced to the proper level for printing. Resampling in order to get images or text to "fit," or to be legible, can cause graphics card problems in Photoshop, as well.

I recommend these posts by Lloyd Chambers:

https://diglloyd.com/blog/2017/20170108_2112-choosing-pro-display.html

https://diglloyd.com/blog/2017/20170107_1234-evaluating-images-pixel-density.html

https://diglloyd.com/blog/2016/20160127_1832-iMac5K-for-image-viewing.html

Chambers loves his iMac...Show more →

Very good point on the calibration side. The 27 2k panel I have calibrates nice and easy, a BenQ wide gamut IPS panel but the 27qhd Cintiq is a pain in the ar..... definitely worth researching the ease of calibration on any monitor you buy as they are not all equal.

A good pixel density for image editing, quality checking is around 100PPI from what I've found. 27 2k monitor is slightly over this but not by much (109)

I remember submitting a large batch of images to Corbis some years back that had been processed on my MacBook Pro 15 Retina screen and they asked whether I'd forgotten to put my glasses on

I was working away at the time and when I got back and reviewed them properly I felt embarrassed.... they were way too soft to get past them. Now, I never submit work to clients or agencies without reviewing them on my QC screen. Not worth it.

Nov 23, 2018 at 04:27 AM

pdmphoto
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · 4k or 2k monitor?

2K is my preference.

Nov 23, 2018 at 04:53 AM

milkod2001
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · 4k or 2k monitor?

Not sure what you need Quadro video card for but just letting you know that even integrated GPU is capable of driving 4k screen with no problem.

I'd def. go with 4k screen. Currently have 1440p screen. Have Windows 10 scaling set to 125%, text is fine but images are quite soft when browsing websites, this one included.

IF you do colour critical work (fashion / product photography) you need pro monitor from NEC etc.
For anything else you be fine with anything from Dell, Benq etc. Currently the best value 4k monitor is BenQ PD3200U.

What is your budget?

Nov 23, 2018 at 06:44 AM

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