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Archive 2019 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor

  
 
LightShadow
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


Hi Everyone - I searched the forums, but did not find the info I’m looking for. I’m in the market for a new computer/monitor set, and hopefully you don’t mind offering some guidance to help me make an informed decision.

My current set is a late 2012 Mac mini with an older Apple monitor that’s already exhibiting weird color spots. What I’m looking for is a good monitor with good color reproduction such as the Nec PA271Q-BK. My Mac mini can only be maxed up to 16GB of RAM, so I’d like to replace it as well. Two options under consideration are:

1. Buy the newest 3.2GHz 6-core 8th-generation i7 processor Mac mini and buy the Nec PA271Q-BK(or BenQ SW2700PT?) monitor.
2. Buy a 3.7GHz 6-core 9th-generation i5 processor iMac.

The financial investment is greater going the Mac mini route, but still within my budget. Buying the iMac seems to make more financial sense. Further, the iMac has a better graphics card and improved processor. What concerns me about the iMac is its 5K display.

Question: Is the iMac 5K display a good choice for the photo editing of my 5DS R and 5D Mark IV Raw files? Would I benefit by getting the lower 2560 x 1440 resolution Nec monitor? If you have used (or are using) both, how do they compare in terms of color reproduction? I use Lightroom, ON1 Photo Raw and Photoshop CC. Any help will be greatly appreciated - Thanks.



Jul 14, 2019 at 06:01 PM
mjm6
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


My opinion is that the iMacs don't really have a very good monitor for photo editing. They are pretty contrasty and even with calibration, I feel they don't do a great job of representing what you can expect to see in a print from the image. This makes them look great for video and web browsing by producing a lot of punch in the display, but if you are trying to reproduce (or predict) what an image is going to look like on a piece of paper, they don't hold up too well.

However, you could add a second monitor to an iMac to use for this purpose. Have the image on the second monitor and the palette etc. on the main iMac screen when it comes time for careful editing. You will need a calibrated monitor to do that best.

You mention the NEC or BenQ monitors. Both of those are better than the iMac, even though they aren't 4K or 5K monitors. In fact, for photo editing, I'm doubtful that a 4K/5K monitor is all that useful to be honest.

I have a 27" iMac 5K from about 2014 right now and I'm planning a computer upgrade. I'm looking at a 2K 27" monitor like the two you mention or possibly the similar Eizo, not a 4K or 5K monitor. If I end up with an iMac, I'll have the 5K in that, but the other one will probably be a 2K monitor, choosing from one of the three I mentioned.

I've had a NEC monitor that is similar to the PA line since about 2005 and it has been a great performer (but it has a smaller gamut and lower resolution, and is getting pretty old now). I'm not sure that I would want to step back to a Benq because they do not have the same level of uniformity across the screen that the higher end monitors do. I feel like it is a bit of a crapshoot going there, but I may take a risk on one.

If the MacMini had a better processor (and a few other things that I feel are missing), I'd go that route, but in my opinion, the only real good option for photo editing with high MP cameras is the iMacs (not the iMac Pros!) and possibly the new Mac Pro computers (but those are insanely expensive for the performance you get for photo editing). The sweet spot is the iMac 27" computers. Also, don't bother with the new Vega cards unless you want it for another purpose. Little benefit for LR/PS.

It's a very different answer for video editing, by the way!



Jul 24, 2019 at 02:14 PM
LightShadow
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


mjm6 wrote:
My opinion is that the iMacs don't really have a very good monitor for photo editing. They are pretty contrasty and even with calibration, I feel they don't do a great job of representing what you can expect to see in a print from the image. This makes them look great for video and web browsing by producing a lot of punch in the display, but if you are trying to reproduce (or predict) what an image is going to look like on a piece of paper, they don't hold up too well.

However, you could add a second monitor to
...Show more

Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions, mjm6!

Yes, that is my concern about the iMac 5K monitor ...that it may not represent what I would expect to see in a print in regards to resolution. Take for instance, my current monitor has a 1920 x 1200 native resolution, and the images posted here on FM look fantastic! I've had the opportunity to look at the same images on an iMac at the Apple store, and they appear somewhat soft.

I think your suggestion to use an iMac's monitor for editing tools and a second one to view images, preferably the NEC I mentioned in my original post, is the direction I'm going. Thanks again.



Jul 27, 2019 at 04:25 PM
JohnBrew
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


I had heard that the 4K and 5k monitors weren’t all that useful for editing images. I’ve never had a problem since I went to a wide spectrum monitor, the NEC PA272.


Jul 27, 2019 at 05:12 PM
mjm6
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


LightShadow wrote:
Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions, mjm6!

Yes, that is my concern about the iMac 5K monitor ...that it may not represent what I would expect to see in a print in regards to resolution. Take for instance, my current monitor has a 1920 x 1200 native resolution, and the images posted here on FM look fantastic! I've had the opportunity to look at the same images on an iMac at the Apple store, and they appear somewhat soft.

I think your suggestion to use an iMac's monitor for editing tools and a second one to view images, preferably the NEC
...Show more

Yes, I'm doing the same.

I am forced to retire my old NEC LCD2690WUXi as it won't calibrate correctly anymore.

I just purchased a PA272Q a few days ago. I decided that I didn't want to step back to something like the BENQ, even though it may be sufficient for many people. Since I'm used to the NEC, I decided to go that way.

I have a 5K iMac from 2015, and it's still pretty solid, but is showing its age when importing the large RAW files I put into it, so I'm going to work with the new monitor for a while and then decide if I need to update to a 2019 iMac or similar to speed things along.



Jul 28, 2019 at 12:27 AM
jforkner
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


I have a Late 2015 5K iMac with a Benq SW2700 display attached. I use the Benq for PS work, the iMac display for everything else. I find the extra real-estate offered by the 5K works well for most non-photo-processing work. I got the Benq because of its professed color accuracy and the ability to hardware-calibrate, along with the added real-estate of a second monitor.

SPOILER-ALERT: The Benq cannot be hardware calibrated using Benq’s Palette Master software when connected to an iMac. According to Benq, it’s because the Benq cannot be configured as the sole/primary monitor on an iMac—a requirement for their hardware calibration.

In spit of the hardware calibration not working, I decided to keep the Benq and have successfully software calibrated it and the iMac display. To my eye, the colors on the two match perfectly. The only difference I can see is in screen brightness, which is a little tricky to match exactly. And even though the iMac display resolution is 4X greater; when an image file or app window is initially displayed on either monitor, they’re exactly the same physical size and appear the same resolution.

Personally, I would not want to process photos on a single-monitor system—not enough working space.




Jul 28, 2019 at 07:46 AM
Sharona
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


Hello -This is interesting to me. I have to upgrade from my Macbook Pro 2011. I have it hooked up to a 27-inch NEC panel for editing.I cannot decide what to do or if I should just get a PC and save myself some money. So you're saying that the iMac can be hooked up to a second monitor? I didn't think this was possible! How is it done?

Thank you!



Aug 24, 2019 at 09:55 AM
tcphoto
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


I've bought Mac computers from the beginning back in '94 and bought my first refurbished MBP, a 15" i7 16GB RAM and 500GB SSD three years ago. I see them like cars, why buy new when you can save a lot, get a one year warranty and extend it to three if desired. The machines go through a thorough process and arrive looking new. I'd take a look at their offerings and compare to what you were prepared to spend.


Aug 24, 2019 at 10:22 AM
Sharona
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


tcphoto wrote:
I've bought Mac computers from the beginning back in '94 and bought my first refurbished MBP, a 15" i7 16GB RAM and 500GB SSD three years ago. I see them like cars, why buy new when you can save a lot, get a one year warranty and extend it to three if desired. The machines go through a thorough process and arrive looking new. I'd take a look at their offerings and compare to what you were prepared to spend.


hmmm. Do you do this through Apple directly? Not a bad thought. Thanks!




Aug 24, 2019 at 10:36 AM
tcphoto
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


Go to the Apple homepage and scroll to the bottom and click on Refurbished and Clearance. You can also use their app and find their offerings.


Aug 24, 2019 at 12:12 PM
Sharona
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Need Help Choosing New Computer/Monitor


Thanks - I did, but I think I may see if I can get my current laptop upgraded a bit to tide me over for awhile. Refurbs are still expensive, and I just feel like if I"m going to spend over a grand, I may as well go new. I appreciate the idea, though. :-)


Aug 24, 2019 at 12:15 PM





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