Monitors for Stock Photo Website Photo Evaluation?

[Scrayen]

What monitors are suitable for preparing photos for submission to stock photography websites? What are you using AND successfully submitting photos to stock photography websites? Please only mention information that pertains to your stock photography website experience. (I understand that pictures look good on an average home computer but that is not the information I seek.)

I enjoy amateur photography and would like to submit pictures. My current monitor is an average Samsung SyncMaster 912N. After reading various articles I am left with the opinion that only the most expensive monitors are suitable. I have been looking at a LaCie - 320 LCD but need to save up for it. Is is really necessary to spend $1200 on a monitor for this purpose? How do I find the best sales?

I read that calibration is very important. What calibration devices are recommended? The LaCie 320 or LaCie 321 LCD Monitors comes a "blue eye colorimeter". Is this "blue eye colorimeter" any good?

Can photos be evaluated just by looking at the histogram? It seems no so.

I have read bad opinions about the widescreen monitors because they stretch the pictures horizontally. Is this correct? It seems that I could correct that by adjusting the window size.

What else about monitors should I consider for submitting pictures to stock photography websites? I know I will overlook something.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[cookies]

I wouldn't worry about it so much, honestly. It's going to look different on your client's monitor, the graphic artist's monitor, the printer's monitor and most importantly it's going to look different in print. I wouldn't go super cheap on a monitor, but I also wouldn't go nuts with color accuracy.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

It's hard to give any advice w/o a budget but entry level for photo work is the Dell 2408WFP (S-PVA) or its successor the U2410 (IPS). TN panels should be avoided. Those to run between $450 and $550. The thing about accurate color is that it does look exactly the same on evry monitor with accurate color because the color is .... well ....accurate.

Here's a great site for reviews tho be aware these guys would criticize a monitor if Jehova, Jesus, Buddah an Muhammed joined forces to make it.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2410.htm

At the higher end, look at the Eizo monitors....tho be prepared for you jaw to drop.

As for calibration, yes every monitor that you want to be use for color work should be calibrated. Several approaches from this starting at Spyder 3 Express ($80) to others costing several hundred dollars. Another option is to find a calibrated ICC profile for your monitor such as can be found here:

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/icc_profiles.htm

Check out this site for more photo tops.

http://www.dpreview.com/

 

[jaguarskx]

My recommendation would be the 24" NEC LCD2490WUXi SpectraView version if you are looking for a professional level monitor. This monitor is also approximately $1,200 - $1,300. SpectraView is a colorimeter specifically for the NEC. This monitor uses IPS panels which are relatively expensive to manufacture.

I recommend it because it is one of the few normal gamut wide screen monitor left. Normal gamut is good if you want accurate colors that are to be displayed on screen. Wide gamut (which most monitors are) is good for color accurate printed material. Be aware that colors will appear differently on normal and wide gamut monitors. Wide gamut monitors tend to over saturate green hues a little bit.

For amateur photography, I recommend a monitor with a VA panel, if not IPS. The Dell 2408WFP is a good 'ol standard to select. It is relatively inexpensive when on sale. This is a wide gamut monitor.

 

[fwgx]

I do a lot of photo work and have a Dell 2408WFP, great monitor but you'll also need a calibratin tool like a Spyder or a huey. To be honest getting stock approved is more down to sharpness, subject matter, noise, resolution etc. i.e. it's to do with your photography skills not your monitor performance. A perfectly calibrated monitor isn't going to stop you taking god awful pictures.

 

[Scrayen]

I appreciate your answers. That is the kind of frank information I need. I plan to buy a calibration device along with the monitor.

I read that the Dell 2408 models are now coming out with random problems. Some buyers are having to return them two or even three times before they get a good one. Some blame it on quality control. I suspect that it may be nearing the end of its production run where some lower quality parts get substituted. This is a situation where I should buy locally so I can see it first, but I can not find it locally, only online.

I am trying to do the research but at some point I will jump in. I think I will see what develops between now and the Christmas sales. In the meantime I will check out the web links suggested.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I read that the Dell 2408 models are now coming out with random problems. Some buyers are having to return them two or even three times before they get a good one. Some blame it on quality control. I suspect that it may be nearing the end of its production run where some lower quality parts get substituted.

I think what we are dealing with too is people want the quality of a $2,500 monitor and still wanna pay $500 for it. Many will return three / four times hoping to get one w/ no bad pixels for example. Others won't spring for the calibration device, many look at the over saturated color on a TN panel and it looks pale by comparison. Then again, there's a good amount that actually have problems. The A02 revision on the WFP model reportedly addressed most of the problems.