Do I really need wide gamut?

[katabatik]

I've been eagerly waiting for the NEC PA272W. However, after reading some articles on wide gamut monitors, I'm asking myself the question: is this really the way to go?

Apart from the problems related with sRGB modes - I need sRGB because I work a lot in Office, namely Word and other non color aware software - I've been reading that there is little difference between sRGB and WG in black and white pictures.

About 2/3 of the photo editing I'll be doing is B&W. I'm a keen amateur photographer and have a critical eye when looking at photos, namely the highlights and shadows details. Still, If I won't be able to notice the difference there will be little point in spending so much money in a WG monitor.

So, to put it simply:
- Most of the use of the monitor will be for office applications and surfing the web (Firefox)
- In my free time I'll be doing some photo editing and occasionally watching a movie (1 or 2 per week).
- I very rarely game nowadays, so I don't need gaming characteristics in a monitor

Should I buy a wide gamut monitor?

Thank you.

 

[Borgschulze]

Yes, everything looks better with proper colour reproduction.

Gaming monitors that lack it, look terrible. Gradients turn into something reminiscent of 8-Bit video games... it's quite noticeable, although I am being way over the top in my comparison, it does look really bad.

 

[katabatik]

I'm not sure I am following you. I guess that the reason why you like WG in games is because WG over saturates colors in non color aware applications. Hence, the reason why skin tones looks reddish in videos in a WG monitor.

For me, if I go wide gamut, it has to be a monitor with proper sRGB emulation because everything looks terrible and unnatural in a non color aware software, not the other way round, as you say.

 

[Lebowsky]

It depends what your budget is, really. If I were you I'd get a wide gamut monitor with a very good sRGB mode (90/95%) just in case.

 

[Peat Moss]

I've been eagerly waiting for the NEC PA272W. However, after reading some articles on wide gamut monitors, I'm asking myself the question: is this really the way to go?

Apart from the problems related with sRGB modes - I need sRGB because I work a lot in Office, namely Word and other non color aware software - I've been reading that there is little difference between sRGB and WG in black and white pictures.

About 2/3 of the photo editing I'll be doing is B&W. I'm a keen amateur photographer and have a critical eye when looking at photos, namely the highlights and shadows details. Still, If I won't be able to notice the difference there will be little point in spending so much money in a WG monitor.

So, to put it simply:
- Most of the use of the monitor will be for office applications and surfing the web (Firefox)
- In my free time I'll be doing some photo editing and occasionally watching a movie (1 or 2 per week).
- I very rarely game nowadays, so I don't need gaming characteristics in a monitor

Should I buy a wide gamut monitor?

Thank you.

Given everything you've just said, you DON'T need a wide gamut monitor. Since you don't game much anymore, 2/3 of your photo-editing is in B&W, and most of the monitor's actual use is in office anyway.

The only reason anyone might need a wide gamut monitor is if they are a serious photographer who shoots their own pictures in RAW.

Everything else is managed and profiled in sRGB. There are very few people who actually NEED a wide gamut monitor.

 

[NCX]

The PA272W can be hardware calibrated and one can control the color gamut with the included Multiprofiler and the Spectraview Software which must be purchased.

Based on the performance of the P242W and PA242W the PA272W should be ready to go out of the box. For B&W photos you would be better off with the Eizo EV2736W which may have almost no glow.

Yes, everything looks better with proper colour reproduction.

Gaming monitors that lack it, look terrible. Gradients turn into something reminiscent of 8-Bit video games.

lol

sRGB color space coverage=proper color reproduction. Consumer media is not created for the Adobe RGB color space. There is a reason none of the gaming monitors are wide gamut. Developers use compression=banding in games

http://www.think-silicon.com/tech_TSc_texture_compression.php

http://offtopicproductions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=11013

 

[katabatik]

Thanks for the tip. I forgot to say that I own the Samsung SA850T. Is it worth trading it for the Eizo EV2736W? Will I notice any improvement in general picture quality and B&W in particular? I also forgot to mention that I mostly shoot in JPEG.

 

[geok1ng]

The only reason anyone might need a wide gamut monitor is if they are a serious photographer who shoots their own pictures in RAW.

I would add to the so called "need" of wide gamut to anyone that actually PRINTS something that requires colour accuracy. Considering that print real life stuff is becoming more and more scarce as the economy shifts towards the online universe and street adds use gigantic monitors ( non-wide gamut), the reasons to go wide-gamut are few, and the drawbacks of having to fight a wide gamut monitor to produce content that will in seen on non-wide gamut monitors are many.

 

[Lebowsky]

I would add to the so called "need" of wide gamut to anyone that actually PRINTS something that requires colour accuracy. Considering that print real life stuff is becoming more and more scarce as the economy shifts towards the online universe and street adds use gigantic monitors ( non-wide gamut), the reasons to go wide-gamut are few, and the drawbacks of having to fight a wide gamut monitor to produce content that will in seen on non-wide gamut monitors are many.

otoh, if you want a good 16:10 monitor, all of them are wide-gamut. this is the reason I got one.

Thanks for the tip. I forgot to say that I own the Samsung SA850T. Is it worth trading it for the Eizo EV2736W? Will I notice any improvement in general picture quality and B&W in particular? I also forgot to mention that I mostly shoot in JPEG.

are you happy with the Samsung or not? Why were you waiting for the Nec?

if you're ok with your current one and only wanted to upgrade for a WG monitor, then don't change it. If you're not happy, and you decided WG is a no-go, then yes, get the EV2736.

 

[katabatik]

are you happy with the Samsung or not? Why were you waiting for the Nec? if you're ok with your current one and only wanted to upgrade for a WG monitor, then don't change it. If you're not happy, and you decided WG is a no-go, then yes, get the EV2736.

I can't say that I'm unhappy, but then I have no term of comparison.

To answer your question, I thought of going buying the NEC because I thought a WG gamut might show more details in the shadows and highlights, i.e., reproduce a wider scale of greys that a sRGB monitor. The new NEC seems to be the only WG monitor with good quality AND soft AG coating. Soft AG is very important to me. I once had a Dell and returned it because I just couldn't stand the hard AG coating on it. The NEC having hardware calibration is also a plus.

However, from what I've been reading and from the feedback I'm getting here, it seems that WG won't bring me any benefits. BTW, I do not print my pictures and on the odd occasion when I do, I print in a pro lab. I've never had any intention to print at home. Too time consuming, calibrating the whole chain is a PITA and the whole affair is quite expensive.

 

[Inu]

Wide gamut is important for print work from what i understand. Printing inks use the CYMK color space.