Photo Editing Monitor Recommendations

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You need to understand your color management workflow.

  1. If you work in sRGB color space from camera capture output to web to print, then find a monitor that covers the sRGB color space 100%

  2. If the bulk of your energy is looking at images on the web, then look for a monitor in the sRGB workspace.

  3. If you output your camera’s image in Adobe RGB format and then work in Photoshop in ProPhoto, then convert and compress color space to send pictures to the web in sRGB. Or print in sRGB, or Adobe RGB, or ProPhoto then consider a monitor in the Adobe RGB color space.

to illustrate:

Ed%20Fritz%20Color%20Spaces
Ed%20Fritz%20Color%20Spaces1253×1069 96.3 KB

As you can see the sRGB color is minimal, compact and efficient. Back in the day, it was designed for images to use on the web. It reproduces skin tones well.

The Adobe RGB space expands into the green area, to account for the brightness aspects of green. Some modern browser can render in Adobe RGB, but 80% of viewers still live with sRBG monitors.

The ProPhoto color space does not even fit on this illustration. It is huge. The workflow of serious photographers is in this colorspace. A side benefit is that their work is future proof.

In my workflow, #3) above, I am using a Wacom Cintiq 27 QHD, and the xright i1color profile is plotted against the Adobe RGB color space.

I will be looking to replace an sRBG monitor, and after researching, I keep on seeing pros using NEC or BenQ. Currently,

The acknowledge monitor for photography is the 2.5K 30" NEC PA302W. Exact internal calibration and tracking, accurate, neutral grayscale rendition, no magenta tint as with many LED displays, excellent color gamut, 2560 X 1600 resolution for superior vertical working space. Similar, but smaller the PA242W and PA272W.

I hope that helps…