Okay, I'm a glutton...

[Jack]

Recently set up a wide-gamut NEC 30" display and am loving it. Loving it so much I added a 'tiny' 24" display vertical off to the side for C1 and CS menus so I can see more of the image on the NEC as I edit! Now I'm actually thinking a second 30" NEC for hosting my reference image while I edit my proof would be really sweet. Hence I'm curious if anybody here is running anything like this and how it works in practice?

 

[Terry]

It is so nice to be around this forum where the are other people around to make me feel less guily about my own gluttonous technology problem :ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I'm not even going to comment on this one. I just bought one NEC and a 7900 printer and my ski masks have been fried to a crisp.

 

[stephengilbert]

When I saw the title of this thread, and that Guy was the last poster, I though, "Of course you are."

Then I saw that it was Jack. Birds of a feather, I guess.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

He is actually worse than me and starts it all. At least he is who I blame when my wife starts giving me the look. Hey it works . LOL

 

[Jack]

Okay councelor, I will rephrase:

Is there anyone out there willing to ADMIT they are running a pair of wide-gamut monitors to host both the reference and working image while editing?

,

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I refuse to answer any questions regarding any gear purchase on the grounds that i could incriminate myself. I'll take the 5th but happily be able to say no in this case. But don't get me thinking either.

 

[Jack]

Dude, tell me that again next week AFTER your 7900 is up and running! :ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:

 

[Guy Mancuso]

 

[charlesphoto]

I've got the NEC 26" model (hmm, why oh why didn't I just go for the 30"). Anyway, I've been thinking about a second monitor for menus. You might want to check out the NEC P221W. I've seen it as low as $419 with free shipping on ebay (use bing and even less). Not sure what the difference is quality wise with their higher priced monitors but the CNET review was good and if it's just being used for menus, why pay more than double for the 24" WUXI? It uses Spectraview and has 96% Adobe RGB.

Question: is the Spectraview license good for only one monitor?

 

[dougpeterson]

Recently set up a wide-gamut NEC 30" display and am loving it. Loving it so much I added a 'tiny' 24" display vertical off to the side for C1 and CS menus so I can see more of the image on the NEC as I edit! Now I'm actually thinking a second 30" NEC for hosting my reference image while I edit my proof would be really sweet. Hence I'm curious if anybody here is running anything like this and how it works in practice?

I'm in a fairly unique situation here in that I work for a dealer for LaCie and Eizo and we have rental/demo monitors galore. Therefore I can make decisions about the arrangement/use of those monitors with no regard for price but only about what works best.

I've found it's hard to beat a single 30" monitor for main image preview with a smaller (20"-24") vertical as you describe it. One thing that helps is if you use an Ergotron arm (we're dealers for them too) to bring that monitor forward and turned towards the main monitor so that as you move your eyes to the second monitor it is perpendicular to your view (less glare, no perspective-scewing, much better readability of the far side of the 2nd monitor).

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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[Jack]

To clarify,

I have an inexpensive Acer 24" as my menu display monitor -- I chose it simply because it pivoted and it's tough to find 1080P monitors that pivot vertical nowadays. And it is sitting at angle as Doug describes.

What I'm thinking here however, is actually having a pair of matched wide-gamut monitors in addition to the menu monitor, so THREE monitors total! One smaller one for menus (I'd position it to the right), one wide-gamut to display the working image (positioned center), and then a second matched wide-gamut monitor (off to the left) to display the reference image while I'm editing the working file to match it -- the purpose of teh second wide-gamut to replace toggling proof view on and off my working image or having half-image slices up side-by-side on the main monitor while editing. I realize this is an absurdly "gear-aholic" extravagant layout, but curious if anybody is actually doing it.

In reality, I don't edit critically enough often enough to justify the expense, but am thinking it would be an ideal configuration for critical editing convenience if money and space are no object...

 

[Joseph Ramos]

That's it I'm selling the business and going to work for Jack!

 

[charlesphoto]

Jack,

When you pivot the monitor do the menus stay upright? I was under the impression it was hard to find a monitor that pivots with a Mac and keeps things upright (I know the NEC's don't).

CP

 

[charlesphoto]

Aaah, think I answered my own question. Looks like it's in the system pref under displays.

 

[DougDolde]

For an erection lasting longer than four hours see your doctor.

 

[jlm]

from left to right, I have:
Eizo CG241, Mac 24 (both running off my Macpro
and next
30" dell running off my Dell workstation.

of course photography is for fun, eh? the dell pays the bills

 

[Jack]

Jack,

When you pivot the monitor do the menus stay upright? I was under the impression it was hard to find a monitor that pivots with a Mac and keeps things upright (I know the NEC's don't).

CP

Yep, the little Acer does this perfectly using the built-in Mac OS display orientation setting. Works the same way with C1 menus over there, which is really nice too. So I have a couple different saved workspaces for both programs running dual...

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I have this feeling you hit the buy button.

 

[thomas]

no personal experience ... but I've heard a lot about color management trouble with dual monitors in conjunction with MAC & CS3+4 (sometimes the second monitor "loses" its profile and the primary profile is assigned; sometimes BPC doesn't work accurately; moving windows left to right or vice versa can cause trouble... etc.).
This comes from quite a few pre press professionals so I think it's not just talk...
So I'd run at least a thorough test before deciding to buy anything.

Too ... in the league of your NEC you won't find two monitors that match exactly (I mean: really accurately) - this is only possible with high end displays. And as you want to use it for editing in proof mode with the original file on the second monitor as reference I think it's not really a good idea. Maybe a good idea ... but hard to put into practice.

I for one love to work with single monitor... if your shortcuts are well organized (to show/hide tools etc.) it's okay.