FS (UK) Apple Cinema Display 20" (the new one)

[Ben Rubinstein]

I have an Apple Cinema Display 20" widescreen for sale, the new aluminium one. It's basically the minimum flat screen for photo editing and pretty highly regarded at that. It's clean etc. £350 ONO

I've gone back to CRT's for too many reasons to mention hence the sale and price.

Feel free to email me (contacts page on my website) or call 07929 666 959.

 

[Kyle Nagel]

I've gone back to CRT's for too many reasons to mention

I know what you mean, nothing beats a good CRT, I'm just afraid that they are becoming a thing of the past.

Kyle

 

[Alain Briot]

CRT? Do you mean Completely Retro Technology ;-)

 

[Kyle Nagel]

CRT? Do you mean Completely Retro Technology ;-)

Yes, I realize the CRTs are slowly dying out, I wish they weren't, below is a series of steps for a monitor test the Michael Richmann had on his website:

Here's a small experiment that you can do to see how well your current monitor can display fine gradations of gray and black. In Photoshop create a file that fills most of the screen (Ctrl/CMD-N). Make the whole field black by using the paint bucket tool (G). Now use the rectangular marquee tool to create a selection that fills about 50% of the frame, in the center.

Call up the Curves tool (CTRL/CMD-M) and click on the control point on the bottom left of the line, at position 0-0.

Dim the lights in the room and make sure that there are no reflections on the screen, and that the light is as low as you would normally work in. Now, using the Up-Arrow key on your keyboard move the control point so that it moves upwards, increasing the output level.

Look for the following.

— Can you monitor clearly display each separate level starting at level 1?

— If not starting at 1, at what level can you start to see a difference between the area within the selection and the rest of the picture area?

— Is each level distinct, or can you only see every second or third level at the lower range of brightness?

A very high quality calibrated monitor such as the Sony Artisan can pass this test easily, with every single brightness level clearly discernable. Don't be suprised if your monitor doesn't. Few can.

I am currently using the Sony Artisan he mentions in the test, If you try this on LCD monitors you will find they don't generally perform as well as CRTs do, most LCDs won't even show a difference until you move up 5 or 6 levels, CRTs will usually show a change at 4 levels, and higher end ones at 3 levels, My Artisan does from the first level . But alas the world is moving towards LCDs so once my Artisan dies I may be forced to move on to something else,

Kyle

 

[Alain Briot]

It is of little use to argue CRT vs LCD since the Artisan and other high-end CRTs are no longer for sale new from what I know.

 

[Kyle Nagel]

It is of little use to argue CRT vs LCD since the Artisan and other high-end CRTs are no longer for sale new from what I know.

Yes it is a sad truth that CRTs are disappearing, I'm currently trying to find another Artisan for a back-up when mine dies, but as I mentioned I may have to move to something else when that happens. However there is a unsubstantiated rumor on the internet that Sony is working on a new CRT to replace the Artisan, I hope it's true but I doubt it.

Kyle

 

[Alain Briot]

I do all my work on LCD's and love every minute of it! I have no regret whatsoever that CRTs have gone the way of the Dodo and my storage cabinets are free of the space required to store spare Artisan monitors ;-)

The CRT is dead. Long live the LCD!

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Thanks Alain, I thought this thread was going to kill my chances of selling the damn thing!

I employ rather unorthodox methods of calibrating my screens to print that don't work well with a LCD, hence my return to CRT but I'm cheating...

 

[elliot_n]

I am currently using the Sony Artisan he mentions in the test, If you try this on LCD monitors you will find they don't generally perform as well as CRTs do, most LCDs won't even show a difference until you move up 5 or 6 levels, CRTs will usually show a change at 4 levels, and higher end ones at 3 levels, My Artisan does from the first level . But alas the world is moving towards LCDs so once my Artisan dies I may be forced to move on to something else,

Kyle

Hi

My 20" Cinema Display shows a change at level 1, and a further change with each successive step.

That's when it's calibrated with an Eye One Display 2 to native white point, native gamma.

At the moment I prefer calibrating it to a gamma of 2.2 - in this case I don't see a change at level 1, but I do see a change at level 2, and each successive step.

There are bad LCD displays (e.g. the Dell 2405), but the 20" Cinema Display is not one of them.

Elliot

 

[Alain Briot]

Hi

My 20" Cinema Display shows a change at level 1, and a further change with each successive step.

That's when it's calibrated with an Eye One Display 2 to native white point, native gamma.

At the moment I prefer calibrating it to a gamma of 2.2 - in this case I don't see a change at level 1, but I do see a change at level 2, and each successive step.

There are bad LCD displays (e.g. the Dell 2405), but the 20" Cinema Display is not one of them.

Elliot

I use an Apple HD23" LCD and I can attest to the same as Elliott. Of course optimal calibration is very important. I would move to an Apple 30" HD but read that they are not as good as the 23"? Any one has experience with this ?

 

[Alain Briot]

Ben,

Someday you'll have to join us in the 21st century. Then you won't have to worry about selling off the latest technology so you can continue living in the past ;-)

 

[Kyle Nagel]

Thanks Alain, I thought this thread was going to kill my chances of selling the damn thing!

I employ rather unorthodox methods of calibrating my screens to print that don't work well with a LCD, hence my return to CRT but I'm cheating...

Sorry, wasn't trying to "kill" your sale by any means, just thought I'd chime in regarding your comment about going back to CRTs, I didn't think we'd end up taking the thread this far astray,

Kyle

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Alain, my workspace is extremely dark for many reasons, I can dial down a CRT far further than any LCD hence my return to CRT's!

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Well it sold today to a bloke here in town....