Which calibration hw/sw for large gamut monitors?

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi folks,

I am considering buying either the Dell 3008WFP (A02) or the NEC 3090WQXi 30" monitor. I have read in various fora is that not all calibration devices seem to work properly since they cannot cope with the large gamut (almost 100% Adobe RGB). Both Spyder 2 and I1 Display 2 are -according to the white noise out there- not suitable for calibrating these monitors. I have read self-acclaimed success stories using a Spyder 3 instead.
Currently, I own the ColorEyes Pro sw along with a Spyder 2. So what is your take on this? Your insight is much appreciated as to:
1) which monitor (I know NEC is better but I cannot afford it if I have to invest additionally in a calibration system)
2) which calibration hw & sw?

Cheers,

 

[Andrew Rodney]

NEC has a special mated i1 display for this unit, go for that! Forget the Spyder 2 for this task, its not recommended by NEC. The bundle (display, new colorimeter and as importantly, the NEC software) is a pretty good deal, you save a lot if purchasing separately.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

NEC has a special mated i1 display for this unit, go for that! Forget the Spyder 2 for this task, its not recommended by NEC. The bundle (display, new colorimeter and as importantly, the NEC software) is a pretty good deal, you save a lot if purchasing separately.

Hi ANdrew,

Thanks for the quick response. I assume that this is a bundle and not the Spectraview version you are referring to? Can you provide any links where I can buy one? Thx again.

 

[Andrew Rodney]

Yes, the SpectraView should have a bundle with the software, puck and display, at least in the US.

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Hi ANdrew,

Thanks for the quick response. I assume that this is a bundle and not the Spectraview version you are referring to? Can you provide any links where I can buy one? Thx again.

Hi Cem,

I've done business with Colour Confidence in the past. They were very helpful. I don't know about better prices, you might be able to find someone when you look around a bit. The model you mention is not a Spectraview. Here are the different models:

NEC MultiSync 3090WQXi

NEC SpectraView 3090

They also offer a reduced price for a monitor calibrator (EyeOne Display LT) upgrade when purchased at the same time with the monitor.

Personally I'm not too sure about NEC, given their strange European (price and software) policies. Then there's the service aspect, what to do when the LCD or lighting breaks down? For that kind of money I'd like to have some confidence that the company will be around for a couple of years to come. I would possibly prefer an Eizo (or maybe a Quato) if I wanted a top-of-the-bill monitor. Eizo had a booth at the Professional Imaging trade show in Nieuwegein a couple of days ago, which means they do take the Netherlands serious as a market.

Bart

 

[Andrew Rodney]

Personally I'm not too sure about NEC, given their strange European (price and software) policies.

NEC really needs to get its act together and provide the entire planet the same products as the US. Price is a different matter, that's going to vary.

Then they need to figure out you can actually purchase software from the web. That if they run out of CD's for SpectraView software, they can continue to provide customers with products and make sales. How this has alluded them so far is upsetting to say the least.

Someone inside NEC making some important decisions doesn't understand its a technology company!

 

[James Newman]

Do you know why NEC does not recommend the Spyder 2 with their monitors? I am just curious because I recently purchased an NEC monitor and the Spyder is what I have.
James

 

[nicolas claris]

Hi All
I can only say for what I know/have.
The Nec Spectraview 3090 is formidable!
I do calibrated with the European software and an Eyeone Display 2 and is quite satisfied (with hardware calibration).

HOWEVER if Rodney (thanks in advance!) can explain the difference between the 2 versions, I would be glad to know, I have searched the web to download a US demo version, I could find one but it requires a serial #. The European version is downloadable (full service 14-day Tryout License) from basiccolor.de

I never heard of the special Eyeone puck, but if both US sw and puck gives better results, I'll be on the market!

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Do you know why NEC does not recommend the Spyder 2 with their monitors? I am just curious because I recently purchased an NEC monitor and the Spyder is what I have.
James

The Spyder 2 was probably not built for wide gamut displays, and therefore can't handle such a wide gamut. That's what I hear anyway, no personal experience with the Spyder. I use an EyeOne Pro (=spectrometer).

Bart

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

NEC 3090WQXi blues for us the Europeans

I have been reading very intensively about the NEC 3090 Spectraview vs the 3090WQXi. As a result, I cannot halp but feel very, very disappointed. The facts come down to:
1) The 3090WQXi cannot be hardware calibrated using the DDC link if one does not use the Sprectraview II software of NEC. This software is only sold in the US.
2) The other s/w they recommend in Europe is Basiccolor Display, but it only uses DDC with a real Sprectraview screen and not the 3090WQXi
3) Hardware calibration of plugging an I1 Display 2 into the monitor does not work for 3090WQXi. Even if it would work, the OS and the color managed applications would still need an ICC profile to take advantage of the wide gamut.
4) So the only way to calibrate the 3090WQXi is just like any other monitor (using a calibration device and associated software without taking advantage of the mute DCC): i.e. no specific advantages offered above that of calibrating a Dell monitor for instance.

When I thus compare the NEC 3090WQXi to a Dell 3008WFP A02 version, there is not much difference between the two (they both use the same LCD panel produced by LG), except for the price of NEC which is 50% higher and a slightly better build quality (albeit not proven tangibly to me) for NEC. Dell has more input options such as HDMI and display port. They both offer 5 years extended on-site warranty here, but since NEC has recently annouced that they would leave the LCD monitor business, what worth is the 5 year warranty I wonder. The way I see things now, I think I can better buy the Dell and save the price difference for spending on better things. These monitors have a real life of 3-4 years anyway and after that they are not fit for color critical editing. So should I throw away my scarce resources on NEC to be written off so quicky? I now think that I shouldn't do that unless there will be any tangible benefits for choosing NEC. Remember, as an amateur photographer I don't do any professional prepress production activities which would require a stringent color management flow. My experience so far is that it is enough for me to have a calibrated and profiled monitor in front of me which visually matches the prints from my Epson 3800. And I can already achieve this goal with my older Dell 2005WFP monitors, the Spyder2 puck and the ColorEyes Pro software.

Just some musings....

 

[Murray Foote]

1) The 3090WQXi cannot be hardware calibrated using the DDC link if one does not use the Spectraview II software of NEC. This software is only sold in the US.

NEC … they need to figure out you can actually purchase software from the web. That if they run out of CD's for SpectraView software, they can continue to provide customers with products and make sales. How this has alluded them so far is upsetting to say the least.

It’s only sold in the US but you just need a friend in the US to purchase it for you and send you the serial number. That’s what I did with the 2690.

I’m not sure if they send out a CD or not (it didn't get as far as me). If they do, you don’t need it and you can just download the software.

Regards,
Murray

 

[nicolas claris]

Spectraview are hand selected…

Also be carefull when buying such large monitors that the display the same colors and light on ALL the screen surface…

On my previous monitor, a NEC but not spectraview, the right part was yellowish compared to the left part…

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

I bought the Dell 3008WFP today

Hi folks,

Thanks all for all your kind help/input; I ended up buying the Dell 3008WFP today. As a matter of fact, I already have it since I bought it from a wholesaler in Rotterdam and I could pick it up personally this afternoon. It is sitting on my desk right now and it is totally gorgeous! More, much more importantly, it is fully DDC compliant so my ColorEyes Pro was able to hardware calibrate the monitor using the DDC connection and then carry on to software profile for the ICC. I am almost on seventh heaven since I did not expect this excellent bonus!

Here are a couple of pictures:

Lightroom on "real" real estate:

See the DDC recognition by ColorEyes Pro )):

Cheers,