Top 10 Reasons to use an EIZO Monitor
We look at them every day. They are probably the most looked at accessory that we have in our photography studio. So why do we pay it such little attention and just buy the generic monitor? Our reason for choosing the monitor often comes down to one or two simple calculations; size vs cost and the visual appeal of the monitor itself. But let’s take a little deeper look into why my monitor of choice is an EIZO.
10. Anti-Glare Coating
It goes without saying that the glossy look is cool. But trying to cut through the unwanted reflections in order to make color critical or fine detailed Photoshop corrections is just not so easy on the eyes. But it doesn’t just end there. EIZO uses a process they term Optical Bonding. There is a small gap of air between the LCD module and the cover glass of a monitor. Optical bonding fills that gap with layer of resin, adhering the two together. This benefits the eyes, by reducing glare, increasing the predictability of the monitor under changing ambient light and also making the panel a little tougher. It also helps to make off-angle viewing easier, as well as increasing the durability of the panel and removing any chance of condensation building up inside the panel – critical if you take your monitor on location.
9. Panel Types; IPS vs TN, etc. Refresh rates and other tech specs.
It’s easy to start comparing specs on data sheets and, for those inclined, to create a spreadsheet style of pros and cons. But in the end which ones should be important for photography? Consistent results from monitor to monitor, predictable color, viewing angle are all outstanding – as is color gamut. Refresh rates mean nothing unless you are going to be editing video, so that is one metric to ignore for stills.
8. Input/Output Connectors
EIZO offers HDMI, Displayport and DVI-D on all color accurate monitors. Understanding why you would choose one over the other is important. Legacy analog connectors are still available on most monitors but as these require analog to digital conversions at both ends – computer and monitor – image quality is likely to suffer. HDMI, Displayport etc are all newer direct digital interfaces, however be aware that all HDMI are not created equal. As part of the CI service, we will help you cut through the nonsense and make the right connections.
7. LED Backlight
Traditionally LCD panels were backlight by CCFL (cold-cathode florescent lamps). This was a cheap but inefficient way of getting results. EIZO have made a commitment to responsible manufacturing processes as well as technology improvements and do not use CCFL’s. With LED backlighting the way that it is implemented has a dramatic effect on uniformity. EIZO, of course has that covered.
Not only is this backlight going to produce a better representation of color but it will also last longer, consume less power and is mercury free which is great for your wallet and even better for the environment.
6. Stand and Swivel Options
This is not just a luxury. More studies show how important maintaining correct posture throughout the day is to prevent neck and back problems. That’s the start of it. The EIZO swivel mount also allows for the monitor to be rotated vertically – a must for fashion and portrait photography.
5. Warranty
EIZO is the only company that offers a 5 year warranty on all of its current ColorEdge monitors. As one of the few monitor manufacturers to still build and test everything in house this leads to higher standards and checks during the selection of components, partners and the manufacturing process. So why wouldn’t you want a monitor that has a warranty period to match your Phase One IQ series 5 yr Value Added Warranty?
4. Power Consumption and environmental impacts
EIZO is a company that is committed to creating amazing products, but not at the expense of the environment or of human rights. As a good “corporate citizen”, EIZO have shown integrity in sourcing materials and have joined the United Nations Global Compact Along with this, the intelligent design of their monitors keeps the needle low and the next generation EIZO line has a fan-less design reducing power consumption even further.
3. Color Navigator software and Self Calibration
The bundled ColorNavigator software makes calibration both simple and quick. Just input target values for brightness, white point, and gamma. The built-in sensor directly utilizes the monitor’s look-up table and creates an ICC profile within minutes. Simply and worry free.
2. Image Quality
An EIZO IPS panel has a wide color gamut and can reproduce 99% of the Adobe RGB color space. This means that images shot in RAW can be converted to Adobe RGB or images shot in Adobe RGB will both be displayed correctly. The colors captured by high end camera systems in pictures showing vibrant blue skies and lush green forests will be reproduced faithfully. This wide color gamut also ensures that the monitor reproduces almost the entire ISO-coated and US web-coated CMYK color spaces used in printing as well as 93% of the DCI used in post production. Uniformity from corner to corner is also considered. Fluctuations in brightness and chromaticity on different parts of the screen are a common trait of LCD monitors. To counteract this, the monitor incorporates EIZO’s patented digital uniformity equalizer (DUE) technology to ensure a Delta-E difference of 3 or less across the screen when the monitor leaves the factory. DUE also counterbalances the influences that a fluctuating ambient temperature may have on color temperature and brightness to ensure stable image display. Get to work faster with an EIZO which is ready to go sooner. From the time it is turned on it typically takes 30 minutes or longer for a monitor’s brightness, chromaticity, and tone characteristics to stabilize. EIZO has shortened this warm-up time by more than 75% to a mere 7 minutes. For confirming your work in a photo studio or taking your monitor with you on location, you can get to work right away.
1. Everything made in house
Why this over image quality? Well for me it goes hand in hand. There is no need to compromise here. EIZO is a solid business partner that makes a fantastic product in a responsible manner that would not be the same if it were not for the controls that doing everything in-house. From their compliance with the highest standards of manufacturing processes and labor rules, to the tolerances of all the components, this is a product you are going to look at every day and feel great about your decision to invest. Each and every monitor is individually tested The gamma level for each ColorEdge monitor is adjusted at the factory and this is accomplished by measuring the R, G, and B gamma values from 0 – 255, then using the monitor’s 16-bit look-up table (LUT) to select the 256 most appropriate tones to achieve the desired value. When you pay so much attention looking at the characteristics of every other part of your imaging system, maybe it is worth reconsidering what you are going to use to communicate the correct display of your work to the world? Why trust in anything less?
Never seen an EIZO monitor? At Capture Integration we always have the latest models available, so stop by if you would like to see the difference that having a professional graphics monitor can make in your workflow.