Dual screen for photoshop?

480sparky · Jul 20, 2012

I only use my second monitor when I'm editing an image. The two primary editing programs I use have multiple windows, so the edit list/histogram/browser/bird's eye windows get placed on the second (15") monitor, leaving all the real estate on my primary (23") monitor open for the image itself.

If I'm not editing an image, the second monitor is off. The only other use I have for it is my Games icons are there, but I rarely need those.

mjhoward · Jul 20, 2012

Dual monitors is so 2001. I use 3 19" Eizo Monitors

marcoborghesi · Jul 21, 2012

chris82 said:
I have heard how people use multiple screens for tasks like designing cars and for doing flight simulators! Is it possible to have a two screen set up for PhotoShop? For example could I have my old small LCD screen for viewing the pallet only while having my larger IPS screen for viewing only the images? It would be great if I could as this would mean I would be able so see a lot more of the image and on one screen with no distractions.

Absolutely you can. You just need to create your personal WORKSPACE setup. For example on my 17" MacBook pro I have all the palettes and on my 24" I have work area. To do that move your main window on the monitor you choose and then just move physically your palettes to the other monitor. When you feel satisfy, on menu-window-workspace click on save and choose a name.
You will see appear the name of your workspace on top of the main window

unpopular · Jul 21, 2012

I think you can just plug in a second video card. At least that is how it used to be with Mac OS9.

KmH · Jul 21, 2012

Yep. My computer had an empty slot for an aftermarket video card.

The original video card is built into the mother board rather than being plugged into a car slot..

unpopular · Jul 21, 2012

In that case, just plug in a couple of $120 video cards and you'll get support for 4-6 monitors.

Forkie · Jul 21, 2012

I also use two monitors, but only ever use the second one for file management. I usually have bridge open on it and PS open on the other - that way I can review images on one and drag them over for editing and see where I'm saving them etc.

chris82 · Jul 22, 2012

Really interesting input here. Im enlightened lol. I got a second screen set up today but I still need a new graphics card as the on I've got is not very good. It's an ATI something and my brother in-law tells me its pretty much usless so I think my next purchase will be a new one

Big Mike · Jul 23, 2012

FYI, the video card doesn't have all that much to do with digital photo editing. As long as it gets the display to the monitor, that is probably enough. The video card (as I understand it) is for constantly rendering/refreshing the display. So if you are playing games, watching or editing video, then you will get more out of a better video card.
But photo editing is intensive on the Ram and processor, not neccessarily the video card.

That was more true, 5+ years ago. Since then, programs like Photoshop are able to use the computing power in the video card...but as far as I know, it's still for 'quickly changing' things like zooming or 3d actions etc.

In other words, I don't know if it is the best idea to run our and buy an expensive video card because your brother-in-law doesn't like the one you have.

rokvi · Jul 23, 2012

At work, I have 9 monitors :mrgreen:

BlueMeanieTSi · Jul 23, 2012

Big Mike said:
FYI, the video card doesn't have all that much to do with digital photo editing. As long as it gets the display to the monitor, that is probably enough. The video card (as I understand it) is for constantly rendering/refreshing the display. So if you are playing games, watching or editing video, then you will get more out of a better video card.
But photo editing is intensive on the Ram and processor, not neccessarily the video card.

That was more true, 5+ years ago. Since then, programs like Photoshop are able to use the computing power in the video card...but as far as I know, it's still for 'quickly changing' things like zooming or 3d actions etc.

In other words, I don't know if it is the best idea to run our and buy an expensive video card because your brother-in-law doesn't like the one you have.

High end Nvidia and ATI allow you to calibrate color through the card itself.

Big Mike · Jul 23, 2012

High end Nvidia and ATI allow you to calibrate color through the card itself.

As far as I'm aware, the lower end color calibration solutions are done through the card. In other words, the device reads the test screens and creates a profile, which is loaded into the video card. The signal is adjusted there and sent to the monitor.

The better way of doing it (from what I've read) is to use a monitor that has it's own 'Look up Tables', so that the profile created by the calibration device, is interpreted and applied by the monitor, not the video card.

chris82 · Jul 23, 2012

Big Mike you have a point, plus you mentioned calibration! That's a different issue all together. Maybe I should buy a calibrator instead. I was looking at a few online and seeing as my screen us budget maybe I should get a cheaper one. Have you any advice on bots or calibration?

Big Mike · Jul 24, 2012

This is one of those things, that if you get really 'into' it...you can sink a lot of money into it and drive yourself crazy trying to get it perfect.

I wouldn't really recommend a cheaper screen. Most of the cheap flat panel screens use a technology called TN (twisted nematic). They are inexpensive, bright and responsive...which makes they great for games, movies and general computing. But for photographic editing, they are lacking. For one thing, most (may all) of them, can't display all that many colors. Off the top of my head, it's something like 6 bit color, with a smaller gamut that sRGB. Yet a good photographic workflow edits in 16 bit with a much larger color space. So the monitor can't come close to displaying the colors that may actually be in the image.
Another issue, is that TN panels tend to have terrible viewing angle changes. If you move around, the display looks different to you eyes...so in order to keep your edits consistent, you'd have to be in exactly the same position every time (not likely).

So a better screen technology is IPS (In Plane Switching). These screens have a much better consistent viewing angle, and I think they are better in terms of the colors they can display etc. They are more expensive, but they used to be $800+....you can get them now for much less.

Of course, you can get professional image editing monitors that come packaged with a calibration device and can display colors almost up to AdobeRGB. Very expensive though.

But even if you can only afford a TN type monitor (or just keep the one you have), calibration is key.
The popular ones are the Spyder from Datacolor.
The Color Munki from x-rite

chris82 · Jul 24, 2012

I am using a dell ultrasharp IPS monitor for my editing but i think I may need a calibration device such as huey or some other one. Does any one have any ideas?