I've decided on a monitor and calibrator...

TamiAz · Apr 20, 2012

Does this monitor and calibrator look ok.. I get a little nervous when buying something I'm not 100% sure about. I did some research so I think I'm ok, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Has anyone had any issues with these two items? Thanks so much!!

Dell UltraSharp U2412M 24" LED LCD Monitor

X-Rite i1Display 2 Color Calibrator for LCD, CRT, and Laptop Displays - Xrite

KmH · Apr 20, 2012

Those will work just fine.

I used a Dell 2209WA UltraSharp LCD display for a long time, and I calibrated it with a i1 Display 2.

Be aware that you will need to re-calibrate on a routine schedule. I did it every new moon, which happens 13 times a year.

1000_Islander · Apr 20, 2012

This appears to be a very good monitor. I'm sure you have done considerable reserach as this is for photographic use, and a IPS panel is generally the way to go. I bought a Dell 23in IPS about three years ago and my print output acceptance increased dramatically.
This Dell U2412M is a LCD model and while saving power, the reviews indicate it performs well. Perhaps not quite as good as the Dell U2410, but that is at about a 50% cost premium.

TamiAz · Apr 20, 2012

Great, thank you!! I'm excited about this purchase!!

TCampbell · Apr 20, 2012

CRT and LCD monitors back-lit via fluorescent lighting can be highly variable. LED backlit LCD monitors tend to be pretty consistent. I used to re-calibrate my monitor (LED backlit) monthly... but eventually stopped doing it "every" month because the calibration always came in the same.

STM · Apr 20, 2012

You should be set. One thing you need to be mindful of with when calibrating your monitor, do not apply pressure to the monitor screen surface with your calibrator when you set it up as you could damage it.

KmH · Apr 20, 2012

The Dell UltraSharp series are OK, servicable displays and are relatively inexpensive for IPS displays, but they are not very good displays.

The price of very good displays is considerably higher, like $2000+.

Svandru · Apr 20, 2012

I'll warn you that the 2412 is not an IPS display, and it isn't nearly as good as the Ultrasharp 2410. However, the 2410 is $545 at Newegg. I've been very happy with my Ultrasharp 2405 for several years, but I just handed it down to my wife and ordered the 2410. The 2410 covers almost the entire AdobeRGB gamut and has a wide field of view. You'll find that the 2412 won't seem to have even brightness because of the large angle you have to look from the center to the edge. Unless you keep it quite far away from your face. I think the 2412 is a good monitor for the price, but it isn't ideal for editing photos. The 2410, though, might be the best photo editing monitor around next to those $2000 monitors mentioned in another post.For calibration, it seems that the EyeOne is the popular choice, but I bought a Spyder 3 elite (the 4 is out now) just because I like to be different (I shoot Pentax). I wasn't very happy with the wizard-based software that came with it, but I think it is fantastic with the open source Argyle CMS program that works with it and the EyeOne.