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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

4K monitor for video editing: best options for $1,000

Call me crazy: it's not that stupid to edit HD proxies and then save the 4K for the final conform at the very end. At least this way, you could edit on laptops, edit at home, edit in a truck, edit on the go, make changes on a plane, do fixes in a hotel room, and not have to worry about running out of horsepower.

I think far too many people get all wrapped up in 4K / 5K /6K / 8K and lose sight of the basic need for good storytelling and good lighting. To me, those are far more important than the K. I have absolutely no problem with people shooting in whatever K they can afford, but it's not the be-all/end-all. There are huge $100-million dollar projects all edited in proxies where they never saw the material in 4K until the very end... which works very well.

Be aware that an end-to-end 4K workflow is still not cheap or fast, even for the biggest post houses in the world. It's great if you budget the time and money for it, but not if you're plagued with lots of VFX, complicated titles, and other issues. If there's a focus problem or an aliasing problem, you're gonna see it just fine on a really great HD or 2K monitor.

And now I have to go back to working on my current 6K project (not kidding)...
 
Marc Wielage said:
Call me crazy: it's not that stupid to edit HD proxies and then save the 4K for the final conform at the very end. At least this way, you could edit on laptops, edit at home, edit in a truck, edit on the go, make changes on a plane, do fixes in a hotel room, and not have to worry about running out of horsepower.

I think far too many people get all wrapped up in 4K / 5K /6K / 8K and lose sight of the basic need for good storytelling and good lighting. To me, those are far more important than the K. I have absolutely no problem with people shooting in whatever K they can afford, but it's not the be-all/end-all. There are huge $100-million dollar projects all edited in proxies where they never saw the material in 4K until the very end... which works very well.

Be aware that an end-to-end 4K workflow is still not cheap or fast, even for the biggest post houses in the world. It's great if you budget the time and money for it, but not if you're plagued with lots of VFX, complicated titles, and other issues. If there's a focus problem or an aliasing problem, you're gonna see it just fine on a really great HD or 2K monitor.

And now I have to go back to working on my current 6K project (not kidding)...
Click to expand...
I agree Marc, that's how I've edited for years. However I think these guys are mainly referring to GUI monitors and trying to get the most real estate to work with. But to your point, if editing 5K or 6K is as easy as editing in prores or dnx36, then there's probably no reason not to. For example, Phil has a beefy PC he's cutting on so that probably allows him more flexibility to edit natively than say my current workstation which edits just fine in 1080.
 
4K for viewing is a bonus but 2K is just fine.

My reason for wanting a large 4K screen is the increased screen space.
 
Will Keir said:
4K for viewing is a bonus but 2K is just fine.

My reason for wanting a large 4K screen is the increased screen space.
Click to expand...

I'm the same, as all my deliverables are only 1080p. When I upgraded from dual TN panels (I need to switch to IPS with a wider gamut for grading), I figured a single larger 4K panel would be a cleaner solution, but also also offer the benefit of future proofing.
 
Guys really need help as well choosing a monitor..... I was looking at the Dreamcolour Z27 leaning more towards its colour grading abilities but after reading this thread I am completely confused .... can someone give me a few reasons on the advantages of any of these over the others

1.Z27 Dreamcolour
2. BenQ BL3201PH 32" 4K IPS
3. LG 31MU97 31 inch 4K Monitor
 
NOSA OBAYIUWANA said:
Guys really need help as well choosing a monitor..... I was looking at the Dreamcolour Z27 leaning more towards its colour grading abilities but after reading this thread I am completely confused .... can someone give me a few reasons on the advantages of any of these over the others

1.Z27 Dreamcolour
2. BenQ BL3201PH 32" 4K IPS
3. LG 31MU97 31 inch 4K Monitor
Click to expand...


The Z27 has a wider color gamut, but is only 1440p and has a much smaller screen size (27" vs 31-32"), while the other two that have been suggested are 2160p.
 
So does that mean it renders truer colours? Would choose colour accuracy over resolution detail..... thanks for your help nathan.... pulling the plug on this today (will be using this to judge colour on set).
 
I know the Z27 uses a 14bit engine but is a 10bit display.... do you have any info about the other monitors?
 
NOSA OBAYIUWANA said:
So does that mean it renders truer colours? Would choose colour accuracy over resolution detail..... thanks for your help nathan.... pulling the plug on this today (will be using this to judge colour on set).
Click to expand...

Supported colors, and "color accuracy" are entirely different things. From what I understand, just because a monitor can technically produce a range of colors, does not mean the actual reproduced results will be accurate. The most prominent issue most of these monitors have is LED backlight edge bleeding, where the corners of the monitor display uneven or inaccurate color or brightness. A quick google of the Z27 yields varying reviews, some very good, while the very low average review on B&H seemingly the most prominent (a lot of talk about bad edge bleeding and sharpening or aliasing).

That being said, I'm farrrrr from an expert on the subject, and have never used the Z27 monitor. The LG has bad reviews on B&H as well, but the forum members speak highly of it, so who's to say if the online ratings are even an accurate representation? (usually the users with negative feedback speak louder than those with positive experiences).

All I can really tell you is that my personal experience with the BenQ has been amazing. Some users claim the same of the LG. If you're hesitant, just be sure to place your order from a retailer that allows you to return it within 30 days. If you choose a local retailer or Amazon, you can avoid having to pay for return postage (the box that these 27-32" monitors ship in can be significantly larger than expected).
 
So is the BenQ a 10bit panel? How good is it for judging colour. I know it is not an F.S monitor.... but does it do a reasonably good job


Thanks really appreciate the help
 
Just to chime in on the editing raw versus proxies. There's different workflow for everybody and that's all that is. If I was cutting 2500 shots I'd likely be inclined to deal with 4K, 3K, or 2K transcodes these days. Under 500 shots, that's where I can be as creative with my workflow as I'd like. Editing native REDCODE RAW is pretty manageable with modern NLEs.

There's no right or wrong way. Just the way you choose to work.
 
Phil Holland said:
Just to chime in on the editing raw versus proxies. There's different workflow for everybody and that's all that is. If I was cutting 2500 shots I'd likely be inclined to deal with 4K, 3K, or 2K transcodes these days. Under 500 shots, that's where I can be as creative with my workflow as I'd like. Editing native REDCODE RAW is pretty manageable with modern NLEs. There's no right or wrong way. Just the way you choose to work.
Click to expand...
I agree completely. As long as the hardware can handle it, it's fine. And in truth, I deal with R3Ds all the time and just run them at quarter-res good in Resolve, monitoring in HD, and it chugs right along in real time. Once I render in 4K... then it's a challenge.
 
Is the option of running in Ppro, Resolve, any other NLE at 1/4 res akin to using proxies?

Similar but without the need to perform the dreaded "conform" proxy media requires?

Marc Wielage said:
I agree completely. As long as the hardware can handle it, it's fine. And in truth, I deal with R3Ds all the time and just run them at quarter-res good in Resolve, monitoring in HD, and it chugs right along in real time. Once I render in 4K... then it's a challenge.
Click to expand...
 
NOSA OBAYIUWANA said:
So is the BenQ a 10bit panel? How good is it for judging colour. I know it is not an F.S monitor.... but does it do a reasonably good job


Thanks really appreciate the help
Click to expand...


Yes it is 10-bit ----> http://shop.benq.us/bl3201ph.html
Plus 100% sRGB instead of 99% that a lot of monitors are at (including Mac Displays I believe)

I'm using the BenQ 3201 -- around $1100 when I got it, I think it's just around $950 now.
Loving it so far. Great color accuracy. Very minimal bleeding or variance across the screen.
I can notice tiny bit of shadowing if I'm looking at a purely grey screen, but it has never affected my ability to grade a shot properly.
 
I use the LG 31" 4K also love it... but if you think the GUI get's to small, this 40" Philips (BDM4065UC)
would be an option.. It's 'only' UHD though).

There are some reviews up on youtube.. For a GUI monitor it would do the trick I think. (60hz on the display port on OSX)
 
Can you confirm this personally?

I know HDMI 2 limits 4K to 24 Hz in OS X both Yosemite and El Cap as of today. I was hoping El Cap would add extra options. Messing around with an App called "Switch ResX" Already crashed my computer, so be careful if you are trying to make a "custom" preset.

Dimitri Boschma said:
For a GUI monitor it would do the trick I think. (60hz on the display port on OSX)
Click to expand...
 
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