Apple Pro XDR Display

[DJ Meyer]

I am curious to hear feedback from anyone who has been using the XDR specifically as a grading monitor in lieu of the more common Sony BVM or similar.

Does it meet your expectations?

 

[Eric Santiago]

There are some video links that favor the XDR for grading.

I have to dig it up.

 

[AndreeMarkefors]

Consensus on 'Lift, Gamma, Gain" (a color grading forum) is that Apple's XDR monitor doesn't meet the requirements for a grading monitor. One issue that comes up more than others is 'glow' due to the LED dimming techniques used.

Admittedly, people who are not happy with the monitor are critical users—and rightly so. This is equipment that is supposed to be used to verify standardised deliverables.

If you look at it more as a next gen 'computer monitor' it fares better. But in that category it's expensive of course and not the cheap underdog it was presented as.

This monitor would probably be a huge upgrade compared to any old monitor that people use today for general work, or even compared to popular "photography monitors", but it's not comparable to highest end grading monitors.

 

[Robino_J]

Consensus on 'Lift, Gamma, Gain" (a color grading forum) is that Apple's XDR monitor doesn't meet the requirements for a grading monitor. One issue that comes up more than others is 'glow' due to the LED dimming techniques used.

Admittedly, people who are not happy with the monitor are critical users—and rightly so. This is equipment that is supposed to be used to verify standardised deliverables.

If you look at it more as a next gen 'computer monitor' it fares better. But in that category it's expensive of course and not the cheap underdog it was presented as.

This monitor would probably be a huge upgrade compared to any old monitor that people use today for general work, or even compared to popular "photography monitors", but it's not comparable to highest end grading monitors.

I returned mine - the blooming and luminance shift (led dimming) were too much for me. It's a nicely designed piece of equipment but I'll wait to see if they release another version later on.

Here's the dimming in action, on my ex XDR display, shot on R3D

 

[Rodrigo Violante]

I just got mine today, I asked for the Nano version with no reflection and I can say its amazing as monitor Haven't try it for grading yet.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Here's a link to the LiftGammaGain XDR thread, which has more than 320 comments so far:

https://liftgammagain.com/forum/index.php?threads/apple-pro-display-xdr-for-color-grading.12846/

The TL;dr version is that the monitor only has 576 local dimming points, which is not enough to reproduce HDR without noticeable blooming. A real HDR monitor needs at least 2000, which even some competing computer displays already have. You wonder why Apple failed to understand this during the design phase.

 

[Michael Tiemann]

Here's a link to the LiftGammaGain XDR thread, which has more than 320 comments so far:

https://liftgammagain.com/forum/index.php?threads/apple-pro-display-xdr-for-color-grading.12846/

The TL;dr version is that the monitor only has 576 local dimming points, which is not enough to reproduce HDR without noticeable blooming. A real HDR monitor needs at least 2000, which even some competing computer displays already have. You wonder why Apple failed to understand this during the design phase.

2000 for 4K implies 4500 local zones needed for 6K. So Apple really missed the mark by almost a factor of 8, not just a factor of 4. But who cares what the math says if it's designed by somebody with nice shoes?