Grading Studio - Client Monitor

[Bastian Meier]

I am trying to set up a new grading studio that should be 4k capable.
The Idea is to have a 4k reference monitor for the Colourist and then another 4k Monitor with a couch for the Client.

Does anyone have a recommendation for 4K Monitors to be used as Client Monitor?
size should be 55+

 

[Michael Tiemann]

I am trying to set up a new grading studio that should be 4k capable.
The Idea is to have a 4k reference monitor for the Colourist and then another 4k Monitor with a couch for the Client.

Does anyone have a recommendation for 4K Monitors to be used as Client Monitor?
size should be 55+

Client monitor should be mid-high range consumer device that's likely in the majority of the homes/offices/workplaces of your clients. Could be LG (if majority like OLED), Samsung (if majority like quantum dots), SONY (if majority like SONY), etc. If you expect to be putting out any HDR10 material, you may tilt your answer toward which of these companies has the best HDR10 story for your market.

Would not be a bad idea to just contact 20 of your recent clients and ask them which monitor they think is most important to them over the next 18 months, tally up the votes, and then make the decision. Buying a second "reference" monitor is the road to perdition.

 

[Marc Wielage]

There are quite a few color bays in LA that are using the Sony BVM-X300 just for the colorist, then an LG OLEDC755 for the client display (or the newer C8). A lot depends on your budget and your expectations.

The calibration guys I use tell me that the panel consistency is better with the 55" models than with the 65" models, so they're suggesting the former whenever possible.

 

[jussi rovanpera]

Client monitor should be mid-high range consumer device that's likely in the majority of the homes/offices/workplaces of your clients. Could be LG (if majority like OLED), Samsung (if majority like quantum dots), SONY (if majority like SONY), etc. If you expect to be putting out any HDR10 material, you may tilt your answer toward which of these companies has the best HDR10 story for your market.

Would not be a bad idea to just contact 20 of your recent clients and ask them which monitor they think is most important to them over the next 18 months, tally up the votes, and then make the decision. Buying a second "reference" monitor is the road to perdition.

Client monitor should also be calibrated to a spec, there no point in looking at a "real world monitor", they will all look different. What the end users see is out of your hands.

 

[Sabovic Adis]

I am trying to set up a new grading studio that should be 4k capable.
The Idea is to have a 4k reference monitor for the Colourist and then another 4k Monitor with a couch for the Client.

Does anyone have a recommendation for 4K Monitors to be used as Client Monitor?
size should be 55+

Why not ask the Client?

 

[Misha Engel]

Does anyone have a recommendation for 4K Monitors to be used as Client Monitor?
size should be 55+

When there is a lot of (direct sun)light in the room Samsung Qled seems the better option. When the lights are dimmed and no direct sun light I would go for the newest LG OLED.

 

[martinnoweck]

Have you ever seen a grading room with direct sunlight?
best wishes and kind regards,
Martin

 

[Bastian Meier]

Why not ask the Client?

It should not just be for my clients, but also for a grading suit that will be rented out.

 

[Bastian Meier]

There are quite a few color bays in LA that are using the Sony BVM-X300 just for the colorist, then an LG OLEDC755 for the client display (or the newer C8). A lot depends on your budget and your expectations.

The calibration guys I use tell me that the panel consistency is better with the 55" models than with the 65" models, so they're suggesting the former whenever possible.

I have read good stuff about the C7 as well to be used as client monitor. but would be interesting if the C8 would be better to use instead of the C7

 

[Sabovic Adis]

It should not just be for my clients, but also for a grading suit that will be rented out.

It's tricky, You know. You said a reference monitor for Colourist, but, effectively, You'll end up having two (different!) reference monitors, because the Client's gonna reffer to what the Client sees - his monitor - and make suggestions (if allowed) based on that. It's OK for editing, but for grading it's a disaster waiting to happen!
So, I recommend having two "monitors" of the same kind, model and mark.
Happy coloring! :smile5:

 

[Marc Wielage]

Why not ask the Client?

One good reason is that most of the clients don't know anything, particularly when it comes to technical issues. They depend on us to solve their issues, not to tell us what equipment to use.

When there is a lot of (direct sun)light in the room Samsung Qled seems the better option. When the lights are dimmed and no direct sun light I would go for the newest LG OLED.

We use blackout curtains, 18% gray paint on the wall, and low 6500° lighting everywhere (including a backlight) so as not to interfere with the monitor. If I was ever brought into a color room with sunlight in it, I'd turn around, walk back to the parking lot, get in my car, and drive away.

I have read good stuff about the C7 as well to be used as client monitor. but would be interesting if the C8 would be better to use instead of the C7

I just bought a C8, which I think will arrive, get burned in, and calibrated in about 2 weeks. I'll let you know.

They're not drastically different, but the C8 will hold an internal 3D 32x32 LUT, so there is that.

 

[Sabovic Adis]

One good reason is that most of the clients don't know anything, particularly when it comes to technical issues. They depend on us to solve their issues, not to tell us what equipment to use.

True, of course.
What also is true is that a satisfied client is the client that gets what the client wants, and the client always wants what the client knows, not more and not less...and client doesn't need to know what client doesn't know. The famous need to know basis. :wink5:
So, I don't see a problem with asking How do You want it?, I mean if the money is right. :biggrin:

We use blackout curtains, 18% gray paint on the wall, and low 6500° lighting everywhere (including a backlight) so as not to interfere with the monitor. If I was ever brought into a color room with sunlight in it, I'd turn around, walk back to the parking lot, get in my car, and drive away.

:rofl:

:thumbsup:

 

[Misha Engel]

Have you ever seen a grading room with direct sunlight?
best wishes and kind regards,
Martin

Most, if not all of our clients, won't show their commercials in darkrooms.

We mostly shoot for networks and their clients watch the items and/or commercials in livingrooms , kitchens, youtube on a smartphone, etc...
The other big group, are clients that want to show their commercial in their (chain)stores, at trade shows, airports etc...
We try to show the client the look in an invironment their target group is most likely to watch it.

Up to now our(clients) target market is not cinema and/or darkrooms.

 

[Bastian Meier]

I just bought a C8, which I think will arrive, get burned in, and calibrated in about 2 weeks. I'll let you know.

They're not drastically different, but the C8 will hold an internal 3D 32x32 LUT, so there is that.

would be nice to know.
I also saw that there is Support for the CalMAN directly for the C8, which could be a nice feature to have.

 

[David Peterson]

Get a high quality LG OLED consumer monitor. Then put a LUT box in front of it to fine tune it closer to matching your own reference monitor. (as if you're buying two of these... is a way to be left broke!)

 

[Bastian Meier]

Get a high quality LG OLED consumer monitor. Then put a LUT box in front of it to fine tune it closer to matching your own reference monitor. (as if you're buying two of these... is a way to be left broke!)

It seems that I will go for the Liebe Grüße OLED. just have to see if the C8 doesn't need a LUT box with the internal 3D Lut option or if the C7 with the LUT Box is the better and cheaper way, and owning a lut box is never a bad thing.

my ideal setup would be a grading suite with projector, where the projector is both for client and colourist, but that definitely blows the budget.

second favourite setup would be a FSI XM650U for the client and FSI XM310K for the Colorist, but that comes nearly to the same price.