Laptop and monitor for Colour work

[Stephen Gentle]

Although I'm probably not going to buy one until sometime near when Scarlet is released, I have been investigating monitors for using with the Macbook Pro editing system I plan on using. The laptop will probably be a middle of the range 15 inch MBP, running Final Cut Studio 3. I'm looking for a reasonably inexpensive monitor of about 24", mainly for using Color on but also for editing with Final Cut. Here's what I was thinking: the Dell U2410. It's an IPS panel, 24 inches, native 1920x1200, and it importantly supports DisplayPort, so I can use a cable like this one to connect to the computer, instead of having to use adaptors. It's about AU$900, which is pretty good when you consider the Apple LED Cinema Display is AU$1500!

I was wondering if this setup sounds alright, or if there are any other monitors I should take a look at.

 

[Nir Shelter]

Hi Stephen.
I have been looking into monitors as well specifically for on set one lights to that matter. I asume that your talking about cheaper options than the Cinetel and the likes. I understand that many recomened agains Dell and Samsung as grading monitors. I read good reviews about the Flanders Scientific monitors:

http://www.shopfsi.com/FSI_17_inch_hd_broadcast_monitor_p
/lm-1760w.htm

But there are many that recommend using the cheaper monitors with an external calibration device X-Rite, Eye-One or Spyder3. But then the software you use should have calibration process in place and am not sure how these processes would work with any of these external calibration devices.

Then there are many that speak highly of a Matrox MXO combination with Apple cinema displays. To my understanding though Apple cinema displays have been discontinued, not sure what that means about them as grading monitors are they any good?
Is the MXO box necessary for color grading all together?


I think I may have confused you more than answered any questions sorry. But hope some one with more grading experience picks up on this thread and sheds some light on our questions.

 

[Ben Brainerd]

I do nearly all my work on a MBP attached to a Dell 2405fpw (Older version of the Dell 24"s) calibrated with an X-Rite and Eye-One software. It's not, by any stretch of the imagination, a top-line grading system, but I've found that as long I calibrate it frequently it's a pretty decent system.

Nothing's going to replace a high-quality reference monitor, but I've had pretty good luck doing all my preliminary work on my setup, then moving projects to a high-end system for final touches.

 

[sebastian toro]

I do nearly all my work on a MBP attached to a Dell 2405fpw (Older version of the Dell 24"s) calibrated with an X-Rite and Eye-One software. It's not, by any stretch of the imagination, a top-line grading system, but I've found that as long I calibrate it frequently it's a pretty decent system.

Nothing's going to replace a high-quality reference monitor, but I've had pretty good luck doing all my preliminary work on my setup, then moving projects to a high-end system for final touches.

Hi ben. could you tell me what calibration you perform with the eye one. Did you use an sRGB target or something like that. Did you use the same calibration for Red Alert and Final Cut...

thanks in advance