Monitoring options for grading?

[Martin Weiss]

Which current projectors (sub $20-25k range) can you recommend for grading in a small suite? Has to be small and quiet(ish) and do 1080p or 2k.

The RED projector might be perfect, but unfortunately we have to spend the money this month.

Alternatively, which of these monitors would you recommend:

Sony PVM-2541 (great blacks, expensive, only 25", some report flickering issues)
Marshall OR-3210 (cheapest option)
Ikegami HLM-3250W
TV Logic XVM-325W-TVL (very versatile, many monitoring options)

Thanks for your input.

 

[thierry pinoni]

hello i use marshall R231 IMD hdsdi .
is perfect. i work with the rocket and the extreme for resolve and avid , grading with a big projectors 4k cost €€€€€€ for almost the same job .

 

[Martin Weiss]

All the post houses I visited use DLP projectors for grading films for cinema, and monitors for grading for tv.

 

[Norbert Jalitsch]

you may have look on the fsi panels...
greetz, norbert

 

[Marc Wielage]

Which current projectors (sub $20-25k range) can you recommend for grading in a small suite? Has to be small and quiet(ish) and do 1080p or 2k.

The two biggest problems with a projector in a small room are 1) short throw for the lens, making it hard to focus and difficult to achieve a flat field corner-to-corner, and 2) the heat and noise put out by the projector, which are not comfortable for the colorist or the clients.

Alternatively, which of these monitors would you recommend:

To me, a reasonable color-correction monitor in the under-$3000 price range would be something like Panasonic Broadcast's 30-series or 300-series 50" plasma displays. Those are currently used by more than a dozen major LA post facilities for final color on network and cable HD shows. Calibrated correctly, they can show 10-bit color very well, and are reasonably accurate in both P3 and Rec709 colorspace.

The Dolby PRM-4200 monitor is beyond compare, but at $40,000, is not for the faint-of-heart when it comes to price. But that's the most accurate flatscreen monitor I've seen anywhere.