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Highest Gamut & Color Accuracy Laptop LCD

zachary_goulko

New member
I am currently using a Dell Inspiron for on location shoots, and even though its good enough to review images for client and art director approvals, I can't rely on it for color accuracy. Just wondering if there are laptops out there specifically for color correction/retouching work, or if an upgrade is possible to something like and Eizo, to the stock laptop LCD.

Should be something out there by now...
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
zachary_goulko said:
I am currently using a Dell Inspiron for on location shoots, and even though its good enough to review images for client and art director approvals, I can't rely on it for color accuracy. Just wondering if there are laptops out there specifically for color correction/retouching work, or if an upgrade is possible to something like and Eizo, to the stock laptop LCD.

Should be something out there by now...

Hi Zachary,

The first answer, and not to you in particular, is the one with an accurately profiled and calibrated screen.

Even with lesser laptop LCD screens, one can still improve things by simply recalibrating for each session.

One should use the center of the screen for very critical work. (The calibration here may not match that at the edges of the screen.) The less capable screens drift more and there is more variability over the screen.

My suggestion is the 17" Apple Powerbook Pro.

Now, a source I respect Michael Reichman supports this point of view. Last month, he reviewed an awefully expensive fancy monitor the NEC MultiSync 2180WG-LED (with a claimed RGB Gamut and improved screen illumination). You don't need to rush off to buy this beauty, as IMHO, they won't fly off the shelves. Still the review is worth noting for at least the path it shows to future LED technology.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/nec-2180wg.shtml

and mentioned in passing his impressions on the new Apple Powerbook and that is worth quoting.

Remember, each of Michael’s monitors are regularly calibrated and profiled with the Gretag Macbeth Eye One spectrophotometer and either ColorEyes Display or Eye-One Match.

“And speaking of the 17" Macbook Pro, its screen is a significant step up from that on the previous 17" Powerbook. When properly profiled I find it to be very usable, even for some colour-critical applications. Since I need a colour accurate monitor when I travel, I am now very pleased with this new laptop's screen, something that I could never really say about the previous 17" Mac portable.”

I myself have not run any careful test. However, my non-scientific impression confirms the quality of images on week old Powerbook Pro (one 15" and one 17"). I compared appearance with our older 15" Powerbooks. The new screens appeared sharper and more impactful color.

[COLOR="'Blue"]I would not be uncomfortable (except for the height of the screen) doing all my work on the new 17" PB Pro nor would I feel I need to recheck everything on my Eizo monitor. [/COLOR]

Good luck,

I hope this answer serves as a good start.

Asher
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Kumar,

I'm rarely jealous. No I'd claim to be never jealous. However, now I am! Kobe is one place I always wanted to visit! What are you photographing in that exotic place! The only picture we have from Japan is that of a very hairy spider in the Macro forum. Thay creature is one of the most fascinating I've seen. However, that is not my image of Japan with its great industry and exotic culturem landscapes and culture.

Now if I was in Japan, the best PC laptop I'd choose would be the Apple Powerbook Pro which is the fastest high quality PC capable laptop I know about.

An associate who is head of marketing for a major international software company and is, (except for iTunes and iPhoto), fully dependant on Microsoft XP, chose a 17" Apple Powerbook Pro for all his corporate work.

Running Parallels http://www.parallels.com

"New! Beta Update of Parallels Desktop for Mac is available.

Parallels Desktop for Mac is the first solution that gives Apple users the ability to run Windows, Linux or any other operating system and their critical applications at the same time as Mac OS X on any Intel-powered iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook or MacBook Pro.

Unlike dual-boot solutions, in which users must completely shut down Mac OS X and endure a full OS start-up cycle to access a important application, Parallels Desktop for Mac empowers users with the ability to run important Windows programs like Outlook, Access, Internet Explorer and all other applications without having to give up the usability and functionality of their Mac OS X machine even for a few minutes."


For merely $79.99 you have your PC software very fast!

Asher
 
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Dave New

Member
Kumar Brahmajosyula said:
Are there any Windows laptops that have more or less similar quality screens as the 17" Macbook Pro?

Kumar

I've had good luck with a Sony VAIO laptop EcoBrite display. In particular, the most recent of these run as bright as their standalone higher-end LCD monitors.

I'm a non-pro, so I can't justify thousands for displays, but I've found that with my VAIO laptop and using the similar technology Sony standalone LCD display when at home, gives me a pretty decent match for prints from my Epson pigment printer.

I also use the Gretag EyeOne puck and software to calibrate these displays.
 

zachary_goulko

New member
Asher,

Generally I wouldn't even think about doing any kind of color critical work on my laptop (Dell Inspiron, 9400), which I profile with the Eye One spectro. The LCD on the Dell monitor is pretty good, and has lots of real estate (1920x1200), but its very uneven, and has horrible viewing angle variation. This kind of work is always done on one of our imaging stations and Color Edge monitors in the studio. However, what I am trying to understand is, why no company has yet introduced a laptop, with a high end LCD display, even if it has to be bulkier than a normal laptop. Nothing like this has come across my path, but if it would I would pay the extra money to have the option. Perhaps Eizo should offer a Color Edge upgrade LCD to stock LCDs on laptops.
 
Asher Kelman said:
I'm rarely jealous. No I'd claim to be never jealous. However, now I am! Kobe is one place I always wanted to visit! What are you photographing in that exotic place! The only picture we have from Japan is that of a very hairy spider in the Macro forum. Thay creature is one of the most fascinating I've seen. However, that is not my image of Japan with its great industry and exotic culturem landscapes and culture.

Now if I was in Japan, the best PC laptop I'd choose would be the Apple Powerbook Pro which is the fastest high quality PC capable laptop I know about.

Asher


Hi Asher,

No need to be jealous! Come over any time, except summer, which can be real sweaty.

Most of my work is still in India, and I go there every three months or so for two to three weeks. Here there's a lot of great architecture, which I try to photograph as much as possible.

I've been thinking about the MacBook Pro. I'm waiting for things at Apple to settle down a bit before I take the plunge into the system.

Zachary has a good idea. Now only if someone would start doing that!

Kumar
 
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