Monitors are Superior to Prints
- Thread starter Frank Petronio
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Hsg
who dares wins
Monitors are great for color photography but when it comes to B&W, they're abysmal.
Most people blame digital B&W on digital cameras and software, actually they should blame their monitors.
Most people blame digital B&W on digital cameras and software, actually they should blame their monitors.
shortstop
Well-known
I don't know if monitors are superior to prints. But where is the photo when you turn off the pc? If a comparison is to be made between screened images, it would be between projected slides and monitors. Slides win hands down. Printed images are obtained from a printer in white room or a silver print in darkroom. The comparison should be between these two final product.
Sid836
Well-known
I wonder how one can get the look and feel of a textured print on monitor.
RichC
Well-known
🙄 Why create a fauxtograph as iffy as polyester masquerading as silk...?! Let different mediums be themselves!
Play to a medium's strengths, such as light and luminosity for the monitor, and texture and objecthood for the paper print.
Bill Clark
Veteran
For me, it depends.
To look at a group of photographs, when using digital capture, I use a monitor. When I had a client review, it was with a monitor to decide what images to get prints made.
When I go to most homes/restaurants/motels/hotels/library/offices, I usually see lots of framed prints.
It's not one way to the exclusion of the other to view photographs.
And, from a monetary view, I made a lot more money off of one print than a CD.
To look at a group of photographs, when using digital capture, I use a monitor. When I had a client review, it was with a monitor to decide what images to get prints made.
When I go to most homes/restaurants/motels/hotels/library/offices, I usually see lots of framed prints.
It's not one way to the exclusion of the other to view photographs.
And, from a monetary view, I made a lot more money off of one print than a CD.
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
I like the way my color shots look on my iMac, and my Macbook. However, it only seems to take some 2MP or so at the most, to fill the screen. The images look sharp, but that must be on account of the contrasty presentation you get with a monitor. Although I'm not aware of any missing detail, somethings got to be lost when going from a 10, 12, or 18MP camera to a 2MP monitor, no?
Sparrow
Veteran
... using Spray-Mount carelessly will do that, a bit of overspray left to dry for a few days feels really nice
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
Even prints look very different under different lighting. Good printers have generally taken the presumed display conditions into account when printing.
pete hogan
Well-known
I really like looking at photos on the iPad, excellent quality, quick, flexible, economical. May well be the future. But when you see good prints, like the test prints from Ilford Lab, it seems clear that prints will not easily be driven from the market.
Michel154
Established
monitors are much better at displaying color assuming they are calibrated ,my work is 99% magazine work
and there is s huge sacrifice in tonal range converting files from raw to CYMK
you just can't print bright orange or magentas in a magazine
as for web SRGB color profile is te best imo
just look at some good landscape work on the web the colours are stunning!
and there is s huge sacrifice in tonal range converting files from raw to CYMK
you just can't print bright orange or magentas in a magazine
as for web SRGB color profile is te best imo
just look at some good landscape work on the web the colours are stunning!
judsonzhao
Well-known
Buy a Eizo for sure : )
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Could it be that neither is superior to the other but that each has their owns strengths and weaknesses? Thus one is better for certain situations while the other is better for others.
jsrockit
Moderator
Very true Bob... many wars (film vs. digital, camera vs. camera, lens vs. lens) on here for some reason when there is no need for it.
pete hogan
Well-known
Once in a while I take out my Keuffel & Esser mahogany 4081-3 Log Log Duplex Decitrig (R)(C) slide rule for a look. It is a beautiful, effective, and well-made precision device. Did a lot of calculating with it too. But that market is finished!
Pioneer
Veteran
Yes, there is no doubt that computers are very, very good at doing calculations. The lowly calculator pretty much eliminated the need for a slide rule.
As for prints, good monitors can do a good job of displaying prints, but I am not sure that everyone will want to hang digital display monitors on walls around there house to display their pictures. I would predict that regular prints will go on for a long time.
However I wouldn't have guessed that everyone would voluntarily carry a telephone around with them 24 hours a day either, so my prophetic skills are probably not very dependable.
pete hogan
Well-known
There we are. I agree that prints are nice for hanging. I like prints.
And then our daughter gave us a Pix-Star digital picture frame last fall. Now my attitude toward wall prints is changing. Wall or shelf with its foot. Wakes itself up in the morning, shuts down at night. Accepts new stuff from the internet through our house wifi. Adjust selections of images. Pretty neat!
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
I still think the slide rule has advantages over the computer when you want a rough answer to work on. Pricing things can mean a slide rule gives several answers at a glance and a computer or calculator has to have the figures entered each time. I'm thinking of the "what sort of percentage is that price" answers when comparing the selling price with the cost price.
OK it's simultaneous but with the slide rule it was there from the start.
Regards, David
I still think the slide rule has advantages over the computer when you want a rough answer to work on. Pricing things can mean a slide rule gives several answers at a glance and a computer or calculator has to have the figures entered each time. I'm thinking of the "what sort of percentage is that price" answers when comparing the selling price with the cost price.
OK it's simultaneous but with the slide rule it was there from the start.
Regards, David
pete hogan
Well-known
David, you may have described what will happen to prints someday.
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Agreed: You can't beat a slide rule for ratio calculations. I keep one of mine in the darkroom for enlarging calculations. When I already have the right exposure for a 5 X 7, and I want to go to something larger, I can do that quickly on the slipstick.
