Monitors for showing digital landscapes

[kpeter]

This is a bit of a different question. I'm in the market to replace my computer monitor, and would like to get one with the resolution and quality to show me my digital photographs in better detail than my old 21" monitor. Realistically, I print only maybe 5 photos in a thousand and spend almost all my time enjoying my photos off of my computer monitor.

I am looking at 27" monitors and it gets complicated--having the video card to support them, should they be curved or flat, should they be 4k or not, etc.

Many of you spend countless hours looking at your digital photos on a screen. What would you recommend?

[wildhiker]

I have a now four year old iMac with a 21 inch (diagonal) 4K screen. The 4k resolution is impressively detailed. I definitely would only get a 4k monitor in the future.
-Phil

[fishmonger]

Get a 32" 4K with a decent color accuracy. Color accuracy is measured in percent of sRGB

here's an example of what I would consider for image viewing and hobby image editing. Reasonable price, and no costly gaming features like higher than 60hz refresh. Ignore non-features such as "eye saver mode" and HDR-anything. You don't want to look at photography in any of those modes.

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-31-5-Monito ... 096PNMSQZ/

27" 4K is ok. Curved is overkill but if you can afford it. The curved surfaceis obviously better for shorter viewing distances, however, the only displays that come like that seem to be gaming optimized, at least at a sub $500 price point.

The video cards that support 4k are pretty expensive these days due to crypto Miners buying everything up at ludicrous prices. Make sure your computer can support that resolution before you buy a 4K monitor. When I got mine, I had to buy a new video card for it that 5 years go was cheaper than it is today...

Alternative, and that depends on your desk space and budget, is to look for a small OLED TV - those are darn nice displays and at 48 inches the prices are still reasonable compared to dedicated computer screens, but these TVs work quite well as computer display:
https://www.amazon.com/LG-Built-Refresh ... 092LZNZB7/

[SSSdave]

So what monitor did you buy @kpeter ? Was probably now skiing during that period, not monitoring forum threads.

If all one will ever be interested in looking at are FHD 1080p sized Internet images, then a FHD 1080p system will work. However the camera/smartphone imaging world today produces pictures much larger than 1080p so that will soon be limiting.

Would highly recommend anyone looking at images seriously on computer monitors, especially those post processing files, do so on desktop external UHD 4k IPS monitors with at least 70% SRGB coverage at sizes over 20+ inches. Such today will minimally cost a bit over $200. For those using laptops that are size limited to about 17", buy a PC laptop that can drive 4k via an HDMI port or buy an adapter or docking station that can be driven so by a PC.

[kpeter]

Thanks for all the terrific advice over the last year and a half. I took the advice of several of you and got a 27" 4k UHD IPS monitor. I am seeing my photos in a whole new way. Never before have I seen the fine grained detail and textures that my camera was capturing. It is a remarkable, stunning improvement. I wish I had done it years ago. And it was not exorbitantly expensive--I needed a replacement monitor anyway. Well worth it. It is hardly worth having a decent camera if you view every photo on an inferior monitor. I learned my lesson.

[SSSdave]

Now you too can understand why similar dot per inch RGB phosphor density panels but at upcoming larger pc 8K monitor sizes will be so impressive. That is why I focus stack blend images using prime lens shots taken at optimal lens apertures of F4.5 to F5.6 because along with such detail, lack of sharpness on images will also be readily apparent when viewed close. In any case, just like with film transparencies viewed on good light tables, digital images viewed on best UHD panels, especially OLED, with more dynamic color and lumination range, will always be more impressive than actual fine art prints illuminated with reflective lighting.