Hi everybody,

I'm thinking about buying the new iMac (2.8 GHz, 2 GB, 500 GB, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3 memory) but, while pretty sure about the system and configuration, not so sure about the screen for photo editing, manipulation and color correction. Is the monitor good enough and reliable for professional purposes?

Any thought will be extremely appreciated.

Best regards.

I have a 24" aluminum iMac that I bought about a month before this new upgrade was announced. It seems like every time I buy something the new and improved version comes out.

Anyway, I love the screen on mine. A lot of people don't like the glossy screens, and it took a little getting used to at first but I don't even notice it now. The color on mine was really nice right out of the box and it is a joy editing on that large screen. The only problem so far was I could not get the screen brightness down to 140, but it is close enough to be acceptable. Understand others have experienced the same thing.

So don't know if the new model has the same problem because of the different graphics card but would expect you would be able to get nice results from it.

Craig,

Doesn't it have Displays Preferences with a brightness slider?

Scotti

Hi- I use an iMac for my photo work. I make sure I keep it calibrated. My calibrator calibrates both the monitor and takes existing light in the room into account. It seems to work ok for me.

I have the non-glossy screen. I think the glossy one would have too much glare for my taste.

Thanks guys for the reply. It helped a lot. Sure the ideal solution would be investing in a proper monitor like the LaCie 324 or preferably the Eizo FlexScan SX3031W. But as I've some budget issues, is good to know the iMac 24" can handle the job.

Best regards.

Enio,

My biggest concern when I was buying my first Apple monitor was the lack of contrast control. Now that I've been using them for a few years, it really doesn't seem to make that much of a difference when calibrated. I use an EyeOne Display 2.

You will be very happy with your iMac monitor as long as you don't do a side by side comparison with an Eizo. That could prove to be quite costly!

Scotti

quote:

Originally posted by O. Bisogno Scotti:
[qb] Craig,

Doesn't it have Displays Preferences with a brightness slider?

Scotti [/qb]

Yes, and also the F1 and F2 keys on the keyboard. Have it dialed back about half way right now and it seems just about right. I am wondering if perhaps the Eye One is not measuring the brightness correctly as my prints come out very close in brightness to what I see on the screen.

Also Scotti about contrast control, the iMac does have it but it is hidden in a weird place and not where you would logically look for it in Systems Preferences/Hardware/Displays. You can find it in System Preferences/System/Universal Access. It is kind of weird, the slider starts at "Normal" on the left hand side to "Maximum" on the right. Mine looks pretty good on "Normal" and on "Maximum" it is the most horrid and unuseable thing you have ever seen.

I have a 30" Cinema. For me to attain a luminance of 140 with the eyeOne, I have to be dialed down 3/4 of the way. In other words, I'm at 1/4 of maximum brightness. To match my printers, I have to dial it down a hair more.

Cinema displays have no contrast control.

It is kind of weird, the slider starts at "Normal" on the left hand side to "Maximum" on the right. Mine looks pretty good on "Normal" and on "Maximum" it is the most horrid and unuseable thing you have ever seen.

Sounds like Apple is leading iMac owners to believe they have contrast control, but in actuality, there is none. Not usable control anyway.

Scotti

I was told by a mac employee that the reason behind the glossy screens was to discourage pros from buying imacs and to steer them toward the more expensive towers.

I have an older iMac without the glossy screen and I love it. I do not think I could edit with the glossy. Another consideration is a power book and a good monitor.

re - Another consideration is a power book and a good monitor.

---

i think that's the route i'm taking (maybe a 2.4 ghz MacBook Pro)for now before updating the desktop to a MacPro.

we have a 20" white iMac with the matt screen.
(the good one...)
the current 24" models were considered.

Dear cuechick,

When have you been told about that? Is this problem just with the glossy screen models? Do you know if this already applies to the new iMacs?

Best regards.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

I have one of the newer iMacs. My problem is not with the glossy screen, it's with the way the screen looks lighter or darker depending on what angle you look at it from. How can you judge density on a photo on a screen like that. It's like a laptop screen. When I looked at it before I bought it, I thought it would be OK, but I ended up having to buy a monitor for it. Without the extra monitor it's not a computer for a serious professional.

Scott Greenwalt
http://www.scottgreenwalt.com

Hi Enio,
I was told this a few months ago. I was getting my old power book repaired and dealing with one of the managers and I asked him what ever possessed Apple to make the iMacs with that screen? That was his response.

It does make some sense, I think they made the iMacs too good and a huge percent of the customers who they thought would buy the pricier towers were choosing it instead. Like myself.

As I think I stated, I have the iMac from right before the change and I love it. Just going into the store and looking at my site on those screens tells me it will really be impossible (for me) to work on images with it. It is just too high contrast. Keeping in mind I am more of a matt girl. I have never liked glossy paper but I just do not know how you could properly process an image for print production on one of those.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott Greenwalt:
[qb] I have one of the newer iMacs. My problem is not with the glossy screen, it's with the way the screen looks lighter or darker depending on what angle you look at it from. How can you judge density on a photo on a screen like that. It's like a laptop screen. When I looked at it before I bought it, I thought it would be OK, but I ended up having to buy a monitor for it. Without the extra monitor it's not a computer for a serious professional.

Scott Greenwalt
http://www.scottgreenwalt.com [/qb]

Scott, do you have the 20 or 24 inch screen? I have a 24 inch screen and have no problem at all with viewing angles. But from what I understand the 20 inch model is totally different and people do have problems with it.

I have the 20 inch screen.