| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Matte or Glossy laptop LCD?
Scott Morgan, Photographer
 |
Burlington | IA | United States | Posted: 9:38 PM on 05.17.06 |
->> Now that a glossy screen is an option on Apple laptops, I wonder which is better for photo work? Apple claims their glossy screens don't shift colors like the ones used on other computers, so was that the only issue? How bad is the glare? Is the saturation/contrast better and more desirable?
I tend to think I would prefer the matte screen, but would like to hear from PC users out there who've actually used glossy screens in the field.
Thanks. |
|
Zach Honig, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Philadelphia | PA | USA | Posted: 9:57 PM on 05.17.06 |
| ->> I went to the Apple store today to check out this glossy screen for myself - my recommendation is to stick with Matte. Glossy screens are highly reflective - this won't be much of a problem if you're working in the dark but I can imagine it would be quite annoying in bright light or outside. I was hoping to buy a MacBook but the glossy screen and $200 surcharge for the black model helped make up my mind. |
|
Adam Hemphill, Photographer, Student/Intern
|
Willimantic | CT | US | Posted: 10:17 PM on 05.17.06 |
| ->> For our purposes, I would recommend a matte screen. |
|
David Harpe, Photographer
|
Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 12:54 AM on 05.18.06 |
->> As it turns out, I have two PC laptops...one with glossy, one with matte.
I prefer the glossy screen. The colors and contrast are much better. |
|
Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
|
Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 3:18 AM on 05.18.06 |
| ->> I just got a glossy screen PC laptop at work - I love it. Haven't used it outdoors, but in bright office lighting the glare isn't a problem at all. |
|
Erik Seo, Photographer, Assistant
|
Park City | UT | USA | Posted: 2:25 PM on 05.19.06 |
| ->> the glossy ones typically are their higher end ones that can be viewed well from many angles. |
|
Jay Adeff, Photographer
|
Salinas | CA | USA | Posted: 12:37 PM on 05.23.06 |
| ->> I replaced my old Toshiba matte screen laptop with an HP glossy screen laptop. While neither is as good as a CRT, the glossy screen laptop looks less "grainy" than the matte screen laptops and is a definite improvement. |
|
Ron Scheffler, Photographer
|
Hamilton (Toronto area) | Ontario | Canada | Posted: 4:47 PM on 05.24.06 |
->> I just got the MacBook today (as most know, it comes with only the glossy option). This is the first glossy laptop screen for me, and I took a chance on this one by ordering online sight unseen.
I think it's very good, but it's not perfect.
Coming from a 12" iBook, I feel the improvements are:
- Crisper, more saturated, richer look to images and everything else.
- Brighter than the iBook (but would be interesting to compare vs. the brighter matte screens in the MacBook Pros).
- Anti-reflective coating on the screen means reflections are not as bad as they could be without the coating.
- Perfectly useable outside, meaning I can finally see and read the screen, even under full, direct sunlight.
- Very neutral calibration to the eye after using the Eye One calibrator and software, though the profile did indicate that the blue channel seems to deviate a fair amount from the red and green.... if that's an accurate way to describe it. But as mentioned, to the eye, it appears very neutral, with grays being gray. The stock LCD profile was noticeably pink.
Cons:
- Reflections are definitely there, and visible. Even in a dimly lit room, I could make out my silhouette reflected in the screen against the lighter wall in the background, but only when there was a predominantly dark image being displayed. Time will tell how annoying this will be. It's definitely the most subjective issue in the glossy vs. matte debate.
- Dust seems to be more visible.
- Relatively narrow viewing angle, but I'm not certain it's any worse than the iBook. At least with the reflection in the screen, you can tell when your head is dead center, LOL.
Since I don't usually use my laptop for major Photoshop and color critical work, I'll probably be more forgiving than users who need to do that kind of work. So far I'm happy with the screen and the laptop. |
|
Ron Scheffler, Photographer
|
Hamilton (Toronto area) | Ontario | Canada | Posted: 5:38 PM on 05.24.06 |
->> Just another note about color quality of the MacBook glossy screen:
There does appear to be slight color shifting if one does not view the screen dead-on. If viewed from higher than center, neutral grays shift a touch blue/magenta and if viewed from below center, a touch yellow/green. Side to side changes in view appear to remain more neutral.
I suppose it depends on how critical you are. For my purposes, it's definitely not an issue and nowhere near a deal breaker. |
|
Avi Gerver, Photographer
|
New York | NY | USA | Posted: 5:42 PM on 05.24.06 |
->> It's my understanding that the saturation and contast in glossy screens are "better," meaning more intense, and therefore not as accurate. Someone conducted some tests and posted it online, but now I can't find the link. I think the general conclusion that the increased contrast was more of a problem than the increased saturation.
There's some discussion about it here:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1017&message=18539126 |
|
Ron Scheffler, Photographer
|
Hamilton (Toronto area) | Ontario | Canada | Posted: 7:36 PM on 05.24.06 |
->> That's generally true, in that higher contrast and higher saturation tends to mean fewer middle tones, i.e. when working on images in Photoshop... but I wonder how that corresponds to a glossy display that's been calibrated? Wouldn't the calibration "remap" the tonality of the display to be within the specified limits (6500K & 2.2 gamma, for example)?
Right now I'm sitting in front of both the MacBook and iBook 12". Both have been calibrated to the same settings (6500K, 2.2 gamma). I've lowered the brightness on the MB to about 2/3 to approximate the maximum brightness of the iBook. Viewing exactly the same images, there are slight color and contrast differences, but both screens show neutral grays with very, very similar quality. Incidentally, the iBook screen, when viewed from above or below, shifts as much, if not more in color than the MB screen... though I'm not certain the iBook was ever known for having a great screen. The MB screen also appears to be more evenly lit. As for the color difference, I'd say the MB is slightly more saturated and there are slight differences in certain colors. An experienced PS operator who knows how to work by the RGB & CMYK values in the Info palette would not be thrown off by the slight difference between the two.
Comparing identical images further, the most telling difference is that of apparent dmax, with blacks appearing richer and deeper on the glossy display. On the whole this gives images a 'snappier' look yet color quality isn't necessarily distorted vs. that of the iBook. Anyway, I couldn't be certain that the slightly muted color on the iBook is more correct than on the MB.
It will really depend on each photographers' specific needs. For me, I don't usually do color critical work on my laptop (not to imply that I'm not critical about color), therefore that aspect about glossy screens isn't such an issue for me. The fact that it is brighter is a benefit since I often use the laptop outside. The anti-reflective coating also seems to help reduce the reduction in contrast that afflicts matte screens when viewing them under hazy or overcast skies... Others will think differently. Perhaps it's a benefit to us all that there is at least this choice now in the MBP line. |
|
Robert Seale, Photographer
|
Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 7:48 PM on 05.24.06 |
->> Personally, I think Apple is insane for doing this, and I hope they don't decide to do it with the pro books.
I've seen these over the years on some of the big Toshiba and Sony laptops, and it looks like you're trying to see your screen through a fishtank.
The new laptop I looked at in the Apple store yesterday picked up every reflection of every light source within 3 miles....I cannot imagine editing photos on one.
Write to your Congressman, write to your Apple rep, and tell them to stop this madness.....
Uggghhh. |
|
Avi Gerver, Photographer
|
New York | NY | USA | Posted: 2:16 PM on 05.25.06 |
| ->> Well, the glossy screens might be okay, but I don't think anyone would argue that they have any benefit for Photoshop users, and many argue that they're worse. As it is, laptop screens are lousy for color correction, so why should we be forced to use glossy screens which can only make things worse? I need a new laptop, but Apple's smallest matte screen laptop is 15.4", way too big. Ah, if only Apple could release a laptop the size of the Sony 11" ones. I think people would pay $2200+ for it, approximately what Sony charges for theirs. |
|
Jody Gomez, Photographer
|
Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 9:32 PM on 07.02.06 |
->> I know this is an old thread, but I have had a Gateway 4530 with the glossy screen for about a year and a half now.
Yes there is glare when working outside - but I've learned not to edit outside. The colors are spot on - I've had no problems, and I've learned to adjust for the glare.
Now when I look at a matte screen, it seems so dull compared to my glossy.
Just my $0.02
:~) |
|
Corey Perrine, Photographer
|
Manchester | NH | USA | Posted: 9:45 PM on 07.02.06 |
| ->> Someone correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't it be a bigger concern about what medium you are outsourcing to? (i.e. newspapers, magazines, the web) Sure, a glossy screen might "look nicer" but a majority of the world has matte screens and most of us shoot for newspapers. So those praising the glossy, why? |
|
Robert Seale, Photographer
|
Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 2:11 AM on 07.03.06 |
->> If Apple is listening....please, please, please don't add the glossy screen to any of the other products....LCD flat screen monitors, or pro books. The glossy screen could easily be a "stick-on" aftermarket item if people want it, but the reflections really ruin most photographer's ability to work on these machines.
If you feel the same, please wite to your Congressman,...er, uh, ......talk to your Apple representative. |
|
Return to --> Message Board Main Index
|