Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/09

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Subject: [Leica] Glossy Mac screen
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:16:15 -0400

Just to be a quick devils advocate here and hopefully not a total pain in
the ass here Geoff a high end closed loupe whatever monitor system is a key
thing for commercial photography but photojournalism and street shooting
(read Leica) those guys really seem to be getting by really without so much
technology and cost and size.
The fast majority of the key images we see late breaking every day are
tweaked if necessary (from jpegs) on  small laptops in crowded Starbucks or
the back seats of cabs or motel rooms with little or no calibration. Somehow
color balance, density and contrast of the pix are not overly lost in the
translation from the camera to the photographers laptop to the monitors and
papers of the people who look at the late breaking news. And these shots win
prizes and get seen repeatedly in all kinds of contexts. I'm not putting
down you guys who have super big bucks put into your monitors and support
gear I just know that those of use who have chosen to spend all that money
elsewhere are doing ok too. And we don't need to be felt sorry for.
Ok not so quick.


On 6/9/13 11:21 PM, "Geoff Hopkinson" <hopsternew at gmail.com> wrote:

> That is interesting that you can pull out the cover glass on some Mac
> screens. Who would have thunk it?
> I've never used one; they look attractive in the store displays. I had a
> Macbook once.
> As I understand it a gloss screen may look more appealing because of its
> apparent extra sharpness and contrast and typically all monitors are
> delivered with high brightness levels and very high contrast too. Speaking
> of photo editing specifically a typical screen can make images look
> "nicer". That is similar to a jpg compared to a flat raw file, if I can use
> that analogy. If your primary or current purpose is to view or edit for
> screen displays obviously they can work fine. Millions of people use just
> that.
> 
> With the advent of Windows 8 gloss is important too for touch screen
> functions. I like that on my phone and iPad. I would hate it on my photo
> editing PC and gloss annoys me constantly on my  laptops. That is just
> personal preference of course.
> 
> What a high end matte screened large colour space calibrated to low
> contrast and luminance monitor in a colour managed system can do better is
> to show you much more closely what prints will look like. That's what they
> are for. A fine art printing stock paper might only be capable of recording
> perhaps a contrast ratio of 150:1 and be "stops darker"since it is
> reflective rather than transmissive by nature of course.. Standard monitors
> claim figures of 10,000 :1 or more. Further the tonal gradation
> (smoothness) can be much much better and the screen edge to edge variation
> much smaller.
> 
> Just like cameras, lots and lots of them take great photos but enthusiasts
> can value more control, more quality and all of the rest and you might have
> to pay more, often a lot more.
> Up to everyone individually whether the costs are worth it for them of
> course.
> 
> 
> 
> *Harden up cupcake, no-one's shooting at you!*
> 
> Cheers
> Geoff
> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman
> 
> 
> On 10 June 2013 12:43, RicCarter <ric at cartersxrd.net> wrote:
> 
>> i agree that the glossy is hard in some situations
>> 
>> it almost never bothers me
>> 
>> i find the matte inferior in virtually all situations (for photography,
>> not typing)
>> 
>> ric
>> 
>> 
>> On Jun 9, 2013, at 10:37 PM, lrzeitlin at aol.com wrote:
>> 
>>> 
>>> The shininess does not affect calibration but makes it hard to work on
>> in some situations. Most of the glossiness can be removed, a suction cup
>> can pull out the very glossy over-screen leaving a not so shiny one
>> underneath (it is just held in by magnets) - plus a lot of untidiness.
>>> 
>>> I had forgotten about that downside, madness from Apple IMO
>>> 
>>> john
>>> 
>>> * * * * *
>>> 
>>> Most of the older LED Mac laptops and desktops had matte screens. The
>> glossy screen started in about 2009 at the request of buyers who felt that
>> glossy screens (as on most PCs) were brighter and easier to clean. I'm
>> writing this on a 12" Mac Powerbook with a matte screen. My older 20" iMac
>> had a matte screen as well. While many dedicated photographers are Mac
>> users, they are an infinitesimal minority compared to the general Mac
>> buying population. Many after market Mac suppliers will fit a matte screen
>> to your Mac if you are willing to pay for it. I've managed to adapt to my
>> current glossy iMac screen. Just sit directly in front of it and minimize
>> reflections by keeping the room lights subdued. But I still love using my
>> old Powerbook.
>>> 
>>> Larry Z
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photography
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/




Replies: Reply from hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] Glossy Mac screen)
In reply to: Message from hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] Glossy Mac screen)