Glossy screen for iMac

[GMB]

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I think of migrating from PC to Mac. The 24" iMac with some extra RAM should do the job. Now I heard from some people that the glossy screen (the iMac apparently only comes with a glossy screen) would be bad for "serious" color management (i.e., make it difficult to work on a fully calibrated system). These people (all Mac users) thus suggested a Mac Pro with a non-glossy screen. While I am not sure I want to enter the world of serious color management, I would appreciate to hear the views of Mac users in this forum.

 

And please, do not turn this into a PC vs Mac debate

[andybarton]

It has been said here that the newer iMac screens are difficult to calibrate - something that is essential if you are to take your colour work seriously.

 

Macs come with built-in calibration tools which give a calibration which is almost impossible to tell apart from one of the dedicated hardware solutions, in my experience. You should calibrate around once a fortnight, under the lighting conditions that you use to do your colour work.

 

Glossy screens, regardless of whether in front of a Mac or PC, suffer from reflections, of course.

 

I have a year old iMac which has the non-glossy screen, and I would certainly think twice before buying a glossy one.

[spylaw4]

I agree with Andy - I recently upgraded to the last of the white Intel iMacs with non-glossy screens, for that very reason.

 

I did read though that the 20" aluminium is difficult /impossible to calibrate but the 24" is ok for calibration. How true that is - - I'm not sure and I wasn't going to be the one to find out.

[Guest Bernd Banken]

there might be the chance to remove the glass in front of the panel. It's fixed by magnetic holders I've been told

[rob_x2004]

Suggest you go on to somewhere like whirlpool forums and do a search. iMac changes screen on new model apparently cost cutting exercise and it is set up now for the games and video watching, design aimed squarely at that market. I don't know if the problem is vignetting of the pixels, the location of the lighting strip, or the glass screen flaring. Probably all contribute. It isnt something that can be improved with calibration. You cant remove the glass screen. The 24 is better than than the 20. They are great fun to use neat and tidy but colour cast and intensity variation across the screens make them pretty useless for serious editing regardless of colour acuracy or lack thereof. Once you have done your editing somewhere else import colour images to the new iMac and they do come alive. Though most of the b&w and b&w conversions shots posted in this forum look like they have been done by two year olds when you see them on the iMac20. I had two in the first week, have subsequently looked at maybe fifteen units in retairs stores.

 

You might get away with the new 24 at a pinch, and they are great fun to use. Great for what they are intended for.

[Guest stnami]

I'd go PC before I would consider lip gloss:)

[tobey bilek]

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I have a 4 month old iMac 24. matt naturally.

 

Happening by the Mac store, I ventured in to check out the glossy. Even under miserable store conditions, I found it all right.

 

Set up properly in a work room, no ceiling lights, low ambient I could see it working just fine.

 

 

I would never go back to a business machine for graphic arts.

 

I was told by a third party Mac distributer that the glass transfers heat from the machine better therefore prolonging it`s life.

[pleeson]

I have the 24" iMac, It's very bright to start with, but the Spyder2 program calibrated easily.

I think the screen is better than my prior matte 20" white iMac, better resolution, sharper.

The front glass is not removeable.

Reflections aren't a problem for me.

I used to assemble PC's for fun, you couldn't give me one now, and the display is by far not the main reason...