HD color correct monitor recommendation?

Hello,

I'm going to need to do a thorough color correct on my own for a project that was shot primarily in HDV, and edited in ProRes. I'm going to purchase a Matrox MX02 to use for this (and capturing ProRes needs). Any recommendations on an HD monitor for this? Thanks

Greg

What's your budget? If you say under $1000...I will laugh at you.

If you say under $2000...I'll say HDTV, but a Panasonic Plasma (A GOOD HDTV).

If you say under $3000...then we have some options.


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Quote

If you say under $1000...I will laugh at you.

He means it too. Shane's laughed at me before. It's not a fun experience.

All kidding aside, though, it really depends on just what kind of color correction we're talking about. Is this in the realm of "These shots are all out of whack and I need to pull them into something consistent?" Or is it more "We're getting creative?"

Cause if your intention is to get creative, then you need a really top-shelf grading monitor and a consumer-grade television. The grading monitor will show you what you've really got, and the consumer TV will show you what that looks like in a typical living room.

Without both, you could end up getting everything tuned up nice the way you like it on your meticulously calibrated god monitor, only to discover after the fact that it looks like complete butt on a right-out-of-the-box television.

But don't listen to me; take Shane's advice. He does this for a living. Literally.

Hi guys,

I'd say $2K is realistic for a budget. So the Panasonic Plasma A then? Cool, I'll look it up. However, if I want to go crazy, get the top of the line, are there places in LA (I'm new to the area) where I can rent a top-end monitor for a couple weeks?

In terms of what I'm doing, it's the "these shots need sweetening" (proper value range, color balance, sharpness if it needs a little filter boost), not "major creative adjustments" (making blue red, wacky sci-fi effects/filters, massive green screen stuff). Although...I will be doing some layering/compositing here and there to quench the color in a corner of an image while bringing something out in the larger area of the frame.

The consumer-grade TV sidekick makes sense to me...but do you mean a typical LCD 16:9 thingy that people are getting nowadays, or an older CRT? Or both? I fully understand the logic here. It's like mixing audio on a 128-channel board, but then listening to it on a crappy jambox too to hear 'how some folks will hear it'.

Thanks!
Greg

Quote

do you mean a typical LCD 16:9 thingy that people are getting nowadays, or an older CRT?

These here a'days, I'd say something like a Bravia, or whatever the popular consumer model is lately. Just a totally bog-standard Best Buy special, taken out of the box and not adjusted at all. Most people leave their TVs at the factory settings, and the goal here is to see what your spot (or whatever) looks like on the average TV.

It's not mandatory. It's something I like to do when I have the option, though.

I can afford a Best Buy special. Thanks!

Is this what you mean?

[www.bhphotovideo.com]

They have a good price...

No, that's consumer. I mean something like this:

[www.bhphotovideo.com]

[www.bhphotovideo.com]


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Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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I don't know if it's exactly the same model as those, but by sheer coincidence I happened to hear that Nice Shoes in New York is using those Panasonic Pro Plasmas in their grading suites. For what that's worth.

Cool, thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to be in NYC next week and will check them out.

Urg. It occurs to me that I may've been mistaken. I think they're using Pioneer plasmas up there, not Panasonic ones. I blame the alliteration.

Shane Ross Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No, that's consumer. I mean something like this:
>
> [www.bhphotovideo.com]
> anasonic_TH_42PF11UK_TH_42PF11UK_42_Professional_P
> lasma.html


That 42" has been back-ordered there for months. Very popular.

- Justin Barham -

Hi Shane,

I'm about to buy a video card to run this HD monitor suggestion you made, but I want to make sure it will deliver. Most of my project was shot HDV 30p. Would this card handle that material well, do you know, in conjunction with the Panasonic monitor you recommended?

[www.bhphotovideo.com]

Video Formats: HD: 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 720p50, 720p59.94

Thanks for your time...

Greg

Hi Shane,

Would I be able to run either of those monitors off of this Blackmagic card?

[www.bhphotovideo.com]

I may have already asked this; apologies if I'm repeating myself. It's a hectic week

Greg

Do they have HDMI in? If so...yes.


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Cool, thanks!

Hi Shane,

Sorry to bother you again. I'm going to have to rent a monitor to do the color correction work I have coming up (budget constraints), and I was wondering if you thought this model would 'cut it'.

[www.bhphotovideo.com]

I have found a great deal here in LA on renting this unit, but don't want to shoot myself in the foot at trying to save a buck. It has good contrast ratio, but doesn't make any special claims at being a true broadcast monitor...

Thanks so much for your time.

Greg

Nope...that's just a TV. If you have the MXO2, then it will work in a pinch. But I'd really recommend a pro monitor for rent. WEXLER rents them.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Great, thanks!