Everything you need to know for the correct display of your professional projects.
If you are a fan of graphics, video editing or photography, you know how important it is to have a quality monitor that allows you to display colors in a faithful and precise way. But how do you choose the right monitor for your needs? What are the features to consider? And what are the best monitors on the market for professional projects? In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about monitor grading, a specific type of monitor for color correction and color grading. We will see what it is, what it is for, who it is aimed at, what are the most performing models, why monitor calibration is necessary to optimize the performance of your screen and how to rent a professional monitor to carry out high quality projects.
1. What is monitor grading?
Monitor grading is a monitor that has particular technical characteristics, which make it suitable for color correction and color grading. Color correction is the process of correcting the colors of an image or video, to make them more natural, uniform and balanced. Color grading is the process of creatively modifying the colors of an image or video, to give them a certain style, atmosphere or emotion.
1.1 Technical characteristics of monitor grading
Both of these processes (color correction and color grading) require a monitor that is able to reproduce colors accurately, without distortions or alterations. The grading monitor, therefore, is a monitor that has the following characteristics:
- Wide color gamut: the grading monitor must be able to cover a wide range of colors, which corresponds to professional standards. For example, the grading monitor must cover at least 99% of the sRGB color space, which is the most widespread standard for the web and digital photography, and at least 90% of the Adobe RGB color space, which is the standard for printing and professional graphics. In addition, it must also support more advanced color spaces, such as DCI-P3, which is the standard for digital cinema, Rec. 2020, which is the standard for Ultra HD and 4K and Rec. 709 which is the HD video standard.
- Wide dynamic range: the grading monitor must have a wide dynamic range, i.e. the ability of the monitor to display a wide range of brightness levels and colors. It can therefore reproduce details in the darkest and brightest areas of an image, allowing optimal viewing during color correction and color grading processes.
- Good uniformity: the grading monitor must have good uniformity, which allows it to show colors evenly across the entire screen surface. Uniformity is the ability of the monitor to maintain the same level of brightness, color and contrast at every point on the screen, without variations or unevenness.
2. What is the grading monitor for?
When working on professional projects it is frustrating not to know exactly how the final product will be viewed by the customer. The risk is to waste time and not be able to achieve a color match between different sources and different display supports, compromising the final result of the project. For this reason it is optimal to use a monitor that allows you to display colors in a faithful and precise way, always.
2.1 What it allows to do
The grading monitor, in fact, allows you to:
- Perform color correction and color grading accurately and precisely: the grading monitor allows you to correct and modify the colors of an image or video, following technical or artistic criteria, and obtaining optimal and consistent results. The grading monitor, therefore, is an indispensable tool for those who want to carry out high quality and professionalism graphics, video editing or photography projects.
- Check the compatibility and consistency of colors between different devices and formats: the grading monitor allows you to check that the colors of an image or video are compatible and consistent between different devices and formats, such as the web, print, cinema, TV, etc. It supports a wide range of color spaces, which are the color representation systems used by different devices and formats. Therefore, it allows you to verify that the colors of an image or video are displayed correctly and uniformly on all devices and formats, without loss or variation in quality.
- Ensure, from the start, professional work: the grading monitor offers an optimal and reliable view of the colors, raising the quality of the final product. The grading monitor, therefore, allows you to optimize the workflow and improve the quality and satisfaction of the customer.
2.2 What are the advantages of the grading monitor
Unlike a standard monitor, the grading monitor has different characteristics that impact on the image rendering:
- The quality of the colors: a grading monitor has a greater color fidelity, i.e. it reproduces colors in a more accurate and realistic way. With a normal monitor it is impossible to reproduce the color space accurately.
- The response time: a grading monitor has a lower response time, i.e. the time it takes for a pixel to change color. This means that the image is more responsive and without shades. A normal monitor has a higher response time and can have a trail or ghosting effect.
- Adapt images or videos to different formats, devices, platforms or quality standards, ensuring optimal viewing in every situation.
3. Who is the grading monitor for?
The grading monitor is aimed at those who work with images, videos, photos or printing in a professional field, and need to have a monitor that offers them the highest quality and reliability in color display. Therefore, anyone who needs to know that their color space is correct. Difficulty in obtaining optimal color rendering and compatibility problems between different devices, are some of the problems that professionals who use unsuitable screens can encounter. Whether you are a DIT, DOP or a colorist, the grading monitor is a necessary tool for the correct performance of your work.
3.1 For whom it is indispensable
The grading monitor is an indispensable tool for those who deal with:
- DIT: the reference monitor facilitates the work of the DIT (Digital Imaging Technician), who is the professional who manages the digital workflow on the set, intervening on the camera settings, on the gamma curves, on the LUT (Look Up Table) and on the CDL (Color Decision List)
- Colorist: makes possible the color grading work of the colorists helping them to obtain precise and consistent colors
- DOP: optimizes the work of the DOP, who can rely on a reliable and calibrated grading monitor to monitor the quality of the images and to facilitate communication and collaboration between the set and post-production.
- Graphics: those who deal with graphics, both static and dynamic, need a grading monitor to create and modify images, logos, icons, banners, animations, etc. The grading monitor allows you to choose and apply colors accurately and precisely, following the needs of the customer and market trends. The grading monitor, therefore, is essential for those who want to carry out high quality and professionalism graphics projects.
- Photography: Those who deal with photography need a grading monitor to take and modify photos, portraits, landscapes, still life, etc. Whether it's a digital or printed product, it's essential that the color rendering on the final product is consistent and as faithful as possible to the original.
In addition to these areas, the grading monitor can also be useful for those who deal with other sectors, such as architecture, design, art, gaming, etc. Therefore, for anyone who has a professional project that requires image quality and reliability.
4. Which monitor to choose
We at Colorshape know the world of reference monitors well, having worked firsthand on sets as DITs (image technicians). Following the main characteristics that we have analyzed above, we propose monitor models with different performances: Sony PVM-A250, LCD Sony LMD-A240/8, EIZO CG279X. Each monitor meets different needs. We can advise you on the one that best suits your needs. For more precise and detailed information, write to us at info@colorshape.it to get a tailor-made consultation for your project.
5. Rental of calibrated monitors: consistent and ready-to-use interfaces
Whether you are a professional or at your first professional projects, having a reliable monitor is one of the first needs you will encounter. Buying a grading monitor is not always the most suitable choice. Maybe you are away from home and bringing your personal monitor with you is not that simple? And if projects happen where not just one but more monitors are needed? Maybe for a job that lasts a few hours! How convenient it would be to only pay for the hours of use!
Well, now it's no longer a utopia: we at Colorshape offer a grading monitor rental service tailored to every need:
- Availability for short periods
- Delivery in 4 hours in Milan
- Calibration according to international standards
- Technical assistance
- Reduction of costs for your professional projects
Your monitor in Milan, calibrated according to international standards, delivered within 4 hours. Don't give up on quality for your projects, rely on our rental service. All you have to do is request a quote by writing to us at info@colorshape.it.
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