Do computer screens ruin photographs?

Marc

Marc

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I have noticed lately that when I look closely at a photograph in PS, even though I am pleased with the overall image, I can see imperfections (eg, fuzzy bits) yet when I print it at A4, no matter how closely I look, the image looks fine.:shrug:

Is this something to to with the screens, electronics or what? It's not to do with brightness or colours so I don't think it's a calibration thing. Has anybody else come across this? Will the "Film" brigade say "We told you so"? Am I asking to many questions? Am I just mad? :cuckoo::D
 
It has to do with the way screens display the image. The screen will likely have a resolution that shows about 72 pixels per inch, whereas on print your resolution will be closer to 300 dots per inch.

The more dots = sharper picture.
 
If you really want to upset yourself, get a PC and a Mac next to each other showing the same image. (Have a box of tissues ready - for crying into)
 
I have a 17" laptop that is 18 months old and a week old Macbook Air and the screen on the Mac is a whole lot better. Brought it purely to do a bit of editing on and it is well worth spending on a mac.
 
Don't look at it closely ... I rarely edit at more than a 25% view, which then pretty much matches what I expect to see in a print.
 
It's just the contrast ratio that you cant get a feel for on a monitor.

If you look at a colour gaunt for a computer compared to what an eye can see (and printer can print) you will see there are HUGE chunks missing, so you will only see them on print.
 
Grockle said:
If you really want to upset yourself, get a PC and a Mac next to each other showing the same image. (Have a box of tissues ready - for crying into)
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Forbiddenbiker said:
Really! Its that much better , even if the pc has a top monitor... do macs have a higher resolution or something then?
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A quick check of the tech specs on the Apple site shows they have the same resolution as comparable sized good quality monitors available for Windows PCs so would be no more useful to the OP with regards to the issue described in their first post :shrug:
 
Chris L said:
A quick check of the tech specs on the Apple site shows they have the same resolution as comparable sized good quality monitors available for Windows PCs so would be no more useful to the OP with regards to the issue described in their first post :shrug:
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Yep. Plenty of decent monitors for PC's. And then there are the Pro monitors, if you want to spend £1000's.

However, I have a Apple HD monitor, and I'm yet to see a screen as good, but then I probably haven't looked very hard :D
 
They might have the same resolution and I haven't got a clue about the technical details but there is one hell of a difference when you look at them side by side.
 
Grockle said:
They might have the same resolution and I haven't got a clue about the technical details but there is one hell of a difference when you look at them side by side.
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With respect you need to compare like for like.:)

The average windows box ships with at best an average grade of monitor. Macs are aimed at visual artists, graphic designers etc for whom a quality screen is a necessity unlike the average windows box which is typically destined to display office documents, games and websites.

Part of the price premium of the Mac is because a quality display will cost more but it would be wrong to think a windows box couldn't display the same quality assuming an equally good monitor were used.
 
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