Monitor Buying Guide: Features That Minimize Eye Strain
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Eye Strain has become a major concern for digital photographers, everything we do seems to involve some sort of monitor. According to some sources, up to two-thirds of Americans have experienced some form of eye strain from near constant viewing of TVs, computers, and other monitors.
Since we can’t stop using monitors in our modern world and digital age of photography, we will need to find other methods of how to reduce eye strain. Using better monitors than what we have on our laptops is one good method. When considering computer monitor buying guides, besides looking for something larger, photographers would also do well to shop for monitor features that reduce eye strain.
Larger Size
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Number one of monitor features that reduce eye strain is using something bigger than the built in screen on your laptop. While I was very pleased with my newest laptop and the super high-resolution monitor it used, the smallest screens in almost any monitor buying guide or catalog will increase the total viewing area by a significant amount.
Instead of squinting or moving in closer to view details accurately while working with post processing or video editing programs, we can stay seated comfortably and see what we need to work on.
Look for High-Resolution Screens
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The larger size won’t do anyone any good if there isn’t high quality detail and sharpness to go along with that larger size screen. You may not even notice it at first, but a large view with slightly fuzzy edges will play havoc with your vision, causing headaches and sometimes other symptoms, such as nausea and double vision.
High-resolution monitors are absolutely necessary for paid photo and video gigs since you need to ensure that you are delivering the best end product to your clients, guaranteeing that you will impress your clients.
High-resolution has another benefit not evident at first glance, but it allows you to tile your programs and processes on the larger screen so you can speed up and simplify your workflow. On lower resolution monitors, tiling tends to look a bit jumbled, which also causes eye strain. The sharper monitors make it appear to be multiple discrete monitors instead of merely a portion of the screen.
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Curved Screen
One of the most fantastic developments in recent monitor manufacturing is the curved screen. A very slightly curved screen will almost totally reduce eye strain when combined with high-resolution on a larger screen.
The reason a curved screen reduces eye strain is because it eliminates the slanted view of the edges of the monitor, instead making it appear as though you are straight on to every part of the monitor.
Accurate Color
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The last of the monitor features that reduce eye strain we’ll list for this monitor buying guide is accurate color rendition. The more colors your monitor can display and the more accurately the monitor is able to differentiate the different colors, the easier it is on your eyes and brain to see all the colors.
When added to the other features of high-resolution and a curved screen, being able to accurately show all the colors of your images and videos will enable you to better finish your photographs and video recordings.
Monitor Buying Guide
Now that we have the top four monitor features that reduce eye strain listed, we will finish with a couple of actual monitor recommendations. Wouldn’t be a monitor buying guide without listing a monitor or two, would it?
There are many fine high-resolution, large, curved screen monitors with accurate color rendition on the market at prices that run from scarcely more than an accessory kit lens to almost as much as a prosumer camera.
I recently opted for the 38-inch and 34 inch curved screen monitors from ViewSonic, the VP3881 and VP3481 in a dual monitor setup that is optimized for high quality photo processing and video editing. Either one of these would be an excellent choice for a new monitor that reduces eye strain.
ViewSonic curved screen monitors have superb color accuracy with over 4.39 trillion colors, are extremely sharp, and deliver an immersive viewing experience with greatly reduced eye strain.
Whatever monitor your budget lets you buy, sticking to the monitor features that reduce eye strain such as the four listed here will greatly improve your viewing pleasure and will also let you create the best possible images and videos from your digital files. Don’t squint! And sit up straight, you’re slouching.
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