Love them Richard, I have had a BenQ for about 3 years + now, it is the SW2700PT - 27" 2K with stray light shield. I find 2K is just great, as you say does not affect computer performance as much as a 4K would. They have great Palette Master colour calibration software. When I tried Palette Master I had an issue to start with and both questions I asked were answered overnight to resolve the issue I was getting, so now I use Palette Master to calibrate my monitor.
I've fought with monitors from the beginning until I picked up a BenQ PD2700Q. What an amazing improvement. I'm sold on the brand. I too like multiple monitors and use BenQ for both. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for posting this video on a good quality, reasonably priced photo editing monitor. I currently use an iMac 27" 5K monitor, but when its time to upgrade the SW271C is definitely the one for me. While I am happy with the iMac screen I no longer like the idea of an all-in one system and will likely go for the Mac Studio Max or Ultra to go with my new BenQ monitor.
I've started to use an iMac in the last twelve months myself the 27"5k monitor and 27"4k is just brilliant and has made quite a difference to my edits, I still use my Dell's via remote desktop on the iMac's - if I'd not made the change I'd certainly be heading to a monitor like the BenQ - they've had the best rep for some time amongst photographers. Great effort as always Richard 🙂
Thanks again for a informative video Richard I have a older model BenQ monitor and found it the be great for photo editing so this video information is a great help in my choice in what to getvwhen I upgrade
Hi Richard another great video, Ive had trouble with monitors for a long time. I accuired a Benq SW240, agreat monitor I still have some brightness issues when I do the occasional print.
Yes I think when printing night photos they are always really difficult to get right. I tend to always brighten them up a bit as they always show brighter on a screen.
Great review Richard, if I could add anything it would be to look at color calibrating your monitor to achieve consistency between monitors, and for also for printing. It also provides a consistent look for online photo sharing. While the monitor may be calibrated at the factory, it is also dependent on the GPU of the computer, and it doesn't mean that it will be calibrated to match other devices. There are a number of options, but I have used Datacolor's SpyderXElite system for a number of years with great results. Looking forward to you guys sending the Milky Way back up to us for the 2023 season, lol!
I have been considering both of these monitors but trying to decide which one suits me best. I’ve done research on a lot of monitors and these BenQ models seem to be the pick of the bunch. Another great informative video Richard, thank you 🙏🏻
Hi Richard, I’ve found the BenQ PD2705U 27inch 4K UHD IPS monitors quite good. We run a few of these in the office, but I have a 27” iMac that’s also got a Eizo ColorEdge CS2730 hanging off it which I use for photo editing specifically. A great quality monitor you can sometimes pick up 2nd hand for a good price.
I bought their SW270C monitor and the i1Display Pro calibration tool in 2020 when setting up a new PC system. It's a great monitor. My only bugbear is the turn on time. It takes much longer for the display to come to life than any other monitor I've used. And it takes the same time when rebooting after an update even when it's already warmed up. I've no idea what it's doing in that time, perhaps plotting the overthrow of civilization, Ren and Stimpy style. 🙂
I didn't really notice anything like that .. perhaps a little slower . .anyway I guess that only happens once when you start the computer .. Thanks for watching.
Another good video from you. Thank you. I also have realized no matter how good our camera , lens and other photography gears are ... No matter how good images we could capture in the first place .... Once it comes to post process stage and the monitor screen can not represent "The true color" , everything just is just gone down the drain .... imo
I think it all adds up to the final product. All of those steps must lead to the final image .. .then of course printing is another beast altogether ..!!!!
I brought myself a ViewSonic brand.. it's a VP series. perfect for low budget.. the colours come out perfect when I am printing, and I used this for viewing my images. I was going to get BenQ.. it's way out of my price range
Putting the PS In the monitor chassis probably also isolates the power from sources of interference (like other cables) because the power is conditioned after getting to the monitor rather than before. This arrangement provides guaranteed clean power to the monitor. "Dirty" power can, I believe, affect the monitor's color temperature.
Hi Richard. Since you mention liking seeing the UI such as buttons, sliders, and text at a reasonable size, might i suggest you change the scaling setting to 150%? Instead of using a lower resolution, this will be much better since the photos you see will still be crisp and detailed but UI and text will be readable. I'm 26 years old and I have to have it at 150 % on my 32-inch 4K haha. You should be able to hit the start key and search resolution. Then choose what you want on the scale and layout setting.
Those screens look great, but are quiet expensive. Obviously, if being used professionally it's another matter. Years ago purchased a very good HP graphics monitor and war very happy with it. Years later I wanted a double screen but my one was no longer available. I then found a refurbished one for 90 Euros and it was lke new! Were you in Scotland, I thought I spotted Nessie!
Hi there, great video! I am on the quest for a replacement of my 4 year old Benq SW270C 2k monitor because of new magenta color cast on certain areas. I am driven towards the 27" 4k to go along with the times, but I do a lot of e-commerce photography and also need a lower resolution to have accurate web previews. Does changing the recommended 4k resolution to 2k or either upscaling text to 150-200% size looses sharpness in comparison to a 2k native res monitor? Some people say it is hard to judge good edit sharpening for the web in a 4k (unwanted oversharpening). I mostly use Lightroom and PS and have no budget issues. Is 32 too straining for the eyes? I am a PC user. Thank you in advance!
Thanks for watching Susana. To be honest I like the 27 inch monitors and I prefer to edit in 2K as well. I think it's often hard to see a difference. I hear what you say about web previews, emails and general documents. I've never had any issues editing any of these monitors in 2K resolution for my nightscape photography.
Hi. I just bought a mac mini with M2 chip and started looking around for a monitor and came across this video. Apples monitor is never going to grace my desk but BenQ is a name I've used in the past and been very happy. In watching your video I couldn't help but notice the background image early in the video and it reminded me of the Burra region is South Aus. Can you tell me where this image was taken please?
Finding a good monitor is always a challenge, I also use a 2 monitor setup Samsung 4K at the moment. My dream setup is to have 2 BenQ PD2705U side by side, one day the bank balance will allow this. One thing I use is a datacolor spyderx elite and calibrate the monitors monthly. I find most monitors and laptops out of the box are calibrated more towards the cool colour.
Richard, with the PD model have you any issues with printing images? I have read for printing one should buy the SW lineup and the PD lineup is for digital creators, colorist, website and CAD work, with photography being last in the line up of artist. Also any thoughts on doing hardware vs software calibrations ? Read this is a big difference in performance. Trying to justify the $1.5-$2K price any advice would be welcomed and I really like your photos/TH-cam channel on MW technique!!
Yes I understand your concerns Mike. No doubt the SW line is better but I haven't had any issues with printing from either model. But obviously all my prints are nightscape images. I appreciate you watching the channel.
Bummer that you had to send back that monitor, Richard! Are you still using 2 monitors? If so, are both BenQ? I bought but haven't set up yet, the SW272Q BenQ monitor and wonder if I should hang onto my Samsung 27 inch for other things. I know the HotKey Puk will only work with BenQ monitors, so I wonder if that just might answer my question.
Thanks for watching Andrea. I have used a number of monitors, sometimes different brands. I didn't have any issues using the BenQ with an Asus model. Sometimes you may want a different resolution to do things like documents and web browsing etc. That's what I found . .even using a 1080p monitor for those things works well. The higher end monitor is really only needed for photo editing and creative things that need good colour science etc. Yes I always use 2 monitors.
Hi Richard, great video mate. Q: I bought a 27inch 4K LG monitor that has similar colour grading. However I find myself using my surface pro to edit my Astro & landscape photos because of a preference to the gloss/glass screen. I find the Matt monitors wash out & pixelate the images. I was going to try & find a glass monitor like an iMac screen. Do u find this to be a thing with Astro editing?
Hey Kim. I like the Omen but the lack of ports and connectivity with laptops for what I'm doing is a real pain. I've tried so many docking stations with only mediocre results. The Omen itself is really good . .although the screen is unreliable for editing.
Thanks Richard for the nice review. I do amateur photo and video editing. Do I need to buy a 100% Adobe RGB monitor, or 100% sRGB monitors will suffice ? I checked few models and found 100% Adobe RGB monitors are expensive. Please let me know your opinion.
Hopefully your BenQ monitor does not have a failure after warranty expires. BenQ Australia expects you to purchase a new monitor as they won't give you the option to fix the monitor. They will say that the monitor is EOL and tell you to piss off. So a AUD $1300 PV270 monitor will go to e-waste. Terrible customer service. Their monitors are great while it works.
I have the same monitor as you Richard. I absolutely love the 27SW1C. Such a great monitor for editing. Especially for printing!
Yes it's a beast isn't it Mike
Love them Richard, I have had a BenQ for about 3 years + now, it is the SW2700PT - 27" 2K with stray light shield. I find 2K is just great, as you say does not affect computer performance as much as a 4K would. They have great Palette Master colour calibration software. When I tried Palette Master I had an issue to start with and both questions I asked were answered overnight to resolve the issue I was getting, so now I use Palette Master to calibrate my monitor.
Good on you Les. Yes the customer service is first rate.
Thank you Richard for sharing this experience with us.
Until your next video👌
Thank you for watching Mario
Thank you for the Feedback Richard!
The team at BenQ really values your professional take. 💜
I'm pleased to demonstrate such great products. Thanks for your assistance.
I've fought with monitors from the beginning until I picked up a BenQ PD2700Q. What an amazing improvement. I'm sold on the brand. I too like multiple monitors and use BenQ for both. Thanks for the video.
I think your description of "Fighting with monitors" is spot on Jerry. Thanks heaps for watching.
Hey 👋 Richard ! Thank you for the info. I was thinking about getting one of these sooner or later!
Luv ya !!!
Thanks as always for watching Carole
I’ve had the SW270C for a number of years. Really love it! I do use the shield because of the window behind the monitor.
Yes I think they're awesome as well. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for this valuable video and how important is to work in a great monitor . Thanks again .
Thanks as always for watching Luis
Thanks for posting this video on a good quality, reasonably priced photo editing monitor. I currently use an iMac 27" 5K monitor, but when its time to upgrade the SW271C is definitely the one for me. While I am happy with the iMac screen I no longer like the idea of an all-in one system and will likely go for the Mac Studio Max or Ultra to go with my new BenQ monitor.
Yes I agree with you Bob. I'm not a fan of all in one solutions either. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video Richard. I think you’re on a winner with either of those monitors. Cheers mate 🙏
Thanks heaps for checking out the video Adrian mate.
Thank you for sharing your experience of workong with pro-level monitors. I wish one day I could afford such a treatment.
Thanks so much for watching Victor.
I've started to use an iMac in the last twelve months myself the 27"5k monitor and 27"4k is just brilliant and has made quite a difference to my edits, I still use my Dell's via remote desktop on the iMac's - if I'd not made the change I'd certainly be heading to a monitor like the BenQ - they've had the best rep for some time amongst photographers. Great effort as always Richard 🙂
Thanks a lot for watching Steve, appreciate your comments.
Thanks again for a informative video Richard I have a older model BenQ monitor and found it the be great for photo editing so this video information is a great help in my choice in what to getvwhen I upgrade
Thanks as always for watching Steve.
Hi Richard another great video, Ive had trouble with monitors for a long time. I accuired a Benq SW240, agreat monitor I still have some brightness issues when I do the occasional print.
Yes I think when printing night photos they are always really difficult to get right. I tend to always brighten them up a bit as they always show brighter on a screen.
Great review Richard, if I could add anything it would be to look at color calibrating your monitor to achieve consistency between monitors, and for also for printing. It also provides a consistent look for online photo sharing. While the monitor may be calibrated at the factory, it is also dependent on the GPU of the computer, and it doesn't mean that it will be calibrated to match other devices. There are a number of options, but I have used Datacolor's SpyderXElite system for a number of years with great results. Looking forward to you guys sending the Milky Way back up to us for the 2023 season, lol!
All really good thoughts Todd. Thanks for your input. Won't be too long now ..!!!
I have been considering both of these monitors but trying to decide which one suits me best. I’ve done research on a lot of monitors and these BenQ models seem to be the pick of the bunch. Another great informative video Richard, thank you 🙏🏻
Once again I appreciate your comments Steve.
Hi Richard, I’ve found the BenQ PD2705U 27inch 4K UHD IPS monitors quite good. We run a few of these in the office, but I have a 27” iMac that’s also got a Eizo ColorEdge CS2730 hanging off it which I use for photo editing specifically. A great quality monitor you can sometimes pick up 2nd hand for a good price.
Good on you Greg. Thanks for watching mate.
I bought their SW270C monitor and the i1Display Pro calibration tool in 2020 when setting up a new PC system. It's a great monitor. My only bugbear is the turn on time. It takes much longer for the display to come to life than any other monitor I've used. And it takes the same time when rebooting after an update even when it's already warmed up. I've no idea what it's doing in that time, perhaps plotting the overthrow of civilization, Ren and Stimpy style. 🙂
I didn't really notice anything like that .. perhaps a little slower . .anyway I guess that only happens once when you start the computer .. Thanks for watching.
Thanks, Richard; I never heard of BenQ monitors. A large photo dealer in the US carries them.
They are a very big computer supplier here in Australia
I was looking at that set up 2 yrs ago. However, I went with a Samsung Space Monitor 27 " version, also in 4K.
Yes, as I mentioned in the video .. there are lots of good systems out there. Appreciate you watching.
Another good video from you. Thank you.
I also have realized no matter how good our camera , lens and other photography gears are ... No matter how good images we could capture in the first place .... Once it comes to post process stage and the monitor screen can not represent "The true color" , everything just is just gone down the drain .... imo
I think it all adds up to the final product. All of those steps must lead to the final image .. .then of course printing is another beast altogether ..!!!!
I brought myself a ViewSonic brand.. it's a VP series. perfect for low budget.. the colours come out perfect when I am printing, and I used this for viewing my images. I was going to get BenQ.. it's way out of my price range
Thanks for watching Nikki. Yes some of those lower cost options are quite good also.
Putting the PS In the monitor chassis probably also isolates the power from sources of interference (like other cables) because the power is conditioned after getting to the monitor rather than before. This arrangement provides guaranteed clean power to the monitor. "Dirty" power can, I believe, affect the monitor's color temperature.
Very good insight Dave, thanks for watching.
Hi Richard. Since you mention liking seeing the UI such as buttons, sliders, and text at a reasonable size, might i suggest you change the scaling setting to 150%? Instead of using a lower resolution, this will be much better since the photos you see will still be crisp and detailed but UI and text will be readable.
I'm 26 years old and I have to have it at 150 % on my 32-inch 4K haha.
You should be able to hit the start key and search resolution. Then choose what you want on the scale and layout setting.
Thanks heaps for your insights. Really appreciated.
Good product video, thankyou
Thanks for checking it out Phillip
Those screens look great, but are quiet expensive. Obviously, if being used professionally it's another matter. Years ago purchased a very good HP graphics monitor and war very happy with it. Years later I wanted a double screen but my one was no longer available. I then found a refurbished one for 90 Euros and it was lke new!
Were you in Scotland, I thought I spotted Nessie!
Haha, yes that is Nessie's cousin .. in South Australia ..!!! Thanks as always for watching.
Hi there, great video! I am on the quest for a replacement of my 4 year old Benq SW270C 2k monitor because of new magenta color cast on certain areas. I am driven towards the 27" 4k to go along with the times, but I do a lot of e-commerce photography and also need a lower resolution to have accurate web previews. Does changing the recommended 4k resolution to 2k or either upscaling text to 150-200% size looses sharpness in comparison to a 2k native res monitor? Some people say it is hard to judge good edit sharpening for the web in a 4k (unwanted oversharpening). I mostly use Lightroom and PS and have no budget issues. Is 32 too straining for the eyes? I am a PC user. Thank you in advance!
Thanks for watching Susana. To be honest I like the 27 inch monitors and I prefer to edit in 2K as well. I think it's often hard to see a difference. I hear what you say about web previews, emails and general documents. I've never had any issues editing any of these monitors in 2K resolution for my nightscape photography.
Hi. I just bought a mac mini with M2 chip and started looking around for a monitor and came across this video. Apples monitor is never going to grace my desk but BenQ is a name I've used in the past and been very happy.
In watching your video I couldn't help but notice the background image early in the video and it reminded me of the Burra region is South Aus. Can you tell me where this image was taken please?
Thanks for watching Richard. That image was taken at Moonta in South Australia back in 2022. It's a great spot for photography.
Finding a good monitor is always a challenge, I also use a 2 monitor setup Samsung 4K at the moment. My dream setup is to have 2 BenQ PD2705U side by side, one day the bank balance will allow this. One thing I use is a datacolor spyderx elite and calibrate the monitors monthly. I find most monitors and laptops out of the box are calibrated more towards the cool colour.
Very good thoughts Brett. Thanks for watching mate.
Wow they are very nice monitors Being a gypsy and living in RRVI don't have the space without I just use my tablet for all my edit .
Yes that makes perfect sense for sure. The life of a busy traveler ..!!!!
@@nightscapeimages.richard Just looking into getting a caper Van for Australia stretch what A pain
@@PentaxLife Sorry about that.
Richard, with the PD model have you any issues with printing images? I have read for printing one should buy the SW lineup and the PD lineup is for digital creators, colorist, website and CAD work, with photography being last in the line up of artist. Also any thoughts on doing hardware vs software calibrations ? Read this is a big difference in performance. Trying to justify the $1.5-$2K price any advice would be welcomed and I really like your photos/TH-cam channel on MW technique!!
Yes I understand your concerns Mike. No doubt the SW line is better but I haven't had any issues with printing from either model. But obviously all my prints are nightscape images. I appreciate you watching the channel.
Bummer that you had to send back that monitor, Richard! Are you still using 2 monitors? If so, are both BenQ? I bought but haven't set up yet, the SW272Q BenQ monitor and wonder if I should hang onto my Samsung 27 inch for other things. I know the HotKey Puk will only work with BenQ monitors, so I wonder if that just might answer my question.
Thanks for watching Andrea. I have used a number of monitors, sometimes different brands. I didn't have any issues using the BenQ with an Asus model. Sometimes you may want a different resolution to do things like documents and web browsing etc. That's what I found . .even using a 1080p monitor for those things works well.
The higher end monitor is really only needed for photo editing and creative things that need good colour science etc.
Yes I always use 2 monitors.
Hi Richard, great video mate. Q: I bought a 27inch 4K LG monitor that has similar colour grading. However I find myself using my surface pro to edit my Astro & landscape photos because of a preference to the gloss/glass screen. I find the Matt monitors wash out & pixelate the images. I was going to try & find a glass monitor like an iMac screen. Do u find this to be a thing with Astro editing?
No I have preferred the matt screens myself .. Too much reflection isn't good for me.
Thanks Richard, I think this will cost me more money....How do you like the Omen? I think my computer is about to die and I need a new one.
Hey Kim. I like the Omen but the lack of ports and connectivity with laptops for what I'm doing is a real pain. I've tried so many docking stations with only mediocre results. The Omen itself is really good . .although the screen is unreliable for editing.
Ok Richard
I see your mission
u want me to activate the gear gathering mode 😛
Haha, well I think that seems to come automatically for most of us .. !!! Thanks for watching.
Thanks Richard for the nice review. I do amateur photo and video editing. Do I need to buy a 100% Adobe RGB monitor, or 100% sRGB monitors will suffice ? I checked few models and found 100% Adobe RGB monitors are expensive. Please let me know your opinion.
Thanks for watching Amit. No you can certainly get by with a 100% SRGB monitor.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks for clearing my doubts. I will then go for it 😁.
You can’t beat an EIZO monitor as I also use a BENQ as well. The EIZO is better.
Yes there are some good ones out there Andrew.
I'm too poor to shell out 2k on Monitor....
Yes and I agree that's a fair comment.
Hopefully your BenQ monitor does not have a failure after warranty expires. BenQ Australia expects you to purchase a new monitor as they won't give you the option to fix the monitor. They will say that the monitor is EOL and tell you to piss off. So a AUD $1300 PV270 monitor will go to e-waste. Terrible customer service. Their monitors are great while it works.
That's no good .. hopefully that is a once of experience.