Monitors:

Discussions related to monitors used for photo editing. Examples: personal experiences with given monitors and their relativity to photo editing, issues you may have with your current monitor, suggestions for purchasing a monitor, monitor technology, etc.

One of the components that plays a role in color management is your monitor. Some people still claim the old CRT monitors, were, and maybe still are to some one of the best options for photo editing because of viewing angle, color purity and contrast but quality lcd monitors are match. So for the sake of this post I'll be talking about lcd monitors.

Types of LCD monitors:
Currently there are three main types that I often see referred to that people buy for either normal use and ones that bridge the requirements for photo editing. Without getting too technical they are TN, S-PVA/P-MVA and IPS. That list is in order of good to best based on what I've read and seen so far.  
Glossy vs. Matte screen:
Most of the comments I've read tend to shy away from glossy screens for photo editing. There's supposedly issues with blacks, monitor calibration and distractions from the reflective surface of the screen. A glossy screen might be alright for a short period of time but if you work on your photos for several hours at a time it may be problematic. I must add that I really like the way my photos look on a glossy screen once I'm done editing. 

What I have: 

I currently have a Viewsonic VX2640 (TN). It was a great step up from my previous monitor and I consider color to be pretty decent (based on my viewing and print results) and I honestly like it. It has 102% NTSC color capability and 1000:1 contrast ration which basically means it has rich colors and decent blacks. I like a bigger monitor for photo editing. I personally wouldn't want to work with anything less than 24". It's just easier on the eyes. I strain less and detail work is just easier. I calibrate and generally it all works pretty well for me. 

What I'd like to have: 

I have seen some IPS monitors (Lacie, NEC, and some Dells) and yes they are nice, real nice. Wider viewing angle, better blacks and shadows, easy on your eyes and I'm sure there's other benefits as well. If I could justify the price that's what I would own. Haven't seen an S-PVA/P-MVA but they are rated better than a TN. The next thing I was curious about was whether a glossy or anti-glare screen was better for editing.

General Comment:
In this post I just want to raise your awareness that all lcd monitors screens aren't the same and that prices obviously vary for a reason on any given screen size. This and most of my posts aren't going to delve into all the technical aspects of any given topic but rather my conclusions based on what I've read and experienced. Quite frankly, I don't understand how all of the monitor specs relate to my viewing experience but some worth comparing may be contrast ratio, viewing angle, and pixel pitch. It's especially nice if you can view monitors on display somewhere. You  may not be able to afford to upgrade to that nice IPS lcd monitor but for a reasonable price you may be able to upgrade your current monitor to make your photo editing a little easier and more enjoyable...