Kristarella
Another thing you’ll want to consider is a monitor calibration tool like the Eye-One. It’s basically a camera that you plug into your computer and place against the monitor. It will calibrate your monitors physical settings as well as calibrate your color profile in your OS.

* TN panel – fast response, 6 bit colors, BAD for photo processing. It has only 226,000 odd colors and it simulates the other 16.7 m colors. Don’t touch it with a 10 feet pole for photo editing.

* S-IPS – probably the best for photo editing, 8 bit per channel. True 16.7 m colors, great for photo editing, but slow response times. Usually the monitor is $150-$200 more than a comparative TN panel.

* S-PVA – opinion is split on how good S-PVA is. Some argue [quoting websites written in 2004 that S-IPS rules]. However, the rolls royce of LCD monitors, Eizo uses S-PVA.

Find out the model you are in interested in and go here. Enter the model number into the search window hit “search” and it will tell you what type of panel that monitor is using.

Pick a S-PVA or S-IPS panel with true 8 bit / channel. PVA [not S-PVA, but an old variant] is supposed to be inferior. Look for 6 bit or 8 bit. If the colors say less than 16.7 million don’t touch it. If it says 16.7 million, then it is good.

Myself I opted for an HP w2207, which has a 22 inch 5 ms TN panel, but the reviews on the monitor are stellar.

Any idea how much this varies with monitor? I find that mine is a bit clearer and brighter than some, so I make what seems to be a good toned and contrasted pic, but it’s not as good elsewhere. I’m going to be editing and printing some wedding photos soon, I’d hate for them to come out too dark or something.