Designed for media & entertainment fields like cinema and broadcasting that need increasingly high-resolution formats and require appropriate display solutions for 2D and 3D CGI (computer-generated imagery), visual effects, compositing, and color grading, the ColorEdge CG318-4K from EIZO Corporation offers an effective resolution of 4096 x 2160, in accordance with the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives). Built so it can be used for both editing and reference work, it is also ideal for photographers and printers requiring a monitor with a high resolution and pixel density.
One of the most interesting aspects of the new EIZO ColorEdge CG318-4K is the built-in sensor enabling the monitor to self-calibrate, for hassle-free monitor maintenance. EIZO offers two dedicated calibration software programs, ColorNavigator NX and ColorNavigator 6, that lets users set target values for brightness, gamma, and white point and generate an ICC profile. ColorNavigator 6 comes bundled with the monitor and is for individual users that require additional functionality such as manually adjusting the properties of a calibrated monitor. ColorNavigator NX is available as a free download from EIZO's website and is for organizations the want to centralize quality control of their monitors.
The built-in calibrating sensor makes for an easier maintenance of the monitor by a single user, and offers a valuable tool for companies with multiple monitors in single or multiple locations, states EIZO. The SelfCalibration sensor is housed within the monitor's top bezel and swings down onto the screen only when calibrating. This sensor eliminates the need for a third-party calibration device and works with EIZO’s ColorNavigator 6 and ColorNavigator NX software.
The monitor manufacturer says that “for color management of the ColorEdge CG318-4K and select other ColorEdge monitors on a network, EIZO also offers ColorNavigator Network, a secure, cloud-based web hosting solution for administrators to perform quality control (QC) tasks on client ColorEdge monitors with ColorNavigator NX installed.”
Used together, explains EIZO, “ColorNavigator Network and ColorNavigator NX allow an administrator to take advantage of the self-calibration capabilities of the ColorEdge monitors by automating calibration and other QC tasks on ColorEdge monitors located in a single or multiple locations. This potentially saves hundreds or thousands of hours annually in maintenance downtime while ensuring the color accuracy of all ColorEdge monitors.”
The ColorEdge CG318-4K uses a LED-backlit IPS (in-plane switching) LCD panel with a wide color gamut that reproduces 98% of the DCI-P3 and 99% of the Adobe RGB color space. Viewing angles are 178° and the maximum brightness is 350 cd/m2. Dark tones retain their depth with a 1500:1 contrast ratio even when viewing the screen from an angle.
The new 31-inch 4K monitor comes with a sleek new cabinet design that blends well with a working environment. It is as practical as it is aesthetically pleasing with LED backlit buttons for dimly-lit studios, a carrying handle and cable holder on the back, and three USB downstream ports on the side. It also has an ergonomic stand with 149 mm height adjustment, 40° tilt (-5° – 35°), and 344° swivel.
In terms of connections, two DisplayPort (ver. 1.2) and two HDMI connectors are included. The DisplayPort connectors support the native 4096 x 2160 resolution at 60 Hz and the HDMI connectors at 30 Hz.
For video editing and post production, the ColorEdge CG318-4K has a 3D LUT (look-up table) that adjusts color individually on an RGB cubic table. With ColorNavigator NX’s film emulation function, the 3D LUT applies a film look to the image so creators can preview how the image will be seen by their audience.
For brightness and color uniformity, EIZO uses its own Digital Uniformity Equalizer (DUE) technology. DUE ensures a Delta-E difference of three or less across the screen. It also counterbalances the influences that a fluctuating ambient temperature may have on color temperature and brightness.
Factory-calibrated to ensure color uniformity, the monitor offers 10-bit display with a graphics board and software supporting 10-bit output, includes seven preset modes – DCI, EBU, Rec.709, SMPTE-C, Adobe RGB, sRGB, and CAL – integrates brightness modulation technology to minimize flickering and eye fatigue and includes a shading hood to minimize ambient light reflecting off the screen.
The ColorEdge CG318-4K will begin shipping in April 2015. No price indication is available yet.