Alternative to the 27" iMac?

[tonyGriggs]

Hi, all...I'm in a bit of a quandary and was hoping to get some input from others doing intensive color work on the Mac.

I'm about to return our third 27" iMac. The main problem (although there have been others) has been the yellow tint/dark banding issues with the screen.

We're getting this system to continue doing color work that we started on our reliable 24" iMac (which has been sold). We need the system for finishing an art book, doing film/video work, and for general graphic design work. We need a screen we can trust.

Facing our third return and fourth iMac, I wanted see if any of you were reliably using one of the new 27" iMacs for their color-intensive work. To be honest, I'm not sure what we're going to do if the next one or two iMacs are still lemons (the latest was a week 26 build, BTW).

We need the machine now, and if the iMac doesn't do it, I don't think there's a Mac alternative that makes sense. The Mac Pro is painfully overpriced for what it delivers, yet I don't think I can talk the wife into a Windows-only machine (even though I'd be fine with that).

So...anyone here using a 27" iMac for demanding color work? Have you managed to win the iMac lottery and get a solid screen?

And are there other options am I missing?

I'd be grateful for any advice. This fiasco with the iMac is frustrating and we need to get back to work.

Thanks.

--
tG

 

[Ruahrc]

Maybe attach an external screen to the iMac? Dual 27" monitors would be swwwweeeet if you have the desk space

Example: Dell makes the U2711 which is the same panel as the 27" iMac but a CCFL backlight. The U2410 is a 24" CCFL with wide gamut.

 

[davegregory]

I have a 27" iMac and I must be lucky, because it came out of the box ready to go. No yellow tinting or anything. I have a 24" LED ACD that I used with my macbook pro before I got rid of it. Other than perhaps a macbook pro, i7 with the 24" LED ACD, I'm not sure of another Mac solution. The pro is definitely out of touch, too much for too little compared to the iMac.

 

[aarond12]

If you're serious about color work, get a Mac Mini and a good quality monitor. The iMac monitors are pretty good in general, but if you're doing serious color work, get a monitor that supports the full Adobe RGB gamut like this one:

http://www.geckoandfly.com/7744/hp-zr30w-adobe-rgb-and-cmyk-compatible-lcd-monitor/

-Aaron-