Ask the ability of BENQ "SW321C" as a color management monitor

TXT: Shinya Kojima configuration: Editorial Department

BenQのフラッグシップ機「SW321C」

The new flagship model of the AQCOLOR series released by BenQ this summer is "SW321C".This is a new appearance of a 4K 32 -inch type for professionals, and a 99 % color management monitor for professionals that emphasize the color tone, contrast, and above all the correct colors are displayed (reproduced).

Photographers, video editors, and colorists are always thinking in the corner of their heads, "Is the color you are watching through the monitor really the" correct color "?"BenQ has evolved Aqcolor technology that pursues accurate color display (correct color reproduction) for such anxious people.

Calibration report

具体的にはパネル選びから始まり、設計、個別キャリブレーション、階調や輝度、色域（色空間、カラースペースとも言うが、本稿では“色域”と呼称を統一する）の調整＆補正を実践していると言う。その徹底した方針は、工場出荷時に一台一台を検査し、Calibration reportを添えていることでも分かるだろう。

And it is not the end of the self -satisfaction of "passing and verifying in the company's inspection and verification", but it seems that Calman authentication and Pantone color authentication will be obtained as the evaluation of others.Calman's calibbley software is used in the world's pospros and broadcasting studios.Also, since Pantone is distributed as a world -class book book, if you specify the color number, anyone can definitely share the desired color.We are making such "color standards".

色のプロフェッショナルのこだわり

After the reliability of color reproduction, what are the points that color professionals are particular about?The first is the color range of the monitor, the second is hardware calibration, and the next large panels of 27 inches tend to occur.

The color range of SW321C is 99 % for Adobe RGB and 95 % for Display P3/DCI-P3, SRGB/REC.709, of course, cover 100 %.Currently, REC.With no monitor that can display 2020 in the world, it will be an excellent category as a color management monitor (Fig. 01).In addition to the wide color range, it supports both HDR playback of both 4K UHD (3840 x 2160), HDR10 (PQ Gamma) and HLG, which is nice for video editing.In addition, 24p playback (described later) is also possible.

(Fig. 01)

The second commitment point has been cleared by corresponding to hardware calibration, which is an essential condition for color management monitors.Adjusting the color display of the monitor by directly adjusting the video processing chip (hardware) inside the monitor using the free calibration software "Palette Master Element" provided by BenQ ("proofreading").Is a hardware calibration.In order to adjust the RGB balance of the monitor itself, there is an advantage that tone jumping and color unevenness due to gradation decline are not generated.

By the way, in the software calibration of the normal monitor, the OS of the personal computer and the graphic card are adjusted by adjusting the video output based on the measured monitor characteristics.Without fear of misunderstanding, tone jumping and uneven color unevenness are easily displayed because the colors that can be put out for graphic cards are originally displayed.

The last commitment point is the brightness unevenness.The larger the panel, the more the unevenness (brightness) of the center and surrounding brightness (brightness) becomes more noticeable.The unevenness is as low as possible and is set on a uniform screen (uniformity correction technology in BenQ) (Fig. 02).

(Fig. 02) The brightness unevenness cannot be seen visually

Nevertheless, the fact that all of the high -performance models with all this can be obtained at a actual selling price of 250,000 yen or less is a different generation for generations who started a computer from a CRT monitor.Surprising cost performance.

キャリブレーションの実際

The monitor changes the brightness and the color of the monitor, and the accuracy of color reproduction is reduced, so that the reliability of the correct color is reduced.Therefore, color management monitors require regular maintenance and calibration.

In fact, let's run a hardware calibration that directly adjusts the colored engine inside the monitor using the calibration software "Palette Master Element" provided by BenQ free.This time, I borrowed "I1 Display Pro Plus" from X-RITE as a measuring device.

X-RITE "I1 Display Pro Plus"

By the way, the additional specifications from "I1 Display Pro" to "I1 Display Pro Plus" correspond to the new standard of video (mainly HDR).

Let's measure.The basic usage of Palette Master Element is completed by selecting an appropriate item from the pop -up menu.

■1.Palette Master Elementホームのページ

Specify the monitor to be measured (in the case of a multi -monitor) and the coloring device (calibration device) to be used, and click "Check the sensor".If the coloring device is not a problem, the green check mark will light up.Palette Master Element has "simple mode" and "detailed mode", but as described later, the numbers and items may be changed, so this time select "Detailed Mode" and click "Start" (Figure.03).

(Fig. 03)

■2.ワークフローのページ

Make sure that the monitor and calibration device specified on the previous page are "detailed" and the mode is "detailed", and click "Next" at the bottom right.Figure 04).

(Fig. 04)

■3.ディスプレイの設定ページ

The following items are set as the selected default color gamut.

This time, it is now common to say "Video edit (REC).709) Select.Then, the following items are automatically set.

REC.By default of 709, the white dot: D65, but changing to 9300K, which is the substantial standard of HD broadcasting programs in Japan, can be entered from the "Kelvin" item.In addition, the "relative" of blackpoint is a setting for commercial printing based on grayscale.Basically, in the video that requires a high contrast, select "absolute zero degree".

ちなみにデザイナー（Display P3）設定は、Apple iPhone 7以降やMacBook Pro（2016年以降）に搭載されたディスプレイの色域、白色点、輝度のこと。映画のDCI-P3と同等の色域だが、輝度が120cd/m²とsRGBなみに高く（明るく）設定されているのでWebデザイナー向けといえる。各項目を確認したら、「次へ」をクリックする(Fig. 05)。

(Fig. 05)

■4.測定値のページ

On this page, the following items are set.

工場出荷時のプリセットにはAdobeRGBやsRGB、モノクロ、REC.709、DCI-P3、Display P3などがあるが、ユーザーのキャリブレーション結果の設定（保存）先を校正1～3の3種類保存できる。例えば、（1）商業印刷用（AdobeRGB相当）、（2）Web制作用（sRGB相当）、（3）日本のHD放送番組用（REC.709/9300K).

For profile versions and types, it is better to choose "V2" and "matrix" to maintain compatibility with other color management apps (such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Illustrator).

In addition, the patch size (number of patches) to be measured can be selected from small/medium/large, but "large" is good to increase calibration accuracy.If the patch size is large (the number of batches is large) in the Palette Master Element manual, the measurement time will be long, but if you actually measure it with the above settings, the "small" is the most measured.It took time (Personal view: Did you cache somewhere in the first batch size "small"?).

After setting each item, click "Start Measurement" at the bottom of the patch (Fig. 06).

(Fig. 06)

■5.測色画面

When you start the measurement, the window for "Preparing the sensor" will open, so we will install a measuring device.The SW321C is equipped with a hole (slide opening and closing hole) that inserts a 7cmx5cm measuring device on the top of the shading hood (Fig. 07).

(Fig. 07)

Insert the USB plug of the I1 Display Pro PLUS into the USB Type-A port on the left back toward the screen, and insert the color device from the hall.At this time, while tilting the monitor screen slightly up a little, use the weight attached to the cable to balance the measuring device.By doing so, the equipment adheres to the screen surface and blocks harmful light from the side.Place it in the illustration part and click "Continue" when you are ready (Fig. 08).

(Fig. 08)

In the case of the patch size "large", the 137 colors, including white, gray, and black, are measured in about 7 minutes 48 seconds as described above (Fig. 09).

(Fig. 09)

■6.キャリブレーション完了

キャリブレーションが完了するとCalibration reportが表示される。ICCプロファイル名や輝度、色温度（白色点）など実測された数値が並んでいる(Fig. 10)。

(Fig. 10)

When you click "Enable calibration" in the lower row, the coloring device is once again launched and verified, and a detailed report such as the range of the error is displayed (Fig. 11).

(Fig. 11)

キャリブレーション完了後、確認のためにSW321Cにデフォルトの「REC.I compared the results with "709".Although the color temperature (white point) looks slightly low (amber -like), it can be said that it can be absorbed as a difference in the color temperature of the viewing environment in the viewing environment.

さらなるおすすめポイント

■とにかく作業スペースが広い！

The large work area is a very good thing.When the color page of Davinci Resolve is displayed on SW321C, the size of the central view is about 17 to 19 inches (16: 9), surpassing the full screen of the 15 -inch MacBook Pro (Figure 12).

(Fig. 12)

The author is useful for Wacom tablets when using Adobe Photoshop brush tools and pen tools, but if multiple monitors are lined up, it will be a very horizontal mapping area, so it is not easy to use....I felt that the vast work space on one monitor was easy to use unexpectedly.

■GamutDuo

One of the unique uses of a 32 -inch large screen is "GAMUTDUO", which displays two images with different color gamuts and white dots.The following comparison is a good example (left: original, right side: comparison).

「REC.709 "and" DCI-P3 "

Comparison of color gamuts between HDTV and movies

"SRGB" and "Adobe RGB"

Comparison of color gamuts between web standard data and commercial printing data

"6500K" and "9300K"

Comparison of white points between international HDTV (D65) and Japanese HDTV (D93)

* Since this article is created on the website on the website, "color gamut: SRGB" is the basics.The color gamut comparison of the above three points is more exaggerated than it actually, so I want you to think of it as an image image I felt.

■USB type-Cの入出力が可能

This would be good news for recent MacBook Pro users.Just connect a USB Type-C cable on the input / exit port on the back, you can send a video signal and an audio signal to the SW321C, and continue power (up to 60W) to the MacBook Pro.

Port for repair from left (for maker repair?), For hot keyback G2, HDMI x 2, DisplayPort, USB Type-C, headphone jack, USB/Up Stream PC connection

In addition, two USB Type-A (the most common USB port) and SD card slot are implemented on the left port toward the screen.MacBook Pro, which has these two ports, is convenient because it functions as a USB hub or SD card reader.

SD card slot from above, USB Type-A × 2/Downstream device connection)

■1080/24p再生が可能

The SW321C can change the refresh rate of 60Hz to 24Hz by setting the resolution to FHD (1920 x 1080).This is a high affinity between the frame rate used in the movie: 24fps.

MacOS10.14.In the case of 6, the refresh rate can be changed from the system environment settings/display/BENQ SW321C window."Resolution" is usually "Default of display", so click "Change" while pressing options to list "1920 x 1080".By selecting the "1920 x 1080", the refresh rate can be selected for "24 Hertz".I think it is a very useful specification in movie production (Fig. 13).

(Fig. 13)

■ホットキーバックG2

It is painful except for operating the menu displayed on the monitor screen with a face and operating with pico pico (Fig. 14).The "Hot Keyback G2" included with SW321C is an excellent one that can register a deep -hierarchy menu item.Three types of color mode (including calibration results) and video input switching can be cut with one touch.Of course, the normal menu settings can be operated quickly by dial and pushed.(Fig. 15)

(Fig. 14)

(Fig. 15)

最後に

SW321C is originally a SW series targeting photographers.It is a photo editing monitor that is also printed (laughs) printed (laughs) on the outer box with "Photographer Monitor".However, as we have seen this time, it is very high quality and high functional as a monitor for video editing and color collections, as well as images of the color tone and contrast adjustment of photos.I guess most of the elements required at the editing site of the video are equipped with almost all.This tremendous cost performance is a hat off.

Equipment cooperation: Xlightite

▶ SW321C product page

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