I have spend few dollars this season on equipment.
I did buy canon 130 mm f 2.0 also 10-22 canon super wide angle and some lights and other stuff. All of them were a good investments but not as good as my new 24 inch monitor. Working on images in 50% scale is incredible. Hands down best investment so far. Right now if I could do everything all over again I would go with monitor first. Personally I am all about lenses, actually I have list of lenses I wont to have. But !!!!
Good big monitor is the best improvement to quality of your work with $800.
Before you spend $ 1000 on new lens get the monitor. Trust me.

thanks for the tip! as i've been thinking about the lenses i would like to buy this year, now i'm looking at my less than ideal monitor, questioning the direction of my next purchase. any advice on a certain brand/model, etc?

(btw, you're in detroit? i'm from the flint area originally)

Go with Dell. All the guts of Dell monitors are this same as Mac monitors the only difference is the coating that allows Mac monitors to be viewed from a wider angle. I say who cares!! When it comes to work you will not look at the monitor from the passenger seat.

thanks, good to know. i've always used Dell, so i'm sure i'll be looking there first when it comes time.

I love a 24" Samsungs 24T

http://www.samsung.com/Products/ProAV/Comm...CD/NB24BSAB.asp

Use Dual - DVI monitors.
SWEET!!!!!

Have 7 Office stations equipped with those too.
A great monitor in 100% necessary to be effective and efficient

We have a great apple monitor. But the best money we have spent this year has been $150 on Lightroom.

Ummm...you might want to check out THIS THREAD before you leap into buying a Dell 24" for photo editing. I'm not out to trash Dell...they were actually VERY good to me with my $hitty monitor, and THREE replacements!!!!

Yeah..I know...I did all the research and found out Dell uses the same panel as brand X and Model Y. All that means very little as it turns out (as far as I'm concerned anyway!!!!)

All I'm saying is ...BUYER BEWARE!

BTW...my new Apple Cinema Display is really gorgeous. Comparing it to the Dell is like chalk and cheese! ...no matter WHAT panel they may or may not have!
According to my research the Dell has a S-PVA Samsung panel (same one as some of the Eizo's) and the Apple has a S-IPS LG Philips panel...

Annie



Nate...I agree! I think Lightroom has changed my life!!!!