Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm a photographer making the transition to video capture and editing (which will be my primary workflow). I shoot with Canon and exclusively use older Zeiss lenses. I process on a 2010 15" Macbook Pro duo-core i7 processor with 8gb ram. I recently purchased a Spyder 4PRO color calibrator for monitor calibration. I'm not a video gamer, so monitor response time is not that much of a concern (if you primarily game, save $150 and buy a TN panel). Okay, with all that in mind: I researched monitors for a month prior to my purchase and decided that, regardless of the money, an IPS panel was critical for color gamut and angle of view. Of the IPS panels, Dell had the winning combination of video performance as well as physical ergonomics within a $500 budget. It became a question of the U2412 ($300 on Amazon) and the U2410 ($500 on Amazon): Both monitors had a well-built feel. They had heavy, solid bases that prevented tipping within reason. The menus were intuitive and easy to navigate. It wasn't until I calibrated the color with the Spyder 4PRO that I noticed a potential problem for photographers using the U2412. The Spyder 4PRO is such a dream to use in this system configuration, and will actually show you how your monitor's color gamut compares within SRGB, NTSC, and ADOBE RGB color spaces. THE U2412 FALLS JUST SHORT OF AN SRGB COLOR SPACE, AND IS ONLY 77% OF AN ADOBE RGB COLOR SPACE. If you want the option of viewing your images in an ADOBE RGB colorspace, the U2410 is capable of that color gamut - not the U2412. The U2412 is a stellar in the image department, showing as much subtle mid-tone as my camera can capture. I will, however, note that blacks could be just a touch deeper. Again, it's easy to get neurotic with exacting measurement. It must be put into perspective that, for my line of work, web-based media is the future, as broadcast network tv is becoming dead as dead. with this in mind, even if I'm watching media on a "prefect" screen, the masses who will stream it are definitely watching it on wildly inaccurate monitors, so when all's said and done, where do you draw the line on critical performance perfection? Out of the box, both monitors need to be calibrated (previous reviews about a blue/red hue are right on). Don't rely on the pre-fab video options for games, movies, etc. - they are not accurate. I personally can't fault a monitor for not being accurate out of the box - I understand that proper monitor calibration is a step that must be taken and is dependent on specific variables regarding monitor location, workflow, etc. I found the Spyder 4Pro to be a 10minute process from start to finish and was dead on the first time... because exact directions were followed. Again, the U2412 is plenty of accurate monitor for the price. !!! ADD-ON COMMENT !!! THERE ARE NO HDMI INPUTS FOR THE U2412, ONLY THE U2410. IF YOU ARE ON A MACBOOK, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PROPER DVI INPUT. MY MACBOOK REQUIRES A MINI DVI - STANDARD DVI ADAPTER... NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH A MICRO DVI - STANDARD DVI ADAPTER (EVEN SMALLER INPUT FOR IPADS). APPLE SELLS THE MINI FOR $40 AND THE MICRO FOR $20. AMAZON SELLS THEM FOR $5. *** 6 MONTH FOLLOW UP *** Monitor behaves just as it did out of the box. No problems of any kind to report.