EIZO CG3146, new monitor with sensor for calibration

EIZO ColorEdge PROMINENCE CG3146 it is the new monitor professional equipped with a double LCD panel. This model replaces the previous CG3145 announced in 2017. The basic technology is the same: let's talk about double modulation. A IPS LCD panel 31.1 " with 4K resolution (4096 x 2160 pixels) is flanked by a second panel which operates as a sort of shutter and therefore blocks light in dark areas.

This gives you much more precise control of the backlight and significantly increases the contrast ratio. It is therefore, in a nutshell, a very advanced local dimming (we refer you to our guide for more details), a system that we will also find on Hisense's U9X series ULED XD TVs.

CG3146 fits into the same category as its predecessor. EIZO considers it a monitor aimed at post production and color grading, exactly like the Sony BVM-HX310. The specifications show a maximum brightness of 1,000 cd / m2 – nits, a response time of 10 ms (gray to gray), a coverage equal to 99% of the DCI-P3 color space and a contrast ratio of 1 million to 1. Obviously HDR workflows are supported both in HLG and as regards Perceptual Quantizer based formats (HDR10, HDR10 + and Dolby Vision).

CG3146 allows to obtain a high color fidelity thanks to the 3D LUT (Look-Up Table), that is the system with which the video industry ensures maximum image fidelity. The most important novelty is the integrated sensor for screen calibration. The technology, developed by EIZO, performs all the adjustments necessary to improve the accuracy of the monitor, also ensuring constancy over time. The ColorNavigation 7 software allows you to perform calibrations at regular intervals. It is therefore a combination of software and hardware (all settings are obviously saved in the monitor memory) which simplifies operations and does not require third-party applications or tools.

The automations made by EIZO also include an internal sensor that measures the temperature of the monitor and provides an estimate on that present in the environment. The information collected is exploited by "machine learning" algorithms (what are usually defined as artificial intelligence) to adapt colors, shades, brightness and other characteristics to changing conditions – which can affect the fidelity of images when working at professional levels so high.

CG3146 will be available from April and will be shown at NAB 2020 in Las Vegas (theoretically still scheduled for April 19-22). At the moment the only list price available is the Japanese one, 3,278,000 yen (about 27,000 euros at the exchange rate).