I'm not sure why they didn't make a bigger deal of this in their press event, but Panasonic has just released the world's smallest 4Kx2K IPS monitor. This baby can display a humongous 3,840×2,160 pixels on a 20-inch screen. To do this, they had to pack more than 8 million pixels into a 20 inch space – not easy to do. By doing so, and by making it an IPS panel, Panasonic may just have made the de facto standard in field and workstation monitoring.
Panasonic also claims their panel has a high contrast ratio (though they give no specifics), excellent color reproducibility, and rich gradation making for a superb image. It also has a pixel density of 216 ppi which makes it mighty close to what may be considered a "Retina display" if it were made by another manufacturer. The viewing angle on this monitor is great as well at 178 degrees – nearly in line with the screen.
With specs like that, it seems like it's only a matter of time before high-end shooters get one for their production. Simply put a viewing angle of 178 degrees at 4K resolution and 216 ppi makes checking focus, color, and previewing far more accurate than ever before. The only question that remains is how much the price will end up being. Here's to hoping it's affordable for at least the rental houses!
