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Display Evaluation Summit (DES) 2026 - Toronto, January 31

Mike Osadciw

Mike Osadciw

I'd like to let everyone know about the Display Evaluation Summit (DES) 2026 coming to Toronto on January 31. Opportunities like this are rare - and important.

The Display Evaluation Summit (DES) is a focused, in-person event that brings together professional colourists, post-production experts, and display manufacturers to evaluate and discuss reference video displays in a controlled environment. It’s important because it creates a rare, neutral space where high-end reference monitors are calibrated to the same specifications and are viewed side-by-side under the same conditions and with the same content.

DES removes marketing noise and speculation; it emphasizes real-world perception, creative intent, and informed discussion rather than product demos or sales pitches. For anyone who cares about how images are actually seen—from grading suites to living rooms—DES connects the technical, creative, and practical realities of modern image creation.

Our Keynote is by Charles Poynton, Ph.D. who will be discussing Display Technologies. Our Colour Assessment Panel consists of six professionals from across Canada and the U.S., and will be bringing their unique expertise to each evaluation. Audience participation is also also encouraged when evaluating these monitors.

Representatives from manufactuers like Sony Electronics | Pro Display Solutions (US & Canada), EIZO Creative Work, FSI (Flanders Scientific, Inc.), and ASUS will be on hand.

Breakfast and catered lunch are included.

DES is highly recommended for anyone working in post, broadcast, VFX, or colour.

Repost these links on your social media and send to anyone that shouldn't miss out on this exceptional event!

Please click the links for more details about the monitors evaluated, the full list of manufacturers participating, and the profiles of our Keynote and Colour Assessment Panelists. I will also respond to questions posted here.

Link the DES Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/displa...-2026-tickets-1979859060747?aff=oddtdtcreator

Link to DES Official Webpage: www.de-summit.com

See you there!
- Mike
 
Hi Tony, thank you for your interest in DES.

Right now, the focus is on establishing DES as a strong annual event in Canada. That said, we’ve already seen interest from the U.S. among our partners, and it’s certainly something we’d consider in the future.
 
Below is the list of Reference Monitors calibrated and evaluated in both SDR & HDR. Uncompressed content will be provided by the colourists using DaVinci Resolve and 12G SDI. Distribution will be an AJA KUMO-1616-12G, KUMO CP2, and the AJA HI5-12G SDI-HDMI converer. HDMI distribution by AV PRO Edge 18GB distribution and Pixelgen THX Interconnect.

  • Sony BVM-HX3110
  • Sony BVM-HX310
  • Sony PVM-X3200
  • FSI XMP310
  • FSI XMP551
  • EIZO Prominence CG1
  • EIZO CG3100X
  • EIZO CG319X
  • Asus PA32UCDM
  • Asus PA32UCX-R
  • Asus PA32UCE
Thank you to Konica Minolta for the reference meters used: the Konica Minolta CS-3000 spectroradiometer and the Konica Minolta CA-527 probe.
 
DES welcomes the newest addition to our afternoon panel discussion, Nate McFarlin of Dolby Labs. Nate will be contibuting to the afternoon panel discussion on using HDR on reference display devices, with Dolby Vision's contribution in the studio and in consumer panels. Welcome, Nate!

Our keynote:

Charles Poynton, PhD, is an independent researcher in imaging and colour science working in video/HD/UHD/4K/HDR/D-cinema. He contributed to the development of colourspaces such as BT.709/BT.1886, DCI P3, ACES AP0/AP1, and BT.2020; he was also responsible for the introduction of the Adobe RGB 1998 colourspace. He received his PhD in 2018 with a thesis entitled, "Colour Appearance Issues in Digital Video, HD/UHD, and D-cinema." At DES, Charles Poynton will be speaking on the different display techologies to give context to the variety of displays being evaluated.

Below are full description bios of the panel (in alphabetical order):

Samuel Breton is an ISF-certified Level III calibrator and a senior tester at RTINGS.com. He's calibrated and tested hundreds of displays since 2019 and also contributes to the development of new testing procedures.

Charles Boileau is the Lead Colour and Image Specialist at Rodeo FX, where he spearheads imaging workflows and display strategies. With a background in cinematography and a decade-long career as an HPA-nominated colourist, he specializes in bridging the gap between creative artistry and the technical complexities of color science.

Caleb Denison is the founder and host of CalebRated, where he breaks down the latest in TV and display technology with a mix of lab testing and real-world perspective. Known for making complex panel talk (display technologies, video formats, calibration, and gaming) easy - and fun - Caleb covers the TVs and display innovations that matter to enthusiasts and everyday buyers alike.

Lily Henry started her career at EFILM in Los Angeles, where she worked on feature films such as Mulan and Jumanji, before becoming part of the in-house color team at Marvel Studios. There, she worked on shows such as Wandavision, Loki, Werewolf by Night, and many more. She now works at Alter Ego in Toronto, where she primarily works on commercials, but has also contributed to several feature films including Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Mark Kueper is a veteran colourist with more than two decades of experience. Picture Shop’s Mark Kueper has worked on acclaimed projects including Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities and Sarah Polley’s feature film Women Talking. He is widely regarded for his creativity and his ability to enhance and elevate a director’s vision.

David Mackenzie is the CEO of Fidelity in Motion, a post facility that specializes in mastering film content to Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD. Previously, he worked for HDTVtest UK as a calibrator and reviewer. David has worked on the home releases of films including The Fifth Element, Mulholland Drive, and Eyes Wide Shut, and authored the most recent Spears & Munsil UHD reference test discs.

Nate McFarlin is a Staff Engineer at Dolby Laboratories Inc. and works on Dolby’s content engineering team that supports creators around the world working in Dolby Vision and curates all of Dolby’s professional support and training offerings. Nate’s background is in display technology and metrology. His role focuses on helping Dolby's creator and studio/post partners with any display-related inquiries as well as managing Dolby's pro display partners (Sony, FSI, EIZO, SmallHD, etc.). He authored Dolby’s current Dolby Vision HDR Display Evaluation Guideline. Nate graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Motion Picture Science.
 
DES afternoon panel discussion:

The Reference Illusion: Grading in a Perfect World, Watching in and Imperfect One

In professional mastering and colour grading, content is often evaluated on extremely precise reference monitors under tightly controlled conditions. But once that content leaves the grading suite, it’s viewed on consumer TVs, projectors, and living-room environments that rarely resemble those conditions. This raises an interesting question: at what point does grading to a “perfect” reference become disconnected from real-world viewing? Is absolute reference accuracy always the goal, or should creative and technical decisions account for how most people will actually see the image?

In this afternoon discussion panel, The Reference Illusion explores the critical role of reference-grade displays in defining creative intent within professional colour-grading environments. While consumer displays vary widely, advances such as Filmmaker, Cinema Pro Modes, Dolby Vision HDR, and advanced grayscale and colour management continue to move real-world viewing closer to reference standards. The DES Colour Assessment Panelists, with the inclusion of Nate McFarlin of Dolby Labs and Charles Poynton, will discuss why maintaining strong reference practices remains vital—not despite these differences, but because they provide the anchor that guides consistency, accuracy, and progress across the entire imaging chain.

Eventbrite Registration

DES Official Website
 
Mike,

Are the panels recorded for future viewing?

If not I suggest for future sessions they should be and could be made available via a membership or the DES website.
 
Hi Tony

The event will be professionally shot by a film crew from TMU (Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly Ryerson University). The footage will be edited together with highlights throughout the day which will be used for various media opportunities. I cannot yet give a release date on the final edit, but it will be on the DES website.

We encourage in-person attendance where possible, interacting with the guests and flat panels, as each individual's choice is their own. The goal is not to crown a winner, but for all those in attendance to see which monitor suits their work. We encourage anyone here in the forum - if they can make it - to come. Based on some emails I've received, I know that some people are driving in from up to 10 hours away (in the U.S.).

More to come.
 
DES welcomes Asus as a Platinum sponsor!

Asus will be providing three ProArt displays for attendees to evaluate at DES. This list is updated from the list above, since the PA32UCX-R mini LED is now end-of-life.

DES 2026 Asus ProArt Displays Evaluated:
  1. PA32UCDM: (32” 4K QD-OLED)
  2. PA32UCE: (32” 4K IPS)
  3. PA32QCV: (32” 6K IPS)

Eventbrite Registration

DES Official Website
 
EVENT SCHEDULE - ONE DAY ONLY

Join us for a full day of presentations, discussions, and expert evaluations designed to offer clear insight into modern reference display performance.

At the end of the day, we will share the voting results on the reference flat panel displays. *There will not be one overall winner as the importance of certain criteria and known technological differences may vary from artist to artist

Date: Saturday January 31st, 2026
Location: Victory Social Club, 1166A Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X4

  • 8:00am: doors - registration, socializing and networking over coffee & baked goods
  • 9am: Introduction by moderator Mike Osadciw
  • 9:15am: Keynote Speaker Charles Poynton, Ph.D., on display technologies
  • 10:45am: SDR cueing/Break for guests
  • 11am: SDR evaluation using pre-selected criteria and curated content from our six Colour Assessment Panelists and audience participation
  • 12:30pm: Lunch
  • 2pm: Discussion Topic: "The Reference Illusion: Grading in a Perfect World, Watching in an Imperfect One"
  • 3pm: HDR Cueing/Break for guests
  • 3:15pm: HDR Evaluation using pre-selected criteria and curated content from our Colour Assessment Panelists and audience participation
  • 4:30pm: Colour Assessment Panel Discussion moderated by Mike Osadciw; questions/comments from audience on SDR/HDR; how attendees are working with the technologies; impressions on where we are and where we're headed; manufacturer responses
  • 5:15pm: Final voting results shared Closing remarks.
  • 5:30pm: Wrap up for informal conversation at nearby bar (optional).

Eventbrite Registration

DES Official Website
 
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