Edcase

I've been a Mac h8r for as long as I can remember (largely to try to restore some of the balance from all those sickly fanboys, but mainly as I was a hardcore Pc gamer) however several things have conspired to make me take getting a Mac seriously:

> I don't play PC games any more
> My home PC is totally unreliable, and getting worse
> All my photo editing software is dead slow, despite a well specced PC

So, given that 90% of my home computer usage is now:

> Editing large (12mb) raw photo files from a Nikon D300
> Editing video footage
> web browsing

what spec / type of Mac would you recommend?

A fellow photographer said I could get away with one of the highest spec imacs:

2.8GHz Intel
Core 2 Extreme
2GB memory
500GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB memory

with an extra gig or two of ram.

Mac Pro starts getting very expensive!

Thoughts?

thx
ed

Edcase

Just specced a basic mac pro and it's nearly 3 grand! So if I can get away with the performance of an imac for the above duties that would be cool.

Iain Young

Just out of interest, what software are you using to edit your photos?

The reason I ask is that I'm using Photoshop CS3, on Vista, and using it to edit large raw files with no problems at all. It's very quick as well. I also use the same machine for video editing (Premiere CS3) etc, and again it's quick. I've not even got a "state of the art" pc. It's just a 2.4ghz E6600 with 2gb of ram.

Sounds to me that either your software, or dodgy drivers might be at fault rather than the platform.

Edcase

Nikon capture and lightroom, and also photoshop (which runs fine)

Iain Young

Ah, lightroom is notoriously slow on the PC (at least it was last time I tried it).

petey

right basically,

Power Macs (towers) are more for industry use and vv expensive (unit + Keyboard + screen etc..)!

Imacs are more for out of the box home use but they do now come with respectable specs they are slightly cheaper than power macs and it is open box plug in and go.

laptops good quality for laptops but not really viable if you arn't actually mobile with it, better off getting an imac imo although they are very powerful for what they are.

Airbook not really keen on purely through the lack of disc drive but you can't deny the slimness!

JackClark

Ed, try to get to a store, if you call them before hand no doubt they'll load up a machine with the software you're likely to use. I have no doubt the iMac will work for you, but try to take advantage of a store first, the service is a credit to Apple.

Edcase

thanks guys. Another 'tog friend has an imac with 4gb and he also says it's more than adequate.

I'm 10 mins from regent street so think I'll head over there later tomorrow.

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

edcase
I shall help you make your mind up as one of the mac users on here.

Forget any macbooks or macpro's, they are over your budget and or inappropriate for your needs.

Simply buy the largest , fastest imac (24" model), ramm it up to the hilt with memory bought from crucial online ..not the apple stuff.
Then with the extra cash you have saved, purchase an external hard drive (with firewire 800 onboard) to use as your external storage for the photos and for use as the Time Machine Backup.

All the advice you have had so far is spot on.Plus you have all us fanboys and the guys from the photography section to help you out if you need us

mike1210

Swiss, how does that play for warranty, or it a case of put the old RAM back in if you need to send it back to apple and the like. In a similar position at the moment, 4GB RAM £300 from apple or £62 from crucial

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

warranty is not affected AT ALL by using third party memory chips. In fact apple stuff is just rebranded kingston or buffalo.
You can stick jam in there and it still wont affect your warranty...

(ok I made that last bit up )

Edcase

cheers Tony (and LOL!)

OOI which spec RAM will I need for the iMac?

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

Go onto this website

Computer memory upgrades for Apple iMac 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme (24-inch) Desktop/PC from Crucial.com

4GB will only set you back £61 and some P+P

jobs a good un

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

and its Chris btw

Edcase

Yes. Yes I know

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

no problem brian

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

and dont apply the new lightroom update

Lightroom Journal: Comments on 1.4 Release

Edcase

Ok.

Looks like its also worth holding on slightly before buying as there may be imminent updates?

Mac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone

JackClark

Make sure you budget a few quid for a mighty mouse, makes all the difference especially for a switcher.

Sbradley

I'm using a Macbook Pro - about £1400 - running Vista as well as OS10.6(?) with bootcamp. I'm seriously impressed.

Using it for basically the same stuff as you plus web editing and general on the move stuff. And yes, buy a proper mouse

SB

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

#

included with the imac as is the funky low level keyboard

Dave_68

I use a 20" 2.4 iMac with Aperture for editing from my Nikon D200 with no problems speed wise, especially compared to how slow Capture works. Only have 1GB ram at the mo but all is fine

Before buying mine (last December) I had a one to one at the Apple store and took the camera to see how it all functioned. Pretty helpful and clued up

Edcase

Dadve what is the difference in aperture and lightroom?

RichB

You should aim to get minimum 2gb RAM, until Leopard came along 2gb was fine for me but then it started playing up, now with 4gb it's back to its superfast self.
Defo iMac 24" (if you can) - Maybe a base MacBookPro with Screen is a good alternative, that is what will replace my G5 tower when the next update happens....
Macrumors.com thinks there will some updates June ish

ScoobyDoo555

Deffo IMac.

I've got a MacBook Pro, and G5. Both max'd out with ram. They are rather quick But I'm using it for serious hard-disk audio processing, rather than graphics.

Dan

AllanB

If you are free on the 10th of April you might want to pop along to the MacWarehouse show at MErcedes World at Broolands and we can help you out there face to face

PM me if interested and I'll send you all the info. You might also get a high speed ride in an AMG merc too


AllanB

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

flash git
come and get one off me and I will pay for a single fare to anywhere on the London Underground

AllanB

I run two Macs for my photography work, just some basic retouching in photoshop and fiddling about with Lightroom, running ann Ibook G4 for dumping pics on and uploading whilst out and about and a Dual processor G5 with 2Gb RAM for most of the heavier stuff.

I think you'll find a decent specced iMac would be adequate , RAMs cheap at the moment so RAM it up.

MacPro is a better machine and a more flexible solution if you want expandability via internal hard disks, choice of monitors etc. We've seen a big update in the latest iMacs and a decline in Mac Pro sales as the new imacs are so capable


AllanB

madras

Edcase - you have a PM.

pete

Sonic'

Is Microsoft releasing Lightroom thesedays then