Viewing 31 posts - 1 through 31 (of 31 total)
  • Mac V Pc for photo editing
  • dropoff
    Full Member

    Any objective views welcomed especially from anyone who has gone from pc to mac for their photo editing. Good/Bad experience ?

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    define ‘editing’?
    sorting a few pics out or serious retouching?

    i doubt there is much between them and only particular software could sway your choice, the most popular apps like lightroom, CS5 etc are dual platform.
    i use macs as that’s what i have used for 20 years but pc’s don’t run the capture software or have powered firewire ports (essential for mu work) so there is no alternative but for home users i can’t see the point in swapping platform if you are using non specialist software?

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Both run Photoshop/Lightroom so there are no differences between the way the programs work or the editing that you do (of course there is the option of Aperture instead of LR on the Mac). I just find the Mac is hands down a better platform that Windows. (Diehard Windows PC user until 2 years ago, now I wouldn’t use one if you paid me 😆 )

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    MrSmith
    Free Member

    there may be slight differences in the amount of ram you can allocate and different types of windows OS? think there was/is a 4gb limit with some (no limit on OSX)

    tails
    Free Member

    As above really, the only reason I’d go for a mac is the quality of the screen. I’m sure pc screens are produced of the same quality but i’m unaware of them.

    Jamie
    Free Member

    How long is a piece of string? We talking desktops? Laptops?

    grunty
    Free Member

    I find the shortcut keys easier on the mac than on the pc. But that is about the only difference
    I would recognise. Not sure it would make me want to spank an extra grand on the mac though

    dropoff
    Full Member

    Lots of info there, thanks. I need to set up a workflow system in my head if that makes sense. Ie from loading from card through editing to saving on multiple drives. Whats the norm, can’t seem to find any sense of it on the net.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    Not sure it would make me want to spank an extra grand on the mac though

    a mac mini is £600. tell me where i can get a pc and £400 for free?

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Not sure it would make me want to spank an extra grand on the mac though

    I would also like to know where I can get a quad-core i5 PC with a great quality 27″ screen for £399. Link please?

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    Lots of info there, thanks. I need to set up a workflow system in my head if that makes sense. Ie from loading from card through editing to saving on multiple drives. Whats the norm, can’t seem to find any sense of it on the net.

    the key is deciding if you want to have a ‘library’ that’s searchable or if you want to tether etc. or just software for processing and the storage/organising is not a major requirement (where bridge and camera raw or your cameras own raw processing software will do)

    i don’t use aperture/lightroom as i don’t need or want a searchable database of images as jobs are stored in a ‘normal’ folder structure on drives that are mirrored and stored offsite. aperture and lightroom seem to be the popular choice and i know a few editorial/wedding/amateur photographers who use them as they generate far more raws and more final shots than i do, i use capture-1 as the processing control is extensive and rock solid tethering (i rarely shoot just to card) plus it’s the default for phase one backs.

    dropoff
    Full Member

    Thanks MrS. Don’t need library, just folder system as you use.I’m thinking that I want to copy from card to hard drive on pc and master back up external hard drive, edit on pc and save to 2nd external hard drive. Edits only basic wb, noise and sharpening.

    grunty
    Free Member

    MrSmith, I was referring to a high end pc vs a high spec mac.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    cheap option would be PS elements or lightroom on either platform.
    or CS5 and bridge for file browsing.
    no idea what back-up utility for P.C’s i use chronosync or just drag and drop.

    mboy
    Free Member

    Macs have always been better for creative work (photos, videos, music) traditionally, but that said you can get almost all software for a PC these days too.

    BUT… Apple’s OSX is a much nicer operating system to use, that’s more intuitive than Windows, as well as less resource hungry. Any Mac will have a much higher quality screen (Mac Mini and Mac Pro aside) included with it than an equivalent Windows based PC, and they also come with a lot of feature rich software bundled in that you just don’t get on a PC for free. We’re not talking pro Apps here, but iPhoto, iMovie and Garageband allow you to really be quite creative to a level you wouldn’t expect for free software.

    There are many other compelling arguments for Macs Vs Windows based PC’s also, but from a purely creative point of view, for Pro Level stuff they have better quality hardware especially screens, and for amateur level stuff much of the software that you would need comes free with the Machine.

    By the way, I’m trying to be unbiased as I sell Mac’s, Windows 7 is a lot better than Vista before it, but it’s not as nice to use as OSX as well as inherently being far less safe.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    MrSmith, I was referring to a high end pc vs a high spec mac.

    still don’t know where the 1k difference is as nobody buys the macpro’s anymore as the macbooks/mini’s/imacs have the latest processors and thunderbolt, as the thunderbolt periphials become available and cheaper the reason for a £2k powermac is lessened.

    i don’t use my mac pro anymore just a souped up 13in macbookpro with an eizo screen as it’s faster.

    anyway this isn’t a mac v pc thread, it’s a weighing up the options for somebody who wants to process a few raws and back them up.

    mboy
    Free Member

    MrSmith, I was referring to a high end pc vs a high spec mac.

    You get £899 worth of 2560×1440 pixel 27″ Thunderbolt display built into the £1399 27″ iMac. So that’s a 2.7GHz Quad Core i5 processored machine with 4GB of RAM, an ATI 6770 Graphics Card, 1TB Hard Drive etc. all for £500…

    And that’s poor value how?

    dropoff
    Full Member

    Thing is I have the software I need already and macs seem to use alot of hardware that pc’s use.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    on the subject of software Apple have some very good value apps like aperture and final cut pro-X, i don’t use aperture but final cut is an absolute bargain considering how good it is and how easy it is to pick up compared to the previous final cut.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    Thing is I have the software I need already and macs seem to use alot of hardware that pc’s use.

    stick with a p.c.
    the advantages image wise will be negligible compared to a mac and you could just get a better screen.
    the only reason to switch would be because you prefer the U.I. or you have your computer in your living space and don’t want it to look like an office 🙂

    dropoff
    Full Member

    Thanks to MrS for your objective view, you must be a pro shooter ? Obviously got to spend some time around the shops to gather some more info. 🙂

    rwc03
    Free Member

    Depends on the hardware needed, imacs come with very good panels but you can pick up the equivalent ips panel for £650 from Dell and soon Samsung. If you only need 4gb of ram and don’t intend to upgrade get a mac, but if you need 16gb with an ssd or are likely to upgrade I’d recommend getting a pc. If you’re not bothered about money just go with what you’re used to. Both have good OS, a mac is generally better packaged and hold their value better but with pcs you can swap hardware around for a lot less.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    If you only need 4gb of ram and don’t intend to upgrade get a mac, but if you need 16gb with an ssd or are likely to upgrade I’d recommend getting a pc.

    don’t see the logic here? nobody buys ram from apple or SSD’s
    i’m using a crucial c300 and 16gb ram in my MBP, neither are from apple and both took minutes to fit.

    rwc03
    Free Member

    Apologies if I’m out of touch but 18 months ago 16gb of ram and 128 gb for an ssd drive was more expensive for an imac than a pc. I’m currently using 50gb of ram and 4 drives in raid with usb 3 and esata which puts me firmly in the pc camp for better or worse. Both good systems in my opinion, just don’t understand why they divide people so much!?

    mboy
    Free Member

    Both good systems in my opinion, just don’t understand why they divide people so much!?

    Cos it’s Human nature to have an allegiance to something! How else do you explain such ridiculous behaviour every Saturday afternoon when 22 overpaid thugs take to a pitch all over the country to kick a pigskin round for 90 minutes, causing so much hysteria in the national press! 😉

    Mac’s and Windows based PC’s are 2 ways of going about doing the same thing. One has it’s OS tied down to only being able to be used on its own hardware (which really grates with some people), the other OS you are free to install on any machine of your choice. One is slightly more intuitive to use, the other is more familiar for the vast majority of computer users these days due to sheer market share. One is traditionally better for creative industry types, the other traditionally better for heavy data manipulation, though thankfully both can do both equally well these days.

    One thing you can’t argue with though, and this goes some way towards explaining the big price difference between some Mac’s and their Windows based PC equivalents, is they have a far superior build quality than anything out there from the likes of Sony, ASUS, Acer, Toshiba, Dell etc. The way I often put it to people is buying a Mac vs a Windows PC is a bit like buying a BMW or an Audi Vs buying a Ford or a Vauxhall. They’ll both do the same thing, one will cost more up front but it will be slightly nicer to use, and will retain more of its value come resale time.

    Drac
    Full Member

    So that’s a 2.7GHz Quad Core i5 processored machine with 4GB of RAM, an ATI 6770 Graphics Card, 1TB Hard Drive etc. all for £500…

    Going rate then.

    I have a ageing desktop PC that was a bit of monster when it was new, it’s still pretty good and I used it fair bit for photos.

    I bought Mac Book Pro in November and it’s a joy to use, so slick the shortcuts are nicer and al round the OS is just better.

    So to conclude, either just depends on your budget.

    zokes
    Free Member

    I’m in Drac’s boat. 4 year old Quad-core x64 PC with 8GB RAM, and a new MacBook Air. The Mac wins hands down for usability, and is definitely faster, but then it’s also 4 years younger. By virtue of the 24″ screen, I still use the PC for most photo editing, and it’s plenty fast enough for LR3

    As a long-standing skeptic, I’ve been very impressed with the Mac thoughsince I got it 6 months ago. It does annoyingly just seem so much more intuitive and user friendly than the PC.

    Three_Fish
    Free Member

    How much would one pay for a monitor the same quality as an iMac?

    _tom_
    Free Member

    If you already have a PC then I would just stick with that. Macs are nice but expensive and imo not worth the money unless you need to use mac-only software like Logic or FCP. I have both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard on the same machine and they run pretty evenly. The mac side may even be a touch slower, and the mouse acceleration still feels rubbish. Find myself using Windows 7 more and just leaving the mac side for video stuff or motion graphics that needs rendering in prores.

    Might be worth getting some monitor calibration stuff.

    rwc03
    Free Member

    How much would one pay for a monitor the same quality as an iMac?

    U2711

    £550ish now, uses the same panel as the imac

    Three_Fish
    Free Member

    £550ish now, uses the same panel as the imac

    Thank you. I think that’s worth bearing in mind for anyone doing photo/video editing.

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