Couple of Questions

I have been using PC's for many years and would consider myself an advanced amateur photographer. I have been using Photoshop for almost ten years and currently use CS2. I process in RAW and some of my files are 100+mb.

1). I have wanted to use MAC as my image processing system but have not done so due to the cost of purchasing a MAC version of Photoshop. I seldom use any other processing software so this is the main obstacle. Does Adobe have a switching service available that would not cost me the price of a new version of PS?

2). I don't want to spend over $3000 for a new computer. If you were purchasing a new MAC what would be your configuration?

I appreciate your input.

Robert ,

when I switched 5 years ago , Adobe did not provided cross platform exchange . From what I read recently , they do it now. You may want to check with them.

5 Years ago , I went on ebay , purchased an old version of MAC photoshop and then upgrade it to CS .

My system is not top of the line : G4 dual processor 1.4Mhz . That is doing a pretty good job for photo and video .

Imac are great to start ... Mac Book are nice ( I have 1 too) + Ibook 12" and Power book 12"..

Go to an Apple store or compusa and play around . Do not forget to increase your RAM to min 2 gig for decent performance.

Marcel

Thanks Marcel. I will check with Adobe.

I have been to Apples site and my ignorance gets in my way of knowing the right configuration. I thought about buying the basic $1999 system but concerned about it not being the right setup.

Thanks again.

Bob

I transferred my Windows versions Photoshop and Illustrator to Mac a couple of months ago. Adobe only charges shipping, but it's not a quick or painless process. Make sure you have all of your serial numbers, especially the one from the first full version. If you're registered your copies in the last couple of years, it will probably be easier. Mine dated back to version 3.0 and weren't in Adobe's databases any more. You'll have to fill out and fax in Letters of Destruction, which attest that you've destroyed your Windows copies and Adobe will send you full Mac versions.

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http://www.pbase.com/tmalcom/

You could start with the "default" Mac Pro configuration at the online Apple Store, and upgrade it to an ATI Radeon 1900 (+$250). That would be $2750 before shipping + tax, leaving $250 for you to purchase more RAM or HD space from a reputable (and cheaper) third-party source.

If that's too expensive, you could follow the same strategy (get the good video card from Apple, get the RAM & HD elsewhere), but with the 2.0 GHz CPUs. (Selecting them knocks $300 off the price.)

iMacs have some video acceleration, so you might check with others as to whether they'd be another option for Aperture use. I would recommend not trying to do heavy-duty Aperture work on a Mini.

My configuration of a potential new Mac (and it's Mac no capitals) is unimportant compared with your requirements since you are doin' the askin'. You can buy any model for under $3000. What do you need? Portability, built-in monitor, the best processing power, style, etc... What are the primary and secondary purposes of the computer?

Once you know what you want it may just make it a bit easier for me to provide useful information.

The previous poster brings up a very good point... we can't recommend a computer till we know what all you want to do and what your budget is. One thing I would like to mention relates to the Apple ad "more right out of the box". The more I use my Macs the more I like them. Especially when I am forced to go back to a PC environment. I "forced" my parents to switch when I told them I would no longer support their virus riddled, spy-ware laden, loaded with dime-store software PC whenever I visited. So they got a Mac (and now I don't have to deal with any of the afore mentioned problems anyway!). Anyhoot, my son is taking piano lessons and for his birthday I got a midi controller so he can practice at grandma & grandpa's (my mom and dad's house). It was a somewhat expensive controller and I told him he could set it up at his house (my son lives with his mom) if he kept up with the lessons and would get more use out of it at home. So, we plug the controller into the midi-box, fire up GarageBand and start making music. Great. What program should he use if he takes the controller home and hooks it up to his PC? There isn't one. Nearest thing to GarageBand runs $300 on a PC. GarageBand is part of iLife: free with any new Mac. And that is just my latest story. PCs are cheap for a reason.

Mike

Robert ,
do not forget the refurbished at Apple Store .

Marcel

Looks like you can get a referb Mac Pro for $2,199. HOWEVER, you then must pay $399 for the X1900 vid card. I think it is only a $250 on the new Mac Pros so that will eat into your savings a bit.

From what I've read and heard going for the more expensive video card to work in PSCS2 is a bit of a waste of money. You'd probably fare better getting more memory, crucial is good and maccompatible and an extra HD. The MacPro seems like a bargain when compared to equivalent Windows PCs. The 2.66 + 2Gb + extra HD to use as scratch/media drive would be nice. No fully compatible PS for the Intel Macs however but the current version runs well.
Ken

http://www.ephotozine.com/user.cfm?user=19806

True - but once you switch to Mac you will want to go Aperture as well and that is where the X1900 will come in handy in addition to one more GB of RAM. Of course I always overkill on the technology side whereever possible. )

Like the originator of this thread, I too am looking to switch to a Mac. Here are my goals for the system:

1. photoprocessing, using Aperture for RAW and then CS2 for all the rest (will waitn until Adobe releases the CS2 that can run native on the Mac).

2. creating DVDs using the footage from all the hours of miniDV tapes of my kids that are just sitting on the shelf.

That's about it. Not interested in portability. Not interested in gaming. Not interested in wordprocessing, or anythinge else (I've got my old Sony VAIO for that.)

Would one of the latests Mac Minis ( core duo processors...), with all the options maxed out (2 GB of ram, etc) fit the bill?

thanks