I'm thinking about ditching my windows PC and moving to a MacBook Pro 2.4 15", to which I would connect my current Viewsonic 22" widescreen most of the time. When I built my current computer a couple of years ago, my opinion was that laptops just weren't there yet in terms of power usage like batch processing in photoshop, etc. Is anyone using the MacBook for their photo work? Is it fast enough? If you migrated from Windows, are you glad you made the switch? Thanks.
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Anyone using a MacBook Pro for photo editing?
- Thread starter lawdog
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Numfar
Veteran Member
I do some work on it on the road - I have the 17 inch with the higher res screen - but it's not as smooth as my PC. If I upgraded to 4 gb ram, however, it might work just as well.
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At the very begining, I found photography simple: Point the camera and push the button. After several weeks of practice, I discovered I could achieve even better results by turning the camera on and removing the lens cap.
http://alterego.zenfolio.com/
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At the very begining, I found photography simple: Point the camera and push the button. After several weeks of practice, I discovered I could achieve even better results by turning the camera on and removing the lens cap.
http://alterego.zenfolio.com/
Morihei
Veteran Member
I know that many PJ's in Iraq and Afghanistan are using MacBook Pros over there for editing and transmitting their images back to AP and Reuters. If you get a new MacBook Pro, they are easily powerful enough.
I want to throw my pc off a cliff and get a Mac Pro system and a MacBook Pro. After using a Mac for a while, I'm hooked on the whole concept and design.
And remember: Cool people use a Mac.
Mike
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http://www.pbase.com/michaelcorral
I want to throw my pc off a cliff and get a Mac Pro system and a MacBook Pro. After using a Mac for a while, I'm hooked on the whole concept and design.
And remember: Cool people use a Mac.
Mike
--
http://www.pbase.com/michaelcorral
mmcloone
Member
I go to Brooks Institute for the Visual Journalism program and I must say that roughly 95% of students, faculty, and visiting guest speakers use macbook or macbook pros. they are great computers that rarely hassel you. I switched from PC to Mac a few years ago and will never go back. So to answer your question, switch now!
AdamJRed
Leading Member
I switched my entire digital darkroom to a MacBook Pro 2.3Ghz 15" from a Windows Laptop and PC.
My only recommendation is max out the RAM and Disk space in the laptop. I have the max 3Gb of RAM and 250Gb HD and I have an external 20" display attached to the laptop as a secondary display. Its extremely fast and powerful - no regrets. I use PS Lightroom for 80% of my PP, CS3 for another 15%, and periodically use other odds and ends like Photomatix for HDR etc.
My only recommendation is max out the RAM and Disk space in the laptop. I have the max 3Gb of RAM and 250Gb HD and I have an external 20" display attached to the laptop as a secondary display. Its extremely fast and powerful - no regrets. I use PS Lightroom for 80% of my PP, CS3 for another 15%, and periodically use other odds and ends like Photomatix for HDR etc.
been in tech support (windows hell) for years. switched to a first gen 17 macbook pro, 2GB ram and will never use PC again.
Use Aperture but its a bit slow (5d RAW files only)..can't compare to lightroom but i've heard its a bit faster than aperture.
No regrets. Just make SURE you calibrate the display or any other display you use every month.
Use Aperture but its a bit slow (5d RAW files only)..can't compare to lightroom but i've heard its a bit faster than aperture.
No regrets. Just make SURE you calibrate the display or any other display you use every month.
The differences between a Mac and a PC are virtually nil. Ever since Mac started using Intel chips there is little reason to pay the extra cash. I enjoy the Mac OS a little more than Windows, and the Apple/Command key is ergonomically better than the control key (the apple key rests where your alt key is on a PC keyboard). All that really means is that your hotkeys for photoshop and such are a little more comfortable during prolonged use.
I had a PowerMac Dual Proc for many years, and I still use and love it, but my new Core 2 Duo is just as stable. I also have a Powerbook Titanium which is now around 4 years old. It, like my PowerMac, runs on a mac processor as well.
All I'm going to say is that there are very few minor advantages to a Mac anymore. Prior to the Intel chips there were many advantages such as the limited number viruses programmed to attack your computer, but now your Mac might as well be a PC.
You buy a Mac now for a slightly better OS, style, and simplicity. Beyond that it just seems like a waste of cash to me.
I could be a little off base since I'm not a techie guru, but what I do know tells me that you are going to pay an extra $300-$1000 just to take the first step in to the world of Apple/Mac. On top of that, in order to receive tech support you will have to pay a service fee just to be able to make a phone call after your first year. Then, if you want something fixed properly you need to either a.) send your machine in or b.) take your machine to an authorized service provider. If you live in a decent sized city that might not be such a big deal, but otherwise you might just have to ship your machine every time something goes wrong.
Oh, and I guess if you are a video editor you get access to Final Cut Pro...
Dunno... it's just my opinion, but unless you are dying to look hip you should just buy a high-end PC laptop.
I do have a question for anyone else following this thread...
Have tablet PCs improved at all? The few screens that I have seen are lowres, and totally unacceptable for editing photos. I have a stylus pad that I use when I know I will be spending a lot of time on an image, but I would rather paint directly on the screen instead of using a pad.
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http://www.withorwithoutlight.com
I had a PowerMac Dual Proc for many years, and I still use and love it, but my new Core 2 Duo is just as stable. I also have a Powerbook Titanium which is now around 4 years old. It, like my PowerMac, runs on a mac processor as well.
All I'm going to say is that there are very few minor advantages to a Mac anymore. Prior to the Intel chips there were many advantages such as the limited number viruses programmed to attack your computer, but now your Mac might as well be a PC.
You buy a Mac now for a slightly better OS, style, and simplicity. Beyond that it just seems like a waste of cash to me.
I could be a little off base since I'm not a techie guru, but what I do know tells me that you are going to pay an extra $300-$1000 just to take the first step in to the world of Apple/Mac. On top of that, in order to receive tech support you will have to pay a service fee just to be able to make a phone call after your first year. Then, if you want something fixed properly you need to either a.) send your machine in or b.) take your machine to an authorized service provider. If you live in a decent sized city that might not be such a big deal, but otherwise you might just have to ship your machine every time something goes wrong.
Oh, and I guess if you are a video editor you get access to Final Cut Pro...
Dunno... it's just my opinion, but unless you are dying to look hip you should just buy a high-end PC laptop.
I do have a question for anyone else following this thread...
Have tablet PCs improved at all? The few screens that I have seen are lowres, and totally unacceptable for editing photos. I have a stylus pad that I use when I know I will be spending a lot of time on an image, but I would rather paint directly on the screen instead of using a pad.
--
http://www.withorwithoutlight.com
Sean Russell
Active member
I'm a Windows Vista refugee. I just switched to a 15" MacBook Pro a month ago and I love it. I read somewhere that the 15" screen renders colors more accurately than the 17".
Don't upgrade the RAM with Apple, they charge $700 for 4Gigs that you can get on Crucial's website for $200.
When I first started looking at a Mac I thought they were overpriced. But if you spec out an equivalent machine on Dell you'll come close to the Mac's price. Apple offers few customization options but their base hardware on the Macbook Pro is pretty high.
By the way Adobe will let you switch your applications licenses for free. Call their customer service about a "platform switch."
Don't upgrade the RAM with Apple, they charge $700 for 4Gigs that you can get on Crucial's website for $200.
When I first started looking at a Mac I thought they were overpriced. But if you spec out an equivalent machine on Dell you'll come close to the Mac's price. Apple offers few customization options but their base hardware on the Macbook Pro is pretty high.
By the way Adobe will let you switch your applications licenses for free. Call their customer service about a "platform switch."
William Long
Active member
I use a Macbook Pro - 4GB RAM, Apple 23" widescreen display and bought a Firewire 800 1.5TB HDD for the photos. Works great. It sits next to my PC which I need for work, but now does all the photos. Have Adobe CS3 Suite Pro and Lightroom. The Mac is soooo much better and faster than my PC for photo work.
Get it, you'll be happy with the Mac
Get it, you'll be happy with the Mac
Tizzio
Veteran Member
Imho, it all depends on whether you really need a laptop, a MBP would be a good choice if you do.
Just bear in mind you can build a fast E6850 Core2Duo PC desktop, 8 Gb DDR2 ram together with a nice 23-24"1920x1200 LCD display at more or less the same price for a stock 2.4GHz MBP15 alone. Speed wise, there is no comparison at all.
If you need a new comp for on the go, a MBP15 or 17 is the best, period.
Just bear in mind you can build a fast E6850 Core2Duo PC desktop, 8 Gb DDR2 ram together with a nice 23-24"1920x1200 LCD display at more or less the same price for a stock 2.4GHz MBP15 alone. Speed wise, there is no comparison at all.
If you need a new comp for on the go, a MBP15 or 17 is the best, period.
Jeff_WI
Veteran Member
Get the maximum RAM--4GB. Get the 7200rpm drive--it really matters. Spend the extra $250 to order the 2.6GHz processor--it gives you a real 10-15% boost (look for the benchmarks). Make sure you get the high-end graphics card with the 256MB of memory.
It's critical to max out the specs on the laptop if you are going to use it as your only machine and your primary photo editing platform. As good as they are, laptops are inherently slower than desktops for a variety of reasons. If you do what I recommend above, you can close that gap.
I have the newer 17" with the high-resolution screen and 7200rpm drive and 4GB of RAM and its very acceptable for editing photos with Photoshop and Lightroom; Aperture works well, but is a slow program (even on my Mac Pro).
One thing I haven't seen yet in anyone's recommendations: Do not get the glossy screen; the contrast is too high to allow you to properly edit photos.
Jeff
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http://www.pbase.com/jhapeman ; http://www.digitalhapeman.com
It's critical to max out the specs on the laptop if you are going to use it as your only machine and your primary photo editing platform. As good as they are, laptops are inherently slower than desktops for a variety of reasons. If you do what I recommend above, you can close that gap.
I have the newer 17" with the high-resolution screen and 7200rpm drive and 4GB of RAM and its very acceptable for editing photos with Photoshop and Lightroom; Aperture works well, but is a slow program (even on my Mac Pro).
One thing I haven't seen yet in anyone's recommendations: Do not get the glossy screen; the contrast is too high to allow you to properly edit photos.
Jeff
--
http://www.pbase.com/jhapeman ; http://www.digitalhapeman.com
HighOctaneSportsPhotos
Well-known member
I have the 17 inch one but I love it I run Adobe 3 with lightroom and it is better to work on then my pc. My pc locks up using 3 and lightroom good ole Mac nevedoes
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It is-What it is
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It is-What it is
mjbauer
Leading Member
The Mac Forum on DPR is an excellent starting point for questions like this
Our answer is yes, we use both a MacBook Pro 15" and a 24" iMac. Photoshop CS3, Lightroom, etc, All work fine. We also migrated form PC's and while in my opinion the differences are less than at one time, I am glad we made the switch and the performance of the two platforms are nearly the same. The chips are the same, memory is the same and just as in Windows - more memory is better for performace
Overall is the performance better? The usual answer - it depends, on some tasks it is on others it isn't. Look at Benchmarks in PC magaziens for the answer. One thing is better on the Mac by far, OS 10.nn is way better than Windows in usability and reliability. I still use Windows for my work equipment and I much prefer the Mac. It takes a while to get used to it like any thing new but I am glad we switched
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Mike Bauer
Our answer is yes, we use both a MacBook Pro 15" and a 24" iMac. Photoshop CS3, Lightroom, etc, All work fine. We also migrated form PC's and while in my opinion the differences are less than at one time, I am glad we made the switch and the performance of the two platforms are nearly the same. The chips are the same, memory is the same and just as in Windows - more memory is better for performace
Overall is the performance better? The usual answer - it depends, on some tasks it is on others it isn't. Look at Benchmarks in PC magaziens for the answer. One thing is better on the Mac by far, OS 10.nn is way better than Windows in usability and reliability. I still use Windows for my work equipment and I much prefer the Mac. It takes a while to get used to it like any thing new but I am glad we switched
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Mike Bauer
momo246197
Leading Member
I think it's fast enough but if you're doin' major amounts of work all day long every day then I think i'd opt for the Mac Pro tower...
that said, this March or April i'm planning on buying just this combo, MacBook Pro, 23" external monitor and I'm going to be adding a Sonnet/Lycom Express 34 card with a Burly enclosure containing 5 sata drives for file storage, scratch disk space and back up...here's what i've been researching...
http://www.macgurus.com/productpages/sata/BurlyPortMultiEncl.php
this looks like a great solution for me and i'll use the MacBook Pro internal drive for my applications, fonts, and files I need with me for work...that'll also keep it clean for me to download images to it when I'm out shooting...
today I'm thinking to get the 2.4 model with a large drive and max out the ram...I don't think it's worth the money for the nominal speed increase to go to 2.6ghz or to pay extra for a 7200rpm disk but if you know you do lots of work that will tax the processor you should consider it...
whatever you do, if you can, wait about four weeks...around 15 january is MWSF where they are likely (rumor) to introduce all kinds of new machines and upgrades...so, if you can wait, i'd recommend waiting...they may introduce laptops with faster processors for the same amount of money they are now charging...
good luck with your decision...and yes, you might do well to post this on the mac talk forum right here at dpr...
M
'Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask 'how,' while others of a more curious nature will ask 'why.' Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information.' -Man Ray
http://www.grapefruit.zenfolio.com
that said, this March or April i'm planning on buying just this combo, MacBook Pro, 23" external monitor and I'm going to be adding a Sonnet/Lycom Express 34 card with a Burly enclosure containing 5 sata drives for file storage, scratch disk space and back up...here's what i've been researching...
http://www.macgurus.com/productpages/sata/BurlyPortMultiEncl.php
this looks like a great solution for me and i'll use the MacBook Pro internal drive for my applications, fonts, and files I need with me for work...that'll also keep it clean for me to download images to it when I'm out shooting...
today I'm thinking to get the 2.4 model with a large drive and max out the ram...I don't think it's worth the money for the nominal speed increase to go to 2.6ghz or to pay extra for a 7200rpm disk but if you know you do lots of work that will tax the processor you should consider it...
whatever you do, if you can, wait about four weeks...around 15 january is MWSF where they are likely (rumor) to introduce all kinds of new machines and upgrades...so, if you can wait, i'd recommend waiting...they may introduce laptops with faster processors for the same amount of money they are now charging...
good luck with your decision...and yes, you might do well to post this on the mac talk forum right here at dpr...
M
--
'Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask 'how,' while others of a more curious nature will ask 'why.' Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information.' -Man Ray
http://www.grapefruit.zenfolio.com
Mike Tichon
Leading Member
Please search on the Mac forum here, and several alternatives to Qimage are suggested. However, none of them matches Qimage. So, I use a virtualization program, Parallels, to run XP and Qimage. A bit of a pain, but, I have not found an OSX equivalent to QI.
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Mike Tichon
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Mike Tichon
JDedmonPhoto
Member
Switched a year or so ago and havent looked back. Every time I see the photo guys at the stadium doing there half time edits, they're on macs. I use aperture and while it can be a bit slow, its easy and if your a good shooter, edits are minimal anyways.
jackkurtz
Veteran Member
I use both MacBook Pro and MacBook for road work. They both work great. I have always used Macs, so I don't have any experience with that other OS. I edit in Photoshop CS3 and Lightroom -- no problems there. Get the biggest hard drive you can and max out the RAM and you'll be fine.
jack
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A few of my photos:
http://web.mac.com/kurtzjack/ or
http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=4177
jack
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A few of my photos:
http://web.mac.com/kurtzjack/ or
http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=4177
The reason I didn't post in the Mac forum was that I specifically wanted to hear from people who had recently made the switch. I just assumed that folks in the Mac forum would be very pro mac, so I was hoping to get some objectivity ;-)
Eric Jacobs
Forum Enthusiast
I know that some reviewers have praised the 15 inch MacBook Pro screen, which has LED backlighting, but I returned two of them because there was a distinct yellow cast to the screen towards the bottom. Not all samples of the MBP seem to exhibit this, but there have been a good number of posts about this on Mac forums. Calibrating the display didn't help since the incorrect color rendition wasn't uniformly incorrect. A white box at the top of the display would have a yellow cast to it when dragged to the bottom. Calibrating with a colorimeter placed at the top of the display would yield a substantially different color profile from placing the colorimeter at the bottom. Laptop screens are not the best for critical color work, but I found the LED backlit MBP to be subpar.
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