Question for Mac Users

[Smileyguy]

Hi, newbie here.

Hello everyone,

I’m a freelance journalist who is starting to get into amateur photojournalism and landscape photography. I’m hoping to possibly make photography a second source of income in the next few years. I also use my computer for storing my music collection, for doing a little layout work in Quark, and for surfing the net, doing the accounts and using iLife extensively.

I’ve currently got a 1.8 GhZ single processor PowerMac G5, from the first line-up of G5’s released in 2003. I originally forked out money I didn’t really have for the machine because I wanted longevity. As a consequence of the expenditure, I couldn’t afford a great monitor. I bought a 15’ LCD, and now I’ve got the money for a new monitor I want to upgrade to 19’ or 20’.

So I started shooping online for displays, but then I got a great offer from my local apple centre. They said If I traded in my G5, they’d give me a brand new 20’ iMac G5 for €550. I don’t particularly want or need a new computer, but look what I’m getting for this deal…

- A brand new 20’ display.
- A brand new computer
- Both of these under warrantee
- A chance to get AppleCare, Apple’s Bluetooth module…
- A gorgeous all-in-one machine which will save space and has the potential to be wall mounted (the aesthetics are REALLY temping me…)

All of this for €550.

Or, I can keep my Powermac and buy a secondhand 20’ Apple Cinema display (one of the last generation) for at least €620, but probably more. Of course I could buy a third party monitor (The Formac Platinum 1900 could be picked up for about €550). Like I said, I’m moving into a new home soon so aesthetics are important, and the Apple Cinema display and Formac are the only monitors that really appeal to me.

So would a move to the iMac G5 be a ‘downgrade’?

Both machines are 1.8Ghz G5, the most important hardware factor. The iMac can go to 2GB of RAM, the PowerMAc to 8Gb. But the most I’ll ever do is some light photo retouching, iMovie/iDVD editing, internet, word processing and using Quark.

Will 2BG be enough to do this for the next 3/4 years or will I want more?

The graphics on the Powermac are upgradeable, but not on the iMac. Does upgrading graphics only make a difference in games or will I notice a real effect in movies and photography? If it’s only for games, I’ve no interest, but if it makes my pictures better and DVD’s clearer I’m interested.

What’s my best option for colour accuracy? The Formac Platinum, the OLD 20’ Apple Cinema Display or the 20’ iMac? This is obviously of particular application to folks here. I’d be really interested in hearing from people here about colour accuracy on the iMac G5.

The mac HD on the iMac is 250GB, and on the Powermac it’s twice that. But even for someone into photography and who keeps a music collection on his machine, isn’t 250 enough?

Also, is it likely there will be processor upgrades for for my 1st generation PowerMac, and if so, how high could I expect them to take it?

I guess what this comes down do is whether by plumping for the gorgeous good looks of the iMAC G5 (at a great price for a 20’ screen) am sacrificing anything I might need to carry out me computing needs successfully for the next 3/4 years.

:)

[Jyoti]

Or, I can keep my Powermac and buy a secondhand 20’ Apple Cinema display (one of the last generation) for at least €620, but probably more. Of course I could buy a third party monitor (The Formac Platinum 1900 could be picked up for about €550). Like I said, I’m moving into a new home soon so aesthetics are important, and the Apple Cinema display and Formac are the only monitors that really appeal to me.

Hi and welcome!

I recently bought a 20" LaCie Photon TFT monitor for £631.98 which I think both looks sleek and gives a great picture. Would you consider a LaCie monitor?

[Smileyguy]

Hi and welcome!

I recently bought a 20" LaCie Photon TFT monitor for £631.98 which I think both looks sleek and gives a great picture. Would you consider a LaCie monitor?


Maybe, I know they have a great reputation for colour accuracy. I'll check their website. Thanks. ;)

[PacAce]

If I were you, I'd keep the PowerMac G5 and add another monitor, either a 2nd hand or a new Cinema Display. If you PowerMac supports dual monitors, you can keep the old monitor plugged in and use it to expand your desktop. I have a 20" Cinema Dispaly on my PowerMac which I use as the main window for editing in PSCS and a 19" Viewsonic LCD where the other PSCS windows are displayed along with any other open apps such as an internet browser, mail, etc.

In addition, the PowerMac will allow you to have two internal harddrives which you're going to need if doing video editing and DVD authoring. Does the iMac allow for harddrive expansion?

[johnleveritt]

Hi, newbie here.

Hello everyone,

I’m a freelance journalist who is starting to get into amateur photojournalism and landscape photography. I’m hoping to possibly make photography a second source of income in the next few years. I also use my computer for storing my music collection, for doing a little layout work in Quark, and for surfing the net, doing the accounts and using iLife extensively.

I’ve currently got a 1.8 GhZ single processor PowerMac G5, from the first line-up of G5’s released in 2003. I originally forked out money I didn’t really have for the machine because I wanted longevity. As a consequence of the expenditure, I couldn’t afford a great monitor. I bought a 15’ LCD, and now I’ve got the money for a new monitor I want to upgrade to 19’ or 20’.

So I started shooping online for displays, but then I got a great offer from my local apple centre. They said If I traded in my G5, they’d give me a brand new 20’ iMac G5 for €550. I don’t particularly want or need a new computer, but look what I’m getting for this deal…

- A brand new 20’ display.
- A brand new computer
- Both of these under warrantee
- A chance to get AppleCare, Apple’s Bluetooth module…
- A gorgeous all-in-one machine which will save space and has the potential to be wall mounted (the aesthetics are REALLY temping me…)

All of this for €550.

Or, I can keep my Powermac and buy a secondhand 20’ Apple Cinema display (one of the last generation) for at least €620, but probably more. Of course I could buy a third party monitor (The Formac Platinum 1900 could be picked up for about €550). Like I said, I’m moving into a new home soon so aesthetics are important, and the Apple Cinema display and Formac are the only monitors that really appeal to me.

So would a move to the iMac G5 be a ‘downgrade’?

Both machines are 1.8Ghz G5, the most important hardware factor. The iMac can go to 2GB of RAM, the PowerMAc to 8Gb. But the most I’ll ever do is some light photo retouching, iMovie/iDVD editing, internet, word processing and using Quark.

Will 2BG be enough to do this for the next 3/4 years or will I want more?

The graphics on the Powermac are upgradeable, but not on the iMac. Does upgrading graphics only make a difference in games or will I notice a real effect in movies and photography? If it’s only for games, I’ve no interest, but if it makes my pictures better and DVD’s clearer I’m interested.

What’s my best option for colour accuracy? The Formac Platinum, the OLD 20’ Apple Cinema Display or the 20’ iMac? This is obviously of particular application to folks here. I’d be really interested in hearing from people here about colour accuracy on the iMac G5.

The mac HD on the iMac is 250GB, and on the Powermac it’s twice that. But even for someone into photography and who keeps a music collection on his machine, isn’t 250 enough?

Also, is it likely there will be processor upgrades for for my 1st generation PowerMac, and if so, how high could I expect them to take it?

I guess what this comes down do is whether by plumping for the gorgeous good looks of the iMAC G5 (at a great price for a 20’ screen) am sacrificing anything I might need to carry out me computing needs successfully for the next 3/4 years.

:)

I'd take several photographs that need work to the Apple store, have them copied to the computer, and check out the speed of the new IMac (I'm sure that they have Photoshop, or something like it). I think the newer IMac with the faster frontside bus, may be great, and just your ticket.

Lets see used monitor 620

New computer 550

I'm working on an old G4 DP 1Gig Mac with a older version 20" cinema display with 1.7 Gig of Ram, and it works great for what I do in Photoshop (a real memory hog). So what they are offering you would be fine

I know what I'd do with that offer in a New York minute, but the decision is yours.

[Smileyguy]

The sales guy has just emailed me an told me he made a mistake in calculating the 550 price. :cry:

I'm expecting an email tomorrow with the corrected quote. I expect it to be higher than 550.

[johnleveritt]

The sales guy has just emailed me an told me he made a mistake in calculating the 550 price. :cry:

I'm expecting an email tomorrow with the corrected quote. I expect it to be higher than 550.

Did you happen to get that quote in writing? If you did, he has to honor it. If not, have a talk with his boss, tell him your story, maybe he will.

Do I smell bait and switch tactics.

[NickC]

Your original (now discontinued) G5 1.8GHz has a 900MHz frontside bus. [the current G5 1.8GHz model has a slower frontside bus, 600MHz] The iMac G5 has a 600MHz frontside bus. Plus as already mentioned there is an extra bay for hard drive expansion, along with a couple open PCI slots. The iMac is not that expandable -- you can only switch out the hard drive or add RAM. Also, the Firewire ports on the iMac are 400, whereas your G5 has Firewire 800.

Your G5 should be a bit faster than the iMac G5, so I'd stick with the tower and get a really nice monitor. I've got a Samsung 213T on my G5 1.8GHz. Editing photos on 1600x1200 pixel screen is a joy.

[Tobiko]

go with a nice monitor, or go get the imac and buy and epson 2200