iMac 27" or Macbook Pro 15" Retina

Lady Tori wrote in post #15318496
If you had a choice and were a photographer that does looots of editing?

Depends on what your editing software is. Aperture and other Apple applications have been optimized for the retina display. Adobe products i.e. PS and LR are not optimized for the retina display. If you use PS or LR you'll waste money with retina display.

IPS is "The gorgeous iMac display looks great from any seat in the house. A technology called in-plane switching (IPS) gives you a bright picture with excellent color from nearly any angle. And LED backlighting offers instant-on, uniform brightness with no waiting."

Do you travel so much that you don't have time at home to edit photos? I'd definitely want almost double the screen size for editing so I'd go for the 27" imac.

As I remember, Adobe should be releasing retina support in the next 2 weeks.

If you need something for travel, get the rMBP. If you want something bigger for when you're home, connect an external monitor. Don't fret over Adobe not being retina optimized, it's on the way. My rMBP is the best computer I've ever used.

Get an 15" rMBP and hook it to a thunderbolt display. That way you have thunderbolt,HDMI, FW, USB 3 and USB 2 ports (on the display and/or the rMBP) to hook up almost anything. In the field, you have a solid state laptop with a killer screen plus thunderbolt, USB 3 and HDMI. The only negative...the cost. At least you can do a refurbed ATD for $829.

What about MBP with a 24" or 27" IPS monitor for docking at home?

you can have the portability and a great monitor at home for use. Would cost roughly the same as rMBP given the path you take.

If rMBP + ATD is a budget killer, I would suggest a cMBP or even high end MBA with ATD. The reason is most photographers will likely spend more time on final editing on a large monitor at home or office than they will on the laptop's native screen.

A nice 27" IPS monitor like a Dell U2711 will cost around $700. And it will provide no thunderbolt docking features. For $829 you can get the 27" IPS monitor and thunderbolt docking, integrated camera for FaceTime, and speakers. You can also optionally get Apple Care for it (less than $75 at B&H). If you purchase the ATD at the same time as a MBP, you get them both under the same Apple Care coverage.

Agree with rMBP with thunderbolt display, best of both (at a huge price increase).

I have a rMBP and LR doesn't support it so I switch to full res on the display when editing (just leaving display in default mode doesn't give the WOW factor). With retina support on the rMBP for LR things should get better. I like how it gives you a good feel of the print quality that can be produced, however 15" still doesn't give you 27" real estate to work with (my eyes are only that good).

Lady Tori wrote in post #15321426
Well not really.. because I'm wondering if it was worth me getting it for when I get get back.. as I'm here and there.. or if I should just stick with the Retina

What's your budget?

What really gets me is you pay two grand on a 27" iMac that's designed to save space and eliminate clutter yet they don't add a DVD drive in the system they force you to purchase an external unit to do what take up space and make for clutter, isn't an all in one suppose to be just that "All in One" ?
Sorry for the off topic back on your topic it sounds like a MbP and a nice IPS monitor will fit your bill just fine.

Gliderparentntn wrote in post #15330820
What really gets me is you pay two grand on a 27" iMac that's designed to save space and eliminate clutter yet they don't add a DVD drive in the system they force you to purchase an external unit to do what take up space and make for clutter, isn't an all in one suppose to be just that "All in One" ?

DVD sales have dropped dramatically the last couple of years in favor of VOD. This is why Apple (and some PC vendors) are moving away from optical drives - they simply are unnecessary for most people. I have a USB-powered slimline optical drive in an external enclosure that I use occasionally to rip DVDs to the hard drive, but it doesn't get a lot of use.

I just got a new rMBR - I say go for the retina... I am having to go back and re-edit some things, because I just couldn't see them on larger non-retina displays.

The MBP is an incredible machine. Unless you like being chained to your office with the iMac(many people do), the MBP is just as powerful for the most part, and the screen more than makes up for any other shortcomings.

Yes, color me impressed with the MBP...

I am in the same boat on whether to buy a rMBP or the IMac. I would prefer the IMac but I just know that the next generation, probably be updated in the spring, will have a retina display. I am sure that would kill any future resale value of this IMac. I am leaning towards the retina mac book pro and just hooking it up to my Dell 24" but that IMac looks really nice.

Tony-S wrote in post #15330979
DVD sales have dropped dramatically the last couple of years in favor of VOD. This is why Apple (and some PC vendors) are moving away from optical drives - they simply are unnecessary for most people. I have a USB-powered slimline optical drive in an external enclosure that I use occasionally to rip DVDs to the hard drive, but it doesn't get a lot of use.

It's not so much for watching movies when we order software and it comes in a DVD how do we magically install it on a computer without a DVD player? I also agree VOD is great but some of us live in areas where we can't get high speed Internet so we are limited to dial up or satellite in which I have the latter and with data caps VOD can burn thru 10 GB band width in a hurry.
I mean seriously a 20.00 drive won't kill or hurt profits in a 2000.00 computer.

Gliderparentntn wrote in post #15331047
It's not so much for watching movies when we order software and it comes in a DVD how do we magically install it on a computer without a DVD player? I also agree VOD is great but some of us live in areas where we can't get high speed Internet so we are limited to dial up or satellite in which I have the latter and with data caps VOD can burn thru 10 GB band width in a hurry.
I mean seriously a 20.00 drive won't kill or hurt profits in a 2000.00 computer.

The exclusion of the optical drive from the new iMacs had nothing to do with money, and everything to do with style.