Thinking about getting an iMac

Hello photographers,

I am in need of a computer upgrade an considering the iMac. I currently have a HP Pavilon dv4 laptop. In my opinion it's great for everything but photography due a a low resolution non HD screen.

I hear great things about Apple's and how they are great for photography. How true is this or is it a great & successful marketing tactic? For those who have made the PC to Mac transition what are your thoughts? How was the learning curve?

The main thing that is holding me back from getting the 27" iMac is the cost. For the price I can have a pretty decent PC with dual screens.

Thanks in advance for any inputs.

Dennisaurous wrote in post #13798381
I hear great things about Apple's and how they are great for photography. How true is this or is it a great & successful marketing tactic?

Its not even remotely true.
The differences are arbitrary and meaningless, if there are any differences at all.


What you should be doing is deciding what you need from a computer and then figuring out the spec and form factor you need and picking what fits.

It might be an All in One like the iMac, or it might be a proper desktop with dual monitors, or it might be another laptop with a second screen.

^, Well put Moppie.

well... you know all those things that your used to doing on your pc? yeah... everything will be different. The mac OS and the windows OS are not all that similar.

The macs are not better for photography either.

There are a lot of factors. What software? Photoshop is the same on each. Aperture vs. Lightroom - if you already own Lightroom, I would stay with PC.

I have both, a Mac laptop and a PC desktop. If you can get by with the minimum spec 27" iMac I would get it. If you need more power the PC i7 desktops are a lot more powerful at half the price. Once you start adding features to the Mac's the price seems to climb up and up and up...

Also, check the Mac refurb shop. You can save a few $$$ and they're really like new.

Moppie wrote in post #13798400
Its not even remotely true.
The differences are arbitrary and meaningless, if there are any differences at all.


What you should be doing is deciding what you need from a computer and then figuring out the spec and form factor you need and picking what fits.

It might be an All in One like the iMac, or it might be a proper desktop with dual monitors, or it might be another laptop with a second screen.

my future desktop will mainly be used for internet, blogging and post processing. i am not into computer gaming or music/audio editing. an all in one suit my needs since i live in nyc which means tighter quarters (less clutter the better).

InlawBiker wrote in post #13798468
There are a lot of factors. What software? Photoshop is the same on each. Aperture vs. Lightroom - if you already own Lightroom, I would stay with PC.

I have both, a Mac laptop and a PC desktop. If you can get by with the minimum spec 27" iMac I would get it. If you need more power the PC i7 desktops are a lot more powerful at half the price. Once you start adding features to the Mac's the price seems to climb up and up and up...

Also, check the Mac refurb shop. You can save a few $$$ and they're really like new.

if i decide to transition from PC to laptop i don't have to worry about software such as cs5 or lightroom. i am completely new to post processing and don't own any processing programs. i have been playing around with the free canon digital professional software. i am hoping to improve my photography with post processing so obtaining a computer that will provide a better resolution and better screen real estate seems like the logical next step.

i will take a look at the i7's that you mentioned. thanks

Mac and PC are pretty equal in terms of features. Macs are more idiot proof. You tend to get more raw performance for your money with a PC.

IMHO you'd be better off with a fast PC (i5 2500 CPU + 16GB RAM, SSD, good monitor like a Dell IPS) than an all in one mac.

I've got an IMac and several portable Macs (Macbook Airs, Macbook Pro). I like them. They'll cost you a little more than a similarly configured Windows system, for myself the increased cost was well worth the hassle of not having to deal with MS and their crappy SW.

NYC has 3 Apple Stores. Go to one of them and check out the iMacs for yourself. If you like them, get one.

Personally, I have a 27-inch iMac and it's great for post processing of photos. Very fast, and the screen is da bomb.

tgara wrote in post #13801467
NYC has 3 Apple Stores. Go to one of them and check out the iMacs for yourself. If you like them, get one.

Personally, I have a 27-inch iMac and it's great for post processing of photos. Very fast, and the screen is da bomb.

i been playing with the iMac for some time now (5th ave store). i really enjoy it but i want to make sure this will be a wise investment.

tgara wrote in post #13801467
NYC has 3 Apple Stores. Go to one of them and check out the iMacs for yourself. If you like them, get one.

Personally, I have a 27-inch iMac and it's great for post processing of photos. Very fast, and the screen is da bomb.

Personally it was the screen on the iMac that stopped me from buying it. I don't rate it at all for photography because of the glossy plastic cover.

I don't think that I've ever seen a glossy NEC or Eizo monitor.

Apple costs more for the same performance but will hold its value better

PC costs less for the same performance but will not hold its value as well

It's as simple as that. Otherwise they are essentially the same.

Dennisaurous wrote in post #13802183
i been playing with the iMac for some time now (5th ave store). i really enjoy it but i want to make sure this will be a wise investment.

Technically the iMac is closer to a laptop than a proper PC.

They use laptop memory, laptop graphics cards, are generally very limited in the expansion / upgrades that you can do.

Do they look good - yes, only an idiot would saythat they are ugly - the bottom line is that you probably want to buy one because they look cool, rather than for what it can do.

A friend of mine was looking at buying a iMac but asked me to show him what we could build for similar money.

The spec we ended up with was :

• i7 2600 Sandy Bridge professionally overclocked to 4.7Ghz
  
• 16GB memory
  
• 2 x 24 inch screens - one Dell u2410 IPS, one generic TN.

Kento wrote in post #13802231
Apple costs more for the same performance but will hold its value better

PC costs less for the same performance but will not hold its value as well

It's as simple as that. Otherwise they are essentially the same.

Yeah, they will hold their value better but when you sell it you sell everything including the screen which you will then have to buy again.

When I upgrade my PC I buy only the bits that I need and keep my IPS monitor etc.

You may sell an old apple for £1000 and go buy a new one for £1800 whereas I may just spend £600 on a new motherboard and processor and transplant the rest of the components.

It really is swings and roundabouts.

Buy Mac if you want one just don't try to justify the purchase logically as you will only get a headache.