Switch to Mac?

JoshF · November 22, 2009

All of the digital SLR classes I have found use Macs. I have always ben a PC guy. Is it worth switching to a Mac for photo / video work. I have always heard that Macs are better for this but don't really understand why. Any advice would be appreciated. The 27" iMac looks like fun...

DavidTO · November 22, 2009

JoshF wrote:

All of the digital SLR classes I have found use Macs. I have always ben a PC guy. Is it worth switching to a Mac for photo / video work. I have always heard that Macs are better for this but don't really understand why. Any advice would be appreciated. The 27" iMac looks like fun...

The 27" iMac is the fastest Mac ever, I read today.

Mac being better for photos and graphics is old news, I think. But I'm still a Mac guy at heart, and would never switch. Is it worth you switching? Depends on a lot of things. Windows is getting closer and closer to the Mac experience (so I'm told), but it's really a personal preference.

LiquidAir · November 22, 2009

I use both a PC and a Mac (Dell desktop and Macbook Pro). Apple invests a lot more than Microsoft does in multimedia tools. However, the Adobe tools (PS, Bridge, Lightroom) work just as well on both platforms. Personally I use Photoshop and Lightroom and I find no real difference as I move between the systems.

Ekaj · November 22, 2009

Macs are incredibly expensive for what you get. You can build a monster of a PC for a quarter or less. Why waste money?

BradfordBenn · November 22, 2009

I use a MacBook Pro for personal use (like my photo hobby) and use Windows machines at work an for work. I have CS3 on both machines, so I have done some side by side tests. They are very close, but it depends on lots of things, hard drive speed, speed of computer, etc... However for ease of use and getting out of my way while I am being creative, I prefer the Mac. I know much more about how Windows works because of work, I product manage a Windows application. When I am using my Mac at home, I do not have to think about any of that stuff, I just use it.

It is more expensive than a Windows machine, but I picked it for its size to power performance, not power to money performance.

Neither OS is flawless, but it comes down to personal preference. I will say it took me a while to get used to not being in Windows, but once I realized I didn't have to tweak it like I did Windows I got into it fairly quick.

colourbox · November 22, 2009

I have always used Macs, but I don't tell people to switch unless they're unhappy, frustrated, or tired of Windows. If you think a Mac will increase your "quality of life," if you find it to be less hassle like another post said, maybe that's worth the increase in cost, since time is money. Since Mac sales are going up, in a severe recession no less, many people are deciding that it's worth paying more for one, just as people often pay substantially more than the cheapest stereo or the cheapest car or the cheapest housing. Maybe buying the cheapest PC isn't the best decision.

Ultimately that's a decision you'll make for yourself. Don't just switch because everybody else seems to use one. If Windows isn't bothering you, 99% of critical photo software runs on Windows PCs too. And the i5/i7 processors that make the new iMac so fast? Well of course, they came out in Windows PCs first. But like the poster above, I really like having computers that I don't have to replace for many years (somewhat lowering the higher cost when amortized), with a bulletproof Unix OS that runs for many days of continuous uptime and needs little maintenance. No rebooting, no reimaging the whole OS every few months like some Windows users says is needed. I just want to use my computer, not work on it. To be a photographer, not a computer technician.

Pupator · November 22, 2009

Full-disclosure: I'm a windows fanboy. Just check the digital darkroom forum!

Macs as better for photo/graphics work is an urban legend. As several others have mentioned - all the same software is available (more, even) on PC. PCs can be just as fast (faster, even) than Macs - depending on what you buy.

However, the comment above about a monster PC being 1/4 the price of a PC is simply untrue. Particularly when you factor in the value of a monitor. On most Macs, in most situations, yes, there is a Mac tax. I paid it myself for a laptop because I couldn't find anything in the PC world with the battery life of the 13" Macbook Pro (don't worry, Windows 7 is the only OS installed on it).

The new iMac is in a similar place. By the time you purchase a 21.5" or 27" monitor of comparable quality, plus a PC with similar specs, I think you've spent a very similar amount of money. Maybe not quite what the imac costs, but certainly not 1/4.

Now, if we're talking about taking a Mac Pro and fully loading it on Apple.com and then added a Cinema display -- well yes, those prices are crazy.

Lately all of my computers (except this Macbook Pro, obviously) have come from the Dell outlet. Crazy, crazy low prices. I haven't had any issues with the machines (and I've bought several over the last 3 years) and they are blazing fast (not buying bottom of the barrel here).

Andy · November 22, 2009

DavidTO wrote:

The 27" iMac is the fastest Mac ever, I read today.

Mac being better for photos and graphics is old news, I think. But I'm still a Mac guy at heart, and would never switch. Is it worth you switching? Depends on a lot of things. Windows is getting closer and closer to the Mac experience (so I'm told), but it's really a personal preference.

Who are you and what have you done with DavidTO?

ziggy53 · November 22, 2009

I moved this to the Digital Darkroom Gear, just because that's where we normally discuss computers and monitors.

I use a Windows XP based PC and I honestly have very few problems with it. There are some cultural differences and Windows PC users generally put waaaay too much garbage onto their machines, which ultimately affects productivity.

As long as you research machines beforehand and choose a motherboard and video card that are know to be stable and compatible, and you don't load garbage applications and "cute" stuff just because it's available, the experience of a Windows machine can be enjoyable.

Richard · November 22, 2009

JoshF wrote:

Is it worth switching to a Mac for photo / video work.

There are historical reasons why Mac has a reputation for being a better platform for photography, but realistically, today I think it´s pretty much a tossup. I believe at the moment, there is better 64-bit support from Adobe in Windows, but that´s just a passing thing. CS4 and LR are essentially the same on both systems, and that´s where you will be spending 99% of your time.

I don´t do video myself, but my understanding is that Apple´s Final Cut Pro is by far the best video editing software out there. If you need the professional power of that program, then you have to go with Mac. OTOH, if you are asking the question Mac or PC, chances are you don´t need all that power.

MooreDriven · November 22, 2009

Josh,

I switched to Mac a few years ago and have enjoyed the switch. I was a Mac fan many years ago, then switched to PC because that's what I used at work. When I got back into photography, I decided it was time to move back to my favorite OS.

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself, some are posted above. Do you currently have any PC applications that you've purchased that you can be installed on the Mac? I had just one application that wouldn't port over, so it was a non-issue for me. If you plan to upgrade your software, you could make the switch then, assuming they have a Mac version.

I've not seen W7 yet, but all previous versions are slow and require a lot of hard drive space, anti-virus programs, etc. When comparing specs, don't let the smaller hard drives of the Mac or lesser memory required throw you off track. When I upgraded to Snow Leopard, I got back 10 gig of hard drive space. The Mac OS doesn't need nearly the same amount of HD space as any Windows OS. It's a lot more efficient OS, IMHO. My MacBook will boot 10x faster than my daughters HP laptop, same vintage and amount of memory. She's kicking herself for buying an HP instead of the MacBook.

I would recommend visiting your local Apple store and get a hands on experience. Some Best Buys also carry Macs which will allow you to compare the two directly.

Good luck.

MooreDriven · November 22, 2009

Josh,

I'm sure you've read this post already, but I found it after I posted my response.

Dale

kini62 · November 22, 2009

No it's not worth it to switch "just" for photo/video work. But it is worth it in total. The Mac/OSX experience is SOOOOOO much nicer than Windows.

The add says- " It just works" and it does.

Even Windows 7 is STILL saddled with legacy support and still uses the incredibly easily corrupted registry. Which is home to any and all trojans, viruses and spyware available.

I switched in May and couldn't be more happy with it.

Gene

JoshF wrote:

All of the digital SLR classes I have found use Macs. I have always ben a PC guy. Is it worth switching to a Mac for photo / video work. I have always heard that Macs are better for this but don't really understand why. Any advice would be appreciated. The 27" iMac looks like fun...

JoshF · November 22, 2009

OK, I did it. I bought a 27" Imac. Upgraded to the Intel i7 2.8 Quad and 8GB of Ram. I lust like the look and feel of this thing and the 27" monitor looks great.

DavidTO · November 22, 2009

JoshF wrote:

OK, I did it. I bought a 27" Imac. Upgraded to the Intel i7 2.8 Quad and 8GB of Ram. I lust like the look and feel of this thing and the 27" monitor looks great.

Congrats!!!

You will love it.

CTUphoto · November 27, 2009

JoshF wrote:

OK, I did it. I bought a 27" Imac. Upgraded to the Intel i7 2.8 Quad and 8GB of Ram. I lust like the look and feel of this thing and the 27" monitor looks great.

Ditto! Congrats on your purchase!

The one you got is the one I'm considering upgrading to in a couple of months. I'm still (still!) blown away by how fast my 24 inch iMac is on basic tasks (start up, program launches, etc).

~jb

Theresa_N · December 17, 2009

Having used an iMac exclusively for several years, I switched back to a Windows machine. The iMac was great when new but being unable to upgrade the hard disk, the processor, the video card, memory beyond 3GB, or the monitor convinced me that I should go back to Windows. So, if you don't mind replacing the whole thing at least every three years (and thats stretching it) then the current iMacs are not bad if you are looking in the $1600 range. I built this current computer for $1100 (I had the monitor) and it is a match for a $2200 Mac Pro but with more hd space. There is no longer any advantage to using a Mac for imaging purposes or little else. The OS on the Mac is definately more refined but Windows 7 64 bit is pretty good. Whatever works best for you is what you should get. Ignore the flame wars over which is best, apart from price there is little to be said for one over the other, and Macs as well as Windows machines are good. There is tremendous brand loyalty among Mac users along with a great deal of defensiveness. For them the Mac is worth it.

Switch to Mac?

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