Re: [Leica] RE: questions on computer for photo work

["John Poirier" <MJ.Patterson@nt.sympatico.ca>]

Hi-

I'm working on both platforms and 3 OS's (Mac OS 8.6, NT 4, and Windows 95).
In terms of the Photoshop interface itself, there is little to choose
between the three.  I find that the major difference from my point of view
is that  Windows allows renaming and deletion of files in the opening and
closing dialogue boxes, while the Mac does not (AFIK).  This is significant
when you deal with large numbers of files and screw up as much as I do...

Windows NT has no built-in colour management system, and that in Windows 95
is said to be flawed.  Window's 98's colour management (at least
potentially) is said to be on a par with Apple's Colorsync system.  I
believed Apple has announced that it intends to produce a Windows version of
Colorsync.

My systems at the office are a 300mhz G3 with 256MB of RAM, and a dual
processor 200mhz NT system with 196MB.  The performance of both systems in
terms of image editing times is similar, and I consider them quite adequate
for the high-volume production of image files suitable for 8x10 prints.  In
fact, printer output speeds (Epson Photo Stylus and 1200)   are the limiting
factor in production of prints of this size.  (These systems were not my
choice, by the way.  Imagine getting a G3 as the result of a boondoggle!)

My home system is a 166mhz MMX, with 128 MB of RAM.  It is perfectly
adequate for low-volume work, and does a reasonable job even on large
files-e.g, 40-50MB.

Recommendations?

Avoid Windows NT due to lack of colour management.  In general I find it
less user-friendly than Windows 95 and it offers few real advantages for
image editing other than support for multiple processors.

The G3 is pleasant to use and fast.  The interior design of the box is
excellent- very easy to upgrade. The Photoshop interface is generally very
similar to the Windows version.  Personally, I find the Mac OS different
from Windows but not necessarily better or worse functionally speaking.

Note that unlike earlier Macs the G3 does not come with a SCSI card.  You wo
uld be wise to order one installed as part of your initial purchase.

If you are comfortable with Windows, you might as well stick with it.  You
won't see any significant gains with a Mac, and will have the penalty of
figuring out a different OS.

Hardware?

128MB of RAM is not bad.  256 is much faster.

A 3GB hard drive is marginally adequate.  6GB is OK in terms of being able
to store a reasonable number of images in progress, but you might as well go
for 9 or more given the dropping prices.

Make sure you get a good monitor- at least 17".  A nice sharp monitor makes
a big difference in comfort levels when image editing.  A video card with
lots of RAM (I think 6 MB and more is commonplace these days) will speed up
your work.

I strongly recommend a CDRW drive.  They are affordable and give you very
stable backup copies of your files on affordable media.  (Be sure to use
"gold dye" CD-R discs for longevity!)

Hope this  helps.

John Poirier
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada


>The general feeling amongst the Arts faculty people seems to favour Mac
over
>PC for Image manipulation. I intend to purchase a Nikon LS2000 and the
Epson
>photo printer. Should I change the habits of the past fifteen years and go
>Mac. I shall retain a 166 Pentium for any economic work I may undertake as
a
>consultant.
>
>How much hard disc space do you recommend, how much RAM for Photoshop, and
>what processor speed would you buy in a Mac? Of course budget constraints
>enter into to the equation so I am budgeting about $2500 for the computer
>alone.  I do know that the rule "a computer is obsolete as soon as one
opens
>the box" holds true-  so  advances will be made monthly. How easy is it to
>update Macs rather than replacing the whole machine? Many thanks for your
>time.
>Regards,
>Doug
>