A Mac Laptop for Image Processing/ Slideshows

[fWord]

I've been told by a number of people that a Mac is an excellent workhorse for image processing and the production of slideshows/ multimedia. In short, it's said to be good for the things that photographers would do.

How true this is, I do not know, which is why I'm seeking information from people at this forum. Previously I would never have dreamed of buying a Mac. But ever since my old laptop went kaputz a few years ago, plus my need for a laptop to process my images while in Singapore or Australia, I've begun to think that a Mac laptop just might be the thing to buy.

Obviously a PC or a Mac would do most tasks competently, so I'm hoping this won't turn into a pointless PC vs Mac comparison. But in terms of the applications of photography, does using a Mac really offer any real advantages?

Currently I only use simple image processing software. I always shoot RAW on a 1Ds Classic, transfer it to the computer via a card reader and then process them to JPEGs using Canon's Digital Photo Professional. Any additional cloning will be done with Adobe Photoshop.

Do Macs come with any useful preinstalled software otherwise (eg. capable slideshow software etc)? I also have 2 external hard disk drives. Can I use them interchangeably on both a Mac and a PC without any issues? Chances are that I'd ultimately need to move my images to a PC of some sort, even for printing at the local shops.

Which Mac laptop should I buy? I've read elsewhere that the pre-intel machines are the best, because the intel-based ones have lost some of their past charm in the attempt to compromise between two kinds of OS. How much do they usually run for? I'm hoping not to go too far beyond the $2K mark, and that's even when I finally summon the courage to buy one.

Thanks, hope to hear some opinions from you guys. I might want a laptop sometime down the track anyway, but the main struggle here is deciding between Mac and PC for the purposes of processing images only, maybe a little net surfing, but not so much for games or word processing. But then again, if some of the vintage Counterstrike and Diablo II games work on a Mac, then that's very nice gravy.

 

[bousozoku]

I'd suggest looking at the MacBook Pro, which is Intel-based. It's expected that there will shortly be an upgrade to the model. While I like the PowerBook I bought 3 years ago this month, the performance of the new models is so much better. e.g., even the lowest MacBook was tested to be as fast or faster than the fastest dual processor desktop PowerMac.

I'm not sure whether it's any easier to create slideshows because I haven't done it, even though I have some software I got as part of a bundle: Boinx FotoMagico. iPhoto, which is included with new Macs as part of the iLife package, also has some capabilities to create slideshows. You could also use Keynote, a presentation product that's part of iWork.

Having used Adobe products on Windows and Mac OS/Mac OS X, I find that they just work better on Mac OS X. One thing always hits home, Mac OS X never gets in my way of getting work done where Windows (2000/XP) would always try to help me and cause problems.

Precision is one area in which Mac OS X seems to excel, though I've never noticed Windows to be as lacking as other people have mentioned to me. It's also easier to work in multiple languages for me.

Also, you can use Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion with a version of Windows XP or Vista to run Windows applications concurrently with Mac OS X applications. The MacBook Pro has decent graphics hardware for playing games and some 3D work.
Hope this helps.

 

[fWord]

I'd suggest looking at the MacBook Pro, which is Intel-based. It's expected that there will shortly be an upgrade to the model. While I like the PowerBook I bought 3 years ago this month, the performance of the new models is so much better. e.g., even the lowest MacBook was tested to be as fast or faster than the fastest dual processor desktop PowerMac.

I'm not sure whether it's any easier to create slideshows because I haven't done it, even though I have some software I got as part of a bundle: Boinx FotoMagico. iPhoto, which is included with new Macs as part of the iLife package, also has some capabilities to create slideshows. You could also use Keynote, a presentation product that's part of iWork.

Having used Adobe products on Windows and Mac OS/Mac OS X, I find that they just work better on Mac OS X. One thing always hits home, Mac OS X never gets in my way of getting work done where Windows (2000/XP) would always try to help me and cause problems.

Precision is one area in which Mac OS X seems to excel, though I've never noticed Windows to be as lacking as other people have mentioned to me. It's also easier to work in multiple languages for me.

Also, you can use Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion with a version of Windows XP or Vista to run Windows applications concurrently with Mac OS X applications. The MacBook Pro has decent graphics hardware for playing games and some 3D work.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for your detailed reply. For a moment I worried that I'd get no responses to this question at all. :bsmilie:

I had a look at the MacBook Pro with the link you gave me. The price is mentioned as $1999, and this is in US dollars, I'm guessing. If it's in Sing dollars it'd be pretty attractive pricing. How much do these usually cost in Singapore? Then again if a newer model is due to come out very soon I might be better off waiting. But such is the case of technology. The waiting will never cease if I always wait for new tech.

In the past I remember some old Macs having what we called the 'virtual windows system' which does allow Windows to be run on a Mac, but functionality was limited, and a lot of programs that could normally be installed on a Windows system somehow could not be installed on the virtual windows system. Has this issue been fixed with the newer Macs?

Also, I've read one person comment that the 'pure' Macs work better than those that have the Intel chip. What do you think of this statement?

I'm still curious to know if I can use the same external HDD interchangeably on both a Mac and a PC without needing to change attributes, reformat etc. I forsee needing to take JPEG files between Macs and PCs on a regular basis if I actually buy a Mac. From what I read there are instances where a JPEG file taken from a Mac actually wouldn't be read properly on a PC. Is this true? Or can I simply have a HDD that is formatted for Windows that can be plug and play on a Mac as well?

Thank you once again and hope to hear more from you.

 

[Fragnatic]

i'll say intel cpus are much much better than 'pure' mac cpu.

with the macbook pro, which uses an intel cpu, u can install windows on the same internal hdd via bootcamp. windows shd work perfectly fine on the macbook pro.

regarding ext hdds, no worries, as long as ur hdd is using usb2.0 or firewire connections, it wont have any compatibility issues.

 

[bousozoku]

Thanks for your detailed reply. For a moment I worried that I'd get no responses to this question at all. :bsmilie:

I had a look at the MacBook Pro with the link you gave me. The price is mentioned as $1999, and this is in US dollars, I'm guessing. If it's in Sing dollars it'd be pretty attractive pricing. How much do these usually cost in Singapore? Then again if a newer model is due to come out very soon I might be better off waiting. But such is the case of technology. The waiting will never cease if I always wait for new tech.

In the past I remember some old Macs having what we called the 'virtual windows system' which does allow Windows to be run on a Mac, but functionality was limited, and a lot of programs that could normally be installed on a Windows system somehow could not be installed on the virtual windows system. Has this issue been fixed with the newer Macs?

Also, I've read one person comment that the 'pure' Macs work better than those that have the Intel chip. What do you think of this statement?

I'm still curious to know if I can use the same external HDD interchangeably on both a Mac and a PC without needing to change attributes, reformat etc. I forsee needing to take JPEG files between Macs and PCs on a regular basis if I actually buy a Mac. From what I read there are instances where a JPEG file taken from a Mac actually wouldn't be read properly on a PC. Is this true? Or can I simply have a HDD that is formatted for Windows that can be plug and play on a Mac as well?

Thank you once again and hope to hear more from you.

Yes, those are U.S. dollars. I forgot to select Singapore in the country at the bottom of the website. Sorry about that.

As far as I know, you can install any Windows application within Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion but certain applications which require heavy 3D acceleration will likely not work well. This has been improving incrementally but you can always use a dual boot into Windows to run them natively. Oh, and DarWINE is also available but I have no luck with WINE on Linux so I can't recommend its ease of use.

As far as "pure" Macs, I'm running one now and as of the latest operating system, Intel-based Macs are just fine and much, much more powerful. I don't have one yet but a MacBook Pro is on my list.

As far as HDDs go, Mac OS X will read and write FAT16 and FAT32 without trouble. Mac OS X will also read NTFS but not write. There is a Google developer who has ported FUSE (MacFUSE) to Mac OS X and you can add NTFS as a file system and it gives the ability to read and write those volumes. I have not tried or read anything recently so I can't comment on reliabilty of this extension.

JPEGs are generally fine. The only JPEGs with which I've had trouble are those infected with viruses. Photoshop, of course, should read anything that's correct.

One point about data on optical discs (CD-R, DVD-R): I've had trouble with discs created by Windows itself, but not Easy CD Creator, Nero, etc. Those third party packages work fine. ISO9660 discs are fine, in any case.

 

[GavinTing]

Mac user here. Just to comment on some of the stuff people are saying in the thread:

1) Definitely MBP, not the normal MB, and definitely, dont buy the MB air.
2) Canon makes software for the mac! So no worries for stuff like DPP
3) Photoshop works natively in Mac.
4) VMware/Parellels are very, very, very slow. No matter what anyone says, it is slow. Trust me. Slow.
5) Harddrives have to be in FAT32 format, NOT NTFS. For this matter, your file sizes will be limited to 4GB. Thinking of downloading that 4.7GB DVD ISO file? Though luck.
6) Windows XP/Vista can be installed via "Bootcamp", a mac software provided free by apple.
7) I haven't had problems with JPEG compatibility between mac and xp.
8) If you install mac and xp on the same internal HDD, you can transfer files from mac to XP, but not from XP to mac.

That should be abt it. If you need further help, just ask, I'll see what I can do. If you want screenshots also can =)

BTW, my set up is: Macbook 2.2GHZ C2D, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD
also using a Maxtor 3200 external HDD formatted to FAT32, no problems with my MB, 1xDell desktop, 2xDell laptops, 2xLenovo laptops, over Vista, XP, and mac.

Oh ya, if you are thinking of buying a mac to do processing just because people say blah blah, "all good photographers use mac", "all designers use mac", etc.. Dont do it. If you are buying a mac for other reasons such as virus protection, speed, interface, and etc, then go ahead.

You will have problems will alot of your software and peripherals like printers etc.

 

[Fumiryu]

Definitely MBP, not the normal MB, and definitely, dont buy the MB air.

Mac Book Air is very thin and light! Very stylo also. But wonder why you don't recommend Mac Book Pro? Is it because of no CD/DVD ROM drive? Or the internal harddisk space is too low?

Please advise. Thank you.

 

[fWord]

i'll say intel cpus are much much better than 'pure' mac cpu.

with the macbook pro, which uses an intel cpu, u can install windows on the same internal hdd via bootcamp. windows shd work perfectly fine on the macbook pro.

regarding ext hdds, no worries, as long as ur hdd is using usb2.0 or firewire connections, it wont have any compatibility issues.

Thanks for that. All the external HDD these days are USB 2.0 at the least. Not sure if mine support Firewire, but I believe chances are that they don't because it wasn't mentioned anywhere on the package.

But the good thing is that I can now connect my 1Ds to a Mac straight away to change settings or download images, instead of having to rely on a card reader and be stuck with particular settings until I get a chance to change them on a PC that has firewire.

 

[fWord]

Yes, those are U.S. dollars. I forgot to select Singapore in the country at the bottom of the website. Sorry about that.

As far as I know, you can install any Windows application within Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion but certain applications which require heavy 3D acceleration will likely not work well. This has been improving incrementally but you can always use a dual boot into Windows to run them natively. Oh, and DarWINE is also available but I have no luck with WINE on Linux so I can't recommend its ease of use.

As far as "pure" Macs, I'm running one now and as of the latest operating system, Intel-based Macs are just fine and much, much more powerful. I don't have one yet but a MacBook Pro is on my list.

As far as HDDs go, Mac OS X will read and write FAT16 and FAT32 without trouble. Mac OS X will also read NTFS but not write. There is a Google developer who has ported FUSE (MacFUSE) to Mac OS X and you can add NTFS as a file system and it gives the ability to read and write those volumes. I have not tried or read anything recently so I can't comment on reliabilty of this extension.

JPEGs are generally fine. The only JPEGs with which I've had trouble are those infected with viruses. Photoshop, of course, should read anything that's correct.

One point about data on optical discs (CD-R, DVD-R): I've had trouble with discs created by Windows itself, but not Easy CD Creator, Nero, etc. Those third party packages work fine. ISO9660 discs are fine, in any case.

No worries. I didn't make too many assumptions about the pricing anyway, and have already been told by someone that if I want a Macbook Pro it would run be S$4000 or so, which is a huge sum really, more than my salary.

Chances are high that I wouldn't be into graphics intensive stuff. The only games I ever play these days are older ones that worked very well on my old Dell with 1GHz processor, 256MB ram and a 64MB GeForce2 Go.

I can't remember what the format of the external HDDs are. The internal ones on my desktop are NTFS for sure, but it might be FAT32 on the external ones.

 

[fWord]

Mac user here. Just to comment on some of the stuff people are saying in the thread:

1) Definitely MBP, not the normal MB, and definitely, dont buy the MB air.
2) Canon makes software for the mac! So no worries for stuff like DPP
3) Photoshop works natively in Mac.
4) VMware/Parellels are very, very, very slow. No matter what anyone says, it is slow. Trust me. Slow.
5) Harddrives have to be in FAT32 format, NOT NTFS. For this matter, your file sizes will be limited to 4GB. Thinking of downloading that 4.7GB DVD ISO file? Though luck.
6) Windows XP/Vista can be installed via "Bootcamp", a mac software provided free by apple.
7) I haven't had problems with JPEG compatibility between mac and xp.
8) If you install mac and xp on the same internal HDD, you can transfer files from mac to XP, but not from XP to mac.

That should be abt it. If you need further help, just ask, I'll see what I can do. If you want screenshots also can =)

BTW, my set up is: Macbook 2.2GHZ C2D, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD
also using a Maxtor 3200 external HDD formatted to FAT32, no problems with my MB, 1xDell desktop, 2xDell laptops, 2xLenovo laptops, over Vista, XP, and mac.

Oh ya, if you are thinking of buying a mac to do processing just because people say blah blah, "all good photographers use mac", "all designers use mac", etc.. Dont do it. If you are buying a mac for other reasons such as virus protection, speed, interface, and etc, then go ahead.

You will have problems will alot of your software and peripherals like printers etc.

Thanks for the great pointers there. I'm hoping not to deal with files larger than 4GB anyway so that's less of a problem. I won't be making movies or anything like that on the Mac but plan to use it for processing photos primarily. On occasion if I shoot a wedding for a relative or friend, then I might make that into a slideshow. That's about it.

Yeah, it's a tough decision. Ultimately of course what I really want is a laptop that would last. Not like my previous Dell that I blew 3 grand on, only to subsequently have the HDD fail once under warranty, replaced with new HDD, and then failed again out of warranty. I've since given up with that computer, but can't bear to throw it away. Don't know if I should bother fixing it up or assume it's a motherboard problem, which is pretty much too expensive to replace.

So in looking for a new laptop I'm naturally stuck with the first issue of deciding between Mac and PC, especially since some folk have told me it's great for processing and graphics. I don't want to follow their advice blindly. But if a Mac will indeed do these things well, and be a very reliable computer, competitively priced, easy to use etc, then I'd seriously consider putting my money into Apple instead of Bill Gates. :sweatsm:

 

[Parka]

Mac Book Air is very thin and light! Very stylo also. But wonder why you don't recommend Mac Book Pro? Is it because of no CD/DVD ROM drive? Or the internal harddisk space is too low?

Please advise. Thank you.

1. No disc drive
2. Glossy 13-inch screen small
3. ONE USB port
4. Unless if you need internet access at an area without wifi. E.g. Office?
5. RAM is not really user upgradeable. (One time only not a big deal)

 

[YOL925]

Thanks for the great pointers there. I'm hoping not to deal with files larger than 4GB anyway so that's less of a problem. I won't be making movies or anything like that on the Mac but plan to use it for processing photos primarily. On occasion if I shoot a wedding for a relative or friend, then I might make that into a slideshow. That's about it.

Yeah, it's a tough decision. Ultimately of course what I really want is a laptop that would last. ..

So in looking for a new laptop I'm naturally stuck with the first issue of deciding between Mac and PC, especially since some folk have told me it's great for processing and graphics. I don't want to follow their advice blindly. But if a Mac will indeed do these things well, and be a very reliable computer, competitively priced, easy to use etc, then I'd seriously consider putting my money into Apple instead of Bill Gates. :sweatsm:

Me use both PC (work) and Mac (everything else).

Mac is great for photo processing and its OS (tiger or leopard) is much better than xp or vista. the UI is also much nicer. performance wise: raw processing speed not much diff as both are intel-based mc, but OS X is way more efficient. price: MBP is a bit more exp than a comparable win notebook. reliability: hmm, apple used to be more reliable than it is now. highly recommended to buy apple care.

easy to use, virus free (virtually) - mac's strength.

forget abt macbook air - it's just an oversized iPod:bsmilie:

YOL

 

[AReality]

Yeah..
forget about the 1st generation macbook air.

 

[AReality]

If u've always used windows and never used a mac before, then you may need some time to be familiarised with the user interface and how the whole system works.
The mouse acceleration curve for OSX is also very different from window's. It can get quite irritating most of the time. (I have great tip to solve this irritation.)


Actually, U can install your Windows (XP or Vista) on an NTFS partition in your Macbook.
You can have more than 32GB in that partition.
What you'll want to have is 3rd party software to read and write to the other OS's partition.

There's
Macdrive (for windows) to read/write Mac file systems
MacFUSE (for OSX) to read/write NTFS. But I can't seem to get it working.
Paragon NTFS (for OSX) to read/write NTFS. I use this instead.


The transfer rate for a non-branded external USB 2.0 PATA HDD is about 22MB/s, fast enough for most people. Though Firewire is faster, but not all your friends have firewire ports.


Oh ya, the DVD drives on macbooks don't eat mini DVDs. :angel: Don't pop your mini DVDs from your DVDcamcorder in.

.

 

[mikenth]

Look out for the new series for Macbook Pro. The new series would be much thinner than the current ones, borrowing the chipset from MB Air. The new MB Pro will also spot the new multi-touch pad interface that allows you to do those cool gestures as in the iPhones.

 

[Ah Pao]

Let me add my two cent's worth into the discussion.

I also straddle between two OSes (and occasionally Linux) and I must say people get a Mac for the "total user experience". There are quirks here and there in Mac OS X, but I must say it's been a smooth transition so far.

OS X reads FAT32 natively, so no worries about it. I have a few NTFS volumes too, but with MacFUSE the volumes are accessible in OS X as well. Just that it doesn't run as fast compared to under Windows, and Spotlight doesn't index NTFS volumes (open for corrections). Otherwise it's alright. The 4GB limitation is pretty much a moot point since if you're using OS X, you'll download files to your Mac (HFS) volume.

For slideshows, there's always iPhoto, and I'm really waiting for Google to port Picasa over to OS X as well. iPhoto is good enough for most people. If you're hungry for more, you can always check out Apple's Aperture (haven't use it myself though) and Adobe Lightroom.

Keynote (part of the iWork suite) features COOL transitions and animations for slideshows that will definitely impress.

Get an Intel Mac - it's easier to maintain and you can Boot Camp to Windows. Just make sure your copy of Windows is SP2 or Vista.

Apple Singapore online sells the basic Macbook at S$1,788 with GST, I believe. Check out Pacific City at Plaza Sing, I think they have some offer now.

Just a note that you'll have to fork out an additional $30++ to buy a mini-DVI to VGA dongle if you want to connect your Macbook to a projector.

 

[GavinTing]

Mac Book Air is very thin and light! Very stylo also. But wonder why you don't recommend Mac Book Pro? Is it because of no CD/DVD ROM drive? Or the internal harddisk space is too low?

Please advise. Thank you.

As Parka said, only 1 USB, so you cant like upload from camera to your external harddrive. The MB air hardrive is patheticly small and no upgradable, so.. See a big problem? You have to copy to computer, then unplug, plug HDD, copy to HDD, unplug, plug camera again.. Plus you will then need to buy a wireless mouse to do work effective.
No ethernet port lar -.- Go overseas how to use internet in hotels?
Battery not that user-replacable (must unscrew so scarry one) then if you want to upload photos on a car/jeep on location?

Thanks for the great pointers there. I'm hoping not to deal with files larger than 4GB anyway so that's less of a problem. I won't be making movies or anything like that on the Mac but plan to use it for processing photos primarily. On occasion if I shoot a wedding for a relative or friend, then I might make that into a slideshow. That's about it.

Yeah, it's a tough decision. Ultimately of course what I really want is a laptop that would last. Not like my previous Dell that I blew 3 grand on, only to subsequently have the HDD fail once under warranty, replaced with new HDD, and then failed again out of warranty. I've since given up with that computer, but can't bear to throw it away. Don't know if I should bother fixing it up or assume it's a motherboard problem, which is pretty much too expensive to replace.

So in looking for a new laptop I'm naturally stuck with the first issue of deciding between Mac and PC, especially since some folk have told me it's great for processing and graphics. I don't want to follow their advice blindly. But if a Mac will indeed do these things well, and be a very reliable computer, competitively priced, easy to use etc, then I'd seriously consider putting my money into Apple instead of Bill Gates. :sweatsm:

Theres nothing to say the mac parts won't fail.. Hehes. Not being negative or rude, but really, the famous saying, "Sh** Happens", will always be applicable.

And yea, as you and I mentioned, people will tell you mac can do thee things better than a PC. I see no reason why it can do much better, but if you arrange your thoughts and this is the main factor, then don't go for it just because people say so. Personally, the MacBook for me is cheaper than a dell laptop. And it has the added bonus of having Mac OS X.

Anyway, as one of the other users has said, it's the overall user experience that you should look at. Furthermore, you don't need to have like spyware and antivirus stuff clogging up your CPU and RAM!

Alrite. So, list down ALL the software you currently use, and see if there are alternatives on OS X. For e.g., Photoshop, MS Office all that is okay, but if there are other stuff that you need, then you must reboot into windows often, quite inconvienient..

Oh ya, the apple remote is very cool for slideshows =)

Look out for the new series for Macbook Pro. The new series would be much thinner than the current ones, borrowing the chipset from MB Air. The new MB Pro will also spot the new multi-touch pad interface that allows you to do those cool gestures as in the iPhones.

Don't mind me asking, do you currently use a mac? Not to be rude, just wondering.

 

[mikenth]

I own 2 MB Pro notebooks. Have been using Mac since 2 years back. I have not gone back to PC ever since, being a happy Mac convert. Anyway, this is a very subjective experience. Not everyone knows how to appreciate good laptop and softwares, just like fine wine.

 

[varf]

one more vote for the MBP, if you must buy a laptop. but wait if you can; the MBPs are overdue for an upgrade.

as a RAW shooter, i believe you would benefit greatly by picking up either Aperture (OSX only) or Lightroom (Windows, OSX) to manage your photo library. my preference is Aperture for its flexibility, but both pieces of software have full-featured 30-day trial versions, so i'd recommend trying them out. ( after using Aperture, DPP just feels so clunky. )

photos in the Aperture library can be accessed directly by iPhoto, iMovie, Keynote et al if you need something different from the built-in slideshows in Aperture.

 

[theRBK]

if you are looking for hardware that is more reliable (not software), then it is pretty much a crapshoot... cause Apple does not produce their own hardware... their laptops were produced by the same third party OEM manufacturers as other companies'... and of course the components are made by the same companies that produce stuff for other laptop companies...

wrt Intel processors and "pure" macs (these as well were not produced by Apple but by IBM), the speed advantage you had heard of was probably due to the fact that in the early days of the transition to Intel processors, most of the Mac software available was written for the PowerPC "Pure" mac processors... but with Mac software transitioning to being natively compatible to Intel processors, the new processors should definitely be faster...