11-11-2009, 06:59 PM

Hey everyone.....

I was looking into getting into a Mac as i am getting into photography. I was wondering if there is some experienced photographers out there only using a mac mini with a tv or a screen other then a mac to do any photo editing? and how well does the mini keep up to running photo software to edit with?

Or

Am I better off saving longer and getting the new 21.5 mac?

Any info or thoughts on this would be great.

Thanks Everyone.

11-11-2009, 07:41 PM

A Mac Mini with any modern wide-screen LCD would be great for photo editing. A mini has about the same power in any given configuration as a Macbook, and I've used my Macbook to work with RAW images from my DSLR, and did so with my PPC Mac Mini which I used for exactly the same thing as you are doing.

Granted, you'd be better served getting a basic Macbook with an external Monitor, but that would drive the cost up a bit since a Mac Mini with good external monitor would be cheaper than a basic Macbook with good external monitor though you would get the portability.

I assume you'll be using photoshop since even though a Mac comes with iPhoto, a serious photographer would not be using iPhoto for anything. Well, I use it to work with photos taken either with my iPhone or the built-in iSight, but for anything done with my Nikon DSLR it's Photoshop, and any current Mac model will handle that just fine.

11-11-2009, 08:08 PM

yes i would be getting photoshop. Thank for your response as that will help with the starting cost's. once i get a few lenses and such then i can go out and get a imac or something along that line, but if the mini will be fine to do it, then i think i will be jumping on that for now.
If anyone else wants to share please do

Thanks again....

11-11-2009, 10:09 PM

If you're a student you may qualify for an academic version of Photoshop CS4 which will be priced much lower than the full retail value. Check out the academic superstore here.

Regards.

11-12-2009, 09:00 AM

i have friends that goto school so i could get them to get it for me.. But thanks for that info.

11-14-2009, 05:16 PM

no other photographers use a mac mini that could tell me about their hands on experience on raw editing and such. is there enough power or is it starving?

11-15-2009, 02:01 AM

Hey everyone.....

I asked this in the switchers hangout and got a little response but was wanting more.

I was looking into getting into a Mac as i am getting into photography. I was wondering if there is some experienced photographers out there only using a mac mini with a tv or a screen other then a mac to do any photo editing? and how well does the mini keep up to running photo software to edit with?

i'm worried that the mini might not have enough power to do raw photo's and edit and such. I will be running Photo Shop eventually, but not right away till i get more into it.

Or

Am I better off saving longer and getting the new 21.5 mac?

Any info or thoughts on this would be great.

Thanks Everyone.

11-15-2009, 08:26 AM

You might have more luck in a photography forum ...

Another way would be to check the requirements of the software you want to run. If the system is over the minimum specs, you should be good.

11-15-2009, 01:46 PM

I use a mac mini and a TV screen for graphic/web design and photo editing. My mini is getting a little old now but is still going strong and copes with very large & complicated PSD files.

I bought a mini as a bit of a stopgap when our imac died, but it has worked very well and for less than £400 at the time, plus a little more for a memory upgrade it has been an absolute bargain!

The advantage for us was that we already had monitors, mouse, keyboard etc. So all we had to buy was the mac mini 'box'.

11-15-2009, 02:46 PM

Only do photo/graphic work on a screen you can properly calibrate.

11-15-2009, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by ZorroAMG

Only do photo/graphic work on a screen you can properly calibrate.

can't you calibrate most lcd screens now a days? like if i bought a 22" lcd computer monitor, and i guess there is a thing you can buy for it to auto pick up the colors and adjust automatically?

11-16-2009, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by macuserwanabe

can't you calibrate most lcd screens now a days? like if i bought a 22" lcd computer monitor, and i guess there is a thing you can buy for it to auto pick up the colors and adjust automatically?

Calibration isn't as important starting off. If you're going to want to eventually do this as a serious hobby or as a professional, then you'll want to calibrate. You'll probably be wanting a hardware calibrate like a Spyder or Huey. They use a meter you plug into the computer and use with the provided software to properly calibrate a monitor.

Don't use a LCD TV. The resolution on a TV just isn't that good. Buy an external monitor with some type of IPS display panel and you'll be set. The ones with TN panels are nearly impossible to calibrate, have reduced viewing angles, and can even show color shifts by physically moving up/down or left/right by an inch or two.

11-16-2009, 09:34 PM

wow...thanks for the info... i was going to set it up on my 52" for time being...but maybe i'll just go and get a 22-24" widescreen monitor.

11-17-2009, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by Village Idiot

Calibration isn't as important starting off. If you're going to want to eventually do this as a serious hobby or as a professional, then you'll want to calibrate. You'll probably be wanting a hardware calibrate like a Spyder or Huey. They use a meter you plug into the computer and use with the provided software to properly calibrate a monitor.

I must disagree. Hobby or not, the first time you have something printed hard copy after designing on an uncalibrated monitor, you'll see a difference in color and that's annoying....then you have to have them guess and mess around with it.

I do agree with IPS and not using a TV for that kind of work if you can avoid it.

11-17-2009, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by ZorroAMG

I must disagree. Hobby or not, the first time you have something printed hard copy after designing on an uncalibrated monitor, you'll see a difference in color and that's annoying....then you have to have them guess and mess around with it.

I do agree with IPS and not using a TV for that kind of work if you can avoid it.

Some people are reluctant to spend more than $100 or $200 on a lens when first starting out. They'd be better off doing that then spending it on a calibration device.

Plus lots of labs have color correction options that don't cost that much per photo.