?: Your recommendation for Photo Editing MBP

[greyhound rick]

Hello everyone,

I appreciate any help you can give me!

I am a professional photographer and currently use a Late 2013 MBP 15" 16 GB RAM, 512 SSD, Dedicated graphics running High Sierra. I do not do any video editing but my photo files are large as I use a Sony a7riv camera with RAW files of 60-120mb each. I also usually have very large files after editing with a lot of layers.

Im not that knowledgeable these days with respect to the intricacies of Mac OS and Mac hardware but I believe my current MPB will not run the latest OS. Also, I cannot update my Adobe software with my current hardware and software. So, Im going to need a new MBP.

I don't have a particular budget per se, but Id like to keep the cost down to as low as possible with the caveat that I need the laptop to be fairly quick and able to run Photoshop, Lightroom and several plug ins.

Ideally I think the new 16" MBP would be ideal for me but Im hoping to find an alternative for a lower price.

I don't mind using a 13" laptop for my main machine, especially if I can add a monitor later on. I just want to make sure that the MBP I purchase will adequately perform for editing still photos with the aforementioned software.

Any suggestions you can make would be greatly appreciated and I thank you for your time and expertise.

Best to you and take care!

Rick

 

[lclev]

First your 2013 will run Big Sur. BUT you are behind just a few versions! Check out this link for how you can upgrade your OS to Big Sur: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201475
Keep in mind you will be loosing the use of any 32-bit apps you currently use.

As for what software/app for photo editing? You seem to want to stay with Photoshop and Lightroom - and I understand that. I have used Affinity Photo but I will tell you once you use Photoshop there is no comparison. Also you do not say if you have an older version of Photoshop like CS6 or if you are pay for the subscription to Adobe CC. I have both and they both still work well with Mojave.

The new MBP's with the M1 processor are said to be compatible with Adobe CC which includes Photoshop and Lightroom. I do not own an M1 so I can not say how well Adobe apps work but they claim compatibility. As far as speed goes they are supposed to be blazing fast.

I have two friends who own MBP 16" Intel models. One has the basic model with the i7 processor and 16 GB which is used extensively for creating videos using Premiere Pro and also some Photoshop work. He loves his and says it is very fast. The other friend has a 16" MBP i9 with 32GB. She is a graphic designer and does extensive Photoshop and Illustrator work for a TV station. She loves her MBP. I have a 13" 2020 MBP, i7 32gb, that I use for Photoshop and some video work. I love it and it is great for photos and short videos. All of us use external monitors.

I hope that answered your questions. Personally if I were in your shoes I would upgrade the 2013 to Big Sur - after making a clone of the drive for backup - then wait for the newer models of M1's (or what ever they call it) to come out. When you purchase a new computer you will be making an investment that will hopefully last many years. With all the new changes in processors at Apple it might be worth waiting.

Lisa

 

[NSMacGuru]

I don't make my living with image editing, but I do it almost everyday in support of my various activities. I couldn't justify what Adobe charges for Photoshop, despite having used it for many years.

I went with Pixelmator. Mac-only, reads and writes PSD files, has all the bells and whistles I need... but I do recommend looking over the features page to see if it matches your needs.

I have no qualms in recommending it to everyone - and even better when it's occasionally available for half price! Regular price is $40 at the Mac App Store.

 

[lclev]

I have used Pixelmator and it is a nice program. I have to have several programs in the Adobe CC suite for work so purchasing another program would not make sense. I also work on a PC and a Mac Pro at work so I need something that works seamlessly across platforms.

Lisa

 

[chscag]

It's hard to beat Photoshop, but most folks who have switched away from it (because of Adobe, prices, and subscription) and now use Affinity Photo, say they will never go back.

I say give Affinity Photo a try. I believe they have a free trial period where you can test the app.

 

[greyhound rick]

Thank you all so much for your valuable input and expertise!! Very helpful!!

 

[greyhound rick]

Follow up question...

If it were you and you were going to stay with the Adobe products via a monthly subscription, would you get the 16" MBP intel chip or go with the 13" MBP with the new chip?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[chscag]

Follow up question...

If it were you and you were going to stay with the Adobe products via a monthly subscription, would you get the 16" MBP intel chip or go with the 13" MBP with the new chip?

Thanks again for the help!

I would get neither one. Apple will be bringing out a new line of MacBook Pros with their own silicon chips sometime this Summer or as early as late Spring. There will likely be a new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro.

Definitely time to wait and see. That way you'll not have buyer's remorse.

 

[lclev]

I agree with chscag. Wait to buy a new one. I still suggest upgrading to the OS on your 2013.

Lisa

 

[greyhound rick]

Thanks so much for the excellent input!

If I were to upgrade my OS on my 2013 can you point in the right direction as far as the procedure? Wasn't sure if there is a YouTube video you would recommend.

Also, I think Catalina is the latest version I can run. Is that available in the App Store?

thanks again!

 

[chscag]

Also, I think Catalina is the latest version I can run. Is that available in the App Store?

Yes. When you go to upgrade, you should be offered Catalina. But keep in mind that Catalina will kill all your 32 bit apps and will rearrange your drive. You might want to just upgrade to Mojave and wait there for the new Macs to appear.

 

[lclev]

If you follow the link I post #2 you will find you can upgrade to Big Sur. If that is not what you want to do I would suggest upgrading to Mojave - IMO it is a much better OS when to comparison to Catalina.

This is a link to older versions of Mac OS. It explains how and also if you scroll down there are links to Catalina and others. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683

Lisa

 

[greyhound rick]

Thank you all so much! Very helpful information!!

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I just want to point out that the Affinity Suite (Photo, Designer and Publisher) is currently on sale for only $25 each (half price), with no subscription necessary, and there are free demos of each of the three products available.

Even more amazing, all three programs have already been ported to run natively on Apple Silicon (e.g. M1), so they should be wildly fast on an M1-based Macintosh.

Affinity – Professional Creative Software

From the smoothest photo editing and design software to next-gen page layout, Affinity is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with creative technology.

affinity.serif.com

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Also, I just want to point out Acorn. It is one of the bigger bargains out there, and many professionals love it for quick photo editing. There is a free demo available.

Acorn ($30)

Acorn 7 | Full Featured Photo Editor for the Mac

Acorn is an awesome image editor for the Mac. Use Acorn to edit photos, add filters, retouch pictures, paint, crop, add text, create new images, and much more!

flyingmeat.com

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Affinity Photo Workflow – Video Course ($24)

Affinity Photo Workflow Course — Peter - The Nature Photographer

www.photography-raw.com

AFFINITY PHOTO Advanced Video Course ($24)

Affinity Photo Advanced Course — Peter - The Nature Photographer

www.photography-raw.com

Note that Affinity products can open Photoshop files and use Photoshop plug-ins.