MacBook Pro or iMac? Need advice

Nancy AK

Nancy AK

Member
Still undecided here. I have a MacBook Pro no, but it’s Older and I believe only the 128gb. I need to get something else, I love working on a laptop or iPad, I’m not a big fan of a desktop. I’d really like to keep using a laptop. If I still to a MacBook will a 512 gb Harddrive be ok? What about ram? If I get an iMac I’ll get the 21.5” . I’d like to keep my budget around $1500. Any recommendations or advice? Thank you
 
i lean towards iMac, now i worked for 4 years off a MacBook pro, not enough ram anymore at 16 gb ram, and i broke mine by leaving it plugged in all the time, you really need to unplug it every time when not in use, so the battery does not swell, and you really want all the ram you can get. my iMac standard was 32 gb ram and i had it juiced up to 64, don't forget, files are getting larger all the time with each camera body, so it's best to get a lot of ram. if you use lightroom i am a fan of having a large second monitor, so you can judge edits on the larger photo
 
gary said:
i lean towards iMac, now i worked for 4 years off a MacBook pro, not enough ram anymore at 16 gb ram, and i broke mine by leaving it plugged in all the time, you really need to unplug it every time when not in use, so the battery does not swell, and you really want all the ram you can get. my iMac standard was 32 gb ram and i had it juiced up to 64, don't forget, files are getting larger all the time with each camera body, so it's best to get a lot of ram. if you use lightroom i am a fan of having a large second monitor, so you can judge edits on the larger photo
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thank you. What about processors on the iMac?
 
3.2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon W, this is what mine has , but i have to advise, this machine is way above your stated budget line, i built a machine to last 15 years
 
gary said:
3.2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon W, this is what mine has , but i have to advise, this machine is way above your stated budget line, i built a machine to last 15 years
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Is there a particular processor I should stay away from? I think I saw, i3, i5, i6, 2.3 ghz, 3.0ghz?
 
not that i am aware of, but again, try to build for the future, larger files and more power for those files, and faster editing,
 
gary said:
not that i am aware of, but again, try to build for the future, larger files and more power for those files, and faster editing,
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Do you carry a laptop when you travel? I’m torn between the portability of a laptop and imac, I definitely can get more in a iMac then a MacBook Pro for my money.
 
i used to carry a laptop when traveling, but after i had one stolen in san diego from my hotel room, along with a kindle, i stopped, and i realized i was hauling around a bunch of extra weight, with additional security issues, and in reality getting so little processing done that it just wasn't practical, and a bunch of large capacity ( think 128 gb cards), is so much less than the cost of a laptop, some of the 128 gb cards are as low as sandisk_sdsdxxy_128g_ancin_extremepro_sdxc_128gb_card.html $39 that having a card for each day is doable, i come to pixelmania with as many as 10 of these, in one card case, one for each day, total weight is so much less than a laptop, and such a small space need in a camera bag, and the spares stay in the room while i am out and about
i would put as much into an iMac as i can afford, get some spare cards, one ruggard sd card case, carries 12 cards, and all set, the link above are modest speed cards, which is all you need unless you are shooting a sony A9 at 20 frames a second, then you need fast cards, i have 5 of those at 300mb/sec for rail charters, but those cost considerably more,
 
and there is very little an iPad cannot do on the road in place of the laptop, and again at considerable cost and weight/size savings, i travel with an iPad mini, although since i just won a kindle fire recently, and have figured out how to get my sony owners manual pdf onto it, and have setup email and google maps, it may now replace my kindle and the iPad mini for trips, two devices in one, less space, less weight
 
gary said:
i used to carry a laptop when traveling, but after i had one stolen in san diego from my hotel room, along with a kindle, i stopped, and i realized i was hauling around a bunch of extra weight, with additional security issues, and in reality getting so little processing done that it just wasn't practical, and a bunch of large capacity ( think 128 gb cards), is so much less than the cost of a laptop, some of the 128 gb cards are as low as sandisk_sdsdxxy_128g_ancin_extremepro_sdxc_128gb_card.html $39 that having a card for each day is doable, i come to pixelmania with as many as 10 of these, in one card case, one for each day, total weight is so much less than a laptop, and such a small space need in a camera bag, and the spares stay in the room while i am out and about
i would put as much into an iMac as i can afford, get some spare cards, one ruggard sd card case, carries 12 cards, and all set, the link above are modest speed cards, which is all you need unless you are shooting a sony A9 at 20 frames a second, then you need fast cards, i have 5 of those at 300mb/sec for rail charters, but those cost considerably more,
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Thank you. I ordered a 21.5 iMac Friday, it’s suppose to be delivered tomorrow.
 
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good choice, and start putting away towards a second monitor, preferably of equal size, lightroom on 2 monitors is a thing to behold
 
gary said:
good choice, and start putting away towards a second monitor, preferably of equal size, lightroom on 2 monitors is a thing to behold
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Thanks Gary. I just set it up today. Can you recommend some add on monitors? Thanks again
 
this is close to what i have, mine is 4k, this is a pretty good second monitor, all you need to do is plug it in and in lightroom click on the little monitor icon in the lower left corner with a 2 in it and boom, large photo on one, smaller photo with lightroom modules around the sides on the other.i know there cheaper monitors out there, but like i said, i built a system for 15 years

lg_27md5kl_b_27_27md5klb_ultrafine_5k.html
 
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