Mac or PC for PSE

[Amanda0102]

I have both (desktop PC and Macbook) - am going to upgrade my OS on the Macbook next week and am thinking of running the Elements trial on the Mac. Is there any reason to not (laptop less workable for any reason?)? And/or I know that most people do graphic/art work on Macs rather than PCs - not sure that the potential limitations of the laptop outweigh the /whatever the bad reason is to use PCs/?

[SusanH1970]

Spoken like a true PC user here.....(tongue firmly in cheek)....

Put it on the Mac! Unless you buy a crazy expensive digital imaging monitor for the PC (which I did), Mac is better for photo editing and (as I've been told by some fine folks here) that monitor calibration comes with. Although I know loads of photographers who still calibrate their Macs.

But for just starting out, put it on the Mac if you're not going to calibrate.

Then again, can you put it on both to see if you can see a difference?

[Amanda0102]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Then again, can you put it on both to see if you can see a difference?

Wellll...just to be more of a PITA - I mean, interesting and dynamic - the issues from my layperson's perspective are thus:

1-the Macbook is small (13" screen). Meh.
2-the PC screen is also meh and on the small side. BUT I did just get a nice, large monitor for the PC...that I can't use as it's not compatible w/my work connection . I could disconnect the small one / connect the kickass one for photo purposes and then undo/redo for work, but that's also a PITA.

You see a theme here?

[Photologyst]

I do all of my work as well as graphics and digital photos on a 15” MacBook Pro. I have a 23” additional screen that I only use when necessary.

The Mac has built in calibration.

Make sure that you are in an optimally lit room.

Open “System Preferences,” click on “Displays” then on “color” proceed to “Calibrate” and follow instructions.


I would suggest running the Lightroom trial as well.

[Amanda0102]

Originally Posted by Photologyst

I do all of my work as well as graphics and digital photos on a 15” MacBook Pro. I have a 23” additional screen that I only use when necessary.

The Mac has built in calibration.

Make sure that you are in an optimally lit room.

Open “System Preferences,” click on “Displays” then on “color” proceed to “Calibrate” and follow instructions.


I would suggest running the Lightroom trial as well.

I could kiss you, thanks!

[Amanda0102]

Originally Posted by Photologyst

Open “System Preferences,” click on “Displays” then on “color” proceed to “Calibrate” and follow instructions.

What white setting do you use?

[Photologyst]

Originally Posted by Amanda0102

What white setting do you use?

Mac standard gamma 1.8, white point “native.”

The thing that you have to be aware of is the backlighting on your screen. People often set that to high for working on docs. Lower it to about the midpoint when working on photos, otherwise these will be too dark when printed.

Always get test prints.

ColorSync for Mac OSX

[teaking]

Now I admit I dont know lots about Macs calibration but I will assume its software calibration, and I would assume any professional photographer would still use a hardware calibration device on a Mac to match the output colour to a set colour value. So to be honest I wouldnt count display calibration as a feature, I think windows 7 does have a calibration tool now as well.

The interesting thing is the Mac screen I believe it does show more colours... with out going into too much detail my understanding is it doesnt show the full range of aRGB colours it shows the full sRGB colour gamut and a few extra colours as well. Why does that matter because you may think your seeing colours from aRGB but they are just really interpretations of those colours in the sRGB colour space.

My advice would be to use the O/S your familiar with, as to be honest hardware wise PC or Mac you can match the same specs. I think it comes down to useability if you can comfortably use the O/S thats what matters. Afterall the softwares the same.

[Photologyst]

Weird how people claim to "not know much about Macs," but then proceed to pontificate???

[teaking]

I dont know much about macs, I use PC's at work, and laptops running windows 7 thats how I know they have software calibration, its the same as changing your colour settings on your graphics card if im honest it just creates a profile for your monitor in the windows system.

How ever im guessing the Mac doesnt do what windows does I know there are self profiling monitors around so im guessing that newer Macs have these and its not software calibrated?

Now I do know about colour management, and colour spaces and dynamic ranges and I do know what devices display which colour spaces and how they reproduce colour.

My point was not to bash the Mac, all my points are valid with the windows O/S to except I actually said as far as I know Mac screens show more colours, its a limitation of most displays that they only really represent the sRGB colour gamut. All I was trying to do is to give people facts and knowledge so they can work in the most comfortable way for them be that Windows or Mac O/S if I was wrong about anything please post it im here to learn to and if I came across offensive please tell me as that want my intention.