imac 24" vs ???

I spoke with a very knowledgeable person today that suggested, since I need to

get a dedicated computer for my photography darkroom, that a new imac 24" is

more than enough computer and I shouldn't spend the additional money on a G5.

Does anyone out there have input? Purchasing a G5, monitor, etc would be a

budgetary stretch right now. However, I am a professional and need to produce

the highest quality work. I have been having corruption issues with my pc and

no longer want to deal with those risks.

Is the imac 24" dual core a fast enough, calibratable, professional system for

extremely large (up to 2.5GB) files that are shot large format, drum scanned

and printed up to 48x60 on a lightjet?

I appreciate your input.

Jon

IMO no. With a maximum ram limit of 3gb the latest iMacs will slow to a crawl with such a

large file size - and this is BEFORE adding any layers. Get a Mac 'tower' (G5 or Intel) with the

minimum 1gb ram for now to stay in budget. Later you can add gobs of ram and HD space

to your hearts content when you have the funds.

If you're handling that large of file, you will need GOBLOADS of ram. Right now, CS2 can't even handle *much* more than 2.5 GB, so any sort of editting can put you onto the scratch disk, which is slooooow.

At some time in the future, Adobe will hopefully pull it's head out, get with the times, and release a 64-bit version of Photoshop. When that happens, you'll be able to stick tons of ram in a computer, and working on your files will be greatly sped up.

So... you might want to keep that in consideration, and pay attention to how much memory you will be able to put in the machine of your choice and whether it will operate in 64-bit mode.

Whoa. 2.5GB files. You will probably need something like 8 GB of RAM to work with these files (that would be enough to hold three versions of the image you're working on plus another 0.5 GB for the operating system and application program). Remember that if you have to go to the hard drive instead of RAM, your speed will drop by a factor of 100,000 (literally).

So... for maximum value, buy the cheapest computer you can find that will accept 8 GB of RAM.

Right now is an awkward time for photographers looking to buy a Mac.

If you need to work on those files immediately, then a G5 is your best option.

Some time next year Adobe will release Photoshop CS3, and then you will (probably) be

better off with an Intel Mac.

If I were you I'd buy a secondhand/refurbished G5 now, then sell it next year (when Adobe

come up with the goods) and buy an Intel Mac.

Jon,

I have the iMac 20" (year and a half old version)--not dual core but does carry 2gig of ram.

My files are between 5 and 600meg. Although not the dual core I can almost tell you with

certainty..with files that large--you will hate the iMac! I love everything about mine but would

be pulling my hair out if my files were that large and there wouldnt' be anything I can do

about it. Not even with 3 gig. With the limitations of Photoshop currently, there may be

nothing you can do until they upgrade.

Good luck.

Forget the iMac for such large files! You would need a Mac Pro, + $$$$ for extra RAM (at a

strict minimum 4-6Gb. A second best, if money is an issue right now, you could go for a

Power Mac G5, Quad Core + RAM, but the savings will be minimal, the RAM on the G5 is

almost as expensive as the RAM for Mac Pro. It seems you need to put more money into

horsepower and RAM, so you could get a less expensive screen than those from Apple (like

photon20visionIIfrom LaCie).

Jon, I think I may have emailed you on flickr, I'm getting a new 24" iMac, but my files rarely

get over 300 - 350 and are usually less than 200 w/layers in PS. The ram limitation is the

only bad i see on the iMac. For you, definately mac pro or perhaps a reffurbished or used

dual G5. A lot of people liked the dual 2.7's or the quad.

Good luck.

Yu can actually install 4Gb RAm o nthe current iMAc (intel Duo Core 2 models) but the

Intel chip set is limited to addressing only 3Gb. The other more temporary problem is that

currently that 2Gb RAM chip for the new Core Duo 2 chips is in high demand and short

supply which means it is outrageously expensive, but that is changing.

How fast are you looking for? If you keep your images and set up a scratch disk space on

an external HDD and set PsCS2's preferences to adress up to 80% of available RAM you'll

probably be okay -- not as fast as a MAcPro with 4Gb to 16Gb or RAM but definitely

doable. With files that big a major bottle neck will be getting the files to the printer. Do

you own the Lightjet or are you sending it to a lab or service bureau for printing? What

resolutio nare you printing? And how many are you printing in a single session?

The iMac cetainly can be calibrated. MAcworld rates the monitor on the 24' as just about

on a par with the 23" and 30" Apple Cinema Displays.

There are still some Apple G5's i nthe pipeline butthey ahave been discontinued. Check

Apple's on line store ( http://store.apple.com ) has a Specials area were they sell Apple

fully warrantied refurbs and discontinued G5 Power Macs at a discount. Just scroll down

and look at the right hand column.

The answer is no, but why your image are so big? a 48x60 at 300ppi give you a file size of

650meg...how do you get 2.5gig? What you need is a G5 2x 3ghz with 8gig of RAM and 4 x

500meg of hard drive to store those image, a 8500$US system without a screen. Not bad : )

Or simply use the rigth file size and yes you can get the 24 inch Imac with 3 gig of Ram and a

500gig hard drive, for only 3400$US. Your call : )

"Yu can actually install 4Gb RAm o nthe current iMAc (intel Duo Core 2 models) but the Intel

chip set is limited to addressing only 3Gb."

Ellis,

That's interesting - hopefully the next imac update will up the addressing limit. I did have a

looksee at the 24" iMac yesterday and I'll admit it's one gorgeous looking computer.

I just got mine in and set up. Its great. The screen is amazing and its very fast. CS2 seems to

run with 54 mb raw conversions and thenadding layers at least as fast as my G5 iMac.

Arperture flies, and that was my main reason for the upgrade. Everythingn in Aperture is

now real time, sliders, adjustments. The 2 gig seems sufficiant for now, but when the 2 gig

chips come down to earth, I'll get one. No beach balls though and did i say Aperture runs

really well, all I hoped for.