Anyone using 24 inch iMac Intel for photo editing?

[stevierose]

Is anyone using thenew 24 inch iMac Intel Core Duo machine for photoediting and PS work? How is the

quality of the monitor for this application? Any issues (besides the usual) with monitor profiling/

calibration?

[Uhooru]

I am, but I haven't had a chance to print off it, so I can't really truly answer. So far, though it does calibrate pretty well using the Spyder 2 Pro. I know I've seen some solutions to the brightness issure using "Color eyes" software where the guy claimed spot on color reliability with his printer profiles. But I havn't tried it and the Spyder software seems to be ok. Along with the hardware spyder. I have the brightness turned down all the way. The issue is not so much the color fidelity but the brightness of the screen is thought to be over much by some, and not by some others. The colors, match very well with my similarly calibrated NEC 19" screen though the imac is a bit brighter. I'll let you know once I print.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I am using the 20" version of the iMac Intel Core Duo 2 which has a dfferent monitor

(apparently the difference is more than just size from my research. TheAs I understand it

the 24" is brighter than the 2-0" and is mvery cloppse to the 30" cinema display in

performance specs. Having just profiled mine wit hthe gretagmacbeth Eye One

photospectrometer (a more sensitive devicethan a colorimeter as used i nthe Colorvision

devices) I ended up reducing brightness to 44% of full brightness.

 

Iwent with the 20" over the 24" for a couple of reasons: price, $500 is a lot to pay for that

30% extra screen space; and I understood it to be more efficient to use a second monitor t

o dock my palettes on. Havinfg just started using my old CRT as the second monitor I am

finding that to be true.

 

Mtyy recommendation is to gewt the 2Gb RAM option ( this is 1 Gb + 1Gb) as soon as

prices on the 2Gb RAM chip fall to something less than insane I'll replace one of the 1Gb

RAM chips with a 2Gb chip.

 

My best guess is that for PsCS2 and Bridge the 2.16Ghz version with 2Gb RAM is about 5

to 10 X faster than my old 733Mhz G4 w/ 1.5 Gb RAM for Photoshop, and at least 20X

faster for programs written for Universal Binary like Adobe Lightroom. PsCS2 has to go

through the "Rosetta" emulator whic haccounts for the speed hit.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I am using the 20" version of the iMac Intel Core Duo 2 which has a dfferent monitor

(apparently the difference is more than just size from my research). As I understand it the

24" is brighter than the 20" and is very close to the 30" cinema display in performance

specs. Having just profiled mine with the Gretagmacbeth Eye One photospectrometer (a

more sensitive device than a colorimeter as used i nthe Colorvision devices) I ended up

reducing brightness to 44% of full brightness.

 

I went with the 20" over the 24" for a couple of reasons: price, $500 is a lot to pay for that

30% extra screen space; and I understood it to be more efficient to use a second monitor t

o dock my palettes on. Havinfg just started using my old CRT as the second monitor I am

finding that to be true.

 

My recommendation is to get the 2Gb RAM option ( this is 1 Gb + 1Gb). As soon as prices

on the 2Gb RAM chip fall to something less than insane, I'll replace one of the 1Gb RAM

chips with a 2Gb chip.

 

My best guess is that for PsCS2 and Bridge the 2.16Ghz version with 2Gb RAM is about 5

to 10 X faster than my old 733Mhz G4 w/ 1.5 Gb RAM for Photoshop, and at least 20X

faster for programs written for Universal Binary like Adobe Lightroom. PsCS2 has to go

through the "Rosetta" emulator whic haccounts for the speed hit.

 

I just timed a PsCs2 action that used to take about three minutes on the old machine.

With the new iMac, it took 21 seconds. So it is at least as speedy as I thought. 1Ds mk.2

raw files fly through Lightroom.

[michael.fugett]

I am using the new 24 with 2gb of RAM. I am using Aperture, and it works seamlessly while I

still have other applications open like internet, iTunes, and some others. I have no

complaints thus far, just praise. I just ordered some prints, so I will let you know how they

look when they arrive. I love Aperture so far, and the 30 day trial is nice. Let me know if I

can answer any further questions. Cheers.

[Uhooru]

I had a 20" G5 iMac and the scrreen was nice, but once you go bigger, its hard to go back. In

addition to the 24" I use my old 19" NEC CRT to doc the photos or other stuff off of the main

screen. Don't underestimate the the benefit of a larger screen.

[mike sisk]

I also have a 24" iMac. Mine's the upgraded model with the slightly faster CPU, upgraded

video, and 3-GB memory. I'm using it mostly with Aperture and some Photoshop and

printing to a Kodak dye-sub.

 

No problems. The screen is bright, though -- I have it on the lowest brightness setting.

Unfortunately, my ancient monitor calibration puck doesn't work with Intel Macs and I

haven't bought a new one yet so I'm using the screen uncalibrated. Still, it's not far off.

 

Of course, the hazard is that every-time I use one of our older 20" iMacs they just seem so

small and cramped...

[Uhooru]

"Of course, the hazard is that every-time I use one of our older 20" iMacs they just seem so small and cramped..."

 

Exactly. I did do the upgrades, except I went for 2 gb instead of 3. I'm hoping that at somepoint those 2 gig modules will come down. But i do think I'll need the extra gig when Leopard arrives. It runs quite well with 2 now.