d_ponce

<p>Steve, good point -- didn't even notice that, to be honest -- but you're right. That makes me think that perhaps this is a composite. But since Simon isn't divulging his work-flow, guess we'll never know :-). Either way, I like it -- I guess it's the lighting (if that is even real --who knows) that intrigues me. </p>

<p>Excellent image, Simon! I like your technique -- do you know of any tutorials for it where one could follow along? thanks!</p>

<p>Thanks, Gregg -- I decided I am really too hooked on PS to give it up entirely -- but Lightroom intrigued me (and of course the cost was tempting). After giving alot of consideration to what my needs were, I contacted Adobe and did a transfer of license to a Mac version while purchasing the upgrade to CS6. Then, because of the discount, I bought Lightroom 4 -- which I will keep on my (Windows) laptop for those times when I am on the road. Thanks, guys! </p>

<p>Thanks for your responses, guys! <br>

However, I guess I wasn't very clear in my original post: the original question was not regarding the 'legality' of my software or what to put on what computer (I believe I will be fully compliant when I upgrade my CS5 on my Windows laptop to CS6 -- still on my Windows platform -- and purchase a full version of Lightroom 4 for my Mac -- thus owning two distinct licenses, one for each platform/computer -- and I agree with Rich; I would not try to use LR on both -- only the Mac) -- but rather, as a long-time user of PS, will I feel I am "missing something" if I go to Lightroom -- will I wish I had PS on my Mac? Will I find myself using LR to some point, then transferring my file to PS on the PC? In a nutshell, will I feel like LR is a downgrade to PS? I admit, I do not use all the whistles and bells on PS, but what I do use is very powerful, so I am hesitant to buy LR unless I feel confident it will accomplish the same thing as PS does, with the same quality. I guess I am looking for users who also have both to respond and tell me how they feel about each -- weaknesses and strengths for each. <br>

LG, you mentioned 'printing' -- I had not consiidered that the output from LR may be different (albeit slight) than from PS. Printing is important to me, since my goal is to print fine art prints because in addition to the Mac, I also bought an NEC PA241W for optimum viewing to print to an Epson 3880. I do not want to feel like I have compromised on the software -- unless you guys feel I willl be just as happy with the output from LR as I do with PS. Thx again!</p>

<p>I've only used Photoshop (going back since 10 or something?) so I do not know anything about Lightroom -- but here is what I am considering -- please tell me if I am heading in the wrong direction. Thx!<br>

I currently run CS5 on a Windows 7 laptop. I purchased a Mac (Lion) 10.7 a few months ago. I have found out that Adobe will not give me a dual-license, so it looks like I will need two licenses -- although I plan to do most of my post processing work on the Mac (which is why I bought it) -- but will still need the Windows version for when I am 'mobile'. My thought is to purchase the upgrade to CS6 (since Adobe no longer supports CS5) for my Windows version and then buy Lightroom 4 for the Mac (there does not seem to be a Windows vs Mac version, however?). <br>

Since 'all that I know' is Photoshop, will I be frustrated that my main photo-editing software is Lightroom -- or will I soon appreciate it more/as much as PS? I edit both RAW and JPG -- but basically use only a handful of editing commands in PS (just the commands under Images > Adjustments,including HDR and Filter > Sharpen). <br>

Of course I would love to just buy a second CS6 version for the Mac -- but unless I will be totally frustrated with LR, I would like to keep some dollars in my pocket -- on the other hand, I do plan to start printing fine art images -- will Lightroom be enough? Thanks for your thoughts! </p>

<p>Thanks, guys! I have the Mac supplied/bought mini-DP connected to the DVI (1) and all seems fine. thx, again!</p>

<p>Ok -- I'm back with a pile of goodies all over my desk (see "Am I good to go with a Mac?"). Decision time with the plethora of cables supplied to me by NEC and Apple (NEC PA241W; Mac Mini - i7; 7200) - which is the best decision for primarily photo editing (e.g., image quality) - here are my options:<br>

A. HDMI to DVI (2 cables connected)<br>

B. Mini DisplayPort to DVI (2 cables connected)<br>

Both options are 2 cables connected because the cables supplied would not allow for one cable (due to 2 female ends)<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>Thank you, Chris -- my faith is restored! At least <strong><em>someone</em></strong> on this forum 'gets it'. This is exactly what I am trying to say. The realization hit me when the memory card that I use is no longer made and Nikon has not tested future upgrades of the card on this camera. If this was a $1500 camera, perhaps it would not bother me to try a 'non-tested' card -- but it is not. The battery issue is also a valid concern, but I believe my 2 will last me those 5 years that I am hoping to get from the camera -- they are incredible batteries and last 'forever' on a single charge. You are right -- taking care of your equipment is key -- and I do enjoy the camera so much I definitely am doing that. For all of you with your head in the sand -- or the rude, uncalled for comments (these are opinions, guys -- we are all entitled to them) -- chill out. The heading "Obsolete" was to get your attention to read my comment -- which I clearly accomplished -- you can all stop taking it so 'literally'!</p>

<p>sf photo: I'm not sure what you were referring to in your post. Please clarify. The mini (upgrade) comes with a 750g/7200 rpm HD; core i7 processor. If I go the iMac I'm "stuck" with a glossy screen -- and, presumably, non IPS. True, once you start adding upgrades to the mini 'low cost' is no longer a factor -- but once I crunched the numbers it seemed you pretty pay the same amount based on what options you want. </p>

<p>Yes, Justin -- welcome! don't leave! -- I'm sure Scott meant no ill-will. Heck, his comment was tame compared to the lashing that I received from the responders of another posting I did to this forum recently! But I didn't care -- I knew they were wrong and I was right. LOL! This group is actually quite polite -- but most of all, very knowledgable! And although I also appreciated your contribution, Justin, I was looking for people who actually owned the mini so I did focus on their responses. I also read the specs of all of the Macs on the Apple web site and based my decision of the mini because, after weighing out all the pros and cons -- and then actually going to an Apple store to see and feel their products and talk with the salesman -- I decided for me, the (fully upgraded) mini made the most sense. HOWEVER, being thorough as you may all imagine, I then had to hear from actual users -- it's one thing to hear the salesman tout how great their products are but its another to hear from actual users. I had read terrible reviews of compatibility issues from other sites and of course was hesitant -- but, again, based on their comments I was not sure if the problem wasn't really 'user inexperience' -- that's why I come to this forum -- I've asked numerous questions over the years and everyone has been so eager to help; this question, however, has to be a first when it comes to number of responses! which was great -- I can't wait to get my mini! Thx again!</p>

<p>Daniel: I can no longer buy one of the brand of memory card that was tested by Nikon for my D3s -- that I prefer. Could I try other (inferior) brands? or the faster ones that Nikon will not guarentee will work with my camera -- yes, I could take that chance; and only hope nothing adverse happens to it. What this means is, should my existing memory cards 'take a dump', I'm out of luck -- without a memory card, I don't have a camera. This is what I am referring to...limitations. When I buy a device that is has options and capabilities I would like to know that 5 years down the road, I can still do everything that I could do with it when I bought it. Would I expect it to be fully supported for 10 years -- of course not -- but 2 years is barely broken in. In the past when technology got better, the older technology was still around, just cheaper -- you had a choice: stay with what you have, as you have done with your Win98 PC or buy something that does a lot more, faster. By archiving a product, a company is basically saying, 'you're on your own now'. </p>

<p><strong>Regarding the upcoming upgrade to ML – Apple does not require that you upgrade to the next OS as soon as it comes out, do they? Would it not make more sense to wait until Adobe ensures compatibility with it before upgrading? Also, I presume there are settings, like in Windows, where you can say ‘no automatic updating’, correct -- to avoid an accidental Epson update that was mentioned? </strong></p>

<p><strong>James, I am not sure if you were directing your last post to me, but you are correct -- I do not feel I am trying to make a decision strickly based on the OS -- I have wanted to go to the 'other side' for years, but hesitated for various reasons. But now that Windows gives you one install and one install only of its software - even if you buy the full version, or even if your PC crashes after a year -- I no longer see the benefits of staying with Windows. I will keep my 2005 vintage XP for all of the old Windows software that I currently "can't live without" and for general day to day email, etc -- so the transition won't be 'cold turkey' -- but my photography will be 100% Apple and I'm looking forward to seeing what so many have been talking about for so long -- how, for grahics/photo editing, nothing can beat it!</strong></p>

<p>This is good news, Owen, and a good point about ML -- but I think I'll hold off on that for awhile! I've been on a PC since the early 90s -- going to a Mac, I've been told, may take some getting used to. We'll see! :-) <br>

Thank you, again, everyone, for all of your excellent responses -- I'll be re-reading all of your suggestions to make sure I have not missed anything before I hit the 'buy it' button! :-)</p>

<p>cool! Thanks, Scott!</p>

<p>John: iMac with 16gb sounds good but then I have the monitor issue (super cool looking, but too glossy).<br>

Craig mentioned he has 16gb on your mini and Darron said I could purchase additional memory -- what is the max that the mini :-) can support? thx again!</p>

<p>First, THANKS so much for all of your responses. I am feeling much more comfortable now!<br>

Second -- I mis-typed -- and threw off some of you. I am running CS5 -- not 3 (not sure what my fingers were thinking then :-)<br>

Storage: I don't think storage will be an issue for me, since currently I do not keep much on my HD -- I have several external HDs (USB connection -- I presume they will still be ok?) that I store all my original image files on (several identical HDs in case of failure). When I need to work on an image, I make a copy of the file(s) onto the PC. Pretty cool setup, Scott! <br>

Monitor: Although I think the Apple monitors are incredible, I have heard many complaints that they are too glossy and that can bother some people's eyes when working with them for extended periods of time. I decided rather than take the chance that I am one of them, I am going with the NEC which has a matte finish.<br>

Processor: I will consider the i7 -- thanks, Darron!<br>

James, I admit that was a bit over my head regarding the 'hackintoshing' details. :-) But I agree -- Photoshop is Photoshop. My actual problem is that I bought a Win7 laptop a year or so ago before I really gave printing much consideration. When I bought the 3880, I realized that the laptop's monitor just wasn't going to cut it. Resesarching for a good monitor was no easy task, but the NEC seemed to have what I was looking for in my price range. However, then I found out that my laptop's video card (and display port) would never support the NEC or any half-way decent digital monitor -- or at least to its optimum capabilities. To be honest, I was never crazy about Win7 anyway, so the decision to buy the Mac seemed the way to go, as long as I would not have compatibiliy issues, which -- based on ALL of your excellent responses, I think I will be a happy convert. :-) Thanks again you guys -- I knew this was the place to go!</p>

<p>I am considering trading in my PC and buying an Apple (my first). I would appreciate hearing from those with similar set-ups of any compatibility issues -- and/or what changes that you would recommend to my shopping list. My primary usage for this setup is photo-editing.<br>

Existing equipment: Nikon D3s - use NEF file format; download to PC using Nikon Transfer (1.5.1) /ViewNX (1.5.0); editing - Photoshop CS3/Bridge (will need the Mac version); Epson 3880 printer<br>

Here is what I am considering purchasing -- do you see any pitfalls? I am aware that the older versions of the Mac OS did not have compatibility issues, so I would like to, respectfully, only get responses from those of you that have the Lion operating system. Thank you! </p>

<ul>

<li>Mac Mini - Lion OS X Lion (2.5 i5 processor; 8GB;720GB at 7200)</li>

<li>NEC 2490WUXi2-BK24 monitor (DVI connection between mini and monitor)</li>

</ul>

<p>Other things to consider:</p>

<ul>

<li>I presume I will need to upgrade my Nikon software: ViewNX2? and update Transfer to the latest version?</li>

<li>do you have any issues opening/editing NEF on a Mac?</li>

<li>will the Mac support the monitor -- if uncertain, what questions should I be asking</li>

<li>are there any interfacing issues between the Epson 3880 and the Mini?</li>

<li>what calibration type do you recommend that I use on the NEC?</li>

</ul>

<p>I have read on reviews that some people have had trouble with the Mac version of CS3 with Lion, but they did not seem to provide enough evidence to me that it wasn't 'user error' -- I have always trusted the judgment and experience level of the posters on this site, so I am looking to you guys for your expert advise before I 'rob the bank'. :-) Thanks, again!</p>

<p>DB: I would suspect that they are not if Nikon considers them "discontinued" and the best course of action would be to get on line for the D4. It does sound like a really nice camera :-). But I do love my D3s -- but I could fall in love again, if I had another $6000. :-) </p>

<p> I am heartbroken to see that my D3s is on the Archived List on Nikon. <br>

After shelling out over $5000 and waiting 2 months -- in two years it has been shelved. With so much electronics tied to these cameras, what bothers me the most is that the next step is that it will no longer be supported regarding compatibility with over devices, programs, etc. I should have seen the writing on the wall when Nikon no longer supported (nor can confirm compatibility) with the latest upgrade to the memory card that they recommend for these cameras. It is tough enough for some of us when Microsoft makes everything obsolete every few years, but now Nikon is on the same band-wagon?! </p>

<p>Thanks, Roger. That is encouraging -- I will have to do some research, because, to be honest -- I'm not even sure what a DVI connection looks like. I based my thoughts on the specs that I pulled from online for my laptop -- I guess it would be helpful to also check out the owners manual. LOL! thx, guys!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>ok -- thank you for all of your contributions! I admit, I am not sure which way to turn now! :-) <br>

Ok -- I'll steer clear of connecting my VGA/RGB to the DVI. <br>

I do not have an HDMI port on my laptop -- and also, the monitor does not support HDMI (only DVI and VGA). <br>

There seems to be conflicting opinions as to any degradation of quality if I connect by way of the VGA port. If there are any websites/experience confirming that I will not see any quality differences, I would sure appreciate it if you could pass it along. At this point, I am trying to find out if I can replace my video card in my laptop with one that is DVI-capable (thus having a DVI port) -- that is, unless I can be assured that I will not notice any quality difference with the RGB connection. That would probably be the cheapest route. Again, quality is my most important concern -- so if it means I may have to dump the laptop for something that is more capable for my needs, I may have to do that. I hope to start printing on a semi-pro level, and want to be assured that I will not waste a lot of paper and time with the WYSIWYG (or lack thereof) effect. Thanks, again, guys for your contributions!</p>

<p>I'm not a techy, guys -- so bare with me!<br>

So, I'm getting ready to order an NEC monitor [LCD2490WUXI2-BK] and decided to check which cables I will need to connect it to my Toshiba L670 laptop. According to the specs, my laptop has an RGB port -- and that's it (I thought all laptops come with a VGA connector -- especially if you need to connect it to a projector -- so what's with that? it's a year old. I'm not sure I know the difference between a VGA and an RGB connector, anyway). According to the NEC's website, the monitor's input connections are: DVI-D, DVI-I, VGA 15-pin D-sub. It states under Video Input Signal that it uses an Analog RGB 0.7 Vp-p/75 Ohms. What cable will I need to connect these two? Will I need additional software? a special video card? <br>

<br />Then the million dollar question: will this laptop even support the 1920 x 1200 resolution of the NEC? Here's what it says about my display resolution: </p>

<dl><dt>Display Resolution</dt><dd>Supports 720p content, 1600x900, 16:9 aspect ratio</dd><dd></dd></dl>

<p>Here are some more specs, if that helps:</p>

<dl><dd></dd><dd><dl><dt>Processor<a>*</a></dt><dd>Intel® <a href="http://syndication.intel.com/DistributeModule.aspx?id=15001" target="s15001">Core™ i3-370M</a> Processor</dd><dt>Operating System<a>*</a></dt><dd>Genuine Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)</dd><dt>Graphics Engine<a>*</a></dt><dd>Mobile Intel® HD Graphics</dd><dt>Graphics Memory<a>*</a></dt><dd>64MB-1696MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory</dd><dd></dd><dd></dd></dl>Thanks -- any advice (or if you need additional information) is greatly appreciated!</dd></dl>

<p>Thanks, guys! Looking forward to one big happy family. :-)</p>

<p>When the dark red box is on, are you are able to 'move' it around to the other focus points? My D3s' dark red focus box (compared to the lighter, non-active ones) goes off as soon as I depress (or half depress) the shutter. I do have mine set so that the shutter (top) button is only a shutter button, and a button in the back is only a focus button, thus eliminating the need for a half-depress for focusing. Based on your description, unless I misunderstood, it does sound like a service issue. </p>

<p>After buying a Toshiba laptop (Windows 7) I soon discovered that laptops just don't cut the mustard when it comes to photo editing. I purchased an Epson Pro 3880 printer but decided not set it up until I get a monitor and calibrator -- so that I only have to do the set up/profiles, etc once. <br>

After extensive research I narrowed my decision to the NEC Multisync 2490WUXi2-BK (24") and will couple it with the NEC SpectraView II Color Calibration Kit (SVII-PRO-KIT). [if anyone has any other recommendations for a monitor, I don't want to hear it! :-) -- I am exhausted after weeks (maybe even months) of research -- reading so many conflicting reviews (clearly quality control is not a strong-point in the monitor world)] -- I have decided to just take my chances with the NEC, and hope for the best. I'll be getting it through B&H so I'll be comfortable with the purchase should my monitor been made on a Monday. <br>

My two questions are:<br>

- has anyone with this monitor had any compatibility issues with a Windows7 computer<br>

- has anyone with this monitor/calibrator had any compatibility issues with the Epson 3880?<br>

My major concern is that I believe this monitor came out in 2009 (?) -- Windows 7 (pro) does not play nice with old technology, I have found. I came very close to buying a Mac until I read how Mac (the latest version of Lion X, at least) does not play nice with Photoshop or the Nikon software for my D3s so I have decided to live with the Windows 7 and try to come up with a compromise solution by purchasing a good IPS monitor and calibrator. <br>

Thanks!</p>

<p> </p>