srt101fan

BACKGROUND:
There’s been a lot of discussion of post-processing software and hardware on this forum, but I could use some advice focused on my specific situation. Old guy, retired, strictly amateur, but an avid picture-taker for many years. In the old film days it was mostly black & white (Tri-X, Plus-X) with a Minolta SRT-101 camera and 50mm f/1.7 lens. For some reason color never seemed to work well for me.

Never considered myself a true “photographer” because too many of my shots were the “Oh look; click” type taken with insufficient regard for some of the basics – lighting, depth of field, backgrounds, etc. Also, I was (and am) interested in too many different types of subjects and never spent enough time to master the ins and outs of any of them. I haven’t done too well chasing grandkids with a camera, taking “memorable” shots while on travel with a tour (one eye on the viewfinder, one on the pickpockets), shooting good landscapes when I don’t want to get up at 5 AM, taking pictures of deer in my backyard when parts of their anatomy are in deep shade, others in bright sunlight, etc., etc.

I would like to kick my picture-taking and post-processing up a notch and am considering some changes. Yes, money is an issue in that I can’t justify expensive equipment and software unless it really helps me get to the next level of satisfaction and pride in my work. I don’t see myself printing much any more; going more towards slide shows for viewing on TV/computer/tablets/etc. I’ve never shot RAW (only JPEG) but want to try it.

UHH seems to be populated with an extraordinary group of knowledgable and helpful people and I’m hoping that some of you will give me good advice on the issues/questions I have.

MY EQUIPMENT:
Nikon D5300 (love it!). Kit lenses from my old D50 - Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G, and 55-200mm f/4-5.6G. I miss the 1.7 aperture of my old Minolta lens! Bought an adapter to use Minolta lenses on the D5300 but preliminary evaluation is that that was a terrible idea!

Toshiba Satellite Pro L450 laptop. Seven years old. Screen died recently; temporarily using an external monitor from an old PC. Windows 10, 32-bit. I keep my photos on an external drive.

Konica Minolta DiMage Scan Dual IV film and slide scanner. Haven’t done too much but want to do more. Nice scanner but old and not supported. I have no idea how it compares with the Epson film scanners that have been mentioned in this forum.

MY SOFTWARE:
I use IMatch (photools.com) for my photo management. Great program, much more capability than I need, but I will stay with it (support from the developer is outstanding!).

Have been using Ulead Photoimpact for many years to do PP. Would like to replace it.

Photodex ProShow Gold for slide shows. Nice program. Happy with it.

Scanner software that came with the Konica Minolta scanner. Still works in Windows 10, but what about the next generation of Windows OS?

SPECIFIC ISSUES/QUESTIONS:
(1) IMatch works for me. Any reason to consider Lightroom for my image management function?

(2) I’d like to replace Photoimpact. It seems too complicated and, even though I have a manual, there doesn’t seem to be enough easily accessible info on how to do things. No help on the web. Part of my problem here is that I don’t work with it enough to remember things the next time I use it. Perhaps this would be an issue for me with any program I use. Sounds like PhotoShop is much more than what I need. I’d like to try Affinity but it requires a 64-bit OS (my OS is 32-bit). So does PhotoShop Elements 15.

(3) Do I need a new computer? Should I change out my 32-bit Windows 10 for 64-bit? If so, I assume that my Konica Minolta software will no longer work. What then? Any recommendations for a reasonably priced laptop? (No Apple recommendations please! I have too much Windows software)

I’m sorry about the length of this post. Didn’t know how else to present my case. Any constructive advice would be greatly appreciated.

Patrick9 Loc: Muncie, IN

Seven year old computer is not what you want to use for working with photos. Time to get a new machine and put Affinity on it.

BB4A

My suggestions (my perspective, which may be wrong, it often is!) are:

1. Yes, replace that fine old, bullet-proof Toshiba. It's obviously done a sterling job for you over the last 7 years, but with a screen failure, there's a better than average chance that the motherboard or other components will be next... And it really isn't economical to replace those old failing parts. Any known & respected manufacturer (I personally like HP, Toshiba, and Dell), with an Intel Core I7 processor, ideally a solid state hard drive of at least 250 Gb . This will be a little faster than a bigger but spindle-mounted drive like a 1Tb; however sometimes these bigger, standard drive laptops are offered with excellent discounts.

2. Buy an external mobile hard drive, as your back-up device (I'm sure some folks here will recommend you buy two; they are relatively cheap). I love the Western Digital Passport Drives at the moment; not only do they have bullet-proof backup software ready to go & a 3-year warranty, but they are also being discounted quite heavily to corner market share. I just upgraded my backup hardware with two of these in the 2Tb size, for less than $80 each.

3. Once you have a good working hardware platform like this, you can then experiment & decide on your software upgrade? You might also want to/need to buy a cable or two, to connect laptop to your larger monitor/TV; again, that's down to your personal preference & how you like to work on your hobby.

Hope this advice helps, and have fun with the digital photography experience!

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Hi,

You have equipment you like; you have software you like; yes, a new computer is always needed, one that is fast with lots of memory for quick operation and a couple of large external storage drives; I use a Mac so no info on what to buy. Sounds to me like you want to work on the artistic side of your work and this takes little in the way of camera equipment or computers. It takes a lot of work with learning composition and all other aspects of photography, from the technical skill of how to use your camera to what makes a good piece of art. After you accomplish this, then look for other equipment as needed. BTW, Lightroom is both a digital asset management program and a processing program so it's a sort of "two-fer," I suppose. I like LR a lot and have been using it for several years, along with other programs. There are also other programs that provide both benefits. It actually sounds like you know what you have been doing that is not so-right, so just change that and your photography will most likely improve.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There are many reasonably-priced laptops available that will will do a fine job of photo processing.

These are called "The Best," so the prices are on the high side.
https://www.photoworkout.com/best-laptop-photo-editing/

With lower prices -
http://www.iotechie.com/photo-editing-laptops/
https://www.slrlounge.com/top-five-laptops-photographers-2016/

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Your digital asset management program - iMatch - is fine. No need to replace it. Phototools is a mature company and their product is extremely well thought out, based on the trial I downloaded. It has many of the features of Lightroom's catalog and management, but is a more "open" product that can manage all sorts of files.

A thought about Photoshop. It is the best supported photo and graphics editor in the industry. 90% of those using it are likely only using 25% of its capabilities. So, it is logical to thing that it is more than you need, but that is fairly typical for a piece of software that is so broad in scope and deep in capability. It is more like a spreadsheet - you can use it for a million uses - from scientific and financial analyses to inventory management, project management, or simply keeping a simple flat list of "stuff". It's capability should not be a disincentive for getting it. But it has a raw converter (Adobe Camera Raw), file browser (Bridge) and the best editor in the business. There is nothing you can't do with it. Will you ever "need" all that it offers? Most likely not. Can you learn it easily enough to use it for your specific needs without having to master all 600 commands and thousands of techniques - of course you can. There are countless videos, tutorials, demonstrations, courseware etc, much of it free, that will help you learn what you need to know.

A computer to run this stuff is simple - i7 quad core cpu, 16 gb ram (preferably 32, or at least room to expand to 32), a solid state system drive, USB 3/3.1/C connectivity so that your external drives will have a fast connection, and a discrete graphics card with 2 gb VRAM (not Intel CPU based graphics which shares memory with the operating system and programs). A laptop will cost you about 30%-50% more than a comparable performing desktop.

External drives like Passports and My Drives and other packaged retail solutions are universally horrible. They fail at an alarming rate. Better to get a SDD (expensive, lower capacity) or a Western Digital Black drive which has a 5 yr warranty, and install it in a case that you can buy for around $25 - make sure the case has at least USB 3 connectivity. USB-C is better and faster. Installing the drive in the case takes about 5 minutes and you will only need a screwdriver - very easy, and much much better than the 4 TB Passport drives you can get at Walmart for $100, and may not make it beyond its 2 yr warranty.

I like Sager laptops - gamers use them as a lower cost alternative to Dell's Alienware - and they are fully customizable and as fast as most desktops when properly configured.

https://www.sagernotebook.com/home.php

GGerard

"I miss the 1.7 aperture of my old Minolta lens! "

Get the 35mm 1.8g Nikkor - reasonable price (about $170 street) which will mimic the 50mm/film view.

jtlareau Loc: Hurst, TX (originally Toledo, OH)

I agree with GGerard. The 35mm 1.8g Nikkor was my first prime lens purchase and I haven't regretted it. I find myself using it more and more.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I'll just address question 3. Yes, you definitely need to change to a 64 bit OS if you have or can install more than 4GB of Memory. 32 bit Windows can only address 4GB of memory, no matter how much you have installed, and 4GB is not enough for decent post processing performance. Too little RAM can also lead to paging to disk with large or multiple applications running, which can absolutely kill performance as the computer is continually moving data from RAM to disk (and back) to free up RAM.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

My background is about the same, as in "Old guy, retired, strictly amateur, but an avid picture-taker..." I used to think that the "peak" of my photography fun may have been my Tri-X days and the darkroom I built. A job change forced a move and I lost the dark room. I spent a couple decades dreaming of the old darkroom and shooting with a Canon Elph when I had to take a picture of something. But, it was not very exciting.

After retirement, my granddaughters showed some photography interest. I decided to help. The tables turned as I started answering their questions. I forced me to look beyond the Canon Elph.

The BIG DEAL for me was the discovery of Lightroom and RAW shooting. Sure, a few people hate Adobe and their CC rental plan. I'm not one of them. I one of the several million that joyfully give them the $10 every month. Like the old darkroom, Lightroom and Photoshop give me endless opportunities to learn and use both new and old techniques.

SRT101fan, I encourage you to fix your computer issue and then commit to the Adobe plan. Don't try to conquer it all at once. Shoot a few dozen RAW shots and discover the adjustment (development) capabilities. Odds are you'll have more fun with photography than ever.

Just to be sure I say it, Adobe's stuff is not better or worse than the others. But, as king of the mountain, the learning options are exponentially greater than for all the other photography tools combined. Don't commit to the Adobe rental plan because it is better in itself. It is only better because there are so many avenues to rich learning experiences.

Get your computer fixed, good luck and have a lot of fun!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Spend decent money on a monitor and a calibrator (DataColor Spyder5Pro+ or similar item from X-RITE). A good calibrated and ICC-profiled monitor is a necessity for accurate color imaging, whether the destination is screen or printer. Monitor and calibrator together should run about $500 for full sRGB color gamut, and more, if you want Adobe RGB.

A faster computer is in order. AT LEAST 8GB RAM, 2.5GHz dual core i5, 1TB hard drive, etc. Get something that would work for gaming... It's usually fine for photo editing. Consider getting an SSD drive for it. SSDs are an order of magnitude faster than conventional hard drives, so I/O operations (reading from and writing to disk) go MUCH faster. Photo editing is fairly I/O intensive. Video editing is even more I/O intensive.

As others have indicated, look at Affinity Photo. For $50 or so, once, it is a bargain. Photoshop does everything, but probably is overkill for most hobbyists/enthusiasts. I use Photoshop and Lightroom CC, but I do professional level work, and grew up with both of those tools. If you sell your work, $10/month is a bargain. If not, well... do you get that much value from it?

BebuLamar

I have to say upfront that I only have 16MP camera so the file isn't too large. I use an old HP Z600 workstation with dual Xeon 5620, 12Gb of RAM. It has an old ATI Firepro V5700. I paid $400 for it 3 years ago used. I bought a couple of NEC LCD2190p monitors. They are only 1600x1200 monitor but support hardware calibration. I use NEC Spectraview II software with an old Spyder II. I use Photoshop CC and it works very well for me. The computer came with Windows 7 Pro and I took the free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro from Microsoft. I paid $60 for each of the monitor which are 3 years old. I am happy with the $520 system.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Looks like "via the lens" gave a great evaluation of what you are saying.


I don't know much about the scanner devices mentioned, but can speak to the rest of your post.

First, your gear is quite decent for working on upgrading your photography. None of the lenses have wide available apertures for low-light situations, but so often when using a lens that does, it is still stopped down! So it seems to me you can do very well with what you have. Just work on your technical skills to gain better understanding of what your camera can do, work on composition and such things as keeping the background and edges in mind as well as the primary subject matter, and remember that most images are greatly improved when you can capture the light!

Second, for editing photos, it is best to have a newer better computer with sufficient speed and large enough screen to see the images. I use a desktop with large 27" monitor because I get into small details in some editing projects. But there are good laptops as well. Dell is the one I choose.

Third, photo management and editing, LR is a very good program that does both. I found it fairly easy to learn, although there are certain concepts that have to be understood and some people do struggle with them. The main one is that LR manages your images through a Catalog system, but your actual images are NOT in LR - they are in a folder on your Hard Drive. But all management must be done from within LR so that LR always knows where to find your images when you are looking at them and editing. Any changes made directly in the folder on your HD will make LR lose track of them and then it will tell you those photos or files are missing! Get a free trial and try it out before purchasing. If you get the subscription, PS will be included which allows you to learn it later on when ready. And there are lots of places to find information/get answers to questions about LR.

Shooting in RAW is best for good image quality, but generally requires at least some basic editing. It contains a lot more information than a JPG image, and editing can be done in more depth.

Hope this helps.
Susan

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

Lots here for me to learn from when I get up to speed with my new Nikon.

But what I will add as a long-time Windows user is that a couple of years back I took a deep breath and decided to switch to Apple Mac. Purchased an Apple Mac mini - see https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/ and have never looked back. It was much easier to update the brain cells (what were left of them) from Windows to Mac and the money saved on the computer was put into a really nice screen for my desk. Best of luck and look forward to reading more.

srt101fan

Thanks Patrick; others also suggested that I need a new machine. I'm gonna take my time - had computers that I thought died prematurely (HP, Lenovo, and now Toshiba). But then again getting 7 years out of a computer may not be bad!? If I get a new machine - with a 64-bit OS - I will certainly look at Affinity