burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

YES. It's called ICC color management. It involves a two-phase process called calibration and profiling. It requires a colorimeter plugged into your USB port, and software loaded on your computer. You put the colorimeter "puck" on your monitor, fire up the software, and follow simple instructions. Then you watch it work for a few minutes. When it's done, your monitor matches an international standard for display. You can adjust color on your calibrated and profiled monitor, and your professional lab will make prints that are very close to what you saw on your monitor when you adjusted the images.

Check out suitable packages here:

http://www.datacolor.com/photography-design/product-overview/

https://www.xrite.com/categories/calibration-profiling/colormunki-display

https://www.xrite.com/categories/calibration-profiling/i1display-pro

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

David in Dallas.
Are you saying that there are monitors that are made for color accuracy? Or more accurately adjusted for accuracy?

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Which ever you get, spend the extra money and upgrade to the highest resolution. 1080p high def just doesn't cut it anymore.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

I am not the person who made such a statement. I merely indicated that I prefer larger screens.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Both are true.

WDCash, when you reply to a specific post, please use the second button (quote reply), so we know what comment you are responding to.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

if you can find it, even bigger is better. I have a Samsung with a 17" screen, 8 GB RAM and shared graphics driver. 1 TB hard drive. I carry it in the car in a cooler. This is partly security but also temperature control. Since my internet at home is WAY slow, I do most of my work at Starbucks. If budget had allowed, I'd have gotten at least 1 GB dedicated graphics card. But this one does fine for most things.

jjanovy Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Well, I'm 79 and use my Dell every day (as a mystery and non-fiction writer). In my opinion, between those Dells, the main issue is what you're going to be doing with it--travel, use in a coffee house, etc. I have no problems with the smaller screen because I can always adjust the size of text, size of pictures, etc. My photographer friends swear by Macs, but personally I hate Apple products because of the control freak mentality built into them. Nevertheless, Macs are wonderful for all kinds of graphics. I use Photoshop and Lightroom, and both work great on my Dell. However, I also have a large screen Dell desktop at home, and am happy with it. I use all my machines A LOT for image work, mainly because I do so much of my writing research and book design starting with photographs. I guess the bottom line with computers, for me, has always been the way I use it instead of what the machine brings to the relationship.

Spectre Loc: Bothell, Washington

I have the HP DV8T 1000, with the biggest laptop screen available. It's 18.4" diagonal. It has worked great for all my shots. I don't move it around much but what a sharp picture.
I'd go big!📷

ewforbess Loc: San Antonio, TX

Just a thought -- buy the largest size laptop that is still comfortably portable and use a large external monitor when you're working at home. Not only is the large external monitor easy on the eyes in Photoshop CC, but the laptop screen is a great place to place your menus, other running apps, etc. Happy shopping!

jwohlhueter

If this is your primary computer for image processing go with the larger screen (15") for sure. My primary is a 27" desktop. I also have a 13" laptop that I use for minor editing when traveling. When I have tried to do major editing with the 13" no matter how good the image may look there is always that nagging feeling that it could be better on the bigger screen. If you have not worked with a laptop before they are a dream for culling after a long day or trip of photographing. Switch on the ballgame, sit back in a soft deep easy chair with the laptop on your lap!

I have two questions about touchscreens that maybe a touchscreen user can answer. Does the screen get slightly bumpy or wavy after months and months of use? And does your arm get fatigued after a couple of hours of editing?

One last completely unrelated question. I've been an SLR/DSLR user for 45 years and never even held a mirrorless camera. What I'd like to know is what sound, if any, do they make when the shutter is pushed? Thanks.

Dennis Duffy

Screen size! The visual difference between 13" and 15" is greater than what you lose in portability. Most bags can accommodate the 15's, and they have become so slim and light weight that they are the clear choice in my opinion. (I have been carring a 15" MacBook pro for four years now)

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Sorry I have not been able to check in on this thread. Had Dr's appointments yesterday. But thank you all for your suggestions. A few points

The touch screens on the two I am looking at are the highest definition screens currently available for laptops. But thank you all who suggested getting HD, or 4K screens. The 15 inch is 3840 x 2160 and the 13 is 3200 x 1800

I think I will get a separate monitor for home use. Excellent suggestion.

I have thought about the DVD issue, but I have not used the drive on my desktop for over a year. If I really need it, I will get an external.

I am leaning toward the 13 at the moment, but it is still undecided.