Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Affinity is NOT free software....

TheDman Loc: USA

Mac vs PC is like Canon vs Nikon. You can produce good photos with either one.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You're not making a full length special effects movie, so almost any modern computer would work fine. Core i5 or i7 processor, 16GB of memory, and a 2TB hard drive or SSD. If you get a Windows machine, you can add to it later; not so with a Mac.

Memory
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-much-ram-does-your-pc-need-probably-less-than-you-think/
http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-much-ram-does-your-pc-need/

Processor
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/intel-core-i9-vs-i7-vs-i5-cpu/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-core-i5-vs-i7/
http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/core-i5-vs-i7
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/210703-intel-core-i5-vs-core-i7-which-processor-should-you-buy

bikertut Loc: Kingsville, MO

I started working with PCs when they first came to the workplace in the early 80s. Used them at work and at home when they became affordable. PCs had the best software for accounting and business programs. Apple was always best for graphics and creativity.

Used a PC at home and kept using it through several upgrades until WindowsXP was no longer supported. Bought a 21” iMac and then iPhones, making the transition relatively easily. Decided to buy a cheap windows laptop to take traveling. Couldn’t figure out the new Windows version. Tried for 3 weeks and got nowhere, really embarrassing. Took it back to Best Buy and got an open box MacBook Pro. Still happy with both.

What wasn’t said is “Once you go Mac, it’s Hard to go back.”

Bob Boner

I use a mac with photoshop and lightroom subscribed to through Adobe for $10 per month. I highly recommend all 3 (mac, ps, and lr). The rental price is far cheaper than upgrades used to be and has the advantage that new features in both are immediately available. I back everything up on 2 external drives.

wds0410 Loc: Nunya

To each their own. If it works for you fine, didn't for me. As I said no before, absolutely no regrets.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

You're right. It costs $50.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

If you think you will be using freeware utilities for your image processing and sorting needs, you'll have a somewhat larger selection to choose from if you are using a PC.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

As a long time PC user (since the IBM PC), I tried out a Mac about 5 years ago and fully switched over about 3 years ago. I do have a couple of PCs around, but I use ONLY Mac for PP work. Yes they are more expensive, but they come with unlimited OS upgrades, quality components and are truly plug and play. My storage consists of an attached Thunderbolt system and several Synology NAS units. Happy as a clam with this hardware. To each his/her own!

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Not sure I would want to go Bac!

Long story short....

Spent 22 years working for the State, managing a large network of Peecees...one problem after another of course, par for the course. Got fed up with malware and viruses, updates daily and all the typical windoze problems.... switched at home to Linux.... set up several Ubuntu machines for my family to use on my home network.

Went to the Apple Store to get a look at an iMac.... was impressed with the machine, bought a 21.5" iMac, then a pair of Mac Mini's and a couple of Macbook Air's... switched the whole family over to OS X. Zero malware, zero virus worries, zero hardware problems, zero training issues.

Now I run a 27" iMac, 32 GB 2 TB fusion drive with my old 27" iMac as a target display mode second monitor connected via thunderbolt cable. My wife also has a 27" iMac 1 TB Fusion drive model.

As someone said, they just work. No way I would ever think about going back to Windoze, nor would I think of going back to the hassles of driver updates, configuration glitches, viruses and malware intrusions of the PeeCee world.

All that being said... I am not rich, far from it. I AM on a fixed income....I have not worked since 2012. BUT I don't mind paying for what I want - when I buy a new car, it has the options that I want - when I need a new computer, I want what I want, and will pay for the options that I want, so a Mac being a bit more is not a drawback in my mind, its just the option of more control on the hardware and software. And I will pay that Mac Tax!

Take a taste, the kool aid is fine!

ktrudell

I am in similar situation. I retired couple years ago and I have resurrected my interest in photography again. I have a iMac 27 that I do most of my post photography filing and editing. I was a long time user of iPhoto but just started using Literoom as my instructor uses frequently. So far so good! My computer works just fine for me. Not a professional but have access to several friends that do a lot of photography (mostly wild life) I would just tell you that I love my Mac.

TheDman Loc: USA

That's certainly not just a PC thing.

mdougc Loc: Sarver, PA

[quote=Gene51]Mac is fine, but more expensive and limited options for configuration and peripherals.
PC is cheaper, just as powerful, and has many options for fine tuning your configuration - graphics, card, cpu, memory, internal hard drives, I/O etc etc etc.

Gene51 is exactly right. My experience with Mac is that when you want to upgrade hardware, you probably will replace the whole machine. With a PC, it is easy to upgrade individual components.
Other thoughts:
(1) A second monitor is a great advantage for:
- Put your Photoshop tool panels on the 2nd display.
- Put Lightroom preview on 2nd monitor
- Use 2nd monitor to browse files or internet for backgrounds or clips that you want to layer into your edits.
- Actually, I use 3 monitors
(2) An external drive is good for keeping all your photo and edits. A 2nd drive is good for backups (keep it on a shelf between backups).
(3) You might consider getting equipped to calibrate your monitor(s). I use ColorMunki. It is reasonably priced, very effective, and tech support is awesome.

Good luck! And happy edits.

Idaho

If you can afford it, switch over to the Apple system across the board. If you can't afford it, a PC will do. I struggled with PCs for years before switching. Always thought Apple was too expensive. Changed my mind after buying one. And an iPhone.

julieaitken

I'm sure it is just me. I've never had any training on the mac. I've searched and have been told to make a folder on the desktop to put the pictures in but that has only worked a few times, it is like the mac just takes the photos and puts them where it wants them and I can retrieve them one at a time for light room. On the PC they go to my pictures by date and are extremely easy to move the whole batch into PS or LR from there. So, it is me not understanding HOW to do it properly.