tuthdoc

Have any of you used either of these for post processing? Can the monitor be calibrated? Pro’s and con’s for using the iMac or iMac pro for post processing?

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I have an iMac, and it didn’t need to be calibrated--it came just right.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

I have been using an iMac since 2012 for PP , and yes the monitor/s can be calibrated.

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

I have the imac 2015; These are set at the factory- you can't set them, but then they don't need it- they are spot on.

mudfog Loc: Ontario Canada

Yes, I calibrate my late 2014 iMac using a xrite color munki. I would suggest 32GB of memory and have not had any issues with Lightroom 6 or the latest versions of ON1 and Luminar

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Yes, you can calibrate an iMac of any type. I use a Spyder5Pro.

I use a late 2013 iMac with 16 GB RAM and a 2 TB SSD. I did the RAM and drive upgrades myself, with kits from OWC.

I use Mac OS 10.14.3 Mojave with all the stock Apple Apps, plus:

Adobe Photography Bundle
Microsoft Office 365
Apple Final Cut Pro X
Graphic Converter X
VLC Media Player
HandBrake (video Converter)
FireFox (alternative Web browser)
Epson scanner and printer utilities
Parallels Desktop
Various other utilities

I have several old outboard drives that can run older versions of OS X and Mac OS, and WinXP, Win7, Win10. We have a few proprietary and obsolete apps that need either an older Mac OS or Windows.

johnst1001a Loc: West Chester, Ohio

I have calibrated my Imac a few times with color munki. i have found the factory settings actually give me very good results printing so I dont bother anymore

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It would be difficult - no, impossible - for me to justify buying a $5,000 computer to process my pictures, and I doubt the results would be any better.

For processing - computer memory -
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-much-ram-does-your-p
c-need-probably-less-than-you-think/
http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-much-ram-does-your-pc-need/

Computer processor -
http://gizmodo.com/dont-waste-money-on-intels-top-processor-1791426602
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404674,00.asp
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-core-i5-vs-i7/
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

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

First, the iMac can be and should be calibrated.
Secondly, if you go with an iMac then buy lots of memory and get at least a 1 TB SSD. Now the iMacPro comes loaded, but is very [b]pricy[/].
When I needed to upgrade I called Other World Computing also known as Mac Sales. For $1500 I had a late 2013 MacPro with 48 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. I already used a Western digital NAS and a Drobo File Server for for all my file storage. I went this route because I already have a NEC MultiSync 32 inch high res monitor.
Many people I know use iMacs successfully. I do not know anyone who as opted for the iMac Pro.

My $0.02

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Typical iMac Pro users are those doing HIGH END "film"* production/broadcast video editing, where speed saves lots of money. They probably have maximum RAM and the latest NVMe RAID arrays and other super-high-speed storage devices, too. They're also likely to use both Macs and Windows PCs, and possibly Linux boxes.

4K HDR editing, multi-track surround sound editing, color correction, special effects... All of these can be done with lesser equipment, but at higher cost due to the other overhead and skilled labor involved.

Recently, my son and I toured both the SCAD campus in Atlanta (Savannah College of Art and Design), and NCSA (North Carolina School for the Arts). He is pursuing a film career. Both schools are top 10 in filmmaking/video production for television.

At both schools, we saw a lot of high end gear. NCSA had editing suites and classrooms equipped with both high end Macs and PCs running AVID Pro Tools and Media Composer, Adobe Premiere, Davinci Resolve, and Apple Final Cut Pro X.

*Very few high end filmmakers are using real film these days. The vast majority use Red and Arri video systems. But even NCSA still teaches real film production... We talked to a professor who teaches film photography with Panavision cameras, as well as video.

In short, mere mortals do not need the iMac Pro and similar class PCs. It's the pasty-faced editors and color correctors and sound mixers who pull all-nighters in the dark editing suites who really need that sort of power.

For photography, the software is often the limiting factor. If it renders an image to a monitor while processing it to a file, it bogs down the video card and doesn't make full use of the I/O. In a photo lab or service bureau, the PRINTERS are the limiting speed factors. Back in 2004, even a 1999 PowerMac G4 at 400MHz with 2GB RAM could keep up with a 44" Epson inkjet printer, once the first file was rendered. And a 1GHz dual Zeon processor Dell with 2GB RAM could create a queue backlog for a Noritsu QSS 31Pro mini-lab running full tilt at 600+ 8x10 prints per hour.

Smudgey Loc: Ohio, Calif, Now Arizona

I have been using iMacs as long as there have been iMacs and the standard iMac is more than adequate for most photography. If you have an inexhaustible supply of money, the pro would be nice, but I doubt that you would ever need it. Yes the monitor can be calibrated, but not necessary.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Kudos on your excellent setup!

The Macintosh Pro (not iMac Pro) is long overdue for a replacement. Apple has been dragging their feet for years. Now, the iMac Pro is actually faster than the Macintosh Pro! Hopefully, we will see a new Mac Pro some time this year. And hopefully, it won't look like a trash can!

DevizesTwin

Hi Jerry
I think you need to ask yourself why you want to go down this route and be honest with yourself about this. Are you dissatisfied with the current result(s) or does your photography demand perfection or you wish to near perfect?
Appreciation of colour is very subjective and what one person appreciates another person is less sure.
The Mac is the product of choice for many creative artists and in performance terms it is is there or thereabouts. 'Fiddling' with it in the way you describe is possible but who is to say any adjustments will be better or worse and can the naked eye always tell? Personally unless your business (or hobby) demands higher standards I would not bother recalibrate it unless you feel the Mac is underperforming.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

I recently (@ 3 months ago) upgraded my iMac to an iMac Pro. I bought the base model and am very pleased. I am a sports professional and shoot @ 125,000 images a year, so time spent on the computer is high up on my list. When I used the iMac, I was also happy, but the pro does make a difference. Now I'm using dual monitors, so that adds to my comfort level. My iMac had a 512GB SSD and 32 GB of memory and was an I5. I store my photo files on a Thunderbolt 3 drive system (was a Thunderbolt 2) and back up to a NAS. Currently I am using 1GB Ethernet but will probably upgrade to 10GB soon. Big bucks but totally worth it for me. For a lot less money, a properly configured iMac is also great. Best of luck.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

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