Macbook 2ghz x 17'' Imac (both C2D) for photographer

[pedro nicoli]

Hi guys,
i'm a photographer from Brazil, and I need to buy a computer.
since i'm moving from my parents house, i now need a machine to my own.
I think of getting a Mac, but i dunno wich one.
my budget is for a white Macbook 2Ghz, or a 17 inches Imac (not the emac)

As a photographer i use a lot of Photoshop, and thats my main application.
I sometimes (not often) make some slideshows dvd for my clients and light video editing in Premiere (yeap i use PC at home, but mac at work)

The problem i have with macbook is the screen, wich i think it's small to edit 6 megapixels (10mp, next year) images, and i'm not sure if the glossy will affect me ( i believe that after a few prints, i can get the hang of it, and so know how the image on screen will look on paper) and probably i could buy a a bigger lcd monitor to plug it in.

The Imac seems to be perfect, large enough disk space to store my photos, realy good screen, better graphic card for some occasional gaming and video editing.

BUT the thing about the macbook is mobility! i sometimes have to show my photos to the clients, so i put them on a cd or pendrive. but most of time my clients pc's sucks, with makes everything slow.
A notebook would solve that, and also, i could work anywhere.

so, what do u think?

 

[reflex]

An iMac would be nicer to work on, I can guarantee that.

But as you say, you could use an external screen with the Macbook and have a portable system.

I would go for the Macbook in this case, at least if I knew I'd be able to buy the external screen within a few months.

 

[pedro nicoli]

"within a few months"
that's the exact case! hehehe
i would like to buy a 17" lcd, but it will take a while, cos lcd's are in such a hype in brazil, that they are way too expansive.
like, if it costs 400 dollars in US, here will cost 900 dollars

 

[pedro nicoli]

BTW, what do I look for when buying a LCD monitor?
what contrast rate, what response time etc?

 

[PrOeliuM]

Hi there. I'd highly recommend getting a macbook and using it with an external LCD. It provides you with some good features of both a laptop and a desktop. If LCD's are expensive there, I still think it's a better idea to add it later after saving up instead of just getting the iMac.

If you use an external LCD, you can also use the macbook's screen in extended desktop mode so you could have two screens to work with (and more space then one iMac screen gives you). This comes in very handy when doing photo manipulation as you can keep your palettes on one screen and your photo on the other.

Go with the Macbook and take your work on the road when necessary. You may find that you are more creative in different settings (perhaps editing a photo at the spot you took it can give you ideas of how to work with it).

 

[viperguy]

BTW, what do I look for when buying a LCD monitor?
what contrast rate, what response time etc?

Quick question: I'm from Brazil too and I'm wondering where will you buy your Mac from (which store)
These things here are expensive (importation taxes).... The most "affordable" macbook I've found so far costs 3000 dollars.

 

[NorCalLights]

Quick question: I'm from Brazil too and I'm wondering where will you buy your Mac from (which store)
These things here are expensive (importation taxes).... The most "affordable" macbook I've found so far costs 3000 dollars.

Eeek... for that much you could buy a ticket to the US and buy it here. As long as customs doesn't catch you on the way back in...

 

[pedro nicoli]

Quick question: I'm from Brazil too and I'm wondering where will you buy your Mac from (which store)
These things here are expensive (importation taxes).... The most "affordable" macbook I've found so far costs 3000 dollars.

well, i'll probably buy it on the black market! hehe
eu tenho um amigo q consegue trazer dos EUA pra mim sem cobrar nada.
mas acho q ele so consegue trazer pra mim em janeiro...isso q é ruim, mas fazer oq...
outra opção seria comprar nas Americanas.com, mas a Apple brasil ainda nao lançou o macbook C2D aki né...
(sorry by the portuguese guys, but i was tired to explain it in english...hehe)