Did you consider using an editing codec? Apple Intermediate Codec is included with every Mac, CineForm can be had for free and works with Premiere Pro.
Video Compression
Why It Matters & How To Make The Most Of It
which includes the following sections:
I just ask, as I already mentioned, H.264 is NOT an editing codec and if you want to do all the things you mentioned, an editing codec would be much, much better. Then the iMac would be very good for that.
Have you considered refurbs in the Refurbished Mac section in the Apple Online Store?
Well, thanks for your help in my other post, got my Mac Pro working again and installed Snow Leopard. BTW I opened Adobe and tried to play raw uncompressed DSLR footage on the mercury engine and it still gives the same stuttering delayed playback I had on my macbook pro, i thought Mac Pro would solve this,
do I really have go with the prores thing to be able to play the footage smoothly on mercury engine? I tried lowering the resolution still the same thing.
Can u give me links to prores or free apple codecs that I can install and how they work.
Thanks.