Re: Re: [Leica] Re: questions on computer for photo work

[Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>]

I use image editing programs extensively on both Mac and PC. I am a
computer expert, and in company other than the Leica group I would refer to
myself as a photography expert. I can certainly claim to be an expert
darkroom technician.

I use Adobe Photoshop, MacroMedia FireWorks, Adobe ImageReady, and
MacroMedia Director. All of those programs work equally well on both Mac
and PC. There is rarely a difference of any kind between the behavior of
the programs on those two platforms (Mac and PC), though sometimes the menu
items are in different places. And of course the keyboard shortcuts are
different. 

I find that I have a very slight preference for PCs because I can do
color-matching better; I have more options. And the total amount of money
that I spend to get the same performance on a PC is less than on a Mac. But
the "take it out of the box and turn it on" color-matching performance of
Mac computers using Apple brand monitors is very much better. If you aren't
going to buy an Apple monitor with your Mac computer you lose much of the
automatic color configuration. I also find that the 2 extra mouse buttons
on my 3-button PC mouse are a significant time-saving advantage; the Mac
software works well with one-button mice and can be made to work with
3-bitton mice. 

If you are using the computer to prepare online images there is no
difference at all between the quality that is achievable by a beginner on
Mac or PC. If you are printing on a good-quality color printer, or
preparing masters for prepress, then you should stick with a Mac, not
because it is better, but because it gives you fewer choices, hence fewer
ways to mess up. Also, most service bureaus (which do high-end imaging and
printing) are more comfortable with Mac disks than PC disks, though any
bureau can deal with any disk. 

The one bummer for Mac users is low-end color printing. Printing
photographs with inexpensive color printers is very slow on a Mac. I often
see factors of 5:1 speed difference between a Mac and a PC printing to the
same low-end inkject printers. The reasons are complex and are not entirely
cured by USB or Ethernet printers.