# best pc for digital photography



## boltonian68

Hi All

My first effort on this forum.

I have been using digital cameras for over  ten years now and have focussed on Canon kit. I do all of my own processing, printing and manipulation on pcs. I have tried Apple (tower and iMac) as well as microsoft kit largely on HP platforms. 

I still do niot feel comfortable with any of them for different reasons.

e.g.  the iMAC is great but only if you do everything on one screen. HP 64bit PC Vista is fast but but they seem to have gone down hill over the years in terms of their package. Dell have been a waste of time.

Storage of over 46000 digital negs is no joke if you want to move to another platform whilst maintaining all of the identity shortcuts built over the years. I currntly use Extensis Portfolio.

I am seriously looking for a new, versatile PC for this job.

Anybody else in the same boat?


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## Nikato

I am looking for a computer as well, but just because I want one that is just for photography. Was looking at a MBP for the versatility but an Imac because of the better hardware, more ram capacity, and bigger harddrive (the one im eyeing has 1tb).

I game on a PC but I feel that if I want to do photography i'd need to do it on a mac. I like the system more, it seems to have a lot less problems, and I like its layout. Plus it doesn't seem to slow down over use.


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## Buckster

boltonian68 said:


> Anybody else in the same boat?


Can't say that I am.

I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64bit on a machine with an i7 processor, 8 gigs RAM, high end gaming vid card, 10 TB hard drive space via eSATA, 2 large widescreen monitors, and have no issues at all.

It's blazingly fast and reliable for all my needs, including PS CS5, LR3, and associated photo editing programs and plugins, plus a pile of software I use for business work.


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## boltonian68

Thanks Nikato

I think I have overcome problems of storage of my digital necatives and prints.

I run my iMAC and HP 64bit tower side by side. To try and provide access to and security for my core, irreplacable, piccies, I use a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk external drive. This has 2TB capacity and will work on the:

 iMAC using Firewire 1394B connections built into the drive and the Apple 
and
USB3 added to the MSDOS HP and already on the drive.

They both go like the wind and the process gives me a free standing disk that I can put in a safe place with all of my images.

Cheers


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## Nikato

Buckster said:


> boltonian68 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody else in the same boat?
> 
> 
> 
> Can't say that I am.
> 
> I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64bit on a machine with an i7 processor, 8 gigs RAM, high end gaming vid card, 10 TB hard drive space via eSATA, 2 large widescreen monitors, and have no issues at all.
> 
> It's blazingly fast and reliable for all my needs, including PS CS5, LR3, and associated photo editing programs and plugins, plus a pile of software I use for business work.
Click to expand...


.......wow is a;; O cam say. With a computer like that I have no doubt that its fast. How long have you had it?


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## Buckster

Nikato said:


> Buckster said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> boltonian68 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody else in the same boat?
> 
> 
> 
> Can't say that I am.
> 
> I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64bit on a machine with an i7 processor, 8 gigs RAM, high end gaming vid card, 10 TB hard drive space via eSATA, 2 large widescreen monitors, and have no issues at all.
> 
> It's blazingly fast and reliable for all my needs, including PS CS5, LR3, and associated photo editing programs and plugins, plus a pile of software I use for business work.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> .......wow is a;; O cam say. With a computer like that I have no doubt that its fast. How long have you had it?
Click to expand...

6 or 8 months, I guess.  I upgrade to squeeze out performance about every 3 years or so.


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## 12sndsgood

im just running a alienware gaming pc (Dell junk)  but its been fine for me I7 processor 6 gigs of ram. 1 gig video card 500 gig internal hard drive and a 1.5 terabyte external as backup. mine runs quick without any issues and runs cs5 fine without any issues.


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## Nikato

Buckster said:


> Nikato said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Buckster said:
> 
> 
> 
> Can't say that I am.
> 
> I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64bit on a machine with an i7 processor, 8 gigs RAM, high end gaming vid card, 10 TB hard drive space via eSATA, 2 large widescreen monitors, and have no issues at all.
> 
> It's blazingly fast and reliable for all my needs, including PS CS5, LR3, and associated photo editing programs and plugins, plus a pile of software I use for business work.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .......wow is a;; O cam say. With a computer like that I have no doubt that its fast. How long have you had it?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 6 or 8 months, I guess.  I upgrade to squeeze out performance about every 3 years or so.
Click to expand...



The HD size is what gets me. 10 TB? that is incredible.


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## Buckster

Nikato said:


> Buckster said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nikato said:
> 
> 
> 
> .......wow is a;; O cam say. With a computer like that I have no doubt that its fast. How long have you had it?
> 
> 
> 
> 6 or 8 months, I guess. I upgrade to squeeze out performance about every 3 years or so.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> The HD size is what gets me. 10 TB? that is incredible.
Click to expand...

This may interest you then. It's the post in this forum where I detail that setup:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ng-file-storage-alternatives.html#post1726258


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## McNugget801

Nikato said:


> I am looking for a computer as well, but just because I want one that is just for photography. Was looking at a MBP for the versatility but an Imac because of the better hardware, more ram capacity, and bigger harddrive (the one im eyeing has 1tb).
> 
> I game on a PC but I feel that if I want to do photography i'd need to do it on a mac. I like the system more, it seems to have a lot less problems, and I like its layout. Plus it doesn't seem to slow down over use.


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## JClishe

Nikato said:


> I game on a PC but I feel that if I want to do photography i'd need to do it on a mac. I like the system more, it seems to have a lot less problems, and I like its layout. Plus it doesn't seem to slow down over use.


 
Slowing down over time isn't inherently a Windows / PC issue; it's an issue brought on by installing poor-performing 3rd party software (think browser toolbars and shareware / freeware). 

Both of my laptops were built with Windows 7 as soon as it shipped back in September 2009, I can't notice any perceptible performance difference between now and then.


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## KmH

boltonian68 said:


> Dell have been a waste of time.


I must have f'ed up then. I only have a 4 year old lowly Dell Vostro 200 with a Core Duo processor running that ****ty, no good, worthless, OS - Vista Business, that still performs better than I need it to. :scratch: But.....I do routine maintanence on the system and hardware. Maybe that helps?


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## MarkGowerPhotos

Good topic - im also thinking of getting a new powerful printer for my buisiness


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