Apple and Color Management

[pharmacist]

Yes it does, but the problem is to center and enlarge argyllcms profiles properly with this tool. I was horrible.

 

[cls]

Hackintosh is indeed a "sweet" solution to build a dedicated OS X Beast for low $$$

$4,699.00 for an Mac Pro

• 3.5GHz 6-core with 12MB of L3 cache
• 32GB (4x8GB) of 1866MHz DDR3 ECC
• 512GB PCIe-based flash storage
• Dual AMD FirePro D500 GPUs with 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM each

I can beat that easily with standard PC hardware:

100 USD Mainboard GA-H97-D3H
280 USD Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3
300 USD 2x Crucial Ballistix Sport DIMM Kit 16GB
75 USD CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12
185 USD ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5
220 USD MX100 SSD 512GB
80 USD Corsair CX Series 750 Watt ATX/EPS
100 USD Fancy ATX Tower Computer Case
100 USD Mouse and Keyboard (preferably OS X Layout)
1440 Total amount
1.) Upgradeable
2.) Interchangeable Parts
3.) Individual Warranty and Support for each Part supplied
4.) Native Options for other OS'es

 

[The Hat]

Building a hackintosh is definitely one way to get a cheap Mac but if you’re trying desperately hard to learn, conquer or master correct colour profiling and printing on a Mac then I wouldn’t pick that route.

You could be introducing to many unknown hardware problems into the mix and I reckon you might end up getting side tracked or worse even hijacked, Adobe applications work that little bit better on Mac built machines..

 

[mikling]

I am aware of the issues, but at the same time, you really get to know and learn when things go wrong. Assuming I have the time..ha ha..I'm really intrigued by this route. Just like refilling initially, only when things go wrong then you learn. I just might have enough spare PC equipment to go this route PLUS, putting an interchangeable drive bay on my main PC would allow two machines in one. Really interesting.... for the brave. All it might end up costing me to get a "Mac" is the cost of an 240GB SSD and the OS. OTOH Craigslist.

 

[3dogs]

I use both, have both apple and android mobiles.
The iPhone is used as a camera and voice recorder, its no use for anything else.
Mac Book Pro goes on trips with me to download cards to, nothing else.

My take in the subject is this, its a bit like Cameras. I had Pentax, Minolta and Nikon film cameras so when eventually I switched to digital I went with Nikon.
That lasted about a month. During that time I experienced more frustration attempting to navigate the menu than is reasonable to tolerat.
After the last episode when I spent an hour trying to get where I was wanting to go in the menu I took the camera to the big shed, stood it up on the wood chopping block and demolished it with the 15lb log splitting axe.
Not only did it make me feel better, I was a better person for having done it.
Same day I drove down to Melbourne and visited with a Camera shop. There I asked what options were available after explaining why, the Sales person (nervously) handed me a Canon SLR. Irequested that he did not explain the menu......that terrified him, and he nervously reminded me that if Itrashed it I would be required to pay in full.
It was like a breath of fresh air, just flowed like I had been using it for ever.

Same (for me) with OS. I was convinced that Mac was simpler , easier, and logical........

I have not trashed the Mac - yet!, but it often gets close hence its religation to menial peon status.

 

[mikling]

Does that mean you love the Mac so much, you don't want to trash it?

 

[3dogs]

Love and Mac are NOT two words I would be inclined to put together

Its all in the language I think.
I have STRUGGLED with Lightroom since V1, yesterday followed a link to Victoria Brampton (FAQ LR5) and downloaded a KIndle copy. Within pages I had all the explanation I needed. Literally in just a few words each step is crystal clear. I had previously purchased at least EIGHT books trying to get to grips with the software without any significant success.
I find that Mac is just not "comfortable" to use.
BUT
Its used by hundreds of thousands of folks without a single issue, so explain THAT, by anything other than the language used....beats me 'cos I really did want to go Mac for Photo processing, that was why I bought one in the first place!!

 

[jtoolman]

It's all about what you are or feel comfortable with.
I have plenty of MAC and Windows user friends and all of them will swear that theirs is superior to the other.
I'll say one thing about MAC users, they are LOYAL to their brand. Even at a much higher cost. It is almost a cult like following.
Is a MAC more suitable for a non computer savy geek? Probably. I am sure it is easier for a non computer savy person to quickly get basic work done with it.

Me on the other hand, I like getting into the guts of an OS and program and having FULL control over all aspects of what I am doing. Do not make automatic choices for me.
Let me worry about that.

MACs are awesome if you like "COOL" things and "COOL" apps. They do cater to a different demographics that's for sure.
The term's I-Phone - I-Pad are almost synonymous with ANY phone or ANY pad this day! The lines at the APPLE stores are amazing if not silly. The "Play" ( Display ) areas are great for you to try out their latest gadget or new upgrade. Yup they are cool as beans!

BUT... for printing after having used nothing but MACs in the scientific labs I worked at for decades, I simply and logically had to switch to Windows as least for me, they are easier to print photos with and that is about all I do with my machines now. Not to mention the many pieces of software that I was using that were only on the Windows Platform.

Sure I could have loaded Windows on my MAC but WHY????
I have always chuckled when people will use a MAC but then have a virtual Windows OS on it to be able to run Windows based software on it. Why not simply have both??

Editing images on MAC or PC is pretty much identical. I see no advantage using either. So I would choose either platform if I never printed images.

Enough opinionated ranting.

Joe

 

[The Hat]

Well said Joe ..

 

[3dogs]

A well balanced editorial Joe, however, in the last few months I have been reading that there are continuing simmering political issues between apple and adobe that do and will impact more and more as time goes on.
Colour management is the issue, and dpreview is full of Apple/ colour management.
Thinking on it, adobe have the wood on Apple there, as Apple does not have a viable big end processor. Google has quietly been chipping away at the processing market for some time. Aperture is going - gone, Nikon is going - gone......
Frankly if I was using Mac on a day to day basis, and shooting with Nikon, I think I would be asking myself some questions.
Apples generational strategy to leverage profit from the market may eventually bite them on the butt. IMHO

Joe has nailed it, Windows allows tinkering, Apple, on the other hand are benevolent Dictators in their approach.