The Age Old Dilemma... Photographer Laptop: Macbook Pro vs Other

[jeanmarc87]

Hey everyone, first time here.


If you feel daunted by my enormous wall of text, I made you a little summary at the bottom. If not, read on!


I also hope this post is in the right category.


I'm a Uni student and working under one of my country's most acclaimed professionals as a colleague/student of his. I'm also reading a degree in Communications (Media) and IT.


My query is as follows:

• I'm investing in a laptop for my work (Publication and photography), should I go with an <span style="font-size: medium;"]<span style="color: #999999;"]Apple Macbook Pro or<span style="font-size: large;"]<span style="color: #ff6600;"] something else?
  

Everyone says the same things: MBP's are limited, they don't last long, you're restricted with what you do with them, they're a glorious waste of money and apply only to hipsters and kids with money... you know, the whole Apple-conspiracy thing and Steve Jobs wanting to control the world..
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"]However, when it comes to watching tutorial dvds (and believe me, I've invested in a lot of them) I always see those professionals working on Macs, be it thethered shooting on an MBP or editing on an Mac pro and what have you.


I've been working on Windows my whole life, and have gotten by just fine with it so far, but I've met industrials who tell me that Apple, in the design industry, is the only answer.


I know that my question is probably as old as the Black Forest, and I've tried looking for it in the forums, but to no avail. Also, I'd like to point out that I've trawled a large number of searches relating to this but haven't found anything that resolves the dealbreaker.



<h3><span style="font-size: medium;"]In summary:</h3>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"]<span style="color: #3366ff;"]Uni student in Media &amp; IT, part-time trainee photographer by profession, in need of a portable computer, wanting to make the right choice.
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"]<span style="color: #ff00ff;"]Have seen a large number of high-level pros, like Karl Taylor and Scott Kelby using Apple machinery
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"]<span style="color: #ff00ff;"]Have been told that Apple is 'simply for Media-oriented work' and the right tool for the job
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"]<span style="color: #ff6600;"]Majority of internet society paints Apple computers as being a waste of money, nothing more than a brand name and being able to get a many-times better PC for the price of a MBP
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"]<span style="color: #ff6600;"]Majority of places I went to were not places frequented by professional photographers.
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Dilemma: What is it that entices high-level pros into using Apple equipment?
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"]
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Thanks for listening.


<span style="color: #000000;"]Jean

[HDNitehawk]

Not that I am a high level pro but I use both


Windows for office and work and video games (unless the game has a Mac version which isn

[neuroanatomist]

Hi, and welcome to the TDP forums!


The Mac vs. PC debate is a common one, and sure to bring out heated disucssion. Allow me to fire the <s>first</s>second shot from the Apple side of the DMZ (which in this case, might be Linux?).


The Mac OS just works. You plug in hardware, it works. You install software, it works. I don't want to fiddle. I don't have time. Once you learn the UI, you know the UI. If could be Photoshop, or MS Word, or Safari. The UI is the same.

MBP's ... don't last long

That's a new one on me. The usual argument is one you stated later, that you can get an identically-spec'd PC for a lot less money. I guess that depends on how you define identical. I've yet to find a PC laptop with the same feature set as my 17" MBP that is only 2.5 cm thick. There are a lot of little innovations on Macs that people ignore when comparing machines. Have you ever tripped over the charging cord of a laptop and almost yanked the computer off a table or desk? That won't happen with Apple's MagSafe power connector. Ever snapped off the tray on a CD/DVD drive? Macs use slot-loaders. Etc.


Longevity? My company provides PC laptops to employees. I bought my previous MBP in 2006 (I replaced it this year), and in the 5 years that I used that machine, I went through six company-provided PCs - one managed to make it to the 2.5-year end of life, the others failed for one reason or another. It was only the last one of the 6 that could outperform my 5-year old MBP.

What is it that entices high-level pros into using Apple equipment?

I can't speak for those high-level pros, but I'm sure there are lots of reasons. FireWire completely trumps USB2 for real-world data transfer speeds (USB data flow is managed by the CPU, so it never achieves it's theoretical speed ratings, whereas FW does), and FW is also better for sustained data transfer (no dropped frames for video). USB3 is better, but is in turn trumped by Thunderbolt. Apple's laptop displays tend to be better than those in most PC laptops (there are exceptions, of course).


For anyone working with audio, I don't know of many PC laptops with optical ports. Those standard-looking headphone and mic ports on an MBP are actually combined analog/digital ports - you can connect standard headphones and a mic, or mini-toslink plugs for a digital/optical I/O (another example of when 'identically-spec'd' isn't).

haven't found anything that resolves the dealbreaker

I doubt you will. But go find a few people who were long time PC users and switched to Mac. The general consensus among them seems to be, "I'll never go back, and I regret waiting so long to switch."


Either way, good luck with your decision!


--John

[Keith B]

I have never owned a PC. I

[Daniel Browning]

should I go with an Apple Macbook Pro or something else?

Something else, IMHO.

I've tried looking for it in the forums, but to no avail.

Here's one of the big threads we had on Mac-vs-PC:



<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="content-type" />
http://community.the-digital-picture.com/general_discussion1/f/24/t/5089.aspx



<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="content-type" />

<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="content-type" />
What is it that entices high-level pros into using Apple equipment?

Because it's easy. Apple's top priority is to make the easy things easy. The software, hardware, everything is easy. There's fewer compatibility problems because there is no one else to be compatible with. There's no viruses, because it can't run any Windows software (or if it can, it is vulnerable to the degree with which it can). There's fewer crashes from cheap hardware drivers because everyone is forced to buy the same (expensive) hardware.


Easy has a cost. You pay big bucks, and you lose some control. For example, it makes buying hardware easy, because there is only one vendor, so you don't have to worry about choosing the best hardware vendor. Nor do you have to spend any time deciding which hardware components from that vendor are the best, because they only sell one type of each component. You need a different video card? Too bad. Still waiting for a blu-ray optical drive, after 5 years? Don't hold your breath. Apple provides only the absolute minimum amount of choice, such as extremely overpriced ram/hdd upgrades.


Same with the software. A lot of what makes it easy is the same thing that removes your ability to control what it does. Just look at the difference in control panels. Windows presents you with a dizzying array of options, all alike. You will likely be eaten by a grue. There are at least a half-dozen different software vendors that provide wireless configuration dialogs, in addition to Microsoft's own. OS X configuration dialogs tend to have far fewer options. Less choices mean easier decisions. But what if what you want isn't an option? There's a billion little $15 shareware apps for OS X to make it do what you want (hopefully still "easy"). Or, if you're technically inclined, and lucky, there's a few configuration files that can bend it to your will.


It's basically a matter of priorities. For high-level pros, paying between 30% - 100% more is well worth it to make it easier. But since you are a student who is getting a degree in IT and has a lifetime of experience with Windows, I would think price and control are more important to you than easy.

[neuroanatomist]

If you feel daunted by my enormous wall of text,

Most of the initial responses seem to fall into this category. So, in the spirit of:

I made you a little summary at the bottom

I'll just say: Join the Cult of Mac. Drink the Kool-Aid. It's all Good.


[]

[clemmb]

Jean,


Welcome to the forum.


In the art of photography we use tools. Cameras, computers, etc.... Each brand has pluses and minuses. Know your tools, be comfortable with them and use them to develop your art. If you are comfortable with a PC then go with a PC. If you are comfortable with a Mac then go with a Mac.


Look forward to seeing some of your work here.


Mark

[elmo_2006]

Hello Jean...


I

[deltasun]

I don

[dsiegel5151]

I do all my editing on a Mac, but I have my main work camera tethered to a PC. Why? I don