iMac , MacBook or iPad for Photography?

[spraycansoul]

Apologies if this discussion has already been had but I’m looking to get an insight into what photographers deem to be the best all round Apple device for all photography needs, particularly photo editing.

This would be my main device.

(Ignoring specs) I’m torn between:

- 27” iMac 2019
- 13” MacBook Pro 2019
- 11” iPad Pro 2018

Thanks in advance.

 

[mollyc]

I use an iMac because I can’t imagine using a small screen. And I hate iPads in general.

 

[AllergyDoc]

I bought a refurbished 27” iMac a few months ago, not solely for photography, of course. love the beautiful big screen. In a pinch I use my 12.9 ipp.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

The 27” iMac display is awesome for photography. Plan D is Mac mini with a nice 4K display.

Personally, I’m using a custom Windows machine. 9600K, 16GB RAM, RX 570, NVMe storage, LG 27” 4K display. I may try to hackintosh it one of these days.

 

[jz0309]

I've chosen the iMac for my photo library/editor. I use my MBP for mobile needs, I upgraded that from a 2013 MBA in Jun as I switched to LR/PS (Aperture died on me) and the MBA was struggling with that combo, plus I like the larger screen

 

[Ray2]

A max spec iMac is “best”. I travel 4 to 6 months each year. I don’t use an iMac.

It would help if you provided a bit more information about how you edit now and what’s missing.

 

[steveash]

A big screen is very valuable when editing. Experts don’t rate the iMac screen as highly as specialist ones for colour accuracy etc. They’d likely say the same about the iPad Pro.

A well spec’d MBP with plenty of Ram and an external monitor might be the most versatile option.

 

[Diamond Dog]

Without knowing your usage patterns, I'd have to say MBP. Mobile enough to edit on the go, powerful enough to edit at a desk with a high quality monitor.

 

[Clix Pix]

A big screen is very valuable when editing. Experts don’t rate the iMac screen as highly as specialist ones for colour accuracy etc. They’d likely say the same about the iPad Pro.

A well spec’d MBP with plenty of Ram and an external monitor might be the most versatile option.

I agree with this -- having a well-spec'd MBP with loads of RAM and good graphics, say the optional VEGA 20, offers a lot more flexibility and portability than an iMac, and one can purchase and use whichever size monitor is best suited to budget, working style and desk space.

 

[deep diver]

Definitely a maximum spec iMac with SSD drives. You can use any mobile device to store your pictures when you travel and then work on them later. I never process anything when I travel. That just takes time away from shooting.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

OP never said what kind of budget they had to work with. I’m guessing it’s not crazy high based on the initial options. I would rule out the 11” iPad right away. I found the 12.9” to work okay for actual editing, but anything else is too small, IMO. Same goes for a 13” MBP. Yes, you could edit on it, but you’ll be zooming a lot. Adding a good external monitor just adds more cost too. The 27” iMac is probably the best economical choice, and the Apple refurbished store is a great place to save money and still get a like new machine.

 

[MCAsan]

I use an iMac because no MacBook or iPad has the resources (screen size, CPU power, GPU power, user and expandable memory. Also iPad does not have the same photo editors available. But in the field to collect and cull images, I use my iPad Pro. It is cheaper, lighter, and smaller than laptops.

 

[Ledgem]

Apologies if this discussion has already been had but I’m looking to get an insight into what photographers deem to be the best all round Apple device for all photography needs, particularly photo editing.

This would be my main device.

(Ignoring specs) I’m torn between:

- 27” iMac 2019
- 13” MacBook Pro 2019
- 11” iPad Pro 2018

Thanks in advance.

At this point in time the iPad is out. People are pushing the envelope of what you can do with it and some day it might be impressive, but right now it's more of a tool for working "in the field" to perform quick tasks and is still sub-optimal compared to a dedicated computer.

The question then comes down to an iMac and the MacBook Pro. You want to ignore the specifications (which is important; the MacBook Pro uses integrated graphics while the iMac had a dedicated graphics chip, although I suppose you could buy an external GPU to even things out), so the question then really comes down to how you would be using your computer. There's no point in buying a MacBook Pro if it's going to be on your desk 99.9% of the time, as you're basically paying extra for the portability and battery that you're not using. That would be a waste.

A larger screen is also nicer to work with. However, while the iMac clearly wins on screens in your list, you can always get a secondary display. I used a 12" MacBook with an external monitor for about a year for my photos and it worked just fine. Using two displays, even if one is a bit smaller, opens up some additional workflows. Apple Photos doesn't allow for this, but most photo editors allow you to have your image catalog on one screen, and your editing screen (or closer review) on the other display.

To summarize, the iMac is probably the nicest option, but if you value portability of your computer then the MacBook Pro - especially with a larger, secondary display - is also a fine choice.

 

[stillcrazyman]

An iMac would be fine if you're stationary. MacBook Pro if you need mobility.
An alternative would be a Mac mini and eGpu and a display. A lot more choices with this. That's what I did when looking to replace my '12 iMac. I now have a '18 Mini with a 32" photo display and an eGpu (external graphics processor). And another thought - get a MacBook and an external display / eGpu.

 

[Robotti]

I’m moving back and forth between a custom Windows PC and a Macbook Pro. It’s a pain, but so far there hasn’t been a laptop that could do it all. That may change this fall, and I’m eagerly waiting for the news. It would be so nice to just take the laptop on the road and not worry about having remembered to copy all the necessary stuff from the desktop.

The biggest worry seems to be the Ligthroom sync. If I leave it on when switching between the workstations, it messes up the cloud versions and causes an almost neverending upload/download hassle. And I need the sync, because I’m also actively using (and loving) Lightroom on iPad.