Aperture and ATI 4850 iMacs

So, I have been using my new ATI equipped iMac for a few days now and have done a good amount of photo editing using Aperture 2. I am very happy with the performance. My library, right now, is about seven thousand pictures (all 12.1 MP). On my old iMac I use to have lots of stutters and pauses while I adjusted certain sliders. That has all gone away now. I don't even have to use 'preview' mode while traveling between photos, I just let it go ahead and load the RAW masters for each photo. That is fast. Now, I have never used Aperture on a MacPro. I guess that would be even nicer. But, I don't get paid for taking photos so I can't really justify that. However, unless I start working on video (come on 5D Mark II!) I can't imagine needed a stronger box.

Now, everyone is talking about the glossy screen and....



Now, everyone is talking about the glossy screen and photo editing. Again, I am no pro, and I am just getting into soft-proofing for print labs, but I love the glossy. My old iMac had a matte finish. The glossy screen just looks SO NICE that I can find a way to work around any color problems I might run into. The glossy screen is great for everything else I do like games, photo slideshows (they rock glossy) and everything else OSX related. I don't have problems with reflections like I thought I would. So far that is. At work, I have 3 or 4 19" matte monitors and I sit next to a window. I always have to keep the window closed because of reflections, so I am bothered by them in general.

To sum up, I don't think I will ever go back to a matte screen again, that is how good the glossy makes everything look, even if it is a distorted view of reality. I will reconsider if it ends up getting in the way of photo print lab stuff, but in that case I would probably just run a second monitor with my iMac that is matte.