(no subject)
I just got back from hiking the Sierras with my recently acquired digital SLR. It was a fantastic trip, but I've run into a problem...
Linux doesn't do color management. Period.
It took me days to even get the Canon XTi RAW files to import looking normal. Dcraw, ufraw, et al all had various issues, like a disgusting pink tint to the imported dcraw pics. I tried using Picasa, but it reads them in as a pure black box. etc, etc, whine, wine, whyne. Even after I solved the basic issues, there's absolutely no way of telling how the Gimped photos will look when they come back from the photo shop.
Conclusion: Linux just isn't ready for professional photo management. (Yeah, yeah, I know ... Hell just dropped a few degrees)
I was all set on building a new box with buckets of RAM and storage space and dropping XP and various Adobe products into it. But then someone (you know who you are) implanted the idea of running OS-X in my head. Obviously, the idea of running a *nix based system, however hacked, is a big plus. The negative is the added cost of "ooooooh ... it's pretty" and the fact that I swore I'd never, *ever* stoop to running one. Not to mention the extra cost of ... oh, I said that already.
To be clear, my question is not Mac vs PC. That would be pure folly. What I want to know is, if I do go Mac, what do you suggest? This system will ONLY be used for photo processing and management. It needs to be quick enough to simultaneously run Photoshop, Lightroom &/or Bridge, Picasa (or other management program) and the OS without crashing or taking a half-hour to process unsharp mask but not be overkill.
While I'm at it, I'll also take suggestions on the ultimate photo software. I want this process to be as streamlined as possible. I'm obviously leaning towards Adobe's suite of products, but if there's something better out there I want to know about it!
TIA! :)
Linux doesn't do color management. Period.
It took me days to even get the Canon XTi RAW files to import looking normal. Dcraw, ufraw, et al all had various issues, like a disgusting pink tint to the imported dcraw pics. I tried using Picasa, but it reads them in as a pure black box. etc, etc, whine, wine, whyne. Even after I solved the basic issues, there's absolutely no way of telling how the Gimped photos will look when they come back from the photo shop.
Conclusion: Linux just isn't ready for professional photo management. (Yeah, yeah, I know ... Hell just dropped a few degrees)
I was all set on building a new box with buckets of RAM and storage space and dropping XP and various Adobe products into it. But then someone (you know who you are) implanted the idea of running OS-X in my head. Obviously, the idea of running a *nix based system, however hacked, is a big plus. The negative is the added cost of "ooooooh ... it's pretty" and the fact that I swore I'd never, *ever* stoop to running one. Not to mention the extra cost of ... oh, I said that already.
To be clear, my question is not Mac vs PC. That would be pure folly. What I want to know is, if I do go Mac, what do you suggest? This system will ONLY be used for photo processing and management. It needs to be quick enough to simultaneously run Photoshop, Lightroom &/or Bridge, Picasa (or other management program) and the OS without crashing or taking a half-hour to process unsharp mask but not be overkill.
While I'm at it, I'll also take suggestions on the ultimate photo software. I want this process to be as streamlined as possible. I'm obviously leaning towards Adobe's suite of products, but if there's something better out there I want to know about it!
TIA! :)