RAM or processor to speed up digital darkroom?

[FishMan473]

Hey all,

I have an iMac with a 1.25 GHz G4 processor and 768 MB of RAM. Processing images from my D70 (so 6 megapixels) is extreamly sluggish, especially processing RAW images in Nikon's Captor Editor or just viewing them in Nikon View 6.

Does anyone know how I would figure out whether RAM or processing speed my limiting factor is here? Should I buy a gig of ram or save my pennies for a new computer?

Thanks,

[Trevor Ash]

I'm thinking a processor would make more difference than RAM as concerns converting images from RAW. However, when you start getting into multiple layers in tools like Photoshop a little more memory would help too.

Your system is only as fast as it's slowest component. I'd suggest saving your money for one solid upgrade.

[Seb]

I'm thinking a processor would make more difference than RAM as concerns converting images from RAW. However, when you start getting into multiple layers in tools like Photoshop a little more memory would help too.

Your system is only as fast as it's slowest component. I'd suggest saving your money for one solid upgrade.

That's an interesting tread. Actually, I am in a worse situation than FishMan as I own the very first version of the IMac G4 circa 2002!! (700 mhz processor, 512 meg of RAM, a bus frequency of 100 mhz.....).

I am to the point were I wonder if I stretch the life of the IMac by going for OSX 10.4 and 1 gig of RAM or if I wait a little more and get a new system (a dual 2 Ghz PowerMac G5 would be my weapon of choice...).

Any thought/suggestion here??

regards

Seb

[christopher_platt]

I'm in that slower boat too. . .Nikon's software ran extremely slow on my computer. I switched to PS, and although it's slower than I like, it's a lot faster than Nikon's stuff.
Chip

[Lionheart]

I'm in that slower boat too. . .Nikon's software ran extremely slow on my computer. I switched to PS, and although it's slower than I like, it's a lot faster than Nikon's stuff.
Chip

Most photo editing software is slow, but the ones that came with the camera's manufacturers are especially slow (both Nikon and Canon). Breezebrowser is one of the faster RAW convertersion software out there (way faster than PS), and it's only $50. I use both C1Pro and Breezebrowser, but for the dollar, Breezebrowser is a way better value at 1/10 of the price of either C1Pro or PS. I've got 4 GB of DDR memory, a 3.2 GHz P4 (Prescott core) overclocked to 3.6 GHz, and an NVidia GeForce 6800 Ultra with 256 MB of ram, but even on my machine, photoshop, c1pro, and breezebrowser still seemingly take too long to process RAW images.

[Mathiau]

It is a laptop - using a slow 5400 RPM hardrive or even possibly a 4200 RPM - consider upgrading to the hitachi 7200 RPM laptop drives - this should give a very nice boost to performance over all!