Brian

The "Spyder Elite" series has a better time with dual displays, as the Elite Software is meant for it. The calibrator itself is the same between a "Pro" and an "Elite," it's just the software has more features. It used to be that you could upgrade a Pro to an Elite by purchasing the $99 or so upgrade. Since the Spyder4 Series has been discontinued, I'm not sure if it's still an option. She may have to call Datacolor and see if the upgrade is still available. I did find this: http://support.datacolor.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/1473/101/spyder4elite-459-windows and this: http://support.datacolor.com/index.php?/Tickets/Submit

Update: It seems that if you are in the market for dual displays, this one might work better: Dell UltraSharp 24 InfinityEdge Display Combine them with the Dell MDS14a Dual Monitor Stand and you could have a sweet setup.

That Dell XPS 8910 for $1149.99 that you linked to will work fine. I wasn't aware of the U2717D, I was going by my old recommendation of the U2412m and the U2417H seems to be the latest version of that display. For dual displays, that U2717D seems to be a better bet. I like the "Infinity Edge" feature. Thanks for bringing it to my attention as the main problem with recommending stuff, is having that item be current; often when I link to things, there are 5 other replacements...stuff just doesn't last like it used to and it seems to replaced every 6 weeks. I'm really still on the fence. I could go with a single 27" display, but I like the idea of two 24" displays. I may just stick with getting a new iMac. Who knows? Either way I will be getting a new computer in 2018. I plan on building a Windows Domain Server and getting a few small desktops with Windows Pro, just to play and fiddle with stuff, like Group Policies. That's the driving reason for multiple displays, to have multiple remote desktop windows open.

I just picked up a used D3s in good shape. Amazing camera, I can no go places that I couldn't before....AAAANNNDDD currently seem to be producing the world's most awful photographs. LOL!! Take time to get to know your camera. Play with it and fiddle. Especially in learning how to hold it. That 36.1mp sensor takes getting used to. Not only for the massive Raw files, but at that resolution, you will blow a lot of shots in terms of camera shake / lack of sharpness until you get used to it. If you have a tripod, be sure to use it. Have fun with your new toy.

Let's have some fun. Pretend it's me that would be buying a new tower, and I am seriously in the market. I would start with the $979.99 Dell XPS model and click customize: Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro (add $49) Upgrade the Hard Drive from 1TB to 2TB (add $49) Add one year Premium Support (add $87.22) Purchase TWO Dell 2417H DIsplays (More on this later) Skip Microsoft Office 2016 Home and Business from Dell. Purchase this from Microsoft directly, it's on sale for $119.99 Purchase this Monitor Stand to make the two Dell Displays into a "Command Center." I wouldn't worry about McAfee that it comes with. For my system, that would be the 1st thing I'd uninstall and then install Webroot Internet Security Plus. Hell, the free one from Microsoft is actually pretty good, Microsoft Security Essentials. Combine that with the paid version of Malwarebytes, and you are covered for the most part. I don't like Norton/Symantec or McAfee. They are the 1st two to get circumvented and are typically resource hogs. For the final price, I'd say we are probably around $1700 or so. I'm too lazy to add this up tonight. My next Windows system setup will be a "Command Center" style. I haven't decided if I'm going to stick with Mac or not.

I edited my post. The $979.99 model should be what you are after.

If you want something to last more than 5 years, I'd try to increase the budget slightly or be prepared to do some upgrades down the line, like around the three year mark. Your Dell U2412M monitor should be fine, though you might have to get a DisplayPort cable / adapter, which isn't that much. Here are the current models of the Dell XPS tower. If money is tight, I would get the $832.99 model. The $979.99 model will get you more than 5 years, probably around 7. As far as the difference between Windows Home and Pro, I personally like getting the Pro version, and for a $49 difference, it doesn't break the bank. I also will do more than the average person who would do crazy things like setup his own server and promote it to a Domain Controller, among other things. It used to be that Windows 7 Home Premium maxed out at 16GB of RAM, even though you would install 24GB or 32GB, whatever, in your computer. Windows 7 Home Premium maxed out at 16GB. Period. You needed Windows 7 Pro to go higher. These days Windows 10 Home Edition goes up to 128GB, so its not that big of a deal anymore.

No, it sounds like the Windows 10 Creators Edition has hit your computer. You see, when a new Windows is released, it reloads the whole damn operating system and puts the older version in a Windows.old directory. Microsoft has been following Apple's way of doing things. We won't ever have a "Windows 11" or "Windows 12." We have Windows 10 - Anniversary Edition, Windows 10 - Creators Edition, etc. Believe it or not, this is the 4th version of Windows 10. Let it do its thing and leave it alone. It might take a few hours.

Again, the above bullet points in my previous post also apply to desktops. Intel i5 or i7 CPU 8GB of RAM Minimum - 16GB or more preferred. Or the ability to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB/32GB 1TB Hard drive A separate and dedicated Video Card that has its own video memory of at least 2GB A IPS-based screen that is matte, non-glossy or has anti-glare properties / coatings Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10 As for a brand, I still like the Dell XPS Tower Desktop line. It's decent for what it is. I would start with the $979.99 model and upgrade to Windows 10 Pro 64-bit for an extra $49. I'd also pick the Dell U2417H display in the list. The new hardware base price is: $1294.98, plus applicable shipping and tax. Also, it's cheaper to buy Microsoft Office with the machine, rather than purchasing it separately, but this is totally up you and will add to the cost. Speaking of Office, Microsoft has changed the rules in recent years. When you purchase a copy of Office, it "Marries" your computer. So if you purchased...say Office 2010 and want to install it on the new computer, chances are you won't have that option since it will only activate on your old computer. You are stuck with buying a new copy of Office and can't use your Office 2010. Isn't Technology Wonderful?

In addition, NIKON HAS BEEN RAISING PRICES AROUND THE WORLD. So even though I haven't heard rumors as far as the US prices are concerned, you might just want to go ahead and click "Buy" and they will ship in a few days. The prices usually increase by a few hundred and combo / instant rebates go away. I'd hate for you to lose out on $800+ instant savings, plus get a free 4TB EHD and 32GB SD card.

The D810 is a fine camera. You aren't being dumb. In fact, Thom Hogan says that it's the "Best All-Around DSLR..." or something to that effect, and I agree with him. If you are looking for a true "Upgrade," I'd say the D810 would be a better bet. I feel that the D750 for you would be a stop-gap and you'd be back to square-one in 12-18 months kicking yourself on why you just didn't buy the D810 to begin with. Nikon is in trouble at the moment. I don't see a D820/D850/D900 or whatever for the next few months. Maybe the refresh will hit late this year or even early next year. Who knows? All that is on the horizon for the DSLR bodies is the "D7500," which is using the D500's sensor and makes the most logical sense for Nikon. That said, the massive RAW files will make your computer whine and complain. So it's just not hard drive space, but CPU speed, RAM and video card speed / video memory. If you already have a fast computer, you may not notice much or your computer can go to a complete crawl...it's all relative. Since you are just a "hobbyist" at this point and aren't shooting, say a wedding, I'd say you can get away with a D810, massive files and all, unless you are into panoramas or editing batches of photos at a time. If you are, I'd try and get at least 32GB of RAM for your computer, IF you have Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10. Windows 7 Home Premium caps out at 16GB of RAM. If I had to buy a D810 combo today, I would get this configuration. I would also get at least one of this Sandisk Extreme Pro CF Card, which will give you the option of using the CF card 1st and then use the SD card as an overflow, for a little under 64GB total. I am also paranoid when it comes to my power-sources. I won't ever use 3rd party batteries or battery grips. So while you are at it, I'd buy at least one of the Nikon EN-EL15 batteries. These newer Nikon batteries are more eco-friendly, but don't last as long, so it's good to have a few spares. Now some friends of mine have used 3rd party batteries over the years with little to no problems, others have fried their cameras (especially Nikon D700 owners using 3rd party stuff,) so since this my group and you are "Asking Brian," I'm gong to recommend sticking with Nikon Batteries. Besides, there is only around a $15 difference between the Watson battery and the Nikon OEM version. My advice: Spend the extra $14.05 for the Nikon OEM. I added all three items to a shopping cart and we are up to $3395.90, plus applicable shipping an tax. Which is cheaper than if you bought the D810 and 24-120 f/4 VR separately. Plus you get a 4TB HD AND a 32GB SD card to go with it! Long term: I'd purchase a 3rd battery or invest in the Nikon MB-D12 Battery Grip and a couple of those 32GB Sandisk Extreme Pro CF Cards. Maybe even invest in a 64GB version. Either way, I would purchase CF / SD media that has write speeds of 95MB/s. The D810 writes at 90MB/s, or somewhere around there. So don't cheap out and get slower cards, that 36MP sensor likes to throw data at cards.

I did some checking and here is a laptop that I would recommend: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1304023-REG/asus_gl553ve_ds74_15_6_republic_of_gamers.html I did some checking around, and it does contain a IPS-like panel, (160o vs a true IPS 170o viewing angle) even though it's not listed. The downside to that laptop is that it has a 256GB SSD and a 1TB traditional HD, which seems to be the new normal. Can we interest you in a desktop configuration? I really do not recommend laptops for photo-editing purposes.

With laptop models, it used to be like what Apple does, a "Spring" line and a "Fall" line. It's not that way these days. A current model that I would recommend and link to would only be around for about 3 months, possibly much less...like 6 weeks. Combine that with the fact that laptops only last about 3 years or so, it can get confusing on just "What do I buy, Brian?" My advice then is the same as now and these specs apply to BOTH desktops and laptops: Intel i5 or i7 CPU 8GB of RAM Minimum - 16GB or more preferred. Or the ability to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB/32GB 1TB Hard drive A separate and dedicated Video Card that has its own video memory of at least 2GB A IPS-based screen that is matte, non-glossy or has anti-glare properties / coatings Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10 For laptops, it really boils down to what display panel it has and the hard drive configuration. There are a lot of laptops that have a SSD and traditional HD configuration. The benefit is the laptop runs a lot faster doing normal tasks, due to the SSD being the "C" drive, the downside to this configuration is that it will make you think. "Huh?" Since the "C" SSD drives are usually pretty small, or microscopic by today's standards, (i.e. 128GB or 256GB,) you can't just click "Next-Next-Next...OK-Next-Next...Finish" any longer. You will have to be ANAL about what goes where, because I don't care how fast that new SSD drive is, if it's full...it won't help you at all and could crash. We have had a few members here have all sorts of weird problems and it's due to a small C: drive on their laptop that is almost completely full because they never do a "custom" install with software and tell ____________________ to install on the much larger D: drive. Heck, most of the time people have no idea that they have a 2nd hard drive in their laptop. IPS-based screens have a much better viewing angle 170o (170 Degree) and are consistent from edge to edge color-wise, which is good for editing photos. That said, you still have an angle of view change each and every time you open the display lid or move the laptop, which changes how you perceive things like shadows or highlights. Even if it's a little bit. If you are serious about editing photos, I would purchase an external monitor that is easy to calibrate and doesn't move. If you must edit on a laptop screen, please buy this Acratech Viewing Gauge for $14.95: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/650472-REG ----- Here is how you use it. For the other items, you can't ever have too much RAM and 16GB seems to be the new normal these days. Between a i5 or i7 CPU, when it comes to PS, it really doesn't matter. In order to take advantage of the features that make a i7 so fast, the software needs to be programmed to take advantage of those features. Adobe Photoshop is not one of those programs that takes advantage of a i7 CPU's architecture. Conversationally speaking, there is only about a 5-7% performance boost with a i7 over a i5 when it comes to PS. Now if you are editing video and playing video games on this thing, then definitely get a i7.

It really boils down to the level of control that you want while editing your images. If you are constantly zooming in and cloning out stray hairs or doing restoration work, tablets are extremely useful to have. I know Damien loves his Wacom, and I've been meaning to get one for awhile. Here is the thing with the Surface Pros and the like: They can be a real pain to calibrate. Like have a bottle of Tequila and Aspirin at the ready, because after the 80th time trying to calibrate, it still doesn't match your prints. Though my information is probably dated, and they could have gotten better. Since the bulk of the members here rarely post in my section or give me a heads up, it's hard to say. That said, you might want to give this article to read: https://www.damiensymonds.net/what2buy_tab.html Any thoughts @Damien Symonds? What say you?

Nope. RAM is pretty straightforward to install on the 27" iMacs, there are YouTube Videos demonstrating the process. G-Drives are already Mac Formatted, so you are good there. With this 16GB kit, you will have 24GB to play with, which is "fine" for most folks. Unless you would want to max it out to 32GB, in which case you'd purchase two of the 16GB kits, but in reality, 24GB is fine.

Copying and pasting is fine. Cutting or Moving and pasting has risks. If something goes wrong during a copy and paste, just simply start over. If you are moving files and something goes wrong, it could result in lost files. Trust me. It happened once in my last 24+ years as a IT a professional. Of course the files that were lost, couldn't be recovered or duplicated. Learned a valuable lesson that day.

Look at the part numbers. Amazon is different. They aren't the same. The Crucial Scan Results typically pick the best RAM to match the specs of the current RAM that's installed in your computer, which results in better performance, though most people probably wouldn't notice. While the Amazon RAM would probably work, I personally would purchase the RAM from Crucial, the 16GB Kit for $123.99. Spend the extra $20.

I would purchased this 4TB G Drive with Thunderbolt and copy all of your files on your Main EHD to it. Then reformat the current main EHD and when the Mac OS asks, "Use for Time Machine?" tell it yes. So we are replacing the main EHD with something that is MUCH faster (has a 7200 RPM and is Thunderbolt based,) and is a little larger. It is possible that the current TM drive went into a "Sleep State" and didn't wake up, or it could be failing. Hard to say. Fantastic!! You probably are still at 8GB with two slots occupied by 4GB sticks. YES, I WOULD UPGRADE YOUR RAM. Though, I would purchase two 8GB sticks, upgrading you from 8GB to 24GB. There are multiple editions of your iMac for 2015, so I would head to crucial.com and download & run their scanning tool. (It's harmless.) After it completes, it will take you to a web page with your options, You are looking for a 16GB KIT, which consists of two 8GB sticks. It should be around $125, plus shipping and applicable tax. Before you buy, take a screenshot and post it here in this thread. Please do not ask about the SSD drives offerings, we are talking about RAM.

Head to settings, then look for Time Machine. From there click the Options button and make sure your main EHD that you use for backups is in the EXCLUDED list.

I'd use a G-Drive for your important stuff, like client images and such. I'd use a regular EHD for Time Machine. One thing you need to do is to make sure your Main Backup EHD (Where your photos are) is disabled from being backed up. You really don't want a 4TB EHD, and your Main Mac HD being backed up to say a 2TB Time Machine EHD. LOL!! That would be bad. But in your case, you seem to be fine. You have 2TB free on your main external and your time machine backup seems to be happy. So unless you are looking to upgrade to a 4TB or larger EHD (aka: spend/blow money,) then I'd hold off for now. For the RAM, do you have a 27" iMac or 21.5"?

Unfortunately, Canon is extremely sensitive about revealing this sort of thing, I don't think you can find the Shutter Count on a 70D. Some models you can, and others there isn't a clear path in finding the shutter count. I'd try uploading a photo to this website, it could be a photo of a wall or even taken with the lens cap on. Hopefully it works. http://www.shuttercounter.com/

This has nothing to do with an update to a new computer, this is basic computer maintenance. It's like not changing your car's oil for 100,000 miles and blaming the engine for failing. This will happen on your new computer as well over time.

Just the partition. You pay more for having it pre-formatted for a Mac, which by the way, you can do yourself for free and it takes less than 5 min. Also the HD inside might be slightly different, but the main thing is the the partition and format for the Mac. Bottom Line: Save yourself the extra $30, buy the Windows edition and reformat it. There isn't anything special or magical, it's just the manufacturers know that the Mac Users are used to paying more, and are banking on this. Fun, eh?

@Damien Symonds: My record: 8.95GB free out of 120GB on a Windows Server C Drive. When you scale things up, this one is pretty damn close.

The reason why it's so full: Windows 10. You see, Microsoft is going to stay at "Windows 10" for quite some time. There won't be a Windows 11 or 12. There is Windows 10 - Anniversary Edition, plus a few editions in between and the next one will be Windows 10 - Creators Edition, which will be released in a few weeks. Basically, without getting too geeky, these major updates re-install the whole friggin' Windows and put your old version in a Windows.old directory on the HD. Combine that with the other update patches and system recovery points, AND your Windows Swap File (pagefile.sys) and Adobe Scratch Disk and you can run out of room pretty quickly. Especially if you are the type to "next-next-next...ok.nextnextnext...ok...finish" when installing stuff. It's getting to the point where people either need to have 4TB C Drives or must learn to pay attention. The days of, "I don't know nothin' about computers" needs to come to an end. If you don't want to install any software, you can right-click on the C Drive and select "Properties." From there you should see a button called Disk Cleanup. Click it and choose all the check boxes and run it. Warning: this will delete the backup files for windows updates plus other things, so if you need to uninstall a Windows Update, you won't be able to. If you need to go back to your old version of Windows, you won't be able to. That said, you probably have no need to do this at this point so it really doesn't matter. I'm more concerned about that HD only having a 106GB left. That's not good. At all.