Brian

Here's one of my shots of the Comet from last year. I also caught one of Elon's Satellites:

You also have high clouds and it seems your camera is stationary on a tripod. If you want tack-sharp stars, you are going to need a star tracker and a special filter known as a Bahtinov Mask. The SharpStar2 by Lonely Speck is one of these filters. But with a Time-Lapse, you won't need a Star Tracker since you want the Milky Way to move along the Sky, but a sturdy tripod or Platypod with a solid tripod head is mandatory.

This isn’t a Canon / Camera / Lens problem. You can thank Elon Musk for this shit. You know that Starlink Internet that’s supposed to give internet access to remote parts of the globe? That’s one of those satellites. It’s only going to get worse the more satellites that he launches into space. You are just going to have to clone it out. Content Aware or the Patch Tool might be your friend on this one…or all 411 images.

It couldn't hurt. Especially if they are from YEARS ago. As for the speed, disconnect the Time Machine Drive and see if your performance improves. If it does, let me know and I will add it to my brain to help others. :)

This isn't a add more RAM or free up hard drive space or update to the latest OS, you have a physical hardware bottleneck that you can't get around. Sorry.

That's your problem. A traditional spinning HD is not as fast as today's modern SSD Drives. A "Fusion Drive" is the combination of a small SSD Drive, usually 32GB and a much larger traditional spinning HD, in your case around 2-3GB or so. The problem is, the MacOS decides what is installed on the SSD side of the HD, not you. The only thing you have access to is the slower portion of the drive. How much faster is a SSD Drive? It takes approximately 15 seconds for my iMac to completely boot up to a login screen from it being in a powered off state. SSD Drives are way faster. In reality, it's time for a new iMac if you want more speed. Here are my "Quick and Dirty" iMac Configurations. Now, I'm sure you will be asking, "Can I just upgrade the HD?" The short answer is Yes...but the long and more honest answer is, you will need to have it done by an authorized Apple Service Center, or a Computer Shop that has experience in doing this sort of thing. I wouldn't try it yourself.

How old is this Mac. What size screen is it? I've never seen a Mac come with a 3TB Main Hard Drive, though if it has a few years on it, 3TB is possible. As per our original conversation on FB, upgrading to Big Sur isn't going to improve performance. The MacOS isn't Windows; formatting and re-installing or upgrading has a negligible affect on increasing speeds. If your Mac is from 2013 or earlier, honestly? It's time for a new computer. Heck, ones from 2015 are also getting a bit "long in the tooth" at this point. So lay on more details, an inquiring mind wants to know.

I also think IPS-Like is just LG’s attempt at creating an IPS display, without having to pay royalties. So, when it’s all said-and-done, it should be fine.

Also, manufacturers have been doing a lot of bait-and-switch, due to the Chip shortage. So while you might think you bought a new PC with all the latest and fastest technology/chips, that might not be the case. In fact, some m.2 drives that are brand new perform as fast as one that is 94% full that’s been running for 3+ years, and it’s a brand new drive! The reason is, the manufacturers install slower components/ chip controllers / flash memory. The problem can’t be identified via a website and it affects things being advertised on reputable sites. So you might have to exchange that new rig or the HD that was installed. 2021 is such a mess when it comes to technology and you might not have done anything wrong; it’s just they way it is. Very much like you “almost” get a gallon of ice cream in the US now.

What are you trying to save and where? What type of storage medium are you using and is it internal or external? Also, how large is the document / image? Are you duplicating and flattening the image a lot? Is your image created with a High MP camera? How much RAM do you have. Need more info.

“IPS Level” bugs me a little bit. This display panel type has a wider viewing angle, is brighter (which may or may not cause problems with matching your prints,) and has better colors, due to the DCI-P3. But it’s not a true IPS Screen. Think of it like “Artificial Flavors,” it may taste like an Orange, and be the color Orange, but it’s not truly an Orange. That said, it is better than the TN Display Panels that you get with your typical laptop.

Yep. That should work. A$239 is way better than paying Apple's insane prices. Here is the real benefit, you can keep using the Apple RAM and get 40GB! Yes, you can install it yourself, it takes about 5 or so. So you spend A$239 for 40GB of RAM vs A$600+ for 32GB. That is the question that only you can answer. If you want to stick with the Windows Platform, then yes, that would be one way to go. The tough part with a laptop is honestly getting one that has enough horsepower. The requirements are still the same, enough RAM (16GB or more,) a beefy video card that has its own dedicated Video Memory, 1TB Hard Drive, etc. In reality, you are looking at a Gaming Laptop which really isn't cheap. No, the "$999 Special" that used to be "Good Enough" in years past doesn't exist in 2021. The chip shortage has made sure of that; what I mean about the chip shortage is not only the actual parts that make up a computer, i.e., hard drives, motherboards, etc. but the actual components that make up those parts are in short supply. It's the same reason you can't buy the latest Xbox or Sony Playstation off the shelf. There is a shortage of a whole slew of components. We have fields full of cars that can't be sold in the US. Why? No computers to install in them. Now for the answer I think you are looking for: Macintosh computers are NOT better, they are just different. I'm a Mac owner and I'm typing this on my fancy 27" iMac. So I put my money where my mouth is. That said, I deal with Windows Computers and Servers all day long when it comes to my day-job. When I come home, I don't want to F*ck with my computer, and if I do, it's just routine maintenance. That's why I have a Mac. When you switch to a Macintosh, it's in your best interest to switch to the Mac Format and not live between worlds. Mac --> OR <-- Windows. If you are going back-and-forth between the two worlds or have to, it's better to stick with a Windows Computer. Speaking of a Windows computer and the chip shortage, the price between the two worlds has never been closer that it is currently, and I've been messing around with computers since 1981. It's insane. Even a Dell XPS Computer is around the same price as a 27" iMac, and that's before you purchase a Display. Video Cards are going for $1500 all by themselves. Yep, and there is no way to "upgrade" to a 64-bit Operating System to take advantage of that extra RAM. You will need to format (aka Nuke) your Hard Drive and install a 64-bit OS, like Windows 10. You can't go from 32bit to 64bit, so says Microsoft. Turning off the WiFi is also smart and it sounds like it's running Windows 7 or Windows Vista. Neither are supported in this day-and-age. Hell, even Windows 10 is due to be replaced / not supported in 2025. So buying a little more now in terms of horsepower, might save you from having to buy another computer in a few years. But Windows 11 is still a bit down the line and I'm in no rush. A lot can happen within the next 4 years or so. You are at a crossroads. Damien will tell you that Macs are a complete waste of money and you should buy a Windows Computer. I own a Mac for the above stated reason. In either case, you really need a better screen and a computer upgrade. Macs come with a IPS screen and traditionally, we have had decent luck with the Dell IPS Displays if you went the Windows Computer route. Oh, besides a new computer, you need a calibration device of some kind. I don't care what Kool-Aid Mac User's drink, ALL DISPLAYS NEED TO BE CALIBRATED, even Macs, if you are editing photos. Especially if you are looking to charge people good money for your services. The reason that the Art / Music world is Pro-Mac has nothing to do with being "better," it's just that Software back in the late 1980's and 1990's that catered to the Creative Types was only taken seriously by Apple. Windows went after Video Games and Business Related Users, so there is this encampment. That's why there is a divide that still exists to this day, and again...Macs are just different, they aren't "Better." Photoshop works the same on both, with very minor differences. (Command Key is used instead of the Ctrl Key and the Option Key on the Mac is used instead of the Alt Key on a Windows Computer. That's the difference when it comes to Photoshop, everything else is the same.) From a convenience standpoint, a 27" iMac makes things really easy. Just buy the 27" iMac Computer based on my recommendations and get the RAM upgrade; you don't have to think. Then purchase the latest version of Photoshop Elements or sign up for the Photographer's Plan for Adobe Photoshop CC. That's it. It should be $9.99, plus tax. If you do go the PS CC Route, check with me 1st, there are many different and more expensive Adobe plans that are simply not worth it, and you can get suckered into spending more money than you have to. Macs also make things very easy to switch and it will read your Windows External Hard Drives with no problems. So migrating won't be an issue; in fact, after we get your images moved over to the new Mac, we can Partition and Format your existing HDs and use them on your iMac. The issue is when you want to go back to a Windows Computer or go back-and-forth. That's when things get a little messy.

Mac Laptops are a complete waste of money. In order to get one that "Is good for photo editing," you are spending at least $3499 (US Dollars) which as I type this, works out to be A$4645.14. That's before you buy AppleCare and pay your local taxes. So call it around $5000+ Australian!! Which is an insane amount of money to spend on something that you will get 3-4 years of life out of. The reason is, everything is integrated when it comes to Apple's current products. You can't upgrade things after the fact. Not only laptops, but the new M1 line of Apple's products. So you need to spend Apple's way over-priced upgrades in order to be set for the future. Yes, you read that correctly, the "average" laptop only lasts about 4 years or so. Why? Because it's the Lithium Ion Battery, that hasn't changed much over the years. Sure they have gotten them to last a bit longer, but the battery itself wears out over time, even if you leave it plugged in all the time. Lithium Ion Batteries have a certain shelf life, then they either die on you unexpectedly or start to swell up and possibly can catch on fire. (Rare, but it happens.) As you can see, I don't recommend laptops for photo-editing. I never have, but people keep asking and I finally gave up arguing. Anyway, to answer your question, you'd need at least a IPS 4K display with a Mac Laptop but truth-be-told, it probably won't look the "best," at least what you are used to. Apple currently does not have an affordable 5K external screen on the market the only models are around the $6000 mark (US Dollars) which are really meant for the $20,000 Mac Pros. Apple used to have an affordable display, but stopped making them years ago. So what's so bad about a 4K display? Apple really doesn't support any other hardware other than their own. So things like text may not look as crisp among other things. It's the same reason I don't recommend the current Mac Mini computers, it's the lack of a good display to use. Personally, I'd purchase an Intel Based 27" iMac right now if I had to. The M1 chip is still kinda new, and to be honest, all of those features that Apple is advertising that requires the M1 CPU, I'm not using. So it really isn't a loss for me. I'm just wasting time on Facebook, editing photos, paying bills, etc. Besides, Photoshop needs to be programmed to take advantage of what makes those M1 chips so fast, and that's going to take a few years to accomplish. By then, we will be on the M2 Chip, maybe M3. Have you read some of the pinned articles in this forum? Give this one a read and especially this one. You really aren't going to get the "Best" configuration when it comes to a Mac, unless you buy directly from Apple's website. Currently, with the world-wide chip shortage, prices across-the-board are about $1000 more than their 2018/2019 counterparts. So if you are in the market for a new computer, I'd either save up more money or stick with what you have and deal with it.

I wouldn’t stress about it too much. Power supply requirements depend on the CPU chip, motherboard, cooling systems / method used, video card type and of course peripherals. Chances are, the XPS isn’t overclocked, the motherboard isn’t super-duper fast, it’s not water cooled using a pump, etc. just make sure you choose a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB video card and more than likely, that will bump up the power supply. The most important thing when it comes to the latest version of PS CC is the choice of video card. If it doesn’t have that card or better one, hold off on buying it. As far as my recommendations, it’s for the majority across the board. I’m trying to save someone trouble if they buy another brand and since you are looking at Dell, they are pretty good at picking the right power supply for what is installed.

Microsoft is really going in a new direction, as they are trying to redo Windows 8 all over again and have either the same OS or a similar looking OS on Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Watches and the like. I don't like this, it's a recipe for another disaster. Not to mention of all the potential hardware compatibility issues. Windows 10 will still be supported and have updates / patches until 2025, so I'm in no hurry. Oh, remember Microsoft's History... Every other OS is the "Good" one. Windows 1.0 - "Meh" Windows 2.0 - "Better" Windows 3.0 - "Almost there" Windows 3.1 - Great Windows for Workgroups 3.11 - "Meh" Windows 95 - Great! Windows 98 - Meh. Windows 98SE - Great! Windows ME - Sucked Windows XP - Great! Windows Vista - Sucked Windows 7 - Great! Windows 8 - Sucked Windows 8.1 - Still kinda sucked, but a little better Windows 10 - Great Windows 11 - ???? If there is any indication of history repeating itself, Windows 11 is probably going to be a train-wreck. I'm actually thinking a Windows "11.1" will be in our future.

Wait & watch. You will probably need a new computer as well, due to the additional requirements of the TPM Chip. I'm in the same boat. Not to mention the compatibility of CS6 for you, and it may not work with Windows 11. Again, I'm not sure. 2025 is a few years off.

Alienware's line has always been goofy-looking. You are not their target audience. You don't need liquid cooling, you aren't over-clocking or playing video games. Hell, you aren't even editing video, so all of that stuff is like having a Lamborghini and driving to the local Woolies that's a few Kilometers down the street twice a week. Most computers come with 8GB or 16GB of RAM and charge you a premium to add more. Honestly? If there are extra slots, YOU can add extra RAM yourself, for about 1/3rd of the cost. Maybe even less. Remember, this is 2021 and there is a chip shortage. Limited supply to go around. Be thankful 16GB is even an option. Oh, what I mean about "Limited Supply" is that it's not just the various parts that make up a computer, hard drives, power supplies, main boards, etc. It's the individual components that make up all of those parts, the chips, capacitors, resistors, etc. You can't make a Hard Drive if you don't have enough chips to create the controller board that controls the hard drive or the pieces that make up silly things like data and/or power connectors. See what I'm getting at? It's getting better but there is still a shortage and high-prices. Not to mention that you live in OZ...everything is more expensive down your way. Don't sweat it too much with the Power Supply. Dell makes it easy to pick the right one, but if you are getting a 3070 card, don't settle for the lowest option. Honestly, you aren't going to see THAT much of a difference of getting a computer with XMP RAM, this is Photoshop that we are talking about, not trying to get 1 or 2 frames per second out of a first-person shooter video game. It's Photoshop CC. It may not even work any faster with "Fancy" RAM. Do not settle for a 500GB HD. 1TB or MORE is what you want. Not only for things like the PS Scratch Disk, but Windows has its own Scratch Disk called the Swapfile. Well, it used to be called that a long time ago, now it's also known as Pagefile.sys. Anyway, there is more behind the scenes that is competing for resources besides Photoshop. There is a method (and very good reason) that I jump up-and-down about 1TB HDs. Installing smaller HDs is easy for the manufacturers. Especially when it comes to SSD Drives. They get the performance and 15 second boot times, which makes Marketing's job easier; it also gives them the opportunity to save money since smaller SSD HDs are cheaper. Their COGS are lower. Of course they want to push small hard drives onto their customers. They probably make 200% profit with them for that component alone. Dell almost always has Coupon Codes for discounts. You just need to be keenly aware of them BEFORE you click buy. Full prices are and always have been inflated. I've been in computers for over 30 years, in both repair AND sales. Trust me, they aren't out to be your friend and charge you a fair price; they are out to make money and to keep the Shareholders happy. As far as the prices getting lower, I honestly don't think it's going to happen for at least until 2023 at the earliest. Just like when fuel was at an all-time-high (at least for us in the States back in 2007-2008 era,) the Manufactures went to a cheaper plastic, since all plastic is a petroleum-based product. You can feel the difference when you touch something, like a printer or an appliance that was made in 2005 vs one that is made in 2021. When the price of Oil went back to "Normal," the Manufactures kept using the cheaper plastics, even until this day. The prices will lower eventually, but I don't think they will go back to the levels that they were before COVID-19. Pandora's box has already been opened, no turning back now. I still say you are overthinking! Be on the lookout for a Coupon Code, the Dell Rep may even have one. I'd still buy the XPS.

Honestly? The person from Dell is correct. I would personally purchase the Dell XPS system. In fact, they are my "Go-To" when it comes to recommending a "Good PC for Photo Editing." They are good for what they are, have some life to them and work for the majority of the people / members of Ask Damien. I even bought my Wife one a few years ago for Christmas, though nowhere as near as the power as your models that you have linked to; I'm just saying I "put-my-money-where-my-mouth-is..." Between the two, you have a "Good" model, the G5 and the "Better" Model, the XPS. The Alienware could be considered the "Best," but honestly, it's way overkill. Here is a dirty secret when it comes to Adobe Photoshop. Ready? Buying a $10,000+ computer with all the latest hardware does not ensure you that Photoshop will run faster!! That's right, Photoshop probably isn't going to run faster on the Alienware vs the G5! There is even a good chance that it will run SLOWER. Well, maybe a little faster, but nothing Earth-Shattering. You see, in order for Photoshop to run faster, it needs to be programmed to take advantage of what makes one CPU faster than another! Otherwise, it ignores the extra Horsepower from a faster CPU Chip. For example, when Intel i5 CPUs and Intel i7 CPUs where the two top-dogs in the industry, Adobe Photoshop only ran about 5% - 7% faster on a Intel i7 vs someone using a i5. That's right, if you spent the extra $$$ on a i7, Photoshop only ran a little faster. It just wasn't programmed to take advantage of the extra architecture that made the i7 so much faster over a i5. Make sense? This is the same reason why I tend to recommend a Intel i7 over someone getting a i9! The truth is, Adobe Photoshop is using other components to increase performance, namely the Video Card! In fact, I'd recommend a person purchase a Intel i7 and take those savings and put them towards a computer that has a better video card than one that has a faster CPU and low-powered Video Card! Oh, in case you are wondering, I wouldn't purchase a i5 in today's world. i7 is what you want when it comes to the current versions of Adobe Photoshop CC. In reality, if you want PS to run fast, this is what to get: Intel i7 11700K 32GB of RAM (or more) 1TB SSD Drive (or larger) NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 3070™ 8GB GDDR6 A 800 Watt Power Supply. Sure, you can get away with a 650 Watt Power Supply, but the Video Card also needs some power for itself these days. So 800 Watts is a "Safe" bet, conversationally speaking. That being said, if Dell installs a 650Watt Power Supply and they are using a Intel i7 11700K CPU and a GeForce RTX 3070, then you shouldn't have any issues. Why the "K?" When I configure computers, I have a 7-8 lifespan in mind. I hate-hate-hate wasting money on this sh*t. It doesn't do you any good saving $900 only to go out and buy ANOTHER computer 2-3 years from now! You end up spending more money in the long-run. Make sense? $3299 for 6-7 years of usage vs $4798 (or more) in that same time period!! Buy it Right-Buy it Once!! So what's the difference between the two Intel Chips? Honestly, they are almost identical in every way except for two things: Base Frequency & Turbo Frequency. "Huh?" The Intel i7 11700K consumes a little more power, which requires a larger Power Supply, and is slightly faster with the Base Frequency of 3.6GHz (vs 2.5GHz) and the Turbo Frequency of 5.0GHz (vs 4.9GHZ.) The "K" also means that the chip is unlocked so if you have a motherboard that supports it, you can over-clock your computer to get even more speed out of the chip. As far as the Fan / Cooling, the faster the computer runs, the hotter it gets. So yes, I'm sure Dell has put in a better cooling system in the XPS model and possibly it has better airflow in the case. Like I said, it's a "Better" Model. In ANY case, if you don't have good airflow in your computer, you are asking for problems. Heat is the enemy for any computer; because the hotter it runs, the slower it runs and the tendency to lock up / lag increases. Heat will decrease the over-all lifespan on any computer product. Especially on Desktops/Laptops that have clogged vents and fans. I know, it's a $900 difference and that's the "Norm" in 2021 due to the world-wide chip shortage. In reality, it is the WORST TIME TO BE IN THE CURRENT MARKET FOR A NEW COMPUTER! Even in the US, $3299 is "average" for a computer "That's Good for Photo Editing." Just think, a year ago, before COVID-19, that XPS computer would have been around the $2000 mark. (AU$) Maybe slightly higher, but less than A$ 2200! Bottom Line: I'd buy the Dell XPS and skip the G5 and Alienware computers.

I don't particularity care for BenQ Displays, the ones that I have in my customer's offices that have BenQs don't seem to last. The Asus seems decent. Historically, the members of Ask Damien have had the best luck with Calibrating a Dell Ultrasharp Monitor. That being said, some uses have had issues with some current Dell Monitors and have reported a few duds more than we are used to seeing. If you do buy a new monitor, make sure you have test prints-in-hand and already have a calibration tool at the ready to calibrate that new display. This way if things are a bit "off" and you can't seem to get it calibrated, RETURN IT. To answer your question, out of the three, I'd go for the Dell UltrasSharp first, followed by the Asus. I'd skip the BenQ.

If you need to get data off, and are able to do so, get it off now. I wouldn’t trust that drive. Especially if it was spinning at the time it was dropped. It might be ok if it was powered off. Or not. The problems is, diagnostic software can give false results. It might pick up bad sectors or not. The drive could start clicking in a month or so, or not. Either way, I wouldn’t trust that drive and a 1TB model is very inexpensive to replace. I also would not donate it. Either put it on a shelf or find an electronics recycling center. It is not fair to the person that you give that drive to that may put important data on it and the drive fails just to make you feel better for “not throwing it out.”

Oh, one more thing. Turning off Windows search isn’t a bad thing. It actually helps your computer’s performance. It’s one of those things that Microsoft Engineers thinks it’s a good thing, having your search results pop up immediately instead of waiting like 5 seconds or so. That’s all Windows Search does. One has to ask themselves, how often to they need to search for a file on their computers? Most Home users know where their files are and don’t have to go hunting for them.

There are so many different things that can cause this. It's one of those weird problems. It sounds like you could need more RAM, but of course you are on a laptop and upgrading past 16GB usually isn't an option. It could be Windows Search is turned on and is trying to index things. That's the usual culprit. It could be something as simple as the Pagefile.sys file needs to be reset (The Windows Swap File. It's like the "Scratch Disk" for Windows). It could be your power settings and you should turn off hibernation. It could be Windows Update needs to be run. Yes, even if Windows says "No updates available..." (or whatever,) Windows LIES. Head to the Gear Icon and click on "Check for Updates" and let it go out and do it's thing. You'll be surprised on how much stuff it finds to update after it tells you there are no updates!! Defraging a HD doesn't do squat in the 21st Century. Hell, it didn't work miracles back in the 1990's either. Also, hopefully you did not defrag a SSD Drive. If you did, that's VERY BAD. It's fine to run on a Traditional Spinning HD though, just not a SSD Drive. You could also do a Windows System File Check and see if it finds anything. Click Start Button Type CMD and the Command.exe should appear in the top of the search box. Right-Click on the CMD.exe and choose "Run as Administrator." Then at the command prompt type: sfc /scannow (That's sfc then a single space, then a slash with scannow just after it.) Hit enter and go do something else like watch a Netflix Show. Reboot the computer after it completes. Best Case scenario, it finds stuff and fixes things. Worst case, it doesn't find any corruption and we are back to square one. I did find this article on the web with some suggestions. Give this video a Watch, too. Honestly, I'd start by turning off Windows Search first. The video covers how to do this as "Step 1." Don't bother with running Defrag. I'd also run Windows updates, let it install, reboot, THEN check for Windows Updates again. Keep doing this until it comes back with "No updates Available." Then get back to me.

Yes, the more crap you have on the Mac Desktop, the slower it runs. As I've written in my article, the MacOS treats each and every file/folder as an open Window, for lack of a better term. Got 1000 photos of the Smith-Jones Wedding? That's 1000 "Opened Windows," plus a few more for each of the folders!! If anything were to get corrupted, the Desktop...whether it's a Mac Desktop or Windows Desktop, that's where it will happen. Believe me, I've seen what happens with corrupted profiles and Desktops. When things go wrong, you lose stuff. Personally, I work of an External Drive, with one caveat! My EHD is a fancy Thunderbolt 3 12TB G-Drive. That EHD is very fast. It's like working off an internal drive. I would not be working off the EHD if it was a USB drive, 2.0 or 3.0 if I had a choice. Of course, if you have a Laptop that only has a 128 or 250GB drive, it may not be physically possible to edit a whole session off of the internal drive! So now you choices, personally, I would get the one that isn't as portable if you are looking to edit off of them. Why? Traditional Spinning HDs come in two flavors, a 5400RPM version and a 7200RPM version. What's the difference? SPEED. You can work off a 7200RPM drive, even if it is "USB 3.0." Is it ideal? No. However, I wouldn't bother with a 5400RPM model. How can you tell? 7200RPM drives suck up more power and need a external power supply; that's the dead give-away. You need to be really picky in your situation on what you purchase. Honestly? If you are looking for portability and speed, I'd skip a classic EHD altogether, and go for a Sandisk 2TB SSD Drive. (The new generation / latest model, it has a faster through-put.) The 4TB model is a bit pricey, at $900. Give it time, prices will come down eventually in a few years. Should you make the leap to Thunderbolt? Yes, if your Mac Laptop has Thunderbolt 3 port, by all means TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!!! My fancy G-Drive has Thunderbolt 3 Ports AND a USB 3.0 port. Of course I only use the TB3 port with that drive. One other thing is the G-Drives come Mac Formatted, but if you do get the Sandisk, please drop me a note first, we will need to properly setup that drive for use with the Mac. It takes about 5 minutes, but it needs to be done before you store anything on that drive.

Focus seems to be fine. Zooms are zooms, they aren't as sharp as Primes, but during this Wedding you experienced the benefits to having a Zoom Lens. Post here on the Website, silly!! I think Damien has his groups setup like I do, where only the OP and one of the Admins can chime in. It keeps the masses with their un-wanted opinions at bay. But like I said, he teaches this stuff and has classes for you to learn. @Damien Symonds - Paging Damien to the front desk. Can you give a quick assessment to the photos above? I'm sure she needs to get calibrated and take the Raw Class 1st.

You are going to have to straighten most of these photos, but that comes at the end of editing. That's all I'm going to say. The answers you seek are contained within the Raw Class and Levels class. Sorry, I'm not intruding on Damien's Turf. We both give a lot of information away for free; Damien does need to make a living with his classes. I will say the overall exposure gives you enough to work with, and I'm glad you rented that flash. You needed it for these shots. Are they "Iconic?" No. So don't look for the OMG!! I Heart Them, Swoons from people on Facebook, I HashTag LoveLoveLove them!!! SQUEEEE!!! That shit comes later. You need time, practice and experience before it will feed your ego. As long as the photos are sharp and well-exposed, that's all that matters. Accurate Skin Tones too, of course...that's the Skin Class. The biggest thing before diving into Damien's Classes is to get your screen calibrated and matching against a set of physical prints. That's the important part. I also can say your screen is probably a bit too bright and the shadows are a little too dark. Again, covered in the Raw Class and learning how to read the Histogram in ACR.