Brian

You can sell your lens at KEH.com. Keep in mind they will pay Pawn Shop Prices. Especially for a known problem-child lens, like the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G. If you sell it to a individual, like off of Craigslist or FB...I'm a firm believer in Karma. The universe will reverberate back what you throw out to it. It might take years, but it does happen. For example, I've helped many people over the years, for free. I have seen lots of people have lenses and other fancy camera toys given to them as Christmas Gifts, Birthday Presents or even Valentine's Gifts. Here you go honey, this is that $2700 70-200 f/2.8E you've been wanting for your Photography "Business." I wish I had that situation. LOL! Well, after some years, I saved up enough money to buy a used Nikon D3s due to the fact that I always was outgrowing camera bodies every two years. I got fed up with having to fork out money all the time. So I bought a used D3s and I loved that camera. Unfortunately it needed to be sent to Nikon for repair after a few years of heavy use. Well since the D3s was a Professional Grade body and they don't sell many of them, parts are limited these days. Nikon BROKE my camera while it was in the shop. The parts were no longer available on the planet. Guess what happened? Nikon called me and offered me a fully refurbished D4s for the cost of the repair. I got a $4500 camera body with a brand new shutter, 90 Day Warranty, complete with accessories (except the manual, which I just downloaded) for $612.57. That my dear, is Karma.

If the lens was purchased new last year, then send it to Nikon to have it repaired. Even with the shipping cost, it's cheaper than buying a new lens. (You pay to have it shipped to Nikon and then they will send it back to you.) Who knows, maybe they have come up with a solution by now. There are two repair centers in the US, one on Long Island New York, the other just outside Los Angeles. Just be sure to send a copy of the proof-of-purchase (i.e. receipt,) along with the repair form that you will need to print out. The location that your lens will be repaired at depends on which side of the Mississippi River you are located. West is Los Angeles. East of the Mississippi, New York.

I have buyer's remorse when it comes to my D850. I got a really good deal on the camera body, and even used a few gift-cards to help lower the cost. I had no idea on how much money I would spend to support a D850. My iMac currently has 64GB of RAM, because it cried when I edited the massive D850 RAW Files. I had to purchase a new 24-70 f/2.8 VR Lens, because my 24-70G was only sharp in the center and I NEEDED VR to shoot at 1/60th of a second and I also had to upgrade my 70-200 to the newest version. The D850, while it's a fine camera, has a ton of infrastructure costs. If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed with my D4s and lenses. It would have saved me thousands of dollars. New cameras are fun, but be careful what you wish for.

I honestly do not know why this lens has such and issue with the D700. It could be the optical formula, the D700's focusing system or a combination of both. This lens just sucks and is in need of a complete refresh. Before you go out forking good money for a new camera body, what lenses do you currently own? Also, the new camera's sensors START at 24MP, even for basic-level entry models. You will need horsepower on your computer plus enough storage capacity to handle a new camera body's Raw files. Personally, I'd keep your D700 and put that money towards a better / new computer. THEN we can talk about new cameras, after we talk lenses.

Honestly, I wouldn't bother using this lens on a newer camera body. Nikon really doesn't have a good current 50mm f/1.4 that will keep up with the high-resolution camera sensors (24MP+.) In fact, even an "old" camera, like the Nikon D800, the 50mm f/1.4G did not make the "Recommended Lenses" list. Forget about anything current. In fact, no 50mm lens, either old or new made the Nikon D850 "Recommended Lenses" list: Prime Lenses AF NIKKOR 14mm f/2.8D ED* AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.8G ED AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G (Notice the lack of 50mm lenses in this spot?) AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D Zoom lenses AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED* AF-S NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Personally, I would even skip a few lenses on this list if you were to purchase a D850. Lenses marked with an asterisk (*) barely made the list and should really be skipped when it comes to a D850.

Oh, BTW...none of those sample photos you posted above are sharp. They are all fuzzy.

I KNEW IT!!!!! The Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G is one of Nikon's worst lenses, ESPECIALLY WHEN USED ON A NIKON D700. In fact, this stupid lens caused more posts than any other lens question when "Ask Brian" was on Facebook. I hate this stupid lens. In fact, when I release the FAQ Section here on the Website, "Brian's Thoughts," one of the topics will cover the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G. It's that bad. So the good news is...it's not you and it's not the D700. The bad news is...it's the stupid lens. How to fix the problem? It will need to be send to Nikon to have it repaired/tweaked. Unfortunately, it will come back a little better, but not much. The older AF-50mm f/1.4D lens works just fine as the newer Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G or even the older "Classic Nifty-Fifty" Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8D. Personally, I wouldn't waste money on repairing it. If you NEED 1.4, then purchase the older AF 50mm f/1.4D. It will be cheaper than the cost of shipping and repair to Nikon. Nikon Lenses only have a 5 year warranty, and due to the age of this lens, chances are it's out of Warranty. If you can live with the 2/3rds of a stop difference, purchase the 50mm f/1.8G lens. If you are looking more towards a portrait / head-shot lens, get the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G lens, which is a fantastic lens and great value.

Would this by any chance be the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G lens? What camera body are you shooting with?

Here is something new: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-desktop-computers/xps-desktop/spd/xps-8930-desktop/xdvmstcs004s While I’m not a fan of “Integrated Graphics,” it does keep the costs low. Otherwise the prices jump $500 or so. Stupid Tariffs. It’s not a good time to buy a computer.

That HP is kinda slow by today’s standards but remember speed is relative. It is better than what you have, but that computer’s motherboard is kinda slow. I fixed and installed many of these is Doctor’s Offices over the years. For less than $250, it’s worth buying. Otherwise for something new you are closer to $1000. You could put a 1TB SSD Drive in it and use the existing HD for Data. That would give you a performance boost. Having a DVI port is a good thing. Honestly, it’s the port you should be using since it’s digital. The VGA / D-Sub 15-pin port that has been around since 1989 is not digital, it’s analog. With a Digital Port, e.g., DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, etc. you get better colors and contrast and a sharper picture. It’s a lot like going from VHS to DVD. That HP Computer has a DisplayPort on the back, and you will need one of these adapters to work with your monitor. Speaking of which, a video card might also be in your future as well. Chances are it has a integrated video card that shares its memory with the RAM. So that’s going to add to the cost, plus a new power supply to support the new video card. Before you know it, the price will snowball on you and you are right back up to around $1000. Bottom Line: That PC will hold you over for about 12-18 months. Or longer. You've lasted this long. $250 isn’t bad and is under-budget. That said, you aren’t buying a modern computer by today’s standards and that’s why it’s so cheap. Though in your case, it will be an improvement.

DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THAT "HP RECOVERY" DRIVE. For you, "Drive D:" does not exist. Do not store any files on that drive and just leave it alone. That HD has the factory reset software and is meant to be left alone. Honestly, you need a new computer. In reality, trying to upgrade anything on this computer will be a temporary fix, at best. So finish Damien's classes, get some practice in and save up some money. If you live in the US, the Import Tariffs have hit the computer prices, and I'm seeing a $300-$500 increase in pricing for the same thing from a year ago. If the computer is made in China, or parts come from China, you are paying more. A realistic budget would be around $1000. More if you can swing it...like have $1500 saved up. That said, if your monitor is a good one and is in decent shape, you won't have to buy a new one, just a new display cable to go between the new computer and display. Those run about $5-$20 online if we need them. So by keeping your monitor, there is a cost savings. The new versions of Windows 10 have been screwing around with monitor profiles. So you might have to check to see if there are any updates to your calibration software. Of course, if you have an older device, like a Spyder4 Series or even a Spyder 5 series, there may not be an update available, so budget for a new calibration tool as well. The reason is the manufacturers are starting to "Orphan" older devices and won't provide any updates going forward. It's only money, right?

You should be able to stay with 20.0.7 for awhile. Heck, Damien uses CS6! In fact, Adobe still needs to get their act together with Catalina, so believe it or not, this is a blessing being stuck. Honestly, you aren’t missing out on much, if anything at all.

Today’s 16GB / 32GB is yesterday’s 4GB / 8GB. At 9 years old, yeah it’s time for a new computer. im going to need to see how your computer is setup. The “System” screen isn’t helping. I need a shot of your “Computer” screen with all the drives.

Well that HD would be fine for an external, it isn’t going to solve your main problem of the internal drive being too small. With a 256GB HD, you need to be hyper-anal on what is installed on that drive. Just the OS and one or two programs. That’s it. No data files, photos, or sessions. Bottom line, purchase a Samsung EVO 1TB SSD drive and have a local computer-shop clone/replace your main drive. In the long run, this will be your best bet.

If it’s not recommended, time for a new computer. Bummer. For me, I just manually copy stuff to the EHD or you can use a program called SyncToy from Microsoft. There are other backup programs that will automatically Sync to a folder on a EHD, so you do have options. Cloud Backup. Personally, I don’t use one. At least not for my photos. I’d rather have a monthly duplicated drive that is kept off-site. I do use the OneDrive that comes with my Office365 subscription, but that’s it and just has important documents and my wedding photos / video. I tend to keep things simple, but that’s just me. That said, it will be a topic for one of the FAQ Section questions. More to come later on this topic.

Now for the HD part. Can you trust 3 external HDs? Sure. Provided they are duplicates of each other with one located/stored off-site. Getting things off your main HD is really a discipline or a way of thinking more than anything. Also, it really depends on how fast your port is on both the HD and computer/laptop. For example, a USB 2.0 port on a 5400RPM 2TB drive is going to be a lot slower than say a 7200RPM Drive 12TB using a Thunderbolt 3 port. It’s all relative. Heck, just using a USB 3.0 port will yield better results. In a nutshell, it takes discipline and effort and really...having a plan in place and sticking to it. All too often people develop the habit of dumping everything on the C: Drive. Why? Habit...and it’s just “easy.” It’s what they know and stick with. The challenge today is not all C Drives are created equal. Most “Main Drives” in computes are 256GB or less, and are meant for the OS and a program or two. That’s it. No data files. Really, what I think needs to be done for you is to purchase a new and larger EHD, one that has a USB 3.1 port and is 7200RPM. You can use it now on your current laptop and when you get a new computer/laptop, you will get another performance boost. That’s what I did. I bought a fancy 12TB EHD that had USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3. I used the USB port on my old computer and when I upgraded, I used the Thunderbolt 3. Instant performance boost without having to buy anything extra. Since TB3 is so fast, it’s like working off a main drive. I never have any main sessions on my C Drive (I have a Mac, so Macintosh HD) and work exclusivities off my EHD. This goes against what Damien recommends, and that’s fine. I also don’t use a “$79 Special” EHD purchased from a box store and use a solid Enterprise Grade HD from a reputable brand. It’s not cheap either. Hopefully, I answered your question.

There won’t be a drastic change between 6GB and 8GB of RAM but it will certainly help things. In reality, you need a better computer and I’m thinking it’s a laptop that you are running. More than likely you have a 2GB on the motherboard or a 2GB Stick and a 4GB stick in two slots. You will replace that 2GB stick with a 4GB one that matches your existing 4GB RAM module for the best performance. Fortunately, that small amount of RAM should be less than $75. Probably even around $50 or less. Yes, I would max out your RAM. Even though my recommended minimum amount these days is 16GB.

Yeah. I agree. Super High Resolution just makes everything so small on a screen. While it’s great to have all that resolution, is still a 15” 16” 17” (or whatever) area. 1920x1080 is perfect for photos. If you can afford a 2TB SSD upgrade, add that. No such thing as too much space. That being said, you are trading a bit of performance going from a m.2 drive to a classic SSD drive. In reality, a 1TB main drive is fine. I’m sure you can upgrade / add a SSD drive after the fact for half the cost, unless the laptop is a sealed unit. what I would do, is update to Windows 10 Pro. That’s worth the extra money and it’s cheaper now than if you bought it after the fact.

The latest round of Windows updates, I think it's 1903 really screwed up Monitor Profiles. The Spyder4 series is kind of old, and in addition to your laptop, I'd also set money aside for a SpyderX series since no updates for the Spyder4 or Spyder5 series software will be released going forward. It's only money, right?

Buy it!!

Looks good. I'd buy a DisplayPort Cable and use that to hook up to your Dell U2412m. Here is one from Monoprice. It's about $5.

When I originally wrote my article, well it's more of a rant, on what is a "Good Windows Laptop for Photo Editing?" I wanted to give someone the tools to make an informed decision for themselves. Unfortunately, I think I packed a bit too much information in that article and it wasn't clear, concise and too the point. So this "Short Version" should hopefully fix that and not have as many member's "Eyes that glaze over..." So let's get into it. "What IS a good Laptop for photo editing?" As with most, if not all of my articles, is I start with the question of "What is your Budget?" because, as with most things, you do get what you pay for. As I write this, COVID-19 is still hanging around world-wide and this is affecting prices on ALL computers and electronics. Combine that with people being forced to quarantine or work-from-home, creates a demand for laptops in particular. Not to mention that the actual components that make up electronics are also in short supply; if the manufacturers can't physically make/build their products, then the existing stock becomes more in-demand than ever. This in turn, drives up prices. Why do I mention this? Because in today's world, if you are looking for a Laptop to edit photos on, a $500 Laptop just isn't going to cover it. Even a $1000 Laptop I would probably pass on! In reality, your expected budget should be between $1500 and $2000 (US Dollars) for a Windows Laptop that is meant for Photo Editing. Now, that doesn't mean that you can't find a deal on a laptop, I'm just saying to expect to spend that much, or at least have that much saved for a laptop. Now comes the question of "Why so much? I can't afford $2000! Is there anything that is more affordable?" comes into play. Well, yes...and NO, with emphasis on the "No." The various components that I recommend with "Laptops for Photo Editing" are usually upgrades or higher-end models. Most of the time, they end-up being "Gaming Laptops" which have higher-end components and price-points. Not to mention the Display Panel Type that I require is also more expensive and harder to find on laptops. Plus, basic things like HD capacity, RAM, and Video Card types all come into play and that will be discussed in the next paragraph. When buying a Laptop, regardless of brand, it is important to dive into the Technical Specifications before even looking at reviews or even prices. There are a few specific things to look for and they are as follows: An IPS (In-Plane Switching) Display Panel Intel i7 or AMD Equivalent A Dedicated Video Card with its own GPU and dedicated Video RAM, 8GB of Video RAM or more. 32GB of RAM at a Minimum or the ability to upgrade after the initial purchase. A Main Hard Drive Capacity of 1TB or more. In reality, this list is not that much different than what I recommend for a Windows Desktop Computer for Photo Editing! I will cover each of these items and the reasons why in the next section. As you can see, these requirements aren't that much different from a Desktop Computer that is meant for Photo Editing; of course when it comes to modern Laptops, upgrading after the fact is often very difficult-if not impossible. So you need to purchase the "Extra" upgrades at the time of purchase rather than buying something that's less expensive and then assuming you can upgrade things later. Because often...you can't. Manufacturers have really made their laptop models sealed units, or at the very least, have soldered on components in which you can not upgrade at all. They want you back in the market every 18 months or so. Why make a product that will last for 5+ years? They won't be making any money if they do that. Unfortunately, Laptops in general, regardless of brand are meant to be thrown away and replaced often. This keeps the Stock Holders happy.

This is the short version of my really long article, which goes more in-depth of why I recommend the things that I do. I'm going to break things down into sections, that hopefully will make it easier to follow, which allow you to make better choices when shopping for a new computer. Please note, at the time of this writing, July 17, 2020, COVID-19 HAS MADE VIRTUALLY ALL NEW COMPUTERS WAY MORE EXPENSIVE!! The reason being, at least from my personal opinion, is the manufactuers are trying to recover losses due to the global shutdown. This shutdown has affected more than just the computer manufactuers, but the companies that make the physical bits-and-pieces that make up the computer parts themselves. Things are behind production-wise, so there are less components, which drives up prices. So in reality, now is not the time to be in the market for a new computer. In fact, Windows-based computers are around the same price-point as Apple Computers, which historically have been more expensive than their Windows Computer Counterparts. Today's $1000 PC was last year's $400-$500 model. If you want something decent that will last you a bit longer than 18-24 months, you will need to increase your budget by at least $1000. Well, maybe not that high, possibly $500 or so, but in reality you are paying more for a computer today than you would have a year or so ago. Now that's out of the way, let's get started. As with any computer, there is no such thing as "Too Much," or "Too Fast," especially when it comes to RAM or Hard Drive Capacity. More is always better. The one thing has changed is the video card requirements. Adobe products from today are utilizing the Video Card's GPU and Video RAM to increase performance. In fact, they have become just as important as a CPU chip selection with the current versions of Photoshop CC. Here are the current recommendations that I look for when helping members choose a new computer for Photo-Editing. This list is always evolving and is subject to change without notice. Intel i7 / Intel i9 (or AMD Equivalent) - This is the brain of the computer. Honestly for Photoshop-still work? An Intel i7 or AMD equivalent is fine. Intel i9 CPU chips, while faster...are a bit of overkill for Photoshop; the reason being that Adobe Photoshop is just now starting to take advantage of what made a i7 CPU much faster than a i5. I'd much rather see a person choose a slightly slower CPU chip, like an Intel i7 and to put those savings towards a better Video Card. A video card that has is own separate and dedicated Video RAM. 4GB (Minimum) / 8GB (Preferred). This is a very critical and can trip you up if you aren't paying attention. If the computer you are purchasing does not list the dedicated video memory that it contains, I can say with the utmost certainty that the Graphics Card is integrated into the motherboard and is using a portion of the RAM in order to work. For today's modern Adobe Products, you want to AVOID this type of configuration. The reason is that Adobe's software is taking advantage of the untapped Video Card GPU Power for a performance boost. So going forward, choosing the right video card becomes just as important as selecting a CPU Chip and you want one that has dedicated Video Memory. Period. It doesn't have to be ultra-fancy, just "enough." Video Cards that have 4GB - 8GB of video memory is "fine" for Photoshop work. I personally tend to look for video cards that contain 8GB of Dedicated Video RAM. RAM: 16GB (Minimum) - 32GB or more (Preferred) This is probably the easiest thing for people to spot. Do not buy a computer that comes with 8GB, unless you are planning on upgrading it right away. Today's 16GB / 32GB was yesterday's 4GB / 8GB. Soon, I'm sure that number will increase to 32GB / 64GB. For most people out there, I'd say 32GB is the "Sweet Spot" for RAM, unless you have a really high MP camera, like a Nikon D850. For cameras that contain 45-60MP or more, you really want to get a computer that has 64GB of RAM. Or at the very least, buy an upgrade kit to get it to 64GB after the initial computer purchase. If you do purchase a new computer that only has 8GB, it will run very slow; especially when you load Photoshop and a batch of Photos. Often, this is the primary reason on why a person's computer is "So slow..." at least the #1 answer for when they post a new thread here or on FB Ask Damien. So do yourself a favor, and be sure to get at least 16GB of RAM from the very start. 500GB Main Hard Drive, preferably a SSD / m.2 model or better yet, a main Main Drive with 1TB capacity. Likewise to the above bullet-point, choosing the correct HD capacity seems to be the biggest thing that people get wrong and the #1 thing I correct, besides the video card. I understand, resellers want to make money and make things appear "affordable" to the masses. They also want to keep their COGS low, so often then will install a REALLY SMALL Main HD / Boot HD and then add on a second larger HD. In reality, this isn't a bad thing, it's just that people are so used to dumping all files, photos, and other miscellaneous data on the C Drive. With a 240GB or 250GB (or smaller) hard drive, a HD of that capacity is meant for the Windows Operating system ONLY. Maybe one or two programs...that's it! No files. No Photos. None of that stuff. If you get a computer that has a HD that small, you will need to by HYPER-ANAL on what is installed on the C - Drive (OS) at all times. The days of clicking, "Next-Next-Next...OK...OK...Next, Next, Finish" are gone if you have a small HD. You will need to always go into the "Custom" installation routines to install programs on the D - Drive (Data). You will more than likely need to move the PS Scratch Disk over to it as well, possibly the Windows Swap-file too. (Pagefile.sys). All photos and data get stored on the D Drive, no matter what. In short, it's a real pain-in-the-ass for your overall computer experience if you have a Microscopic Main Boot HD. So whatever you do, make sure you pay attention to what HD configuration the computer has. Often, it's the very first thing I look for. If I can't upgrade the HD to something larger, I skip that PC and move on. A second hard drive, at least 1TB or larger, that is a 7200 RPM model with emphasis on "...or larger," meaning 8TB or more. Now, if you get a larger main HD...say a 1TB m.2 Drive, you can skip this to help with the cost. 1TB is fine for today's modern computer, will allow you to install programs and keep the OS happy. It also allows you, within reason, to store data / photos / music-collections on it too. Now don't get me wrong, HDs are not dumping grounds, and you really don't ever want to go above 75%-80% full, but a 1TB HD will give you more wiggle-room than a 500GB model. Definitely a lot more than a 250GB model. Bottom Line: In my humble opinion try and get a computer that comes with a 1TB Main HD, regardless if its a traditional HD or a m.2 / SSD model. A power supply that has enough wattage to support the video card and various components. This is self-explanatory. Often manufacturer's websites will warn you to upgrade the P/S to a higher model when you choose a better video card. 850 Watts seems to be a good overall number, though is some cases you can go a little bit lower, like 650 Watts. Unfortunately, there is not "Bottom Line" recommendation for this, because it's really circumstantial on what is installed in the computer itself. IPS-Based Display using a HDMI or DisplayPort interface. Fortunately, this item is a bit easier to find when it comes to Desktop Computers. Why is IPS so important? The reason is an IPS Display Panel, which stands for In-Plane Switching, ensures that colors, contrast, brightness, and sharpness are consistent from edge-to-edge. Which is what you want for Photoshop work. Make sense? There are a lot of IPS Displays to choose from and aren't too expensive if you want something decent. No, you do not need to spend $3000 on a Eizo Display, unless you want to, a $300 Dell IPS Display will work nicely. Oh, why a HDMI or DisplayPort interface? Because they are meant for today's modern / fancy flat-screens. The older 15-Pin Blue VGA Cable, that has been around since 1989 was only meant for CRT (Tube) Displays that went up to 20" or 21". Not a 27" flatscreen. When you use a Digital Connection, such as a HDMI cable or a DisplayPort, the image that appears is just so much better. Colors are more accurate, brightness is usually better and the overall sharpness is also better. Now, if you are wondering the difference between a DisplayPort and a DisplayPort Mini type of cable...it really doesn't matter between those two. Just utilize the one your monitor has. As for what's the difference between HDMI and DisplayPort...DisplayPort is the future and is much better at 4K video displays. But a HDMI cable will work fine for your typical Non-4K 24" or 27" display. Bottom Line: Choose DisplayPort today if you can. It's going to become the new standard. That's the basic specifications or foundation of what I typically recommend as a "Good Computer for Photo Editing." If you want to know WHY I've chosen these items, again...please give this article a read.

I want to increase the RAM on my computer..." "Will adding more RAM to my computer speed things up?" "If I update the RAM in my computer, is there really THAT much of a performance boost/gain?" "My computer is telling me I don't have enough memory. I just cleared off a bunch of stuff and still have the error message. What's wrong?" "I won't lose anything by adding RAM, right?" The example questions above are all about the same thing, RAM or Random Access Memory. It's the part of the computer that your opened software and background processes work in. It's not only your photo that you are editing, but the programs you are using, it's the browser that's opened, or the iTunes or Pandora that's running in the background while you edit. EVERY file that is being utilized from the Operating system to the processes running in the background occupy a little slice of the RAM in order to work. A hard drive memory number is something different, that's storage. Here is a basic example that I learned years ago from a Senior Technician.... Now I'm sure if you have made it this far, you are wondering how cache memory fits in this example. Cache Memory (or Swap Files, Scratch Disks, etc.) is an area on the bookshelf that is next to the table. This bookshelf can be the one you pulled the book from, or another bookshelf located in the library, usually one close-by to the table. You are allowed to temporarily put your books that you want to use on the empty shelf from the table. You don't want to close the book, you just need a "helping spot" in order to complete your task(s). But you have to keep getting up and walking over to that bookshelf to read that book, even if it's only a few feet away. It takes longer doing it this way, but it's a way to supplement the lack of space on the table. So cache memory is an area on the hard drive that is utilized or treated as RAM. That is why if you have a "Full Bookcase," you won't have much space left-over for cache files. That is why Bridge or Photoshop complain about not having enough room for their Scratch Disk. Make sense? When this bookcase gets really full and disorganized, Photoshop complains that there is something wrong with the Scratch Disk. It just does not have room on the bookshelf to work properly and is asking for more resources/space. Remember, the rules say everything MUST be neat and tidy. What PS is asking is for you to clean off that shelf and put things back to where they were, or throw them away if they aren't needed. So yes, adding more RAM to your computer WILL make things faster and work better. You WILL NOT "lose" anything on your HD by adding or replacing your RAM. The main benefit is your CPU doesn't sweat as much and your computer "breathes" easier. Currently, it's good to have a MINIMUM OF 16GB these days, with 32GB-64GB being preferred. If you have the ability and funds to max out your RAM to 32GB or even 64GB, go for it. There is no such thing as "Too Much RAM" or "Too Much Hard Drive Space." More is better. Now here is the one caveat: The Operating System. A 32-Bit OS, like really older versions of Windows: XP, Vista & some versions of Windows 7, will only "see" RAM up to 4GB, EVEN IF the motherboard in your computer supports more. In reality, a 32-Bit Windows system will usually only show 3.5GB on a 4GB system. Things get a little weird in the 32-bit world with larger HD's and larger RAM pools to use. Fortunately in 2019, this isn't as big of an issue since most, if not all, current operating systems are 64-bit based. With a 64-Bit Operating System, you can increase your RAM to 32GB with no problems. If fact, Windows 10 Home 64-bit supports 128GB of RAM and the Windows 10 Pro Versions support up to 2 Terabytes of RAM!!! But we are a long way from that number. By then, I have a feeling a 128-Bit OS will be the new "norm" and the ability to go even higher than 2 Terabytes will be supported. "OK, so you have convinced me, I want to add more RAM for my computer..." Head to Crucial.com and select the "System Scanner" tab. Then click on the "Scan my Computer" button. It will prompt you to download the scanning software. Go ahead and download / run it, it's harmless. After you run their scanning tool, it should take you to a page with your RAM options. DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE SSD DRIVES IT RECOMMENDS! That topic is for a whole other discussion. I swear, more people focus on that because they are so used to talking about storage space (Hard Drive) and not working memory (RAM.) But I digress... If you look at the top left column of the page Crucial takes you to, it will tell you what is currently installed, how much your system can go up to (max-out) and what is in each slot. On the right has it's recommended "kits," again we are aiming for 16GB-32GB these days. Now some computers have a limited number of slots, in which you will have to remove the existing RAM and install larger sticks. Other computers have empty slots in which you get to keep your existing RAM and just add on to it. (Best option.) Sometimes you have to pull the smaller sticks out of the existing slots and add the larger Crucial.com sticks and then put the existing RAM in the empty slots. YMMV. It really depends on your computer. Bottom Line: Yes!! Upgrade your RAM if you have the funds and ability. Just like Hard Drive Storage Capacity, there is no such thing as "Too Much" RAM.

One of my cameras is a D850. I know what you mean about large files. From what I can tell, Windows 10 should be able to install on your existing Dell Computer and work just fine. Most Windows 7 Computers should be Windows 10 compatible. That said, this is a temporary fix and a new computer will be in your future. One of my to-do things is to create a step-by-step set of instructions on how to upgrade your computer from Windows 7 to Windows 10, complete with screenshots. That will be in the coming weeks as I've started a new FAQ project here on the Website. As for hard drive capacity, you can never have enough. I am concerned about that external drive, it's getting full which isn't a good thing. Time to cull or get a bigger HD. To give you an idea of the HD that I have, 1TB as my main HD and a 12TB drive as my external.