On Buying a Computer

If you are a photographer about to buy a new computer, you might have questions about what system will work best for you.

Operating system. Windows XP is the operating system of choice for any photography enthusiast using an Intel-based system. Many of the common functions related to digital photography, such as copying your photos from your camera to your computer and printing your photos, are easily handled through wizards that will step you through these tasks.

Hard disk drive capacity. Photos and photo movies take up a lot of space, so ideally, you'll want at least an 80 Gigabyte (GB) hard disk drive; a 120-GB drive or higher is even better.

Speed and performance. A Pentium III or AMD Athlon processor is recommended, preferably running at 2.0 GHz or higher. Be sure to have at least 256 MB of RAM; 512 MB or 1 GB is preferable.

CD/DVD drives. When purchasing a new computer, upgrade to a DVD burner. DVD burners can still burn CDs, but a recordable DVD can store nearly seven times more information than a recordable CD. A DVD burner also enables you to add a photo slideshow or movie to a hard disk for playback on your TV through your regular DVD player.

Internet connectivity. Broadband access (cable or DSL) makes it much easier to share photos online with friends. If you have high-speed Internet access, or plan to get it, make sure that your new computer has an integrated Ethernet card. A built-in Wi-Fi (wireless) card is ideal if you have a wireless network in your home or are thinking about installing one in the future.

Peripherals. A good-quality color printer is a must. If you'll be scanning old photos currently stored in shoe boxes, then you'll also need a flatbed scanner. Be sure to find a computer with multiple USB 2.0 ports so you can connect multiple devices simultaneously. (Having some of the USB slots at the front of the computer is convenient.)

Monitor. A 17-inch monitor is standard these days, but for a little extra money, a 19-inch monitor or larger is really nice. Make sure your monitor has a minimum resolution of 1280 x 1024, and also look for a high-contrast ratio of 500:1 or higher.

Great Photo Prints from Digital

You can make good prints at home with a photo-quality ink jet printer by using special photo-quality paper, although those home prints usually fade faster than “real” photos.

It’s fun to print your own photos, but you’ll get consistently better photos at a lower price by bringing them to us.