I just made the upgrade from my 2015 27" iMac To an M1 MacBook Air. This process started when the Macbook Pro I've used for photo trips developed a problem with its' battery. As I was nearing the start of my Spring photo tours, I didn't have time to change out the battery, so I purchased a MacBook Air with the new Apple M1 chip. I bought the machine with a 1 TB SSD and its maximum of 16 GB of memory. The new computer not only handled the trip downloads and image editing well, but it also proved to be as fast or faster than the iMac I use for my photo editing at the office. However, the iMac is aging, and I decided to switch if everything I need is available on the new computer. I view this as a transitional upgrade, as I will update again when the more powerful desktop computer versions of the new architecture become available.

The first step is to list all the functions and applications you commonly use or would like to use with the computer. Then assign a criticality code for each of these. Then, the research begins on the compatibility of each application/function. In my case, I was coming from a machine running OSX Mojave, which still allowed 32-bit applications. However, the M1 is running Big Sur, and the 32-bit applications will not function. In addition, the M1 uses a different instruction set than the iMac with an Intel processor. However, Apple has provided an emulator called Rosetta, making the application run slower than those running natively.

Essential Applications and Functions:

SoftRaid
Lightroom
Photoshop
FileMaker Pro
Imageprint
Topaz AI Filters
Nik Collection
Wacom Tablet
Dual Monitors
Zerene Stacker
Multiple Displays
i1Display

All essential Applications and functions are acceptably supported. Although the MacBook Air M1 doesn't support two external displays, the second display is the 13-inch laptop screen. Additionally, the Nik Collection isn't supported as a filter in Photoshop and is only available stand-alone.

The next step is to diagram the current and proposed system and ensure the new system will support the required configuration. Then, by using an OWC Thunderbolt dock, I can obtain the necessary connectivity to match the iMac configuration.

After the research is complete, the tedious work of moving the data and doing any required updates begins. After updating, I'm leaving the iMac available for some time to make sure that nothing needed gets left behind.

I'm available for consulting for photo applications running on Macintosh Computers, don't hesitate to get in touch with me at charlie@charlesbushphoto.com