Laptop for photo storage and editing

[darkpup]

I use a 12" Apple iBook I picked up about 2 years ago for $900 (new). It was originally intended for e-mail, wireless internet access, and stuff like that. I now use it for everything (i.e. software development, photo & video editing, etc).

Until I started doing the video editing the speed of the system was never a big issue (G3 500mhz, pretty slow by today's standards), and I'll be upgrading to a 12" Powerbook in the next few weeks to make work and consulting jobs a bit easier.

All of the pictures and slideshow movies on this site were done with my iBook and Apple's Free iLife products (iPhoto primarily, and iMovie more recently).

http://www.aegirswind.com/ourstuff/

The photos from the Monterey trip were imported, cleaned up, given labels, and exported to HTML on our drive home to Sacramento. My wife did all of this while I was driving. iPhoto also has a great archiving system for burning your images to CD (or DVD with the Powerbook's SuperDrive) which helps to keep your pics safe and your hard drive space freed up.

Hope this helps. I've used my AMD 1800 (1.54 Ghz) game machine (Windows 98) and another Linux desktop for this type of photo work, and although it can be done on these two systems, I really enjoy the process on my Mac.

~ Jason

 

[boney]

If all you want to do is use it on dive trips or any trips for just downloading your photos, get an older cheaper laptop.
If it breaks you haven't sunk that much $$$ into it. I am sure they have enough horse power for editing, but the colours are not as good on a laptop screen than say a good Lacie monitor.

If you are using this laptop as a desktop replacement for home or you don't own a computer at home then you would be looking at getting a better laptop. Powerbooks are pretty slick and they come with everything you need, but PC laptops can be cheaper if you know what you want. Personally I would get a Toshiba - they are work horses! I've seen them dropped, banged around and someones 3 year old daugther stepped on top of one once and it still worked!

 

[ssra30]

Scubatooth once bubbled...


why are you regretting getting the dell because i use the previous version of the 8200 (the 8100) and i find it perfect for multimedia and photo editting. and with dual media slots (1 fixed , 1 bay) i can copy CDs and do alot of work on the laptop at one time(downloading, CD burning and copying photo editting, and internet, all at once its great) yes its a little heavy with 2 batteries in it but its good for what i do

Your Mileage may vary.

May be I was a bit unclear. Don't get me wrong, teh 8200 is an excellent laptop and I was using it mainly for other purposes when I first bought it. But now that I am using more for picture storage during a dive trip, it is less convinient being so heavy and with all the extra money for the expensive display, top of the line video card available (at the time), it is still not nearly as good as my desktop (built a few months before I bought the laptop) as far as photo editing, viewing is concerned.

I almost tempted to buy one of those tiny Sony Vios 12' screen laptop.

When I go on one of my long dive trip to somewhere remote, sometimes I spend 24-28 hours travel and that darn laptop is getting heavier and heavier by the hour

 

[miesemer]

You might also consider the locations you're planning on taking your laptop. Humid tropical locations are not the best environments for expensive laptops. If you do take a laptop with you I'd recommend using it only in your air conditioned room. Flash memory has become so cheap, I found just buying additional CompactFlash cards to be my best solution.

 

[The Hamburger]

ssra30,

you might be interested to know that mac are selling off there old stock of ibooks.

Only 38,000 baht. nice and small only 2kg.

Cheers

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

hears what I do I use a older dell like the 4150 just to transfer my pictures when I get back in room off the boat then when I get home I trasfer to my main machine and edit them there .
one if you take alllot of pictures on a trip can be usefull .
I have three 128 mb XD cards wish I had about hum ten more lol.
in a week or two trip you can eat up some storage space with a good 5 MB camera . dont let them scare you with the laptop, one use it in your room and not on boat wear it belongs.

 

[ssra30]

The Hamburger once bubbled...
ssra30,

you might be interested to know that mac are selling off there old stock of ibooks.

Only 38,000 baht. nice and small only 2kg.

Cheers

Hmmm, I wonder if Damnam Club would be kind enough to sponsor ibook for a poor member whose back is slowly detriorated from lugging around the heavy laptop

 

[frogfish]

Thanks for all the responses. Have also done my homework in parallel and am settling for a 15' Powerbook which I hope to be using for video editing at a later stage.

Can't wait to get my new toy !

 

[VTernovski]

I hate apples! not those that you eat,.. I mean I hate Macs! it's almost 10pm here, and I am still at work trying to get this iPod to work.. what a peice of junk... their esthetics are cool, but the design (from the programming point of you) is horoble. Microsoft rules! hehe

 

[davehicks]

I have not seen this mentioned on this topic yet, so I'll add my 2 bits to this topic.

One of the features I really like about my current laptop are the built in slots for both CF and SD memory cards. This is a GREAT feature if you want to use the laptop for digitial photography. Just pop in the memory card and transfer the pictures. No messy cables required.

I'm using a Toshiba Protoge 3500 Table PC. 1.33ghz P3, 40 GB hard disk, 12" screen, in a 4 pound package. It has WiFI and (optional) bluetooth built-in, and converts from Laptop to Tablet form factor. Very nice machine!

Dave