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Microsoft Surface Book

Don Libby

Well-known member
while I'm (currently) no longer using a tech camera so don't need to tether using a Surface Pro I still need a lightweight travel solution. I had been traveling with a 15" laptop along with the SP3 until the Surface Book was announced. I saw this as my way of reducing my load down to 1-computer as well as reducing the weight by at least 3 pounds.

I ordered the Surface Book configured with 512GB/i7/16GB RAM/dHPU. I've had this neat machine now for several weeks putting it through its paces making certain it'd work for me as I wanted it to. I've loaded it with C1-8 and recently upgraded to 9 as well as Adobe PS-CC, Bridge and Premier Pro.

First off the battery is lasting me several more hours than what the SP3 used to. The screen 13.5 inch and 3000x2000 is stunning and actually appears larger than what it is. I've tested it using my WD Passport 2TB travel drive while copying files from my IQ180 and the Sony cameras without complaint. I've opened the files in C1 doing minor processing (the same as I would if in the field) before saving to PSCC. I've opened the files in PSCC again doing minor processing while also using NIK Software without a hitch. I haven't done anything with Premier Pro as I simply don't have any files to work on.

It is slightly slower than my older laptop however it's not so slow that I want to chunk it while waiting. Actually the slowest portion is the act of copying files from the camera disk to the external drive (yes, I'm using USB3 for both).

All in all I've very pleased with the machine both for how well it works as well as the form factor. I also think if I were still using a tech camera I'd be able to tether once I figured out the holder.

I'll be taking only this next week as I travel to the South Rim for the week and look forward to using it.


Don
 

Lars

Active member
Thanks for sharing :) it will be interesting to hear how well it endures field use. I'm (ab)using my Thinkpad Yoga fairly aggressively albeit not as a tether solution, it seems to hold up to kicks and drops pretty well so far.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Just finished a light weight video edit that I did earlier this afternoon on the Surface Book without encountering any problems. What made it even more interesting was that I had done the video using 720nm IR. Go big or go home .....
 
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