IQ3-100 editing on the go, Apple vs PC...

[dnercesian]

I am asking this question because my IQ3-100 arrives today, but from my experience, this pertains to a lot of modern high megapixel cameras. I also tend to edit 4K video, which is pretty hard on machines as well. I tend to travel a lot and like to be efficiently and get as much work done as possible so that I can spend more of my home time with family rather than in front of a desktop. So for me, a laptop is a must.

Years ago I switched to Apple and have never looked back. Almost every year I upgrade my macbook pro to the highest spec special order version based on the new model. The latest announcement from Apple is, in my opinion, a huge leap forward as they are finally giving us an option GPU wise up to 4gb on the graphics card. However, as I have always landed around $3200 - $3500 for my new machines, this one is up around $4300.

It is a business expense, and I don't mind spending the money, but I also use Alienware machines for my other work, albeit running Linux instead of Windows. These machines are insanely powerful. Last night I was pricing out one of them maxed out for photo/video editing and I landed at around $3000. Okay, not bad. The $1300 difference wasn't really going to be a deciding factor to me, however, the specs certainly could be. The Alienware machine was running a 8gb GPU with dual 1tb drives and 32gb ram. I don't mention the processors because they are similar.

So here I am thinking of moving to a Windows 10 machine for editing using Capture One, Lightroom, Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, assorted plugins, and due to the GPU power, hello Divinci Resolve! But I am skeptical as I have not ran a Windows machine for years other than penetration testing them. So I wanted to ask you guys what you use, if you have been down this road, and what, if any differences I should expect between the 2 systems when editing.

For now I have the following:

Pro Mac:
Still get to use FCPX which I like
Apple Pro Res

Pro PC:
I can now use Divinci Resolve when grading video

Now that I have typed this all out, I am weary that the major differences may be in the video editing side, but I believe that Capture One and Photoshop do use the GPU for some functions as well...

What do you guys think?

 

[DougDolde]

See this review of the new MBP

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/tho...essionals-look-at_b_12894856.html?1478795028&

 

[kdphotography]

Imho, it's always going to be a case of "the grass is always greener..."

Spec out your system, add a bit more, and keep going.

If I was in the market for a new PC Windows machine, I'd be shopping with www.pugetsystems.com No more Dell for me.

Ken

 

[Wayne Fox]

I edit IQ3 100 files all the time on my MBP while traveling, including stitching and focus stacking. I don’t see any difference between that and the IQ180 I had. It’s slower than the a7r2 files, but not dramatically slower.

I purchased the 1TB SSD so I can keep all of my current work files as well as import my new shots internally. It cost a little more, but the read speed is well over 1,000 MB/s, which I think is helpful to programs like lightroom and C1.

I decided to buy the new one, and ordered the 2TB version so I can keep even more of my library on the MBP. I used target disk mode on the MPB when at home and using my Mac Pro, so the MBP is not only my portable option (which I use every day when at my store as well as while on the road), but remains my working drive when I’m at home.

 

[voidshatter]

Phase One used to be quite early in the game of touch-screen that they implemented it in the IQ1 series back to 2011.

Now it's year 2016 and even electronic devices like printers, washing machines etc have touch-screens.

I can't believe that a company like Apple with so much experience in touch-screens haven't even implemented it in their laptop in year 2016.

Apple's display is also falling behind, e.g. their MacBook Pro 13 (Late 2016, 2 GHz i5, without Touch Bar) is still equipped with an old technology IPS-LED non-touch display, which has only 77% AdobeRGB color space.

On the other hand, a ThinkPad X1 Yoga can be equipped with an OLED display with 98% AdobeRGB color space, which offers touch-screen and Wacom Pen functions at the same time, which I consider to be a huge advantage for post-processing in Photoshop and C1.

The decision between these two for me is a no-brainer, because IPS vs OLED is just like CCD vs CMOS, not to mention the addition of Wacom Pen, but for those who are used to the Mac systems they'll need to weight other factors.

 

[Christopher]

It pretty simple. This goes for all computers. If you want power never by a mac, or at least not if you want to spent twice the amount for the same power. Look at the new Alienware windows notebook. A LOT more powerful then any MacBook Pro....

For me it's like that: on the road I use a MacBook pro and will probably upgrade next year from a 15in model to a 13in one. It is enough to view sort and check my IQ3100 files. For serious editing even the highest species MacBook would be a joke. For that I'm currently putting together a new dimwits based workstation. (128gb men; 8cores; 2 fast graphic cards) I couldn't get that speed with any mac or notebook in general.

 

[Boinger]

I actually use my surface book pro as my primary studio computer and for on the go viewing and editing.

It has enough power (it is not the most powerful computer by any means) but the other features more than make up for it.

Extremely high resolution screen 2000x3000 pixels and a pen to draw and edit on screen. It is like having a wacom cintiq but with a computer added on to it as well.

I would be happy to answer any questions if you had any.

 

[Jan]

Extremely high resolution screen 2000x3000 pixels and a pen to draw and edit on screen. It is like having a wacom cintiq but with a computer added on to it as well.

I would be happy to answer any questions if you had any.

Can you explain a bit more on how you use the Surface pen editing images?

 

[Boinger]

Can you explain a bit more on how you use the Surface pen editing images?

If you have ever used a wacom tablet it is very similar experience.

http://community.wacom.com/inspiration/blog/2013/september/wacom-tablets-and-lightroom

Something like that can be done with the surface book pen. It is pressure sensitive I think it has 1024 levels.

So for example when dodging and burning you can adjust the amount simply by pressure, and very precise retouching since its direct pen to screen (pen is your mouse).

It just makes your system very versatile, and the surface book is very light weight and portable.

You will get more powerful systems for less money I am not going to lie, but I think nothing as versatile or functional. It even converts into a tablet only that is very lightweight for just use say you want to do some reading yet it is still a full pc. The tablet only battery life is only 3 hours though. Most of the battery is in the base unit and the gpu is in the base unit.

 

[voidshatter]

If you have ever used a wacom tablet it is very similar experience.

http://community.wacom.com/inspiration/blog/2013/september/wacom-tablets-and-lightroom

Something like that can be done with the surface book pen. It is pressure sensitive I think it has 1024 levels.

So for example when dodging and burning you can adjust the amount simply by pressure, and very precise retouching since its direct pen to screen (pen is your mouse).

It just makes your system very versatile, and the surface book is very light weight and portable.

You will get more powerful systems for less money I am not going to lie, but I think nothing as versatile or functional. It even converts into a tablet only that is very lightweight for just use say you want to do some reading yet it is still a full pc. The tablet only battery life is only 3 hours though. Most of the battery is in the base unit and the gpu is in the base unit.

ThinkPad X1 Yoga OLED's Wacom Pen also draws on the display directly, but scores 98% AdobeRGB, while the Surface Pro 4 only scores 61% AdobeRGB.

 

[Boinger]

ThinkPad X1 Yoga OLED's Wacom Pen also draws on the display directly, but scores 98% AdobeRGB, while the Surface Pro 4 only scores 61% AdobeRGB.

Looked at the thinkpad, it doesn't have a gpu as far as I can tell only integrated intel graphics.

The surface book has a gpu available. The screen is also much higher res, but I doubt you will find many laptops with 98% adobe rgb.
Either way I like it I have mine hooked up to an external color calibrated monitor and clone the display.

The surface studio looks very exciting to me.

 

[vjbelle]

I agree with a previous post..... if you want power and speed then you are best to stay on the Windows platform. Macs are way overpriced and under powered and are almost never user upgradable. HP, Dell, Lenovo, almost any PC portable can be somewhat upgraded by the end user. Any laptop/notebook in the 4 pound region for me would be on the Windows platform.

Victor

 

[voidshatter]

Looked at the thinkpad, it doesn't have a gpu as far as I can tell only integrated intel graphics.

The surface book has a gpu available. The screen is also much higher res, but I doubt you will find many laptops with 98% adobe rgb.
Either way I like it I have mine hooked up to an external color calibrated monitor and clone the display.

The surface studio looks very exciting to me.

I agree that the Surface Book comes with a more powerful nVidia 940M which can prove to be useful for some applications (better than X1 Yoga's Intel GPU).

The Surface Book is heavier, and the screen is smaller (with higher DPI which I'm not sure whether there's any visual gain for human eye with a relatively small screen).

An external monitor invalidates much of the purpose of the Wacom Pen.

By the way, the X1 Yoga's OLED display is calibrated very well out of factory and the color is quite consistent when I put it besides a calibrated external display.

 

[Boinger]

I agree that the Surface Book comes with a more powerful nVidia 940M which can prove to be useful for some applications (better than X1 Yoga's Intel GPU).

The Surface Book is heavier, and the screen is smaller (with higher DPI which I'm not sure whether there's any visual gain for human eye with a relatively small screen).

An external monitor invalidates much of the purpose of the Wacom Pen.

By the way, the X1 Yoga's OLED display is calibrated very well out of factory and the color is quite consistent when I put it besides a calibrated external display.

Well not really you can make edits on screen with the pen and use the screen to double check. I use the second monitor for other things like focusing etc. in studio.

Anyways I am just sharing what I have and I like it I am not trying to debate you regarding the choice of machine. Both options should be fine.

I find the surface book to be an extremely well built machine it is very sleek, portable and solid.