What's a Photographer's Favorite Laptop?

[urbanek]

<p>I second Itai Danan. IF you are intending to do photo-work on the laptop, then it should have something better than a tn-panel ... PVA or IPS are the (better) alternatives.<br>

The high-end ThinkPads (w700) or, if I'm correct, also some from HP and Dell exist.<br>

As far as I know, all Mac Notebooks only use tn displays (correct me if I'm wrong ... sadly Apple is not clear about that in their specs on their webpage). This rules out MacBooks (even the Pro) for any serious photo works (as it rules out most laptops and all cheap desktop monitors).<br>

tn-panel means: strong change in colour depending on the viewing angle as well as only 6bit/channel brightness resolution.<br>

Flame-proof suit is on :-)</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>MBP</p>

[rafael_s]

<p>Forget laptops. I have 2 15" macbooks and just can't do any real professional work on them. Screen is too small and photoshop and most applications take a lot of screen real estate. I still prefer the desktop for when it comes to editing photographs. No laptop comes close to my mac tower with 24" widescreen.</p>

[itai]

<p>Rafael: You know laptops can work with external displays? With a docking station, a number of Thinkpads can drive 30" displays, otherwise you are limited to 27".<br>

There is also a dual-screen version of the W700, the W701DS, it has a main 17" display which is the same resolution as most 22 to 27" screens (1920x1200) and a second 10", 1280x800, display. Both are led backlit. The built-in Xrite calibrator calibrates the 17" display.<br>

So, yes there is a way to work with a laptop if you really want. Of course it would cost much less to have the same power in a desktop unit with more room for expansion and a more advanced RAID.<br>

- Itai</p>

 

[fotografz]

<p>I'm a wedding photographer, not a tecno geek. I use Mac as my main desktop and laptop tool. Here is why:</p>

<p>Before retiring, I was a partner in an Ad agency. All the graphics people, producers, and art directors were on Macs. All of the graphic studios, printers, editing houses, professional photographers and cinematographers we used were on Macs. All the remaining ad agency administration and business people were on PCs. </p>

<p>We had to have an IT person on staff to maintain the PCs ($$$$!). None of the Mac users would let him touch their Macs ... we just did it ourselves because maintenance and updates were simple and infrequent.</p>

<p>I've been doing weddings on a Mac for over 10 years. I've had a Mac "Genius" work on my computers exactly once, and that was my fault ... but it was free even though the laptop was out of warranty.</p>

<p>One of my wedding shoot partners uses a powerful PC that he had an IT guy build for him. Every time he sits with me while we're editing a wedding he marvels at the Mac's ease and speed. It seems like he's always screwing around with his computer for some reason or another ... or having his IT guy screwing around with it ($$$$). I'm sure there are counter experiences, but I can only speak to my direct experiences or observations.</p>

<p>I also use Hasselblad digital and Profoto gear ... the Hasselbad Processing software only recently was released in PC version. Last time I looked the Profoto remote was only available in Mac.</p>

<p>I use a Mac because an overwhelming majority of visual professionals use them, and we speak the same language and paths when sharing techniques and training.</p>

<p>YMMV.</p>

<p>-Marc</p>

<p> </p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>That's so true. When I was on PCs it seemed I was always 'under the hood', trying to figure out what went wrong, tinkering with apps etc etc.<br>

Now after 3 yrs on a Mac, I just turn it on and work. I never have to fix or play with anything. Since I shoot on the road for a living I don't have the option of a desktop. Almost everyone I know in the same position is on a MBP.</p>

[uaguy]

<p>I use MacBookPro/2.2Ghz in my "front office" and "custom made PC with Win7" in my "back office, dark room". I used MBP to get into Internet, to do task like album design and etc. I do connect ext-monitor if the task required. Mac is so user friendly. My back-office PCs is not internet connected ever. Just don't want to mess with viruses - another BIG vote for Mac here. It has i7-920 processor /12 Gb Ram and it is very (!!!) fast for the money (about $1200 for all without monitor). Check its calculation power - 1000 raws from 1d3 convert to jpg from LR with numbers of settings for less then 30 minutes(!). When the time will come I just throw the main-board and CPU away, invest about $500 in new parts.</p>

[farceur_coince]

<p>I'd actually go with buying him a new computer with a good IPS screen. A calibrator should also be bought.</p>

<p>A laptop is not suitable for photo editing, as viewing angles and general accuracy is not fantastic.</p>

<p>If not a new computer, then a really good IPS screen and a calibrator. Unless he has these things, then... the laptop for on the go work, of course.</p>

[focuslightstudio]

If you truly love him...LOL....I can recommend nothing but a Mac- MacBook or MacBook Pro. PC's were nothing but a headache. Have him get "Apple Care" if your concerned about repairs. He has a year to decide. It will give him 3 years piece of mind if he decides to get it.

[rafael_s]

<p>@Itai "You know laptops can work with external displays?"<br>

Yes this is true. I have tried this setup before in the past but my laptops are carried all over the place throughout the day; to and from work, coffee shops, airports, etc. It just isn't practical to me that if you spend the money on a laptop and just have it sit at your desk so that you can connect to a 24" widescreen. It defeats it's purpose. I am a web designer and freelance photographer and I find that it is almost impossible to get any real work done away from being at a desk. Especially when you are editing and building websites. Most of us need to be settled somewhere where we can focus and not be distracted. Honestly the only good thing my macbooks do for me is provide a way to surf the internet when away from home or office, and I am thinking about selling them on ebay since my HTC Android phone basically does that too. Not to mention that my Macpro tower has 3 drives and room for another (first macbook is on a 2nd drive, first one failed on me), a 2.66 Intel dual core, and an Nvidia graphics card that outperforms everything on the macbooks I own.</p>