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Recommendations for computer

BrianB
Contributor
Need some idea about what I should be looking for in a computer to buy, so that I can move pictures from a canon 50D to the computer and prepare them for print.I dont need to do a large volume Im no longer working so I dont need to deal with clients.
18 REPLIES 18

I know this is very specific but i use a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (they are up to Pro 7 now).  This is very light and capable computer and works well for me.  I can put it the back of my camera bag and carry it with me on an outdoor trek.  I can use the computer in the field and have a big "Live View" screen when I want it.  I have set up the camera on tripod and used the Surface to operate a remote trigger.  It is also easy for me to transfer photos to the computer and edit them with photoshop/lightroom.  It does not have the space needed to hold lots of shots (8 GB ram, 250GB SSD), but I use a USB drive for that. 

 

wq9nsc
Authority
Authority

I have been using a HP Z820 for a few years and I am very happy with its performance for still and video editing.  Many configurations were available, I have mine set up with two Intel Xeon  (server oriented version of the the I7) 8 core CPUs and 256 GB of memory with a Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card. 

 

The HP workstations are well built and reliable with a 1125 watt power supply, multiple fans that manage temperature without a lot of noise, and plenty of storage bays and I/0 ports.  Mine came configured with Windows and Linux.  This model has been superseded but many are available off lease and used and were designed to stand up to 24/7 operation unlike a lot of home oriented computers and are very reliable.  I picked up an identical one (except for the video card) for my daughter last summer when she started heavily using MATLAB and needed something with the horsepower to run it and found a nice deal on a used one from one of the big off-lease sellers on ebay.

 

Don't forget that you want a large high quality monitor to go with the computer given your intended usage.

 

Rodger

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

BrianB
Contributor
The most I would be doing is 10 pictures at any given time for post prodution printing so could I get by with one of the "budget computer tower's and mybe upgrade the graphics card

I urge you not to pay any attention to wadrizzle's post.  The bottom line is what post editor you are going to use.  Not how many photos you are doing.  Use a high end editor like PS and you need a more robust machine or it will be annoyingly slow.  Use a freebie web based editor and you need less of a machine.   If it is Canon's free DPP4, buy a machine that Canon recommends.  You can find that info and specs on Canon's web site where you d/l DPP4.  Decide on what editor you are going to use first.

Another consideration is what printer you are going to buy.  Check out what its requirements are. Editor's like PS need a large HD cache so that is a consideration, too.  Decide these questions first otherwise it is difficult to say which machine to buy.

 

You will need photo storage so several external HD's are a good idea. They are cheap!

 

 

So, what editor?  What printer?  What is the budget?

 

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!


@ebiggs1 wrote:

I urge you not to pay any attention to wadrizzle's post.  The bottom line is what post editor you are going to use.  Not how many photos you are doing.  Use a high end editor like PS and you need a more robust machine or it will be annoyingly slow.  Use a freebie web based editor and you need less of a machine.   If it is Canon's free DPP4, buy a machine that Canon recommends.  You can find that info and specs on Canon's web site where you d/l DPP4.  Decide on what editor you are going to use first.

Another consideration is what printer you are going to buy.  Check out what its requirements are. Editor's like PS need a large HD cache so that is a consideration, too.  Decide these questions first otherwise it is difficult to say which machine to buy.

 

You will need photo storage so several external HD's are a good idea. They are cheap!

 

 

So, what editor?  What printer?  What is the budget?

 


IMO, neither the power of the editor nor the number of pictures to be edited is as important as the size of the files you're editing, It takes a good deal more computing power (speed, memory, and graphics capacity) to edit, say, a 30-megapixel image than, say, an 18-megapixel image. The difference can be nearer exponential than linear.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend
Canon recommends that you use a graphics card with DPP.
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"The right mouse button is your friend."

BrianB
Contributor
I was thinking of Gimp or portraitpro and remember the 50D is only a 15 megapixel camera

"...the power of the editor nor the number of pictures to be edited is as important as the size of the files you're editing, It takes a good deal more computing power (speed, memory, and graphics capacity) to edit, say, a 30-megapixel image than, say, an 18-megapixel image."

 

Of course what Robert says is true but it is only a part, even a small part, of the issue.  The editor is what takes the 18mp or 30mp photo and does its thing. Some are more efficient than others.  PS is a hog!

 

"The difference can be nearer exponential than linear."

 

What does this mean?  Well again in a real world experience you are probably talking a few seconds to perhaps a full minute.

Your decision, too long to wait?

 

"I was thinking of Gimp or portraitpro ..."

 

I have both and I have used both.  Both are hogs. You will need a better machine (better than a bottom rung or budget computer) for reasonable results.  My Dell is 3 years old so it isn't the latest and greatest.  It is an I7 with 16GB of RAM.  I have three internal 2TB hard drives.  The last one of the three is my Z: drive and it is mostly given over to PS/LR and Bridge to use as it sees fit. PS and Gimpshop like and need large cache and swap files space.  It also means you need fast HD's.

 

You are deciding between "Gimp or portraitpro" that is an odd couple? They are aimed at two totally different areas of editing.  Portrait Pro is not going to be a decent Raw converter but you can add DPP4 for that. Anything PP does Gimpshop will do and it is a good Raw converter.

 

"... the 50D is only a 15 megapixel camera"

 

If you are like the rest of us, I doubt that will remain your only camera.  Just sayin'. Smiley Happy

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend
12:59 PM
I was thinking of Gimp or portraitpro and remember the 50D is only a 15 megapixel camera.

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I know. I said budget priced machine would work for small jobs.
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"The right mouse button is your friend."
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