Asus Eee notebook for photographer?

[FidelCastrovich]

What do you guys think?

I'd really like to buy the 9" version of it, which comes with 20gb SSD drive and optional 2gb RAM, which is decent.
I really like that it's tiny and weighs ~900 grams.

But - does it have what it takes to do on the go editing with Fotostation/Photoshop/etc'?
Is the screen okay color-wise?

Any thoughts are welcome, not necessarily from actual owners.
Thanks.

 

[Samriel]

I'm also thinking of getting the same EeePC, but not as a main editing machine - based on the specs, editing in Photoshop should be generally possible, but I think the screen might be too small for any serious editing. I wouldn't suggest it as a main photo-editing machine (nor any other laptop in fact...). If you really want to edit photographs on a laptop, get at least 14 inches or bigger.
I'll use mine for checking pictures on location and other, non-photographic purposes.

 

[Tiberius47]

photoshop would be out of the question, I think, on a machine like that. You could use it to check images on location though.

 

[Garbz]

Not really photoshop itself would run just fine. It is you the human who would give up working with tiny eye-straino-vision. Also 20gb is nothing. Really, assume half will be taken by OS / apps, and then what you get maybe 1 or 2 memory cards worth of stuff on there. When editing files especially their size can blow out.

 

[Overread]

I was thinking like Garbz - 20 GB is way too small for a photomachine - its light and portable and aimed more at people who used PDFs and word most of the time. Would be better to invest in a portable harddrive or storage device with a huge memory (1terrabyt portable harddrive is not bankbreaking anymore!")

 

[FidelCastrovich]

I was thinking like Garbz - 20 GB is way too small for a photomachine - its light and portable and aimed more at people who used PDFs and word most of the time. Would be better to invest in a portable harddrive or storage device with a huge memory (1terrabyt portable harddrive is not bankbreaking anymore!")

I don't need the computer to be a picture bank. Obviously 20GB wouldn't cut it, if that was my intention. Also, it is not meant to be my main editing machine - I have a desktop and a pretty decent monitor for that.

I was just asking in terms of processing power and such. That and the monitor - would they be enough for on the go editing, when i need to send pictures to the newspaper super fast, approaching the deadline, or any such scenario?

Thanks again.

 

[Bifurcator]

By listening to interviews of long time photojournalists, and sports photographers that's what the in-camera edit controls and presets for JPEG output are for. The next step from there is a laptop. That's what they say anyway. I've never had to do anything like that so I dunno. But I guess I would want a calibrated notebook or nothing and just use the camera's controls.

BTW, if you're going for such a small device what about using high-spec video glasses for output? Some of them are really beautiful.

 

[anthony.grimes]

I have thought about getting a EEEpc for similar purposes as well. I think that it would work quite well for dumping images on to hard drives, and checking photos on location. It's size and weight are definitely geared towards portability, which will obviously hinder post processing.

If you are interested in getting one I would highly recommend a version with the atom processor @ 1.6 ghz compared to the 900 mhz of the eee pc 900. Trying to run CS3 on that machine under windows would be quite slow and very frustrating, however, running linux that machine is much faster. You will most likey have to install a custom linux distro on to the machine, because the linux distros that come pre installed are very limiting. I would recommend Ubuntu, but personally that is just what I am familiar with. Photo editing in linux is not the norm however it is definitely do able, escpecially if this is not meant to be you main post processing machine. I currently do all of my editing under linux, gimp can be slightly limiting however I have found that when coupled with a RAW image editing program like Raw Studio or UF Raw as of my needs can be easily met.

I would also concider looking at HP ultra mobile line of pcs, they have higher resolution screens which may be of some benefit depending on your exact needs.

 

[GwagDesigns]

These smaller Pcs are about the same cost as an Epson P5000, which is why i want to get some as well, backup your pictures on the go, while still having the ability to surf the web, and do some work on them. Im waiting for Dell to bring out their mini inspirons, to see what they will have. Theres so many brands out their making thses things now its hard to sort thought the clutter.

 

[Garbz]

I don't need the computer to be a picture bank. Obviously 20GB wouldn't cut it, if that was my intention. Also, it is not meant to be my main editing machine - I have a desktop and a pretty decent monitor for that.

I was just asking in terms of processing power and such. That and the monitor - would they be enough for on the go editing, when i need to send pictures to the newspaper super fast, approaching the deadline, or any such scenario?

Thanks again.

For that application it's just perfect. I use a much lesser computer (800mhz 512mb of ram) occasionally for photo editing, and use it in my thesis lab for all sorts of work. Performance wise it's just fine. It's like a 2 year old laptop only 1/3rd of the size.

Mind you digital photography came out long before the Core2Duo