desktop computers for photography?

[robertwsimpson]

If you're also shooting video with your 7d, I say go for it. If not, I'd spend less on a computer and get another lens. You don't need a beast to edit good photos.

 

[rebeccayhb]

all questions welcome!

 

[icassell]

If you're also shooting video with your 7d, I say go for it. If not, I'd spend less on a computer and get another lens. You don't need a beast to edit good photos.

I know I don't need a beast, but what speed do I need to edit and not sit around waiting for things to sharpen, etc?

 

[robertwsimpson]

I'm running windows 7 with a duo 2.33ghz, 2gb ram, and it works fine for me. I'm dabbling in video editing and with 720p video, it's a bit sluggish... If I were to get a new computer now, I'd either get an imac 27 with all the bells or build my own system... depending on your processor, you might not even be able to use 8gb of ram... after a while, a 32bit system runs out of physical memory addresses... I think the limit is something like 6 gb or 4 or something.

 

[icassell]

The AMD core 6 is 64 bit, so that's not an issue for me and the extra memory is on sale cheap. I think I'll just pare the thing down and save a few hundred. I don't want to spend the money on Apple (besides, all my software is windows and I don't want to go through buying all that again ).

I can't see not buying a 64 bit machine if I'm going new ... more and more applications will use it in the couple of years before I upgrade again.

Thanks.

 

[robertwsimpson]

yeah man, build something rather than buying Dell... it'll be way cheaper, probably.

 

[pbelarge]

I had my computer built for me locally last November. It is fast and has no offending manufacturers crap on it like Dell, etc... My computer guy stripped everything I did not need for editing. I also do PPT presentations, so I can set up 2 projectors, and 2 screens for me, so I can have my notes and other info during the presentation.

and it only took 4 days for free delivery once I signed the dotted line....3 miles from my office.

 

[icassell]

I had my computer built for me locally last November. It is fast and has no offending manufacturers crap on it like Dell, etc... My computer guy stripped everything I did not need for editing. I also do PPT presentations, so I can set up 2 projectors, and 2 screens for me, so I can have my notes and other info during the presentation.

and it only took 4 days for free delivery once I signed the dotted line....3 miles from my office.

Was the cost comparable or a lot cheaper than a commercially available box?

 

[Live_free]

Better to build one, you get better parts, last longer, and is faster. For 600 you can build a computer that would cost 2k to buy from HP, ect. Plus NEVER buy an HP, Dell, or any of those crappy brands. They all last a year and burn up, plus they are made from crap parts.

 

[pbelarge]

I was the one who chose the quality of parts, based on cost, for the build.
I think it would have cost more than I could afford to have a name manufacturer to build it. It was expensive, but affordable for what is in it.
I am sitting in front of it now with multiple 24" screens....I love working on multiple screens, it is a very efficient way to work.

 

[icassell]

I would have to disagree about Dell. I've had several Dell machines and our hospital is completely Dell based. They have proven to be very reliable. I also get good pricing because Dell gives an employee discount since the institution is 100% Dell.

On the other hand, I'm not saying there isn't a better solution. I could (and have) built my own systems, but don't particularly feel like spending the time building or troubleshooting it. If I could find someone locally to do it, that may be an option. I'll look around. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Mike_E]

Yup, build one. A 64 bit.

Be sure to get a mother board that's at least 800mhz (do NOT go cheap on the motherboard!) and at least a duel core @2.5g or up. Don't skimp on a power supply either or a UPS (uninterpretable power supply). Get at least 4 gigs of memory -the same speed or greater than the motherboards front side bus (fsb) speed. You won't really need a graphics card unless you're doing video and a DVD burner and you're good to go as far as the box is concerned.

There is endless debate on monitors so you can do a search on that one.

 

[kkart]

Do you have a Kmart near you? If so go buy it: http://bit.ly/d9dgUe
I am buying one next week.

ZT Affinity 7431Ti-41 Intel® Core™ i7 Processor 920 12GB RAM 2TB Desktop PC Bundle w/22" Monitor $1599

 

[cfusionpm]

Better to build one, you get better parts, last longer, and is faster. For 600 you can build a computer that would cost 2k to buy from HP, ect. Plus NEVER buy an HP, Dell, or any of those crappy brands. They all last a year and burn up, plus they are made from crap parts.

I would have to disagree about Dell. I've had several Dell machines and our hospital is completely Dell based. They have proven to be very reliable. I also get good pricing because Dell gives an employee discount since the institution is 100% Dell.

On the other hand, I'm not saying there isn't a better solution. I could (and have) built my own systems, but don't particularly feel like spending the time building or troubleshooting it. If I could find someone locally to do it, that may be an option. I'll look around. Thanks for your advice.

I also disagree with that. I have this Dell XPS box with a 24" monitor that I've had about 2 years now and has worked flawlessly. Since purchasing, I've put in a blu-ray drive, put on Windows 7, and added a 1.5TB internal drive to the factory 750GB. The only thing I don't like about it is that the RAM is four 1GB sticks, so it's going to cost me more to upgraded (and try to recoup the cost by selling the 1GB sticks).

But my point is I've built boxes in the past too. They were powerful and cheap, but they were also a lot of headaches and maintinence. It's nice to have a warranty and a reference manual. It's nice to have customer support. It's nice to not worry about hardware compatibility out of the box. It's nice to still be able to upgrade and expand however I would like. I really like my computer and it's done everything I need it to (photo editing, video editing, visual effects, 3D rendering, etc). I don't know much about other companies (though I haven't had good luck personally with HP or Toshiba), but I've had nothing but good experiences with Dell.

You can pick a pre-made package and/or switch out whatever components you want on their build-a-desktop page. Others have posted reccomended specs, so pick what fits your budget and enjoy.

 

[Vinny]

I've built computers and I've bought computers and unless you really know computers - it's not worth the hassel of building one. One uncompatable device can cause issues. I am responding to this on 5 YO Dell with a whopping 1.25Gb memory (shared video memory) and 40 GB hard drive - yes it is slow sometimes when I edit photos but I live with it.

Since we are talking new, what I would buy would be either HP (first choice) or Dell (second choice):

- Intel I series processor, probably an I3 to save some money
- At least 4GB memory with a fast bus speed
- Video Card - 500 MB or 1 GB on board memory (most likely 500 MB, again save some money)
- Whatever the standard hard drive, usually 500 MB or 640 MB (maybe upgrade this to a 1 TB if cheap enough)
- An external hard drive - for back up purposes - from the money saved from above.
- Front panel USB and memory card slots
- 32 or 64 bit - doesn't matter if application doesn't run in 64 bit mode or can't get drivers for 64 bit mode.

I've gone to the HP site and a similar machine to above is under $700.

Yes, you can up the memory to 6 GB or more but honestly unless you need instant gratification buying a mega computer may be a waste of money - it's outdated in a year or two. Hit a button and it takes 2 seconds vs 5 - no big deal IMO, multiple screens - never used them - may be OK - need the room for them.