Zack Arias, editing rig, thoughts?

[Buckster]

Surely there's a firewire to thunderbolt adapter?

 

[TheBiles]

You can build an absolutely ridiculous computer for $1200 (sans monitor). While it's incredibly important to have a good computer, you don't need to go out there and buy some $4000 Mac to edit your photos. A nice monitor and an ass-load of RAM are the primary components that you REALLY need. A speedy processor is always nice, but any modern processor that you get now is going to be able to easily handle Photoshop. GPU isn't really an issue unless you're doing some crazy 3D rendering or gaming. You might want a SSD for your OS, but HDDs in a RAID configuration will be MUCH more cost-effective for your general storage purposes.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

get the computer because if you think yours is slow for a D90, think of what it would like with a D800... 12MB files up to 75ish? yeah right.

I have a D3 and my wife's D7000 now. And I've done a lot of research on the D800. If you run 12-bit RAW files and choose "compressed" instead of "lossless compressed", the files average about 43MB. But yes, the problem I have now would be severely exacerbated by the D800.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

You can build an absolutely ridiculous computer for $1200 (sans monitor). While it's incredibly important to have a good computer, you don't need to go out there and buy some $4000 Mac to edit your photos. A nice monitor and an ass-load of RAM are the primary components that you REALLY need. A speedy processor is always nice, but any modern processor that you get now is going to be able to easily handle Photoshop. GPU isn't really an issue unless you're doing some crazy 3D rendering or gaming. You might want a SSD for your OS, but HDDs in a RAID configuration will be MUCH more cost-effective for your general storage purposes.

If you know where I can find "an absolutely ridiculous" Mac for $1200, let me know. I'll never own a PC again. I was a PC guy who made fun of Apple products until I started using them in college. Can't go back. On paper, PC and Mac are exactly the same, but the user interface and "all the small things" a PC really can't touch.

 

[Tee]

James-

If I could offer a side thought: put at least one grand in the bank and start a "oh sheet, my (insert equipment) just broke!" fund. Then put whatever you need towards the computer and date night with the wife.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

James-

If I could offer a side thought: put at least one grand in the bank and start a "oh sheet, my (insert equipment) just broke!" fund. Then put whatever you need towards the computer and date night with the wife.

Tee, we're on the same page. I built an "oh, crap" fund about a year ago. I don't count that towards anything else I'm trying to do.

 

[fjrabon]

I can understand the statement for those who truly are pros (weddings, stock, NG). But I can't see a MWAC with three 27" calibrated monitors, dual RAID arrays and 40TB of disk space sitting on her desk.

The quote was in the context of answering a "what gear do I need to go pro?" question.

 

[unpopular]

My late 2009 macbook is running just fine, even with 2gb RAM, though it's a little starved in this area... Are you still on Lion? Mountain Lion has been running much more smoothly.

Also, do you have the dual graphics card? The "better performance" option takes a large load off the CPU. I think these later operating systems use a lot of OpenCL.

 

[TheBiles]

You can build an absolutely ridiculous computer for $1200 (sans monitor). While it's incredibly important to have a good computer, you don't need to go out there and buy some $4000 Mac to edit your photos. A nice monitor and an ass-load of RAM are the primary components that you REALLY need. A speedy processor is always nice, but any modern processor that you get now is going to be able to easily handle Photoshop. GPU isn't really an issue unless you're doing some crazy 3D rendering or gaming. You might want a SSD for your OS, but HDDs in a RAID configuration will be MUCH more cost-effective for your general storage purposes.

If you know where I can find "an absolutely ridiculous" Mac for $1200, let me know. I'll never own a PC again. I was a PC guy who made fun of Apple products until I started using them in college. Can't go back. On paper, PC and Mac are exactly the same, but the user interface and "all the small things" a PC really can't touch.

It's all user preference. Personally, I absolutely cannot stand OSX. I also save a ton of money building my own computer!

 

[jamesbjenkins]

It's all user preference. Personally, I absolutely cannot stand OSX. I also save a ton of money building my own computer!

Glad you're happy with Windows. I absolutely hate that BSOD factory. For me it was like sleeping on 200 thread count sheets and then switching to 600 thread count Egyptian cotton. On paper, they're both sheets, but the experience is completely different.

Now, perhaps I need to bridge the gap and build myself a hackintosh.

 

[unpopular]

Hackintosh systems are for people who don't like Mac to begin with and then use their bug-ridden hacks to further their prejudice. OSX is very hardware optimized. Building a good hack isn't impossible, but it's going to be more trouble than it's possibly worth.

 

[unpopular]

it was like sleeping on 200 thread count sheets

And 150 of those threads are wasted.

pun intended.

 

[TheBiles]

It's all user preference. Personally, I absolutely cannot stand OSX. I also save a ton of money building my own computer!

Sent from my Galaxy S III

Glad you're happy with Windows. I absolutely hate that BSOD factory. For me it was like sleeping on 200 thread count sheets and then switching to 600 thread count Egyptian cotton. On paper, they're both sheets, but the experience is completely different.

Now, perhaps I need to bridge the gap and build myself a hackintosh.

Weird considering I've had about two BSODs in the last 5 years. Technology isn't for everyone!

 

[unpopular]

two separate computers or one upgrade? I know PC's are cheap and all, but two years before starting to crap?

but if so:

Dude, you must have gotten a dell.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

Hackintosh systems are for people who don't like Mac to begin with and then use their bug-ridden hacks to further their prejudice. OSX is very hardware optimized. Building a good hack isn't impossible, but it's going to be more trouble than it's possibly worth.

Yeah, that part about hackintosh was total sarcasm. I'm not about to attempt some bastardized hybrid that will likely end up with more problems than either system.