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11/04/2013 10:51:38 AM · #1 |
Okay......I know just enough about cameras & computers to dig myself a serious hole. I'd appreciate the help & opinions of anyone who feels comfortable advising me about a new box.
I want to buy a computer SPECIFICALLY for my still photography. No video, no burning DVD/Blu-Ray, no games, no office related document management, strictly for downloading, editing, & storing image files from my D600. I very seriously doubt that I'll ever get any more in-depth with a camera body than my D600s.......those image files are about 30MB each.
I use Lightroom & Elements.
So....what do I need in the various categories, and what do I ask for in a computer?
RAM? HD? Do I go redundant internally? I also don't need anything fancy as far as sound.....just a basic capability for output to external speakers. I also don't want to say that price is no object because it seems that 4-5 years is about as long as you can hang onto a computer before you can't even get external peripherals to run off it any more.
Thanks in advance....
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11/04/2013 11:06:31 AM · #2 |
| gimme a price range to work with sir, and i will be more able to help out. PS: are Macs an option? |
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11/04/2013 11:09:25 AM · #3 |
Hey Jeb
I already do exactly what you're planning on doing - an Internet-free computer just for photos and PSCS5, I have a PC for Interwebz when I'm at home. FWIW I have always been a Mac person when it comes to my photo stuff. Just be sure your system of whatever type of comp you go with can support your file sizes! You may need a 1 or 2TB external hard drive to back up to.  scalvert may be useful if you plan to go Mac. Hope this helps. |
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11/04/2013 11:11:44 AM · #4 |
| Microsoft Surface 2 - be sure to get the 256GB variety, as it has 8GB of RAM. (also, it has a build in Wacom digitizer, but so do the lower models) |
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11/04/2013 11:28:28 AM · #5 |
Here is one I did recently... costs worked out @1500 and it's far more power then I need to lightroom/photoshop (it had to do dual duty as a games machine for my teen).
//pcpartpicker.com/user/robstein/saved/1aNc
I did NOT end up adding the 32Gb of memory and went with just 16 and seems to be fine - never pushed more that 60% so I figured no point adding the extra 16. This cpu can be overclocked and that's in the plans but right now it's very quick without needing an oc (it has a bit of a turbo built in which I see now and then). This cpu series has been replaced now but this is still fast and you will pay less than I did most likely since it's now out of date :-)
All the bits went together well - although that cpu cooler was a bit of a pita - just search in youtube for some good videos if you go with that cooler so you can see what happens before you start - makes a huge difference.
Get the SSD for the program files no matter what - makes a world of difference. Just be careful about limiting what gets installed on the SSD and get a fast regular drive for the rest and the data. I put all the LR cache on the SSD as well as the programs and windoze cache but images are on another series of drivers as is the LR database files. |
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11/04/2013 12:05:48 PM · #6 |
Built my computer from scratch including 23" IPS monitor for $650 or so. Handles everything I throw at it with ease.
If you know how to use a screwdriver, I would recommend building a PC over buying at a
premium.
Newegg is you friend :) |
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11/04/2013 12:11:41 PM · #7 |
| I am thinking of having a go at building my own PC too. Doesn't look too tricky apart from perhaps hooking up the power supply. |
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11/04/2013 12:13:17 PM · #8 |
Gulp!
I need it dumbed down a little bit further, folks!
I'm a PC guy......I wouldn't even know how to power up a Mac.
Cory, I have *NO* idea what you said at all! LOL!!!
Susan, I am going to use this machine for web as well, but its primary intent is to have the photography capability I need.
Maybe I do need to get more specific in my asks.....
What do I need to look for in a processor? No CS, strictly Lightroom & PSE11, though I usually have both of them open at the same time.
I know I'd like at least 1TB internal.....is it safe to mirror that internally, or should backup be external?
I want to be able to play music......I have an external Bose speaker/subwoofer setup that I like now with just a "regular" sound card.
I need a wireless modem.
This is an HP unit......I used to just grab stuff off the shelf at Best Buy, HHGregg, Circuit City, Staples, whatever, but now I'd like to know a little bit more so that I don't buy features I don't need, but that I get speed, power, & space that I do. This one below is pretty cheap, about $800. What should I do to it as far as amping it up? Or does it need anything more?
Intel quad-core processor for exceptional power, integrated graphics, expandability, Beats audio; two-year limited warranty
Operating system - Windows 8.1 64
Processor- 4th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770 processor [3.4GHz,...
Memory - 8GB DDR3-1600MHz [1 DIMM ]
Hard drive - 1TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Graphics card - Intel HD Graphics [DVI-D]
Optical drive - SuperMulti DVD Burner
Options:
Processor:4th Generation Intel® Coreâ„¢ i7-4771 processor [3.5GHz, 8MB Shared Cache] +$35
Windows 8.1 Pro 64 +$70
Memory:16GB DDR3-1600MHz [2 DIMMs] +$60
Hard Drive:256GB Solid state drive +$200 (Is this what you were talking about, Cory?) Isn't 256GB one quarter of 1TB? If I'm running out of space with a 500GB internal HD, why would I do this? Or is this more reliable, then I get big external storage?
Disc Caching:16GB mSATA SSD Cache +$50 Do I need this?
If I get all this stuff, it goes whizzing by $1000, but if it's something that makes it much better, I can deal with that.
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11/04/2013 12:18:05 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Cory, I have *NO* idea what you said at all! LOL!!! |
Surface Pro 2...
It's everything you need, and it'll fit in your camera bag, plus it has a tablet/drawing input, made by Wacom, so the pen is really accurate and pressure sensitive.
Message edited by author 2013-11-04 12:20:22. |
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11/04/2013 12:18:35 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by Garry:
Built my computer from scratch including 23" IPS monitor for $650 or so. Handles everything I throw at it with ease.
If you know how to use a screwdriver, I would recommend building a PC over buying at a
premium.
Newegg is you friend :) |
There's nothing wrong with the one I have now other than it's three years old or so......can I update what I have?
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11/04/2013 12:19:57 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by Garry:
Built my computer from scratch including 23" IPS monitor for $650 or so. Handles everything I throw at it with ease.
If you know how to use a screwdriver, I would recommend building a PC over buying at a
premium.
Newegg is you friend :) |
There's nothing wrong with the one I have now other than it's three years old or so......can I update what I have? |
The only issue is that you start to get into a minefield of incompatibilities, but yes, this is the cheapest possible method.
I guess the real question is, if there's nothing wrong with the one you have, why are you trying to 'fix' it? |
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11/04/2013 12:21:00 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Cory, I have *NO* idea what you said at all! LOL!!! |
Originally posted by Cory:
Surface Pro 2...
It's everything you need, and it'll fit in your camera bag, plus it has a tablet/drawing input, made by Wacom, so the pen is really accurate and pressure sensitive.
The real question is "Do you want to deal with a full-size PC".. :) |
Hmm......I have a 25" backlit LED HDMI connected monitor.
NOT going to switch to a tablet for editing.
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11/04/2013 12:22:49 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Cory, I have *NO* idea what you said at all! LOL!!! |
Originally posted by Cory:
Surface Pro 2...
It's everything you need, and it'll fit in your camera bag, plus it has a tablet/drawing input, made by Wacom, so the pen is really accurate and pressure sensitive.
The real question is "Do you want to deal with a full-size PC".. :) |
Hmm......I have a 25" backlit LED HDMI connected monitor.
NOT going to switch to a tablet for editing. |
It has video out ya know. :D
Really, drop the knee jerk reaction to it's being a 'tablet' and take a careful look.... The specs are good, and the fact that it acts like a computer with a built-in Cintiq is pretty attractive.. I'm very seriously considering dropping all the big stuff and moving to that system.
Message edited by author 2013-11-04 12:24:39. |
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11/04/2013 12:23:13 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by Garry:
Built my computer from scratch including 23" IPS monitor for $650 or so. Handles everything I throw at it with ease.
If you know how to use a screwdriver, I would recommend building a PC over buying at a
premium.
Newegg is you friend :) |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
There's nothing wrong with the one I have now other than it's three years old or so......can I update what I have? |
Originally posted by Cory:
The only issue is that you start to get into a minefield of incompatibilities, but yes, this is the cheapest possible method.
I guess the real question is, if there's nothing wrong with the one you have, why are you trying to 'fix' it? |
It's slow opening in LR & PSE, and downloading/importing image files.
Not really all that slow, either, prolly.......I'm just impatient.
Maybe I should buy another lens.....
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11/04/2013 12:25:56 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Hard Drive:256GB Solid state drive +$200 (Is this what you were talking about, Cory?) Isn't 256GB one quarter of 1TB? If I'm running out of space with a 500GB internal HD, why would I do this? Or is this more reliable, then I get big external storage? |
You want a machine with 2 drives, ideally. The 256GB SSD is a solid-state drive that is MUCH faster than spinning drives: you'll have your operating system and your programs on that. Then you'll have a second physical drive in the machine that's a 7200 RPM spinner, maybe 1TB, that you'll use for storage. And you'll plug in external drives for backup.
Be sure to have a couple USB3 ports and a USB3-compliant external drive: much faster. |
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11/04/2013 12:26:36 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Not really all that slow, either, prolly.......I'm just impatient.
Maybe I should buy another lens..... |
Well, as long as you stick to just upgrading to a SSD and popping in some more RAM, there shouldn't be any major gotchas... Biggest issue is the fact that you'll need to move the OS to the new SSD, which means deactivating all your current software and then doing a ground-up system installation.
Message edited by author 2013-11-04 12:27:37. |
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11/04/2013 12:26:40 PM · #17 |
Jeb, the short answer is yes, you can probably update it. The long answer is it all depends on what you have and how old it is. For instance, if you want to update your CPU, you'll probably need to update your motherboard to. Then, if you update the mobo, your ram may not be compatible any more. So as Cory said, compatibility is going to be an issue.
If you upgrade as you go, its a lot easier than doing an upgrade several years down the line as you.
List what you have and we can see what is still worth keeping and what will need replacing. |
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11/04/2013 12:27:50 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Hard Drive:256GB Solid state drive +$200 (Is this what you were talking about, Cory?) Isn't 256GB one quarter of 1TB? If I'm running out of space with a 500GB internal HD, why would I do this? Or is this more reliable, then I get big external storage? |
You want a machine with 2 drives, ideally. The 256GB SSD is a solid-state drive that is MUCH faster than spinning drives: you'll have your operating system and your programs on that. Then you'll have a second physical drive in the machine that's a 7200 RPM spinner, maybe 1TB, that you'll use for storage. And you'll plug in external drives for backup.
Be sure to have a couple USB3 ports and a USB3-compliant external drive: much faster. |
+1 on this.. and you might be able to update your existing hardware to do all this.
3+ years is not that old! |
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11/04/2013 12:28:02 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by Cory:
It has video out ya know. :D |
With an HDMI port?
Originally posted by Cory:
Really, drop the knee jerk reaction to it's being a 'tablet' and take a careful look.... I'm very seriously considering dropping all the big stuff and moving to that system. |
Who you callin' a knee!
I have been looking at one of these little guys as a "Portable Gallery" so I can show my stuff.....I like them and I have big clumsy hands that make my smart phone a bitch to use.
Message edited by author 2013-11-04 12:29:06.
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11/04/2013 12:29:57 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by P-A-U-L:
I am thinking of having a go at building my own PC too. Doesn't look too tricky apart from perhaps hooking up the power supply. |
Easy as pie. I did my first build last Christmas. If you do your research upfront and pick compatible parts, the build is dead easy. Everything really only has one place to go, so its like building a simple puzzle. |
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11/04/2013 12:30:01 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by Cory:
It has video out ya know. :D |
Originally posted by Cory:
Really, drop the knee jerk reaction to it's being a 'tablet' and take a careful look.... I'm very seriously considering dropping all the big stuff and moving to that system. |
Who you callin' a knee!
I have been looking at one of these little guys as a "portable Gallery" so I can show my stuff.....I like them and I have big clumsy hands that make my smart phone a bitch to use. |
:D that's funny..
Really though, there's not much about the Surface Pro 2 that strikes me as 'tablet like' other than the form factor.
Haven't been able to actually go hands-on with one yet, but frankly, they should be screaming fast, and seem like a dream for photo editing (at least to me anyway)... |
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11/04/2013 12:30:06 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
There's nothing wrong with the one I have now other than it's three years old or so......can I update what I have? |
The only issue is that you start to get into a minefield of incompatibilities, but yes, this is the cheapest possible method.
I guess the real question is, if there's nothing wrong with the one you have, why are you trying to 'fix' it? |
Agree... Just talking about a 4770 processor (which is overkill for LR/PS/Web most likely) means a lot of bits won't be reusable - not the least of which almost certainly includes the motherboard. If the current machine works then why build... is there some specific pain point? If there is then maybe that can be addressed in the current config.
The reason I pointed at the parts picker website is that it gives you a chance to see the incompatibility (although far from a guarantee), so I liked using it as a sanity check for the bits for a starter site.
In the end... it's just not all that complex building a pc - it's just a few components that need to be stuck together and most of the connection are obvious but it is daunting at the start. Getting a list of compat parts is the key IMO. |
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11/04/2013 12:43:03 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
There's nothing wrong with the one I have now other than it's three years old or so......can I update what I have? |
Originally posted by Cory:
The only issue is that you start to get into a minefield of incompatibilities, but yes, this is the cheapest possible method.
I guess the real question is, if there's nothing wrong with the one you have, why are you trying to 'fix' it? |
Originally posted by robs:
Agree... Just talking about a 4770 processor (which is overkill for LR/PS/Web most likely) means a lot of bits won't be reusable - not the least of which almost certainly includes the motherboard. If the current machine works then why build... is there some specific pain point? |
Sigh.....
I guess I should just be grateful I have a reasonably decent unit with a terrific screen and let it go for now.
I'm liking Cory's idea for an upgrade later......adding to my capability as opposed to rendering my current PC useless when there's nothing wrong with it.
Message edited by author 2013-11-04 12:43:54.
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11/04/2013 12:47:53 PM · #24 |
I could be hijacking this thread -- but I'm going to pretend that I'm asking for Jeb, not that I'm looking for one myself... :)
If Jeb (really, Jeb, not Wendy... Jeb)
If Jeb wanted to buy a 256 ssd drive for his current computer (or maybe a 500), is there a particular drive that you guys recommend?
Jeb thanks you, I'm sure... :) |
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11/04/2013 12:48:39 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Sigh.....
I guess I should just be grateful I have a reasonably decent unit with a terrific screen and let it go for now.
I'm liking Cory's idea for an upgrade later......adding to my capability as opposed to rendering my current PC useless when there's nothing wrong with it. |
Have you actually watched the process monitor and graphs to determine where your slowdown is?
If you're interested, I'd help you do that. Just PM me. |
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