Ultraportable laptop w/best screen for photo editing?

[larry]

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WoW! I didn't get flamed!

 

 

Joe,

 

There are scores of Mac users here, so you're preaching to the choir. However, I found Mark's comment about the irony of how closed computers (Apple) vs. closed photo platforms (Leica) are accepted by the members to be very amusing and not without a degree of truth.

 

On the PC side, I've been very impressed with Sony hardware -- but I still love my MacBook!

 

Larry

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[quarth]

I have a Sony laptop with a dual-lamp screen and the screen is really fantastic. Very sharp and contrasty. Its the best screen I've ever seen in all my years of computing. The model number is FE45G under the VAIO FE series. Its not an ultraportable, but the screen is fantastic. The other laptop I was impressed with was the VAIO C25, the only reason I didn't get it was because I wanted a 15" screen and the C25 only has a 13.3" screen.

 

If you don't mind, tell me more about the screen. Other than the "pop" and "wow" factor, which is pretty obvious looking at Sony screens (can't argue they are nice to look at!), have you done any photo editing and then subsequently printed the picture, with accurate color reproduction in the final print? Thanks!

[jfgilbert]

The other killer for me with the Apple is no docking station and fiddly right mouse click functionality - correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you need to press the control key and then click to get up a context menu.

 

Actually, if you put two fingers on the track pad when you click, it does a right click. Also, dragging two fingers on the pad does a scroll (horizontal as well as vertical or slantways), which is kind of nice. This is enabled through the preferences menu on the MacBooks.

 

I have not looked back at the Win laptops since I switched over a few years ago, so I don't know if many can drive a second monitor right off the shelf, but I find that a very nice feature.

 

Finally, I find that, in general, color management is pretty well implemented on Macs, I suppose because they do care about the graphics market and I like that. Of course, it would be even better if they cared more about the M8 market, but that's another thread (or three).

 

Cheers,

Jacques

[sean_reid]

Hmm, no idea. But, I believe at a minimum I'd need to purchase XP or Vista, in addition to Bootcamp. Anyway.. I can figure this stuff out if it turns out the screen is superior to those in the PC laptops I've been looking at.

 

Maybe someone can get Sean Reid to do his next review on laptop screens...

 

I'd like to do that at some point because I have the same question (without the weight restriction).

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[hankg]

Joe,

 

There are scores of Mac users here, so you're preaching to the choir. However, I found Mark's comment about the irony of how closed computers (Apple) vs. closed photo platforms (Leica) are accepted by the members to be very amusing and not without a degree of truth.

 

On the PC side, I've been very impressed with Sony hardware -- but I still love my MacBook!

 

Larry

 

I use both platforms and prefer the MAC for imaging applications but I would not have a problem using a PC instead. There is not the dramatic difference there was years ago in graphics applications.

 

As to open or closed systems it's not an issue of principal, just what makes more business sense. Not to rehash the other thread but Leica has failed miserably as an expensive niche player, so why recommend they stick with an already failed model? Leica needs to broaden it's base and ditch the rich retirees club.

 

Back to computers, if you have a lot invested in PC software I'd get a PC. The difference between platforms is not wide enough to buy all new software. Sony makes a little carbon fiber ultra portable that weighs less then 2 lbs (http://www.dynamism.com/g1/main.shtml). and the Panasonic toughbooks are good for travel and have a couple of very light weight models.

[losta]

Many of the small pc notebooks have low end video cards and specialized RAM that is expensive and not easy to find in 1GB chips. I have a Sony T150 it's a litle 3 lb. 10.5" screen but it's too small and slow for photos I used to use it often to set up networks but now I use a dual boot Mac.

[losta]

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Many of the small pc notebooks have low end video cards and specialized RAM that is expensive and not easy to find in 1GB chips. I have a Sony T150 it's a little 3 lb. 10.5" screen but it's too small and slow for photos I used to use it often to set up networks but now I use a dual boot Mac.

[macusque]

HI Mark

One of the (several) stupid things about Apples is their persistence with a single mouse button - and you're right, if you stick with it, then you end up having to use the control/click. BUT - you can plug in any 2 or more button mouse, and they work. Plus the latest mac bluetooth mouse works well without actually having to plug anything into the computer.

 

Mark,

 

exactly what Jono said, plus the fact that with current MacBook and MacBook Pro you can use double-fingers on the trackpad.

 

If you click the single large button while having two fingers on the trackpad you activate the context menu. If you have only one finger or no fingers on the trackpad, normal left-click works (and of course holding the button and moving one finger lets you highlight a text or move a file/folder).

 

Same for the scrolling/cursor moving: with one finger you move the pointer, with two fingers you can scroll up-down / left-right.

 

P.S. As for the monitor, I use a MacBook Pro 17" and I just love it, but I bought it with the matte finish (which is improved from the one on the PowerBook).

Stay away from the glossy finish if you want to use it for photography.

Glossy screens (standard on MacBook and available also for the Pro's) are fine for watching movies or playing videogames, but they don't have the dynamic range, accurate colors and angle of vision of these new matte lcd.

[roccoriley]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. The only thing that would shy me away from Apple is the fact that I'm fairly vested in PC software -- CS2, C1 Pro, etc. But, if someone can give me good reason to believe a Macbook will provide "the best" screen over a PC counterpart, I would be willing to consider the switch.

.

 

I switched from PC to Mac a couple of months ago, I have a MacPro and a Macbook. I also have Dells and an IBM x41 notebook.

 

I am very happy with the switch. The Macbook screen is fine for photos, at least on my Macbook, and the PC software runs fine on Parallels. I would, however, suggest that you consider Aperture for your photoediting, I switched from C1 to Aperture and am quite satisfied with Aperture. It's fast, easy to use, does good raw conversions (with the help of Adobe) and the database functionality is really useful.

 

If I didn't use the Macbook for photos I would use the IBM. Nice screen, great keyboard, and the new one is very fast (but not so fast as the Macbook!

[albertwang]

I would get a MacBook with Aperture or get a Compaq Presario/Acer Aspire

 

For ultraportable, perhaps a Dell? or HP compact?

[Guest sirvine]

I'm speculating, but I think it's safe to assume that MacBook trackpad will be enhanced in Leopard (the next OS release) to support some of the two-finger gestures demonstrated on the iPhone.

 

Whenever I use a PC laptop, I miss Apple's two-finger scrolling. It FAR outweighs the fiddly right click.

[hahn73]

If sub 5 lbs is important to you, Lenovo has a sale on their 3lb X60 Thinkpad. Its screen is only 12.1 inches, but if you're planning on using this during travel and not as your primary photo editor, then I'd imagine it would be fine. If I were in the market for an ultra-light right now, this would be it. But I'm not, so I'm waiting to see what comes out with Penryn (Intel's next chip) at the end of this year.

[jlm]

has anyone used one of the Sony G1's?

[graeme_clarke]

Hi Mark,

 

I bought a Dell XPS1210 a month ago with a 160gb hard drive, 2gb ram and the 9 cell battery, which runs for a whole day easily on power saving settings. The true-bright screen is great as far TFT lap top screens go, (really crisp) and there's plenty of disk space for daily downloads when I'm away from home. I run lightroom, C1 and CS2 on it without difficulty. It weighs in at 2kg and is about 295mm x 250mm x 30mm with its bigger battery pack. I considered a 13" Mac but went for the Dell because I use a PC desktop.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Graeme

[fourfa]

I have a newish 13" MacBook - C2D, glossy screen - and the screen is AWFUL for critical work. Color shift is fine, but the vertical viewing angle is terrible. With the keyboard within reach there are big contrast shifts from top to bottom of the screen. If you back away such that the viewing angle decreases, it's OK but still somewhat low contrast (blacks are too bright, even after profiling). I would even call it marginal for watching movies due to the contrast variance.

 

The Macbook Pro screens may be better, I don't know. But "best screen for photo editing," you can cross the macbook off the list.

[gesper]

Most of my image work is on a Dell desktop, but when I travel I use a Lenovo X60. It is tiny and light, but plenty fast and works great. I calibrated the screen with a Spyder2Pro. It's not perfect, but it keeps me going until I return home. If it was any bigger, I wouldn't bother taking it with me.

[californiajay]

Having used PCs for about 18 years, and Macs for about 5 (I still own both) I would say that the one big advantage of the Macs is the ability to run Windows if you need to, OSx is a bit more stable than even Vista, there is also very little chance of getting a virus if you run a Mac (practically none) and the Macbook Pros are built very well.

 

On the other hand, there is just so much more software available for Windows that that alone would make me keep the PC if I had to choose between the two...IF I couldn't run Windows on the Mac.

 

Parallels Desktop for the Mac allows you to run XP, or Vista and with the current version you can even run Windows programs on your Mac desktop. You wouldn't even know it's a Windows program just by looking at it.

 

As far as screens go, I see no difference between my glossy MBP screen and my Sony Viao one. Also, Photoshop runs the same on either.

 

ALL things taken into account, if I HAD to choose one, right now it would be the Mac due to the ability to run either system on it.

[sean_reid]

One thing that I'm thinking about when I get around to buying a new laptop is that I again want to get one that lets me specify the video card. I build my own desktops and I'm used to being able to customize.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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[Jager]

Another vote for Mac. The 15" MacBook Pro, with the matte screen (you have a screen option of matte or glossy) makes a very good photo editing platform, in a very reasonable size. The screen profiles quite accurately (I can see little difference between what my laptop renders and what my external monitor does - both profiled with a Gretag Macbeth Eye One).

 

I'm not at all anti-Windows - I've spent years and years working with Microsoft products and will continue to do so. But the vast majority of folks who make the Windows-to-Mac switch find the OS X world to be exceedingly pleasant in comparison. YMMV, of course.

 

You can't run the same Adobe license on both Windows and Mac, but Adobe will move your license from one platform to another for a nominal cost.

 

Best of luck, in any case.

 

Jeff

[AlanG]

I doubt if many Mac users are very familliar with many of the small PC laptops that are available. Some even have built in web cameras - despite those silly commercials. There are way more choices in this field on the PC side than on the Mac side. Apple doesn't even have tablet computers, convertibles or ultra compacts.

 

I use a machine made by Portable One. It has a 12" screen and weighs less than 4lbs. The most unique thing about it is it has a special screen that works great in brightly lit locations and is usable in direct sunlight. (You can't judge color or exposure in direct sunlight.) The Trio view (indoor/outdoor) screen costs $369 more tahn a regular screen but is the main reason I bought this model. I don't know of any other computer with a similar screen. This is much better than previous transreflective screens. I've adjusted it so it is pretty close to matching my desktop monitor. But considering I use the laptop in various locations with different lighting conditions, I have to be careful when judging color and exposure.

 

UX Series: Portable One

 

Click on "configure" to see the various options. Mine has a 7200 rpm 100 gig drive, 2 gigs of ram and the 7200 processor. I see they now they offer the 7600 processor and 4 gigs of RAM but that gets very pricy but powerful.

 

These machines are assembled to order, burned in and tested. I've been using mine since November. I shoot tethered to the camera so It gets a lot of use. I also assemble QTVR projects on-site and use it for general work. The only thing that I don't love is the track pad. Very useable, but not as good a trackpad as others I've owned.

 

If you contact Portable One, tell Ivan that I recomended them.

 

Here is a forum on Portable One:

 

Ultra-Portables Forum - Has Anyone Ordered The New P1 UX?

 

You can read about other laptops and ultraportables at Leog.net