Posted by Dave Sewell on November 16, 2007 at 4:11 AM
Hi all,
I've come to the conclusion that I have to stop messing about with photographs on my laptop and get a dedicated desktop and a decent monitor just for my photography. Can anybody give any advice on the monitor? I'm wondering about screen resolution - whether there's a minimum recommendation. Also if there's anything else I haven't thought about or more to the point don't even know exisits but would regret not getting once I did find out about it!! If that makes sense!
The other thing is storage. What software do you guys use to catalogue and store your shots? I've got folders and files all over my laptop which is getting completely out of hand. There has to be a better way! Once the new pooter arrives I want to start as I mean to go on and get properly organsied so that I can catalogue shots logically and then access them easily.
Any advice gratefully received.
All best,
Dave
Posted by Paul Gibbs on November 16, 2007 at 4:40 AM
Firstly are you an apple user (arrgh it burns to even think the word) or a PC users?
I assume PC, so, i'd say any of the better Samsungs, or IIyama monitors are always good in my book, i've used IIyama monitors now for about 15 years and never had a faulty one or any other issues.
As for resolution, and size i'd go for a minimum of 20 inch and 1600x1200, also i always use two monitors, one has the image, the other toolbars and IE.
Posted by Andy Astbury on November 16, 2007 at 4:43 AM
Hi David
On the monitor front the most common viewing resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels so your choice of monitor is endless
The one thing you really need to be able to do is calibrate it, so you'll need one that has a colour balance, brightness and contrast adjustment menu on it - which is still pretty much all of them.
I'm still running an LG 17" CRT with the Spyder 2 Pro calibration software - if you've got the room for a CRT then that's all you really need.
I keep hankering for a Wacom Cintique but every time I get anywhere near the £2000 to buy one some other bit of kit seems to jump the que
For storage I use 500Gb external caddies - they are dirt cheap, and I have one for Nikon NEF files and their TIFF derivatives and one for Canon CR2 files.
I use Photo Mechanic for cataloging - easy-peasy, which suits me fine
For transfering raw files, well for Canon I use the EOS utility that comes with the cam - the utility also does the TIFF conversions for me.
And for the Nikon NEF files I use Nikon Transfer to upload from the card reader and ViewNX (thanx Tim ) for the TIFF conversions.
Big and simple - just like me really
PS. I've just read Paul's answer, using that high resolution is superb but if you plan to do any web page layouts you can easily make things too big for general viewing by the outside world.
Posted by Mike Smith on November 16, 2007 at 6:51 AM
For storage I now use a dual 750gb external caddy system, I recently had a close shave with my first single back up unit when it decided not to boot up whithout being encouraged with a hammer to jump a dodgy segment or something similar - 3 years worth of digital images were at stake, so I am now definately in the "no such thing as a single secure storage system for digital files" camp of thinking - and take 2 copies of everything.
I tried also burning a secure backup copy to cds as well, but found it far too labour intensive and my evening time too precious to waste fiddling about, does anyone use secure DVD disc storage as the final secure back up as well?
For file transfer from card to machine one of the best is Breezebrowser's Download Pro - a great little utility which if configured correctly (via a simple set of naming string conventions) allows you to enter a location or session name and it will then automatically generate individual named and dated folders for each days shoot with the session date from the exif date on the image files and download the files into the appropriate date folder - saves hours of fun and games! - and it is fast as well
Posted by Rene de Heer on November 16, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Desktop: Dell Dimension 9200, check out Xstock on EBAY. Excellent company in Richmond, kind of Dell outlet.
Screen: have a look at the Samsung 245B
External drives: 2x Buffalo Terra drive and 1x Buffalo 500 GB drive for back up, 1 500GB drive internal
Backup software: Windows has a freebie SYnctoy, or you could try Memeo, cost approx £10. I use it and i like it a lot
Rene de Heer
Posted by Dave Sewell on November 17, 2007 at 2:51 AM
Thanks Guys. Input very much appreciated. I'll be putting my order together this weekend.
All best,
Dave
Discussion
5 repliesI've come to the conclusion that I have to stop messing about with photographs on my laptop and get a dedicated desktop and a decent monitor just for my photography. Can anybody give any advice on the monitor? I'm wondering about screen resolution - whether there's a minimum recommendation. Also if there's anything else I haven't thought about or more to the point don't even know exisits but would regret not getting once I did find out about it!! If that makes sense!
The other thing is storage. What software do you guys use to catalogue and store your shots? I've got folders and files all over my laptop which is getting completely out of hand. There has to be a better way! Once the new pooter arrives I want to start as I mean to go on and get properly organsied so that I can catalogue shots logically and then access them easily.
Any advice gratefully received.
All best,
Dave
I assume PC, so, i'd say any of the better Samsungs, or IIyama monitors are always good in my book, i've used IIyama monitors now for about 15 years and never had a faulty one or any other issues.
As for resolution, and size i'd go for a minimum of 20 inch and 1600x1200, also i always use two monitors, one has the image, the other toolbars and IE.
On the monitor front the most common viewing resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels so your choice of monitor is endless
The one thing you really need to be able to do is calibrate it, so you'll need one that has a colour balance, brightness and contrast adjustment menu on it - which is still pretty much all of them.
I'm still running an LG 17" CRT with the Spyder 2 Pro calibration software - if you've got the room for a CRT then that's all you really need.
I keep hankering for a Wacom Cintique but every time I get anywhere near the £2000 to buy one some other bit of kit seems to jump the que
For storage I use 500Gb external caddies - they are dirt cheap, and I have one for Nikon NEF files and their TIFF derivatives and one for Canon CR2 files.
I use Photo Mechanic for cataloging - easy-peasy, which suits me fine
For transfering raw files, well for Canon I use the EOS utility that comes with the cam - the utility also does the TIFF conversions for me.
And for the Nikon NEF files I use Nikon Transfer to upload from the card reader and ViewNX (thanx Tim
Big and simple - just like me really
PS. I've just read Paul's answer, using that high resolution is superb but if you plan to do any web page layouts you can easily make things too big for general viewing by the outside world.
I tried also burning a secure backup copy to cds as well, but found it far too labour intensive and my evening time too precious to waste fiddling about, does anyone use secure DVD disc storage as the final secure back up as well?
For file transfer from card to machine one of the best is Breezebrowser's Download Pro - a great little utility which if configured correctly (via a simple set of naming string conventions) allows you to enter a location or session name and it will then automatically generate individual named and dated folders for each days shoot with the session date from the exif date on the image files and download the files into the appropriate date folder - saves hours of fun and games! - and it is fast as well
Screen: have a look at the Samsung 245B
External drives: 2x Buffalo Terra drive and 1x Buffalo 500 GB drive for back up, 1 500GB drive internal
Backup software: Windows has a freebie SYnctoy, or you could try Memeo, cost approx £10. I use it and i like it a lot
Rene de Heer
All best,
Dave