Bruno Gracia
Well-known
Is it good enough for run LR and CS5?
I just don't want to be traveling with my macbook pro ALU 2008 17" I know, it has a great screen , but Also I have an Eizo CG243W which is much better for editing.
I've contemplated the 13 inches but feel much better the 11 in a transport way and a carry on computer for everyday.
Here in Spain I have the Eizo, there in London I will buy an Apple Cinema 23" or something like that! Dell or something..
Mostly I scan my negatives with my coolscan and do some post processing in CS5 and maybe SE2, the only digital I use is when I want to sell equipment and edit in LR.
Thanks!
I just don't want to be traveling with my macbook pro ALU 2008 17" I know, it has a great screen , but Also I have an Eizo CG243W which is much better for editing.
I've contemplated the 13 inches but feel much better the 11 in a transport way and a carry on computer for everyday.
Here in Spain I have the Eizo, there in London I will buy an Apple Cinema 23" or something like that! Dell or something..
Mostly I scan my negatives with my coolscan and do some post processing in CS5 and maybe SE2, the only digital I use is when I want to sell equipment and edit in LR.
Thanks!
rscheffler
Well-known
Yes, it will be fine and likely will be significantly faster than your 2008 era MBP, if that is your concern about it being 'good enough.' The Core 2 Duo processor in your MBP is easily outclassed by the current i5/i7 processors. The greatest compromise with the 11" is screen real-estate if you're not able to use it with a larger desktop display. Once you get working in an app like LR, with side panels, etc. with the built-in display, the actual usable screen space becomes relatively small. Of course you can still zoom in to 100% to see details but there will be a lot of scrolling around... Is it a big problem for me? No. I previously used a number of 13" Apple laptops and always wanted something smaller. Not just thinner and lighter, but smaller length and width dimensions to better fit into smaller bags that I prefer when traveling (both by air and car). Therefore the small screen is a trade-off I accept for the portability of the 11", which is not that much larger than an iPad, but allows for much better productivity.
I have the 2011 11" with i7 processor and bought it specifically for travel and editing in the field. For me, editing is two stages: 1) making selections whereby I'm checking content for creative and technical considerations; 2) the actual processing of the files. The MBA handles point 1 very well and is OK for 2. When possible, I will do subjective processing on my iMac instead due to the better and larger display.
Yesterday I processed about 1000 18MP raw files through LR4 on the MBA, as part of a batch that was also run on my late 2009 i7 iMac (quad-core iMac vs. dual-core MBA), and the Air was about half the speed of the iMac. FWIW, I also have the 2010 MBA with Core 2 Duo processor, and it's much, much slower than the i7 chip. The latest 2013 MBAs are a bit faster than my 2011, but the real gain is much reduced power consumption and therefore much, much longer battery life - a good thing to have when traveling.
I would suggest getting a configuration with the maximum available RAM since it is not upgradeable later. The SSDs in the 2013 models are also a new configuration that is currently unique to Apple and may be difficult to currently find 3rd party upgrade options, therefore you should probably choose a capacity that is greater than you currently require.
I have the 2011 11" with i7 processor and bought it specifically for travel and editing in the field. For me, editing is two stages: 1) making selections whereby I'm checking content for creative and technical considerations; 2) the actual processing of the files. The MBA handles point 1 very well and is OK for 2. When possible, I will do subjective processing on my iMac instead due to the better and larger display.
Yesterday I processed about 1000 18MP raw files through LR4 on the MBA, as part of a batch that was also run on my late 2009 i7 iMac (quad-core iMac vs. dual-core MBA), and the Air was about half the speed of the iMac. FWIW, I also have the 2010 MBA with Core 2 Duo processor, and it's much, much slower than the i7 chip. The latest 2013 MBAs are a bit faster than my 2011, but the real gain is much reduced power consumption and therefore much, much longer battery life - a good thing to have when traveling.
I would suggest getting a configuration with the maximum available RAM since it is not upgradeable later. The SSDs in the 2013 models are also a new configuration that is currently unique to Apple and may be difficult to currently find 3rd party upgrade options, therefore you should probably choose a capacity that is greater than you currently require.
Pablito
coco frío
I have the 11" and it is fine in terms of processing power and speed. I use is only for travel, as I have the 17" MBP for everything else. The biggest drawback is the screen, which does not display photos with the nuance and subtlety of the higher-end machines. But this does not matter to me since I do not use the machine for the final post processing.
hans voralberg
Veteran
Get the 13", it has built in SD reader and even on the 13" retina like mine the GUI of LR or PS will take up a lot of space and leave little for the image, so even for field editing the 11" is too small to be worth the trade off in weight.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I have used both MBA 11" and 13" quite a lot. They're both quite capable, but for photo work I'd choose the 13" for the additional performance and the screen real estate, as well as the SD card reader.
A late-2011 MBA 13" is currently my primary work computer in 4G RAM, 1.85Ghz, 128G storage configuration. The newer ones are better performers with more options, but even this one does a darn good job with LR and othe image editing SW.
G
Timmyjoe
Veteran
Bruno, it sounds like your workflow is totally different than mine, but here is what works for me.
When I'm working, I shoot with two Nikon DSLR's. Everything I need to shoot, edit, and send pics to my editor has to be carried with me on my back. So the MacBook Air 11 is a Godsend.
While I wouldn't use it for final editing of gallery prints, teamed up with Aperture 3 (and Photoshop for tricky editing) it works great for images that will appear in online publications and in news oriented print.
Best,
-Tim
When I'm working, I shoot with two Nikon DSLR's. Everything I need to shoot, edit, and send pics to my editor has to be carried with me on my back. So the MacBook Air 11 is a Godsend.
While I wouldn't use it for final editing of gallery prints, teamed up with Aperture 3 (and Photoshop for tricky editing) it works great for images that will appear in online publications and in news oriented print.
Best,
-Tim
Bruno Gracia
Well-known
Thanks guys, actually my workflow is develop the rolls taken with my MP and scan with VueScan, due to I have a professional eizo monitor and planning to buy another one for my time in London, I have no problem with the 11 inches vs longer display, I just want to know if big TIFF files are handled properly with the 11 MBA 
As I said, my only digital camera is a GF1 Panasonic, in which I put my M lenses just to photograph the cameras or lenses I am selling, so no hard work or bigger files.
But for example on a trip the MacBook 11" would be nice, I must think the scanning and editing process I do in my big monitor. And I feel comfortable typing on it not the iPad.
Is there much differce between 4gb and 8gb and between the 128 vs 256 SSD? (In terms of speed)
As I said, my only digital camera is a GF1 Panasonic, in which I put my M lenses just to photograph the cameras or lenses I am selling, so no hard work or bigger files.
But for example on a trip the MacBook 11" would be nice, I must think the scanning and editing process I do in my big monitor. And I feel comfortable typing on it not the iPad.
Is there much differce between 4gb and 8gb and between the 128 vs 256 SSD? (In terms of speed)
hausen
Well-known
MB Air is fine for what you are talking. I use mine when I am away from desk and do fine editing when back at office with my Eizo 27. The 11" is tiny and fits in all but one of my camera bags.
Bruno Gracia
Well-known
Thanks David, so are You using regularly the Air 11 and that's fine plug in Eizo monitor? Nice!
I will try to order with the max RAM available.
I will try to order with the max RAM available.
fdarnell
Well-known
I was lucky in coming into enough funds to retool the Mac in my business, which relies heavily on in the field work with all the Adobe apps and Quark, and I've go to be able to find something I did last year for a client (seems always at a moment's notice: Anyway, in the past 8 weeks I have tried on:
MacBookPro 15 Inch Retina 256GB SSD
MacBook Air 13 inch 4/128 Ivy Bridge
MacBookPro 13 Inch Retina 256 GB SSD
Refurbed MacBookPro 17 Inch big screen res
MacBookPro 15 Inch 750GB High-res antiglare - has the DVD
These all got returned since there was some basic limitation. The retina's you can't upgade RAM and the SSD is all there is. So you en up carrying a hard drive everywhere you go. The 17 inch sounded like a wind tunnel. The high res antiglare is nice, but it's a 2K machine. I could modify it for SSD and HDD.
I settled with a 15 Inch Core i7 (2.3) with the standard res display and DVD. Removed the DVD got a 256GB SSD and put the 500GB drive in place of the DVD using the Data Doubler from Other World Computing. Now I have the speed of the SSD AND the data storage I need (might need to upgrade to 1.5TB). Overall, this was the most portable scenario for me. I also fell into a couple of Thunderbolt displays for $650 each, so that's the main display. I commute 800 miles from Business area to home, so I am in the field 3 to 4 weeks. Keep all the big gear in a storage area.
I love the format of the 11 inch, and it will connect to the big displays, so that's not a real limitation. The problem is it just costs too much to add enough SSD space, so you end up carrying a hard drive. This just did not make sense to me. I wanted it all internal. So now it's all down to one laptop bag and large screens located in the field and at home (no schlepping the screens anymore).
Carefully look at pricing for the standard Core i7 model versus and aire with enough storage space. I was able to get the lappy for $1350 and the 256GB ssd for 179, so it worked out great.
Now if I had only remembered to bring the charger with me back home instead of leaving it at the hotel. At least I have a hackintosh at home to work with. :bang:
MacBookPro 15 Inch Retina 256GB SSD
MacBook Air 13 inch 4/128 Ivy Bridge
MacBookPro 13 Inch Retina 256 GB SSD
Refurbed MacBookPro 17 Inch big screen res
MacBookPro 15 Inch 750GB High-res antiglare - has the DVD
These all got returned since there was some basic limitation. The retina's you can't upgade RAM and the SSD is all there is. So you en up carrying a hard drive everywhere you go. The 17 inch sounded like a wind tunnel. The high res antiglare is nice, but it's a 2K machine. I could modify it for SSD and HDD.
I settled with a 15 Inch Core i7 (2.3) with the standard res display and DVD. Removed the DVD got a 256GB SSD and put the 500GB drive in place of the DVD using the Data Doubler from Other World Computing. Now I have the speed of the SSD AND the data storage I need (might need to upgrade to 1.5TB). Overall, this was the most portable scenario for me. I also fell into a couple of Thunderbolt displays for $650 each, so that's the main display. I commute 800 miles from Business area to home, so I am in the field 3 to 4 weeks. Keep all the big gear in a storage area.
I love the format of the 11 inch, and it will connect to the big displays, so that's not a real limitation. The problem is it just costs too much to add enough SSD space, so you end up carrying a hard drive. This just did not make sense to me. I wanted it all internal. So now it's all down to one laptop bag and large screens located in the field and at home (no schlepping the screens anymore).
Carefully look at pricing for the standard Core i7 model versus and aire with enough storage space. I was able to get the lappy for $1350 and the 256GB ssd for 179, so it worked out great.
Now if I had only remembered to bring the charger with me back home instead of leaving it at the hotel. At least I have a hackintosh at home to work with. :bang: