Need New System

[Virtual Imager]

Good morning all:

 

I plan to be doing a lot of travelling in the coming months and I want to put together a system that will allow me to continue to work and also to put on my workshops in a remote location. I need a laptop (PC), small scanner (even if it only scans 4x6 photographs it will be enough), projector, and maybe a small printer. It has to be lightweight as I will be carrying all this equipment in addition to all my photography equipment ( which is non-digital, 35 mm camera with assorted lenses, filters, tripod, and separate underwater camera etc. - very heavy but I can't do without any of it!) through airports and on all manner of public transportation. Also everything needs to work in both the US and in Europe.

 

I need to be able to scan in photographs at high resolution, run Photoshop, and work on image files that average 17-25 megs each. Other than that, I'll need internet, email, Word, and an image viewer (probably ACDSee). And of course dvd/cd player to keep me entertained!

 

I know nothing about hardware so I'm seeking some input on what I should be looking for in terms of memory, ports and other capabilities. Also brand recommendations would be very helpful.

 

I leave for work shortly and won't be able to get back on the forum till later, so please don't feel slighted if I don't respond to your replies immediately. Also, if you could keep your responses in plain English (as opposed to computerese) I will be most grateful! My husband used to do all this for/with me, but he has informed me that he no longer wants the job of being my "computer consultant" so please bear with all my questions. I'm lost!

[schussat]

Does your travel budget include a porter? 'Cause that's a lot of stuff to carry!

 

I have a two+ year old Toshiba laptop that I can't get enough of. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one of their subsequent models. That said, I hear the new Thinkpads are light and very durable. They're probably worth a serious look. To work with lots of photos plus other applications, and be pretty comfortable, I'd recommend 512MB of memory and a good large hard drive. CDRW+DVD will probably be standard, so you probably won't have to trick out the PC much at all -- the only thing that you may have to look for specifically is a model with enough memory. (At least, when I bought my laptop a couple of years ago, that was the factor that tended to differ; most laptops had great big hard drives but relatively little memory.)

 

I hate to beg the question, but I imagine that your travel process is going to be something like: Travel; wait; travel; wait; take photos; travel; wait; develop prints; scan prints; edit/emai/post prints; repeat. Is that close? I'm just wondering if there's not a process that won't require you to carry an extra piece of equipment (the scanner). With all the photo equipment, you're not really in the position (and probably don't have the inclination, anyway) to go digital. Since you'll be going to Europe, I bet that the odds are good that wherever you get film developed (I assume you're not taking the darkroom?) will be able to make you a disc of prints, too. The difference, as I see it, would be that you could keep the computer stuff to one bag. Easier all around, especially when you're going from buses to trains to plains.

 

On the other hand, something like this Visioneer scanner might do the trick nicely. It's USB, so it will work with whatever laptop you end up getting.

 

With that pairing, you don't have many other hardware worries to consider, I think. You'll need an electrical adaptor for European current, of course.

 

Okay, I have to prepare for class (my students have a midterm coming up, and they're nervous). I'm really interested to hear what other folks have to say on this one!

[Madmanmcp]

Recommending computer equipment is always a difficult task, especially when its long distance and is based on a couple lines of text. Something is always lost in the discription or interpretation.

 

What I usually ask folks is what is their price range since this will usually limit what and how much you will be able to get. There are inexpensive laptops out there that may suffice, or there are high end high price systems which may do more than you need. I tend to recommend systems just a little over what the user wants cause thats what they usually want anyway .

 

Most Laptops out there are going to be able to do what you want, with few modifications. I agree with schussat that you need a lot of memory and 512MB will probably not come unless you request it. Get the highest Processor speed you can find, it will be needed for photo editing.

 

Now one of my questions will be about the use of a printer and a scanner...what exactly are your plans for their use? The reason I ask is because I have a feeling you are asking for them because thats what you had used previously to do your "job" and its very possible that they are no longer necessary. If the scanner is to be used to scan in the photos you take so you can edit them, then this is no longer needed. You can purchase a Digital camera and download the photos straight the Laptop and and get pefect images. If the printer was to print these pictures to be scanned than its purpose is also negated.

 

You mention Internet access...thats a tough one and something you will need to decide. To make sure you can at least connect the Laptop will already be setup with a modem and an Ethernet connector (maybe wireless), your job will be to have an ISP that will allow you to connect from multiple places, dialup for example.

[TCH-Dick]

Moving to Hardware Corner

[ThumpAZ]

As far as the laptop interest, I can agree with the IBM reccomendation, they are definitely light and durable. You will be missing a few keys that you are used to on most home PCs (IBM will not use the normal Windows shortcut keys, out of defiance to Microsoft, LOL). These are real workhorses for business apps, but the ones I have seen and demo'd have been lacking in the graphics department for what I think you may be after.

For something with a good rep (as of late) and excellent graphics packages, look at the Toshiba Satellite line. They have really turned around in the last few years, and are highly upgradable for your specific needs.

Most any lappie these days comes with a slew of productivity items such as the CDRW/DVD drive, and other items, so you need to be concerned more with the memory, HDD, processor and graphics (for your specific application). However, more and more laptops are not coming with internal floppy drives. Keep that in mind as you peruse the models. Just remember that with added features and such, there is often a weight gain as well.

Look for AT LEAST 512MB RAM (for you I would look at an upgrade here to speed up your image workings)

Large drive as those image files add up fast

LPT port (printer) and plenty of USBs

Very good graphics card that does not use shared RAM (nVidia or similar)

Internal Wireless, Ethernet and V.everything modem

 

Getting the adapters for power and phones is pretty easy from any office supply store, so no real worries there.

You will need to use an ISP that has International dialup numbers and services. I know that Qwest says they have it, but when we tried to use for a trip to Milan, it would not work... they had discontinued the number without telling anyone. Most nicer hotels and coffee shops these days, though, have internet access.

I cannot recoomend the printer/scanner unit, as I have not looked at any of these.

I had an NEC projector that worked wonderfully, came with a carrying case and was very light, but I cannot recall the model #. However, it was kinda spendy on the cash side of things.

[Virtual Imager]

Shussat, Madman, and Glenn,

 

Thanks so much for the replies. It's a lot to consider. I'll check out all those links and recommendations.

 

Does your travel budget include a porter? 'Cause that's a lot of stuff to carry!

My husband gave up that job too!

 

I hate to beg the question, but I imagine that your travel process is going to be something like: Travel; wait; travel; wait; take photos; travel; wait; develop prints; scan prints; edit/emai/post prints; repeat. Is that close?

 

Well not exactly... If I just wanted prints to email or post to share with family and friends, everything would be easy... I'd just use the digital camera or have my photos put onto a disc by the photo lab and be good to go. But I'm an artist... my images begin with photographs and develop from there. The prints I show and sell are anywhere from 12x18 on paper to 30x40 on canvas and/or silk. That's why I need such high resolution. I love the idea of skipping the scanner and getting them on disc from the lab, but I'm afraid I won't get the quality I need to make large, saleable prints. I could be wrong (I've never really seen the discs these labs produce)... do you happen to know what kind of resolution they provide? Right now I scan my photos in with the output set to 8x12 inches at 300 dpi. The file size usually ends up at about 20 megs. For really large prints I increase the image size and leave the res at 300 and resample. Doesn't work with every image, but does with most since my style does not really call for sharp edges. So, knowing all this, do you still think I can get away with not having a scanner and getting my photos on disc from the photo lab?

 

I guess you're right about simply not having the inclination to use the digital camera... I'm afraid I won't have the flexibility I can get with all my lenses (I use a 500mm zoom to shoot surfers and windsurfers, a lowlight lens for nightscapes, a wideangle for small indoor spaces, etc, etc.). I know the digitals are improving every day, but I don't think they're for me... at least not the ones I can afford! But again, I could be wrong. I haven't researched them lately. And I have some custom images from other people's digital photos and even from disposable cameras and underwater point and shoots. I'm sure I could get some worthwhile shots with digital, just not as many as I get now.

 

If the printer was to print these pictures to be scanned than its purpose is also negated.

No, the printer would be for my workshops... for printing images after they have been edited, not before. I will be conducting Photography/Photoshop workshops/tours in Europe and other locations, showing people how I do what I do. My plan is to take them out shooting each morning, get 1 hour processing while we eat lunch, and then work with their photos in a demo/workshop each afternoon or evening (hence the projector). I'd like to give each participant a print of one of their own photos that has been manipulated by me during the demos to take home. But I did say "maybe a small printer" because I also know that I could print stuff for them when I get home from the workshops and send them to them. But if I spend a lot of time away (like a month or so), I might want to do some printing for marketing purposes (show local galleries what I can do with their own local scenery) and also to print draft copies of book pages and other things I'm working on. I just feel like if I'm going to work away from home, I might need a samll printer. But maybe not.

 

Most any lappie these days comes with a slew of productivity items such as the CDRW/DVD drive, and other items, so you need to be concerned more with the memory, HDD, processor and graphics (for your specific application). However, more and more laptops are not coming with internal floppy drives.

 

What's HDD? I'm not sure I need an internal floppy... my files are so big that I often copy them to cd's to free up space on my hard drive. Do I need a floppy if I have a cd? Glenn... I may just come down there to almost Apache Junction and kidnap you to come shopping for this system with me! With any luck at all, Costco will carry some of these items!

 

(I assume you're not taking the darkroom?)

 

Darn! If only! Actually (and don't tell anyone), I don't do my own developing... I'm not even that good a photographer. That's why I took up Photoshop!