What mac for student and photo pro and video editing?(NEW MINI)

[Maccotto]

Good morning i am new stundent who want go into "Apple world".

At moment i have :

• netbook dual cpu amd (I wanted a macbook air but money was a problema and got this little slow windows product )
• Notebook Sony VPC series 16,4" intel I5 520,8gb ram and nvidia 330m
• Pc for editing video/photo with quad core q6600,8gb ram , ssd 128gb ,3 hdd sata 2 ,ati 4870 and a recently Dell professional 27" monitor
• Pc for gaming (used by my brother) with I7 ,a better video gamecard (This will be in my pc soon) ,ssd 128 gb ,8gb and hard disk

Now i have a little wish and want go into apple world but i have some doubt .
I have actually 1300€ max budget but if i work other 3 months i can get 2-3000€ but need them for a Nikon d600 FF camera (More important that Mac).

The main problem is "What mac buy for work with Big Raw (I use lightroom with 24-40mb raw files) and video ? (At moment i manage family video and little weddings)


I want spent my little budget and buy a Mac mini for recycle my new dell display and use old pc (Very slow for HIGH res 2560 x 1440 display ) for external storage ( I have tons of raw and music files) or only windows software (I use a lot this software http://www.photodex.com/proshow ) .

Can be a good choise for go into apple world or is good buy another apple product ? What is a good hardware configuration?

 

[Maccotto]

Nobody can Help me ?

 

[ctyhntr]

Mac Book Air is not upgradeable, where as mac mini you can add more RAM memory and upgrade the hard drive. Adding more memory is probably the best bang for the buck and very easy to do it yourself.

If you're handy at building PCs, look at building a hackintosh. Depending on the motherboard, all you may need is just a new video card and a copy of Mountain Lion to install as dual boot.

 

[Maccotto]

Thx .
I want avoid to make and hackintosh because i tried some years ago with bad situation (Crash ,no work sound ecc...) .

SO buy a mac mini is a bad choice for my photographic/video use?

Another question is :In this days people tlask about a new Imac/mac mini upgrade , its true o not?

 

[ctyhntr]

What I think the mac mini has going for it is affordability and upgrade path (memory and hard-drive) I can buy 2 base model mac minis, max them out to 16GB for the price of a base model iMac or high end MBA.

A mac mini refresh will probably mean better hardware, but no guarantee that Apple will keep to the same price as the 2011.

Thx .
I want avoid to make and hackintosh because i tried some years ago with bad situation (Crash ,no work sound ecc...) .

SO buy a mac mini is a bad choice for my photographic/video use?

Another question is :In this days people tlask about a new Imac/mac mini upgrade , its true o not?

 

[Maccotto]

Sorry for stupid question ,but why i must buy 2 mac mini ?

About mac mini model : the first only or go directly to second model ?(MOre cpu,gpu and rame from start ).

I looked for some apps and i found that Final Cut is a very good video editing software : Can work good with mac mini ?

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

Sorry for stupid question ,but why i must buy 2 mac mini ?

About mac mini model : the first only or go directly to second model ?(MOre cpu,gpu and rame from start ).

I looked for some apps and i found that Final Cut is a very good video editing software : Can work good with mac mini ?

Oh, no. You don't have to buy two Mac Minis.

What he was saying is that for the price of 1 iMac, you can buy 2 Mac Minis with the maximum amount of memory installed. You only need one Mac Mini. Do you understand now?

Final Cut Pro 10 is a very good piece of video editing software, you're right about that. It should be able to run fine on the Mac Mini.

Also, is €1300 the most you can spend on just the Mac, or the most you can spend on the Mac and your camera?


EDIT: Now that you mention that you're working Lightroom and editing video simultaneously, you might want to look into an iMac instead. As of now, we still have 2011 model iMacs. Apple did say earlier in the year that they may update the Mac Pro and the iMac in early 2013. I don't think there will be a huge performance increase between the current iMac, and the new one.

 

[Maccotto]

1300€ for me is the max that i want spend because i want arirve to get D600+24-85 that cost about 2400€ .

I don't think to use Lightroom and Final Cut in the same time and i avoid to buy an Imac because i use a Dell IPS 27" (Very good monitor for PRO photo)

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

1300€ for me is the max that i want spend because i want arirve to get D600+24-85 that cost about 2400€ .

I don't think to use Lightroom and Final Cut in the same time and i avoid to buy an Imac because i use a Dell IPS 27" (Very good monitor for PRO photo)

Well, what if you connected the Dell display to the iMac, then you ran Lightroom and Final Cut on the Dell display, and keep basic apps (ex: Safari, Mail, iCal, etc.) on the iMac's integrated display, or simply disable the built-in display?

Also, what country do you reside in? This will help us decide which Mac is good for you.

 

[DelisleBA.info]

This is my two cents.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/17

I got the 2.4 with anti glare, then maxed out the ram and installed a 500GB SSD, could not be happier.

I know it is outside the price but you won't regret it.

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

Or, what about this idea? You have a display you want to use, and just want a computer. Why not get a refurbished Mac Pro? It'll have plenty of power, and it'll process video quicker than your Mac Mini. You would have to be able to go 100€ over your budget, as it's 1403€.

And it'll come with everything you need.

 

[jpine]

IMHO, a 2008 8-core Mac Pro offers a lot of bang for the buck (or Euro ). The RAM is pricey though compared to other models of Mac Pro. Here in the states, you can get a used one from a reputable dealer like macofalltrades dot com for 1300 USD.

 

[Maccotto]

Well, what if you connected the Dell display to the iMac, then you ran Lightroom and Final Cut on the Dell display, and keep basic apps (ex: Safari, Mail, iCal, etc.) on the iMac's integrated display, or simply disable the built-in display?

Also, what country do you reside in? This will help us decide which Mac is good for you.

Your tips are great but i have a little space problem because i "work" with a little table where i can use an only monitor.

I reside into Italy .

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

Your tips are great but i have a little space problem because i "work" with a little table where i can use an only monitor.

I reside into Italy .

Since you're in Italy, I'm going to translate my posts into Italian, too. That way you can read easier. Granted, this is an English-only forum, I still want to help out somebody that isn't the best in English. I'm using Google Translate, so my apologies for the grammar issues.

That's an issue. A refurbished Mac Pro in the United States is about €1500. A refurbished Mac Pro in Italy is €2300.


Apple also isn't currently offering refurbished iMac's in Italy, either.

So, the Mac Mini is your only choice for a new Mac.

How's this?

A brand new Mac Mini, with the upgraded processor, the maximum amount of RAM you can have installed, a DVI adapter for your monitor, and AppleCare.

All for € 1.185,01 (IVA included).

Italian Translation:

Questo è un problema. Un rinnovato Mac Pro negli Stati Uniti è di circa € 1500. Un rinnovato Mac Pro in Italia è di € 2300.


Apple ha inoltre non offre attualmente un iMac rinnovato in Italia, sia.

Così, il Mac Mini è l'unica scelta per un nuovo Mac.

Come è?

Un nuovo Mac Mini, con il processore aggiornato, la quantità massima di RAM che possono essere installati, un adattatore DVI per il monitor, e AppleCare.

Il tutto per € 1.185,01 (IVA inclusa).

 

[Maccotto]

You was very usefull , thx a lot
First : Wow for the big difference between your and my state (2300€ vs 1500€ )

Second: I will take the your mac mini configuration but i will buy after applecare and ram because in Italy a lot of online store sell Apple ram at less price (Ad example 16 gb ram for mac mini are 74€ vs 8 GB at 9x€ from Apple store)

Now i want ask you a my dubt : Can be good wait 15 october (Rumors speak about new Imac or Ipad mini) ?
If i wait i can buy new model at new price or your model at old price

 

[mgartner0622]

You was very usefull , thx a lot
First : Wow for the big difference between your and my state (2300€ vs 1500€ )

Second: I will take the your mac mini configuration but i will buy after applecare and ram because in Italy a lot of online store sell Apple ram at less price (Ad example 16 gb ram for mac mini are 74€ vs 8 GB at 9x€ from Apple store)

Now i want ask you a my dubt : Can be good wait 15 october (Rumors speak about new Imac or Ipad mini) ?
If i wait i can buy new model at new price or your model at old price

Yes. I would wait, as a Mac Mini update is likely in the future, although the time frame can't be certain.
You'll be able to buy the older model, and it will probably even be cheaper.

 

[Maccotto]

Sorry man for this new doubt.
A friend some minutes ago told me that mac mini is bad for videoediting and he told me that is better choice wait a little and take Macbook pro 15" no retina (First or second model) .


He told me that is the best choice because i can have 1 only "Computer/mac" for all; For him i travel it and when i am at home i close notebook and plugin it to monitor for continue the work .

Have you some experience about this "Double use " of macbook ?

 

[CASLondon]

Sorry man for this new doubt.
A friend some minutes ago told me that mac mini is bad for videoediting and he told me that is better choice wait a little and take Macbook pro 15" no retina (First or second model) .


He told me that is the best choice because i can have 1 only "Computer/mac" for all; For him i travel it and when i am at home i close notebook and plugin it to monitor for continue the work .

Have you some experience about this "Double use " of macbook ?

You have a monitor, and I agree about not using a mac mini for video editing (though it might be a good second "rendering" workstation. I also think that while an iMac would work for you, its not the best choice.

I feel that a second-hand mac pro is your best bet. The upgrade options are the best, from video cards, to RAM, to even the CPU eventually. You have slots for video cards and 3rd party devices. And you already have a nice monitor. The useful lifespan of this option will exceed that of the iMac, I'm sure

And most importantly you can build a multiple disk internal raid storage for your media, with a separate ssd boot/system drive, for best performance. If you buy a Macbook Pro, you'll need thunderbolt external storage to get the best throughput for your media.

When the Mac Pro update finally happens later this year, there will be even more opportunity to buy older models. I'm going to do this for my second computer, maybe a 2010-2011 model.

I edit on a Macbook Pro 17", early 2011 non-retina quadcore, with 16 G ram and a SSD. Its good, but if you don't need a machine to offload video in the field to, I'd go with second-hand Mac Pro for sure. Just buy the most you can afford and upgrade as you can pay for it.

Anyone want to translate for me?

some reference material for optimizing your system
http://www.macperformanceguide.com

 

[CASLondon]

Sorry man for this new doubt.
A friend some minutes ago told me that mac mini is bad for videoediting and he told me that is better choice wait a little and take Macbook pro 15" no retina (First or second model) .


He told me that is the best choice because i can have 1 only "Computer/mac" for all; For him i travel it and when i am at home i close notebook and plugin it to monitor for continue the work .

Have you some experience about this "Double use " of macbook ?

I forgot to mention, that if you truly need a "do it all" computer, the macbook pro is good. But if you can get by with an iPad or your netbook, do that and go with Mac Pro.

It depends on how you move footage on shoots, if you use Panasonic or Sony cameras with the express card 34 shape that go into the macbook, its very useful to have, otherwise maximise your desktop power, carry the minimum you need while traveling (netbook or iPad) and you'll be happy.

A second-hand iPad can even function as a virtual mixer for your audio while you edit.

http://fcp.co/final-cut-pro/news/172-new-tools-for-audio-mixing-in-final-cut-pro

http://www.neyrinck.com/en/news/v-control-pro

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

ITALIAN:

Ecco un MacBook Pro 15" che è ricondizionato, ma è 129 € oltre il budget. È di € 1429. Si consiglia di acquistare il AppleCare. Si tratta di un investimento intelligente. Se qualcosa va storto con il computer, Apple consentirà di correggere o addirittura sostituire il vostro computer.

ENGLISH:

Here's a 15" MacBook Pro that's reconditioned, but it's €129 over your budget. it's €1429. You really should buy the AppleCare. It's a smart investment. If anything goes wrong with the computer, Apple will fix or even replace your computer.

 

[Maccotto]

At moment i don't need necessary footage but my Sony Vail is little old with I5 first (520) and I get some problem for live rendering but Vaio is little necessary because I can connect directly to my projector, use it for karaoke or use Br dvd.

Infact for travel I wait windows 8 to get speed improve.

so I can try to upgrade first the desktop and get power, after upgrade notebook.

For Caslondon.
how are you with your macbook and without desktop?


I have a new idea .
My brothers wants a 27" for play games and i can offer my Dell so i can buy an Imac.
If Apple doesn't upgrade next week the Imac ,what Imac can i buy?

 

[CASLondon]

At moment i don't need necessary footage but my Sony Vail is little old with I5 first (520) and I get some problem for live rendering but Vaio is little necessary because I can connect directly to my projector, use it for karaoke or use Br dvd.

Infact for travel I wait windows 8 to get speed improve.

so I can try to upgrade first the desktop and get power, after upgrade notebook.

For Caslondon.
how are you with your macbook and without desktop?


I have a new idea .
My brothers wants a 27" for play games and i can offer my Dell so i can buy an Imac.
If Apple doesn't upgrade next week the Imac ,what Imac can i buy?

Editing is fine on a laptop, I've done it for a few years,but the extra screen space and power of a desktop is better for full-time editing, plus the internal storage options are better than the external storage for a laptop.

I'm ok for now without desktop, but I intend to get a second-hand mac pro as my main editing station later this year. I can edit with the laptop, but rendering effects and transcoding footage would definitely be faster on the tower, and would allow me to be more relaxed about upgrade schedules for the laptop.

I declined to upgrade to the Retina Macbook Pro for 2 main reasons, for the expresscard slot which I use to ingest footage, and for the larger screen for fieldwork.

Since you have that 27" monitor, I'd think about a second-hand mac pro unless your brother will pay a lot for it. Then you can do an iMac or MBP, which will work fine but just be aware that their upgradeability is lower, and there is still the issue of media storage.

 

[Maccotto]

About storage i have 2 question.:
1 can i change after the hdd of Imac/macbookpro ? (Italian store sell ssd option at very high price)

2 Can be a good idea move my old HDd into external box?
2b Alternative is buy an external big drive and move my all data into it.


I checked and i have three HDD 7200rpm with total about 2-3gb

 

[Fishrrman]

Since you already have an excellent monitor, you ought to give some consideration to the Mac Mini line of products.

Be aware that the Mini line seems to be due for an update VERY soon, in fact it's long overdue.

I'm waiting for one myself to replace my old PowerMac g4, but I don't need anything right now.

If I had to buy -right now-, I'd consider a refurbished Mac Mini server version with the two 7200rpm internal drives and the quad-core CPU.

 

[Maccotto]

APPLE UPGRADED MAC MINI
So i have 2 new solution about it:

1 Buy base mac mini for my mother and i upgrade my old pc with Amd FX8150 +16gb ram corsair

2 Buy mac mini 800€ (CAN I CHANGE HDD AFTERMARKET?) +90€ 16 corsair aftermarket to connect to my Dell U2711


My second DOubt is the new video card HD4000 :CAN BE GOOD FOR FINALCUT/PHOTSHOP/LIGHTROOM WITH FAT RAW?