Laptop for Field Use

J

jpwild

Messages
750
Edit My Images
No
Happy 2017 all,

Looking for some advice on what laptop/netbook etc to use to supplement my landscape photography with following criteria:
- Touch screen preferable
- Will be used for Lightroom
- Will not really be used to edit the photos, but just to check and ensure DOF and focus is spot on. As I will transfer images to laptop in the field and ensure it's right rather than get home and realize that something is not right!
- Battery power and weight are issues
- SSD preferable.
- I don't have a budget in mind and have been looking at ones at £300 and ones at £800. I'm not interested at all in gaming laptops.
-Ideally, would fit in my fstop loka backpack

Thanks
J
 
Last edited:
Does it need to be a laptop? What about a windows tablet? If it is purely for checking the image quality, then you don't even need lightroom and might be able to get away with a super cheap and lower power tablet. I purchased one just before christmas for this very job and to run "DSLR Desktop" on which has a 10" screen and cost just under £45 delivered. It can be connected directly to my camera via a USB lead.

If you think a tablet might suffice, then you have a huge range of choice from cheap Android/Windows tablets to iPads or Surface Pro's.

Chris
 
Another vote for a look at the Surface Pro. Doesn't have to be the latest 4 but I'd recommend one.
Works on windows, stylus is nice to use, decent size screen and you can tether to Lightroom.
Its just the cost which might be a bit much to justify but you mentioned about not overly having a budget.
 
I use a surface pro 3 when out, and cant use desktop. Can fault it for what it is
 
Surface Pro 4 without a doubt, or maybe wait for the 5 as it's supposed to be announced shortly.
 
For checking images out in the field an iPad may be a better bet, as the Lightroom app plays nicer with your main catalogue than using a separate Lightroom on a different machine. I know this because I use a MacBook as my second machine with Lightroom installed and for Lightroom it is a bit clunky (although far better than an iPad for the rest of my needs).
 
Surface Pro 4 is very good for what you need. The i5 version runs photoshop very well, but if your only looking for lightroom / image previews then the m3 (cheapest) version will be more than sufficient. Good battery life, stunning screen (as close to a mac screen as I've seen), light and fast SSD. Quick boot time, Micro SD slot for easy storage upgrade if needed.
 
Surface Pro 4 is good, but I want to give your another option. Have you thought about its weight and size? I talk about it because I bought for work perfect laptop but it's too heavy and big to carry it with. But I can't deal with netbooks, their screens are too small for needs. So I decided that screen 14" is the perfect decision for portable laptop and it must be light and thin.
I can show the one I choose for myself: http://netbookreview.net/shop/lapto...ddr3-ram-128gb-emmc-windows-10-metallic-gray/
It's ultra-light, thin and costs less than any others. It can work for you also :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top