Your browser does not support script Advice for Photographers: Which computer do I need for photography? - The Story Behind That Picture 169 -Thorsten Overgaard's Leica Photography Pages
Thorsten von Overgaard's Photography Website
  Get Newsletter & Free eBook  

 
 
The Story Behind That Picture - 169
SIGN IN to Overgaard Academy on-line classes Subscribe for full access. It's free.           thorstenovergaard on Instagram Thosten von Overgaard on Facebook Thorsten von Overgaard on Twitter Thorsten von Overgaard on LinkedIn Thorsten von Overgaard on Flickr Thorsten Overgaard on YouTube Thorsten Overgaard video on Vimeo Thorsten von Overgaard on Leica Fotopark Thorsten von Overgaard on 500px  
leica.overgaard.dk      
 

Cosy moment with the Apple MacBook Pro 15" Retina, LaCie 4TB hard drive and the Leiac M-D 262 digital rangefinder. © 2016 Thorsten Overgaard.

   
 
   

The Story Behind That Picture: "Advice for Photographers:
Which computer do I need for photography?"

By: Thorsten Overgaard. July 28, 2016. Updated January 5, 2024.

 

Add to Flipboard Magazine.

 

Having the right computer for digital photography is one way to lessen the time you spend by the computer. There are a few things to know that will make you work 4X faster for $100 extra and more.

 

     
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which computer do I need for photography?

Here are recommendations for your next computer, before or after a Thorsten Overgaard Workshop:

Get the fastest computer

I recommend getting the fastest MacBook Pro available. If you want to be mobile and want the most power, get the MacBook Pro 16" Retina screen "spec'ed out" (with the most RAM, fasterst processor, largest disk). If you take your computer with you a lot, the 13" MacBook Pro with external Eizo screen or other large screen if you want to be mobile, but perform most final editing work at home.

Do be aware that a MacBook Pro 16" is much faster than the 13" MacBook Pro. They use different processor families, and generally speaking the smaller MacBook have less space, hence slower speeds internally in all connections.

 

  Buy my Capture One Survival Kit for a step-by-step guide to professional workflow with Capture One Pro
  Buy my Capture One Survival Kit for a step-by-step guide to professional workflow with Capture One Pro
   

Get the fastest photo editing software

No doubt, the Capture One Pro software is the fastest software (twice as fast as Lightroom) for photo editing and the one that require the least computer power (you can get away with using a MacBook Air), and you can often get a package deal where you get all their Styles/Presets at a steal where you own the software. No monthly payments.

Further, Capture One preserve more of the original DNG/raw file, meaning better tonality and colors.

It's a learning courve to swithch from Lightroom to Capture One, but it is worth it (buy my Capture One Survival Kit to learn the fastest workflow).

Leica support in capture One

Capture One have further adopted Leica cameras and Lenses and offer updated refining profiles on all digital Leica cameras from Leica M8 (2006) and forward to present time models.

 

 

The kissing couple at Rue de la Sourdière in Paris. Leica M10-P with Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4 BC. © Thorsten Overgaard.
The kissing couple at Rue de la Sourdière in Paris. Edited in Capture One Pro using my own "BW 1980's Overgaard Style". Leica M10-P with Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4 BC. © Thorsten Overgaard.

 

Much less computer power needed if you use Capture One, than if you use Adobe Lightroom Classic

Adobe Lightroom CC Classic tend to bog down the computer when it imports (and build previews), and when it exports JPG's. Traditionally, the processor power of the computer is used to build previews and calculate resized exports in JPG or TIFF. That's when the computer sounds like a hairdryer (the ventilator works overtime to cool the processor down).

Capture One doesn't bog down the computer (at all) when it imports and exports, and the building of previews upon import is very fast. Capture One works faster. Much faster.

 

Speed comparison of editing photographs in Lightroom vs. Capture One Pro:

This is how big a difference there is working with Lightroom 9 and Capture One. This test was performed with 346 DNG files from 24MP camera (= size 20-30 MB each) using a Mac Book Pro 16" (Late 2019, 8-core 2.4 Ghz with 8TB hard drive and 64GB ram):

   

LIGHTROOM
CC Classic 9

 

Capture One Pro
21

Import of 346 DNG files from SD-card
  1:07 min
  1:04 min
Making 1:1 previews
of 346 DNG files
  9:24 min   3:01 min
Export of files
(346 web-sized JPG's)
  2:06 min   2:24 min
Total waiting time
for import, preview and export of 346 pictures
  12:37 min   6:29 Min
Delay in showing a full-size preview
  0.1 Sec   0.0 Sec

You could say that if you go do something else when the computer works on import and building previews, and when it exports, who care if it takes 5 or 50 minutes. You are not sitting there and watching it work. If you plan it like that, anything works. But it is an indicator of how well put together the software is.

 

Using "Styles" or "Presets" to get there faster

I have made a series of my own Cature One Styles for fast editing in high quality. While using Presests in Lighrroom is fun, using Styles in Capture One is often the final edit, or close by. This saves a lot of time and adjustment. I have made he same series of Presets for Lightroom. A little handfull of things to make neat black and white and beautiful color photos. It's all I use. I work fast.

Capture One Pro comes with built-in Styles to make authentic grains as these ones.
Capture One Pro comes with built-in Styles to make authentic grains as these ones.

 

Change computer and stay on top

Change computer every 18-36 months to stay in the loop with the fastest technology (things change so fast that a 3 year old computer tends to be really slow). If you change while the previous comptuer is till fairly new, the writeoff i less than if you wait. Hance often and the writeoff is relatively small, yet you get to always have the fastest computer.

MacBook Pro 15". As of 2018, the Mid 2015 model is still the fastest for photo editing.
The new is not always the best: In this picture from 2018 of the MacBook Pro 15", the irony is that the previous model from 2015 (with a 'real' keyboard and without touch bar), was still much faster for photo editing. The 16" MacBook Pro is he first model that surpass the 2015 model MacBook Pro in processing power (and it got a real keyboard as well).

 

This speed test shows how Lightroom performs on different MacBook computers:

If you use Lightroom, which many Leica users still does because it traditionally comes with the Leica camera, you should be aware which Mac computer works the fastest.
This test was performed with 346 DNG files from a Leica 24MP camera. The 2017 model is not in this comparison but was tested to be generally 7% faster than the 2016 model. The 2019 model (the 16") is the first MacBook Pro of the new design that is faster than the old 2015 MacBook Pro.
I haven't done Capture One Pro tests on the comptuers, but generally you can expect the Capture One Pro to perform the same processes at half the time in any of the models.

    MacBook Air 11
(Mid 2013)

1.7 Ghz i7
processor
512 GB
hard drive
Intel 1.5 GB
1 Thunderbolt
2 USB
$1,700 in 2013

  MacBook Pro 15"
(Late 2013)

2.6 Ghz i7
Quad processor
1 TB
hard drive
NVIDIA
750M 2 GB
2 Thunderbolt
2 USB 3
SD-card reader
$3,300 in 2013
 

MacBook Pro 15"
(Mid 2015)

2.8 Ghz i7
Quad processor
1 TB
hard drive
AMD 2GB
2 Thunderbolt
2 USB 3
SD-card reader
$3,100 in 2016
B&H Photo / Amazon

  MacBook Pro 13"
(Late 2016)

3.3 Ghz i7
Duo processor
1 TB
hard drive
16GB RAM
Iris Graphics 550 2GB
4 x USB-C/
Tunderbolt 3
$2,899 in 2017
B&H Photo
  MacBook Pro 15"
(Late 2016)

2.9 Ghz i7
Quad processor
2 TB
hard drive
16GB RAM
AMD Radeon Pro 460 GPU 4GB
4 x USB-C/
Tunderbolt 3
$4,299 in 2017
B&H Photo
  MacBook Pro 16"
(Late
2019)

2.4 Ghz i9
8-core processor
8 TB
hard drive
64GB RAM
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M GPU 8GB
UHD Graphics

4 x USB-C/
Tunderbolt 3
$6,000 in 2019
B&H Photo
Import into Lightroom 6
of 346 DNG files from SD-card
  11:31 min
(External
USB reader)
  2:14 min
(built-in SD reader)
  1:54 min
(built-in SD reader)
  7:53 min
(USB to USB-C dongle)
  2:11 min
(External
USB-C reader)
  1:07 min
(External
USB-C reader)
Making 1:1 previews
of 346 DNG files
  26:34 min   21:32 min   11:48 min   17:08 min   13:40 min   9:24 min
Export of files **
(346 web-sized JPG's)
  24:16 Min   4:44 Min   3:12 Min   7:30 min   3:45 min   2:06 min
Total waiting time
for import, preview and export of 346 pictures **
  62:21 Min   28:30 Min   16:54 Min   32:31 Min   19:36 Min   12:37 Min
SSD hard drive/Flash Memory
read/write/copy speed *
  200MB/sec   800MB/sec   2000MB/sec   1950MB/sec   1950MB/sec   2700MB/sec
Delay in showing a full-size preview in Develop Mode *
  3-5 Sec   0.3 Sec   0.1 Sec   2.0 Sec   1,2 Sec   0.0 Sec
* = When you edit in Lightroom on a computer, the computer depend on the hard drive and not the processor/RAM to show previews immediately.
** = Export of files in other sizes than original uses the processor to resize the files.

 

Get a big Eizo screen

If you want to work on a large screen at home, I recommend getting one or two external screens that connects to your portable, rather than having a "large computer" at home and a "small computer" for travel. It's much easier to have just one computer and not having to sync two computers; and you can invest the money in one really fast computer.

Thorsten von Overgaard editing on Eizo
I like Eizo ColorEdge screens for the image quality and 98% of Adobe RGB color space shown, as well as the mechanical quality. An dven better, they self-calibrate with a buil-in calibration device! They connect to the MacBook Pro via a USB Type-C -> DisplayPort cable, or to a Microsoft Surface Pro via an PM200 cable (Mini DisplayPort -> DisplayPort), and you can add two to the same MacBook Pro if you like, so as to get an even wider screen area.

 

Always buy the fastest computer available

No matter which MacBook model you buy, upgrade the processor to the fastest possible model, and consider to upgrade the hard drive to the largest available. When you look at the Apple website, you can choose which processor, which hard drive, which graphic card and how much ram. You simply upgrade each step, which adds a $100 or more for each selection, and in the end you have the fastest computer avilable. Apple tend not to have these in stock, but then BH Photo usually ahve them ready for immediate shipping. I've talked to Apple several times about this. Apple used to cater to artists, inventors and first-movers, who naturally would want the faster and bigger editions, but for some reason they want to cater to the average user. Never mind, get it from BH Photo then. Same warranty and all, and you can always go to an Apple Store for support of an Apple computer, no matter which country you bought it in, and no matter which dealer.

In the MacBook Air series, they usually come with an i3, or 5 processor, but upgrading to the i7 will increase the speed for photography workflow 4X and only cost $250.

The MacBook 12" was cute, had a great screen, but is also the slowest model for photography workflow. My mother has one and loves it, but she's 74 years old and only uses it for e-mail and online banking.

If you visit an Apple store and compare the 13" MacBook Air and 13" MacBook Pro with the 16" MacBook Pro, you will realize that there's not much difference in size. So, why not get the computer with the largest screen and most speed?

Even I travel 49 of the years 52 weeks, I've choosen the MacBook Pro 15"/16" every time, and I've picked the fastest model available every time. Yes, I travel with my computer, but I never really carry it around. I park it in a hotel or apartment, and then when I travel to the next place I put it in my bag until I arrive in the next place. Only if you always (or often) carry your computer around town with you does it makes sense to get a smaller model.

An iPad Pro with is a toy. In the concext of photogprahy, it adds another layer of things to do that doesn't help you much, unless you really gave a lot of downtime in planes or elsewhere where you feel you can work on pictures. The point is this: To make photographs, they have to be finished and go somewhere. The iPad does not have any output for external hard drive archive. The idea is that the photos stay on the iPad or in the cloud. But you do need to export them to somewhere, and this is how the iPad adds another layer of thigns to do; because you then have to move or sync your photos to a real computer in order to be able to export them. You may meet people who feel strongly that the iPad is great, and that's the whole point. It consume you attention and you forget what you was supposed to do. Working firsrt on iPad, then sync/move to computer adds the layer of possible alteration or loss of data as well. Double work.
Generally, the iPad and smartphones are made to show you things and have you interact with machine-driven social media so you can be exposed to ads and your user account can be sold. If you are an artist, you make things, and real artists ship (export, sell, deliver) things. iPad and smartphones are for entertainment and to sit and doodle at idle periods (no such thing exists for a creative mind), it is not for production (making things).
Dislaimer: I've had five iPads and 3 iPad Pro's over time, just beacuse I felt they might be useful and it felt great buying one. I alwyays end up giving them away and promise myself I will never get another one.

Currently, the MacBook Pro 16" (Late 2019) with 2.4 Ghz 8-core and 8TB hard drive is the one I use. It's the first MacBook Pro since the 2015 model where the speed has improved for photo editing. It also has the feature that you can write on the keyboard (yes, I know).

USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 connections

With it the new MacBook Pro's (Late 2016, Mid 2017, Mid 2018 and Late 2019 models) came the pain of new Thunderbolt 3/USB-C connections and no SD-card reader built-in.

 

LaCie 5TB harddrive USB-C   LaCie 4Tb harddrive USB3 with USB-C dongle
LaCie 5TB harddrive USB-C   LaCie 4TB harddrive USB3 with USB-C dongle

 

No more SD-card reader in the Late 2016, Mid 2017 and Mid 2018 and 2019 MacBook Pro computers.

  StarTech USB-C cardreader for SD-cards
  StarTech SD-card reader is $30 at BH PHoto
   

Apple doesn't even make or sell (in the Apple Store) a SD card reader, so you have to visit BH Photo, Amazon or eBay to find a third party SD card reader that goes into the USB-C plug, or a traditional SD card reader with USB and use a USB-C to USB3 dongle.

Using a USB 3 card reader via a dongle is extremely slow. There are more and more USB-C readers available. The one I got is the StarTech ($30).

Then a few weeks later, I got the SanDisk USB-C reader, and that one is better:

 

The SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II Card USB-C readers does the job.
The SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II Card USB-C reader does the job. © Thorsten Overgaard.

 

Work simply on a laptop when on the road, and offload to external drives when back home. Here's my hotel room in Jakarta. Leica M 240 with Leica 50mm Noctilux. © 2013-2018 Thorsten Overgaard
Work simply on a laptop when on the road, and offload to external drives when back home. Here's my hotel room in Jakarta. Leica M 240 with Leica 50mm Noctilux. © Thorsten Overgaard

 

USB-C is not the same as Thunderbolt 3

The plug for USB-C is the same as for Thunderbolt 3. The confusion on this is so great that the staff in the Apple Store doesn't always know. They will claim it is the same speed. It's not. Thunderbolt 3 is four times faster than USB-C, and that is important when buying a new hard drive: LaCie makes hard drives with USB-C (USB 3.1) connections and Thunderbolt 3 connections for this reason, but many portable drives have just USB-C connection. USB-C speed is rated as 10GB/sec and Thunderbolt 3 is rated as 40GB/sec. This is so little known, most will claim USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 is the same connection and speed (though it was specified in the 40 page document following the release of the MacBook Late 2016).

Thunderbolt 3 hard drives
Hard drives with USB-C are not the same as Thunderbolt 3. The LaCie 6TB, 8TB and 10TB d2 drives are the first ones with real Thunderbolt 3 cables and speeds.


My LaCie 10TB drives with one USB-C connection (top) and two Thunderbolt 3 connections. It's $500 for this model at BH Photo. The cables for USB-C (has a USB-symbol) and Thunderbolt 3 (has a thunder synbol and 3) are different.
My LaCie 10TB drives with one USB-C connection (top) and two Thunderbolt 3 connections. It's $500 for this model at BH Photo. The cables for USB-C (has a USB-symbol) and Thunderbolt 3 (has a thunder synbol and 3) are different.

 

In computers, look at performance, don't listen to the hype

When the new MacBook Pro was announced, it was announced as "Metal on all four sides" and "17% thinner than the previous model" and so on. That's how they sold us Thunderbolt some years ago and that's how the MacBook 12" may sound great (even it is the worst for picture editing).

It's difficult to not get enthusiastic about the new, but make speed comparisons before you go get it all.

Read the numbers carefully below, not the names of the connections!

 

With Catalina 64bit Operating System some software died

For photographers, you must update Lightroom, Capture One Pro, Photoshop and other essential tools. Most of them it doesn't make much difference.

Then there are other software that doesn't make the step up to 64bit, and you have to replace that software and eventually any previous catalogs you made in them. Media Pro virtual catalog (DAM software) is not being updated for 64-bit, so you will ahve to go with Adobe Bridge or Photo Medhanics.

 

Which external hard drives do I need for photography?

You need external hard drives for storage, and you usually need two so that one is your storage, the other is your backup. In other words, you always buy two, four, six or eight hard drives at a time.

Portable hard drives have a live span of 12-18 months before you want to replace them with a bigger one. You think they will last forever, but your need for storage grows faster than you think. The good news is that price of hard drive space drops with the same speed as your need more space.

 

Speed test and comparison of Thunderbolt, USB-C, SSD hard drives

MacBook Pro SSD internal read/write speed   2000 - 2700 MB/sec
Thunderbolt 3 to external SSD
   
USB-C to external SSD RAID

  900 MB/sec
USB-C to external SSD

  450 MB/sec
Thunderbolt 3 to external RAID

  400 MB/sec
Thunderbolt 2 to external RAID   137 MB/sec
Thunderbolt 3 to external hard drive   117 MB/sec
USB-C to external hard drive   103 MB/sec
Thunderbolt 2 to external hard drive   80 MB/sec
USB-3 to external hard drive   75 MB/sec
USB-2 to external hard drive   40 MB/sec

As you can see, the hard drive determines the speed more than the connection.

With new MacBook Pro 15" (Late 2016, Mid 2017 and Mid 2018) and MacBook Pro 16" (2019) that has four Thunderbolt 3 conncetions (which looks the same as USB-C), you don't really have a choice. You can use dongles/converters for a while, but all future things you buy should be directed towards USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 (when Thunderbolt came out, you could get FireWire to Thunderbolt converters, and they work; but you want clean cables without having to use dongles/converters).

 

My portable hard drives are currently 4TB LaCie Rugged (USB3) and 2TB Western Digital (USB3).
My portable hard drives are currently 4TB LaCie Rugged (USB3) and 2TB Western Digital (USB3) and 2TB USB-C LaCie Porsche.

 

Remember, you will buy a new one anyways in 12-18 months. Go with USB 3 if you can, and don't spend much time reconsidering this decision until portable SSD hard drives come down into a reasonable price range. (There will be coming a new type of SSD hard drives that you can expand unlimited - e-mail me for more info on this so you get a notice when they are available). 

Make sure to avoid portable hard drives that require external power supply! Not much compactness in having a small drive that needs a power supply. A portable hard drive should be powered by the USB or Thunderbolt cable. 

 

Desktop hard drives are a little different in that they last for 3-5 years. Then you want to upgrade them to larger ones because you need more space and the connections becomes obsolete. FireWire 400 (invented 1995) and FireWire 800 (introduced 2009) have died out. Again, time works for you, the price of a top-of-the-line 120 GB hard drive in 2000 was $400 back then, and a 6,000 GB hard drive today costs $400 as well. 

 

This is how big (or small) a difference there is between FireWire 800, USB3, Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3:



 

FireWire 800
hard drive

  USB 3
hard drive
  Thunderbolt
2
desktop
hard drive
LaCie 6TB
 

Thunderbolt 3
desktop
hard drive
LaCie 6TB
LaCie 8TB
LaCie 10TB

BH Photo

 

Thunderbolt 3
RAID desktop
hard drive
LaCie 20TB
LaCie 28TB
LaCie 32TB

BH Photo

Read/write/copy speed
  71 MB/sec
  75 MB/sec   137MB/sec   117MB/sec   460MB/sec
 

 

The lesson on FireWire, USB, Thunderbolt and the new Apple USB-C Port is that it's the size of the connections that change dramatically, not so much the speed. But the hype with each new type makes you buy new equipment, and that's the main feature.

The USB-C is genius in that it is one connections for power, drives, screens and all. But don't believe for a second it's faster.

What gives real speed is RAID hard drives. The LaCie RAID perform 460MB/sec writing speed, and a RAID SSD can do 1800 MB/sec.For RAID to be fastest, it is set to RAID 0 (writes the data in stripes across severeal hard drives).

 

Some of my hard drives: To the left is four LaCie RAID "DOCK" 28TB Thunderbolt 3 hard drives (460MB/sec) with SD-card reader and other memory card slots (hence the name "DOCK"). To the right are three 10TB LaCie Thunderbolt 3/USB-C hard drives (117MB/sec).
In front are is 4TB LaCie USB-C Rugged hard drive, and below it a 2TB Rugged USB-C hard drive. The black hard drive in the bottom center is a super-fast Glyph Technologies RAID SSD 4TB porable drive with USB-C (1800 MB/sec).
Some of my hard drives: To the left is four LaCie RAID "DOCK" 28TB Thunderbolt 3 hard drives (460MB/sec) with SD-card reader and other memory card slots (hence the name "DOCK"). To the right are three 10TB LaCie Thunderbolt 3/USB-C hard drives (117MB/sec).
In front are is 4TB LaCie USB-C Rugged hard drive, and below it a 2TB Rugged USB-C hard drive. The black hard drive in the bottom center is a super-fast Glyph Technologies RAID SSD 4TB potable drive with USB-C (1800 MB/sec).
Alle the portable drives on the table are powered from the computer alone, which is what you want for any hard drive you take with you on travel.

 

USB desktop hard drives vs
Thunderbolt desktop hard drives

You can set up several USB 3 external hard drives via an $18 USB 3.1 Hub so they are all connected at the same time. As the Hub provides power as well, you can actually go with portable drives instead of the Desktop hard drives (that all requires a separate power supply). If you don't depend on speed but use the connected hard drives for archiving (and photo editing, video editing, etc. on the much faster internal SSD/Flash Memory), this is actually worth considering. The USB hub also can charge iPhones and stuff.  

Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 hard drives can be connected in "daiseychain" which means you have one cable going out of the Mac to the first hard drive, then a Thunderbolt from that to the next and from that to the next. They are all connected this way, although it requires that the desktop hard drive needs two Thunderbolt connections (one in and one out).  

One of the problems with Thunderbolt 2 is that the cables go black for no reason. They simply stop working. Some times, after some weeks of rest they may work normally again. If you have a rather complicated setup of drives it's annoying to locate the faulty cable and replace it. Others have reported that Thunderbolt cables caused errors that wiped their hard drives. All in all, it's an easy technology but not a very stable one. We all got into it because "Thunderbolt" sounds so cool, and it's the future (and who doesn't want to be in that?). 

  Sanho 5-in-1 hub for MacBook USB-C is necessary in order to plug in more than one thing. It's a mess..!
  Sanho 5-in-1 hub for MacBook USB-C is necessary in order to plug in more than one thing. It's a mess..!
   

Next thing will be USB-C which was introduced on the MacBook 12" in 2015 and that's also what is on the new redesigned MacBook Pro (Late 2016), wich they call Thunderbolt 3 on that one. (It has 4 Thunderbolt 3 connections and nothing else).

Thunderbolt 3 read/write supposedly up to 4X faster than USB-C even they plugs look the same. If you connect a USB hard drive via the USB>USB-C dongle, the speed will obviously be that of the slowest cable.

In the MacBook 12" it's very unpractical as it is the one and only connection for power, hard drives, scanners, phones and all. "Be careful what you wish for", as the Apple CEO said about that feature.

Do what seems most practical. As long as you have backup of your hard drives, the problems will never be bigger than what you can overcome. I very much buy hard drives the same way I buy Xerox paper:  the price per pack for 500 sheets of Xerox paper, and the price for a 1TB hard drive. I simply make a piece of paper where I list and compare the current models: Speed, Connections, price per TB). If I had smaller storage needs, I would use portable hard drives only. Nice, easy and compact. 

As I don't expect any of my desktop hard drives to be with me for more than 3-5 years, I don't invest in one large system or one large 30TB hard drive. I buy a hard drive that will keep me going for a while; and in 6-9 months when I need more space, I compare and get the next one.

Price comparison of hard drives (January 2024)

    USB 3

  Thunder
bolt 2
  USB-C   Thunder
bolt 3
LaCie 5TB Rugged
portable HD
      $50 per 1 TB
BH Photo
       
WD 2TB portable HD
  $33 per 1 TB
BH Photo / Amazon
           
LaCie 4 TB Rugged
portable HD
  $35 per 1 TB
BH Photo / Amazon
  $85 per 1 TB
BH Photo / Amazon
  $40 per 1 TB
BH Photo
   
Glyph Technologies 
RAID 4TB SSD or 8TB

Portable drive

          $90 - $120
per 1 TB
BH Photo
   
G-Technology 2TB G-Drive
Portable SSD

          $165 per 1 TB
BH Photo
   
SanDisk 4TB
Portable SSD

          $80
per 1 TB
BH Photo
   
LaCie Porsche 2TB
LaCie Porsche 5TB

          $46 per 1 TB
$32 per 1 TB
BH Photo
   
LaCie 10TB Desktop HD
              $45 per 1 TB
BH Photo
LaCie 20TB/28TB/32TB
Dock RAID w/SD card reader
              $45 per 1 TB
BH Photo

 

Best buy in hard drives:

As of August 2022, the 20TB or 28TB or 36TB LaCie Thunderbolt 3 DOCK with raid and several connections, including for screen, as well as memory card reader, is a really good price per TB. It has a transfer speed of 460MB/sec when connected with the Thunderbolt 3 cable. Only two things against it is that it has a ventilator (20 db noise) and it takes some time to wake up. See review here. Price $ 1,095 at BH Photo. Mine is in a small closet so I don't hear it, and I simply connect my laptop next to it over in the closet and go back to my desk and work on the screen that is connected to the LaCie.
As of January 2024, the 20TB or 28TB or 36TB LaCie Thunderbolt 3 DOCK with raid and several connections, including for screen, as well as memory card reader, is a really good price per TB. It has a transfer speed of 460MB/sec when connected with the Thunderbolt 3 cable. Only two things against it is that it has a ventilator (20 db noise) and it takes some time to wake up. See review here. Price $ 1,095 at BH Photo. Mine is in a small closet so I don't hear it, and I simply connect my laptop next to it over in the closet and go back to my desk and work on the screen that is connected to the LaCie.

 

In portable hard drives, my favorite is the 2TB LaCie Porsche because it's so slim ($46 per 1 TB). The bulkier 5TB is only $32 per 1TB which is the best price across the lines of portable USB-C drives, but a chunk of metal. It's okay if you have a pocket or place for it in the bag.
In portable hard drives, my favorite is the 2TB LaCie Porsche because it's so slim ($46 per 1TB). The bulkier 5TB is only $32 per 1TB which is the best price across the lines of portable USB-C drives, but a chunk of metal. It's okay if you have a pocket or place for it in the bag, I guess, but the slim 2TB slides into any space.

My other portable favorite is the Glyph 4TB SSD RAID (USB-C), which is the fastest writing speed (1800 MB/sec). Very compact, and $850 for a 4TB hard drive. Read my article, "Review of Solid State Drives"

 

Apple or Microsoft?

Apple computers has traditionally been the best for photography workflow. I used to say that, even if you work with a PC for work, consider an Apple for your photography. But well, things are changing. Apple seem to have a hard time to keep up, and meanwhile for example the Microsoft Surface computer prove to be an excellent platform for photo editing. So, if you heard me say "get a Mac" in the past, let me modify it to, "Consider a Mac, but if you're willing to work with the PC interface, consider a Microsoft Surface computer".

 

The Microsoft Surface computer where you can take off the keyboard and use the screen with a pencil, or a wheel you attach (magnetically) to the screen. They come as 15" with 1TB and i7 Quad-core processors. See MacRumors review of MacBook Pro vs Microsoft Surface.
The Microsoft Surface Pro computer where you can take off the keyboard and use the screen with a pencil, or a wheel you attach (magnetically) to the screen. They come as 15" with 1TB and i7 Quad-core processors. See MacRumors review of MacBook Pro vs Microsoft Surface.

 
     

 

 
 

 

 

  NEW VERSION 22.3  
  Capture One Survival Kit by Thorsten von Overgaard  
         
 


Capture One Pro Survival Kit by Thorsten von Overgaard

490 pages easy-to-understand
workflow logics, checklists, Styles
and 3+ hours of videos.

Packed with help and tools for all questions on digital photography workflow.

Read more ...

Buy now
Start today


Thorsten Overgaard by Ray Kachatorian
Thorsten Overgaard

Black and White Photography
Editing Color Photographs
Special Effects
Organizing files
Organizing Old Archives
Keywords
How to do safe backup
Hardware setup
Screens and Calibration
Printing Workflow
Capture One on iPad
Capture One Live
Publishing
+ Export Formats
+ Free Overgaard Styles
+ Preflight Checklists

The one and only method
The Survivel Kit is the only of it's kind, made by photographers for photographers.

 

 

 

The Brand New June 2022

"Capture One Survival Kit 22"

By Thorsten Overgaard

The complete workflow of Thorsten Overgaard,
made easy with pre-flight checklists and step-by-step instructions on how to set up and use a professional
photo editing software like Capture One Pro.

Laid out in a way that is easy to understand
and everyone can apply. Works for Capture One Pro 22
and all previous versions.

New revised version

This is the most revised version ever of the
best-selling Surival Kit by Thorsten Overgaard. This new
version includes many new chapters, on Capture One on iPad and how to add keywords better, as well as more
than 3+ hours of videos tutorials with
Thorsten Overgaard.

Simple and to-the-point tools on how to use select tools, how to do backup and how to manage and organize pictures archives so they don't get lost and doesn't have to be reorganized again and again.

Expanded and simplified

Also: Specialized first-help chapters on how to
sync your entire photo archive with the smartphone,
how to escape Apple Photos, how to empty photos out
of an iPhone, how to get out of Lightroom CC, what to do with iPad editing ... and more on how to not survive the digital age and perhaps even outsmart it.

Now comes with
Overgaard Leica Styles for FREE

Special black & white conversion, better skintones
and a CMOS sensor color correction.
(Value $48.00. FREE with this kit).

Thorsten Overgaard
Capture One Survival Kit 22.3
For computer, iPad, smartphone and Kindle.

Buy Now

Instant download.

Price $798.00

100% satisfaction or money back.
Released June, 2022.

Add to Cart   View Cart

 

 

UPDATE

VERSION 22.3 UPDATE
Compatible with all previous versions.
Simply use code: "UPDATE22"

Only $298,00

Add to Cart

 

 
     

 

 
  #2131-1222-3      

 

 

Also read

Also read my article, "Advice for Photographers: How to calibrate your computer screen"
Also read my article, "Review of Solid State Drives"

 

Your computer is not an archive

One of the things I teach in my workshops and in my Lightroom Survival Kit and Capture One Survival Kit (which is a guide on how to set up an overall workflow for photography), is that your photographs and raw files are not to reside on the computer.

Your computer is a tool to import, edit and finalize photographs. After you are finished with them, they have to go onto an external archive and your computer should be empty.

You cannot work on a comptuer that is cluttered with files. Your comptuer is not an archive, it's a tool.

 

Your computer is a tool and a resource

Your computer should be set up to work for you. The faster it is, the simpler it works, and the more you can have it do for you, the better.

The amount of automated processes a computer can do for you that it would take you days to do is amazing.

But on the other hand, the amount of time you can waste on getting a computer to work is just as amazing.

So keep your eyes on how to get the computer to do work for you. It's a tool.

 

NEW VERSION 11.3
   
   
         
   
     
 

Buy Now. Instant delivery.

New Version 11.3

ONLY $698.00

Add to Cart


Now includes
4+ hours of
video tutorials.

100% satisfaction
or 100% refund.
More info.

 
  #2130-1121-3  
     
 


Update to Version 11.3

Apply code "UPDATE113" on checkout to get this complete version 11.3 update.

$298.00

Add to Cart

Updates all previous Surival Kit versions since 2009.

 
     

Buy the complete new
Lightroom Survival Kit 11.3
The Legendary Tutorial for Photographers

Brand-new JUNE 2022-version.
Now with brand-new 4+ hours of video tutorials.
New sections on compostition and storytelling.
How to edit color photos.
How to edit black & white photos.

How to do keywords logical and easy.

The most successful photo editing kit ever

Photographer Thorsten Overgaard first released the Lightroom Survival Kit in 2009 and have honed it with new and fresh updates. This Version 11 is the most radical updated and renewed version ever, four years in the making.

Thorsten von Overgaard editing on Eizo
Professional workflow experience made simple, logical and easy to use.

Master editor makes it simple to understand

The Survival Kit is unique and one-of-a-kind being made for photographers for photographers. When someone understands their subject, they can explain it so it is easy to understand. The hallmark of Thorsten Overgaard is to make expert knowledge shown and told in a way so anyone can apply it.

Hands-on advice that works

With a 450 pages workbook and 4+ hours of video, every element of digital photography is touched on, in handy chapters and pre-flight checklists. Editing of color vs black and white photos, keywording, cropping of images, fine-tuning of tones, color balance and color control, export of originals, printing, archiving and backup, and much more.

Comes with the Overgaard Leica Presets (Value $48)

The Lightroom Survival Kit comes with Thorsten Overgaard's special-made Lightroom Presets for all digital cameras and for Leica digital cameras.

Understand all from camera to the final print

Chapters in this version goes over the background for High Dynamic Range (HDR), digital raw files and how to set up a professional photography workflow, from calibrating the screen to editing in Lightroom, and to making a final print. And more ...

10+ years experience in one package

No need to spend years figuring out the smartest way to do things when you can tap into the best way of doing things right here. The workflow of Thorsten Overgaard as been refined through years of field work with more than a thousand workshop attendees.

This method of workflow now used by thousands

The Survival Kit has been taught to thousands in workshops and in this Survival Kit. What does it do? It make you enjoy taking and making photos, and it increases your production considerabely. Most important of all, it'll give you back ownership of your files (which you will understand why is so important, once you have bought the Survival Kit and started applying its methods).

     
 

"Thorsten's methodology is perhaps not what hardware-, software- and cloud-companies want us to do, but as a former IT engineer I can only acknowledge his views about preserving our digital heritage. This workflow explained is for me the best I have ever seen".

★★★★★

 
     

Video tutorials, image files, presets, checklists, definitions, tutorials of Lightroom, that boils down years of experience to a workflow you can implement in less than one day.

  Start working in minutes.

 

 

 

 
   
   
   
   
   
         
 

 

 

Finally, the ideal computer

Once in a while, you plan to buy the ideal computer and all. It's a great idea, and with it you often have the feeling that now you are on top of it all. It's perfect. But what you have to think into the plan is that your ideal computer will need updating and replacement very soon to stay the ideal setup.

So rather than investing in the perfect everything right now, think in a workable workflow that will continue to be ideal with the updates, replacements and all.

The question is not, "How much will I have to invest in the ideal computer setup?" but rather, "How much will it cost me a year to maintain this perfect setup?"

Because that's what you do when you plan a computer and a workflow. You plan a continious workflow that require that you update most of the elements every one or two years to stay on top of the game. For me it's MacBook Pro and it cost me about $1,000 a year to buy a new one every 12-18 months and sell the old one. If I added a Mac Pro for "home use", I would have to look at the writeoff a year to maintain that power. I can't just buy one and expect it to keep me working super-fast forever.

 

A good computer

My take on computers is very easy to remember: Get the most effective one and keep replacing it with the new model whenever the new model is a considerable jump up in speed. But don't buy the marketing hype, look at actual speed performance.

When Apple moved onto the unibody MacBook Pro, there was a period of two years where the previous model (with silver keyboard) was in fact faster for video and stills editing.

They usually gets bigger and faster for each release, but some times the improvement is very small and not worth the trouble of replacement. Apple for example released a 15" MacBook Pro in 2014 that didn't improve the speed or harddrive space. Their 2013 model improved compared to the previous model: The internal speed from 400 MB/sec to 800 MB/sec and the harddrive went from 512 GB to 1TB. Their 2015 model improved the internal speed greatly from 800 MB/sec to 2000 MB/sec.

I figure it cost me about $500 - $1,000 a year in write-off replacing my previous MacBook Pro with the new one. So even the machine is usually around $3,300, that is not what it costs me every 12-18 months to keep the fastest one.

Apple iMac comes with a nice big screen, but stacking it with SSD hard drives is more expensive than stacking a MacBook Pro with similar space. I recommend getting a MacBook Pro and eventual one or two external screens.

The 12" MacBook in gold is slick and looks good but is the slowest MacBook available. It's basically an iPad with keyboard.

The Mac Pro was designed to be a powerhouse but the release was so delayed that time caught up with it. It can be useful for scientific work and other work where you demand a lot of power. But the new iMac is in fact faster than the Mac Pro, unless you trick the Mac Pro out with all the power you can get. It's not really a computer for home use.

I stumbled into a Mac Pro that was optimized dramatically:

 

Now, this is a workflow computer! I stumbled over this made-to-travel Mac Pro computer integrated into a flight box with eight 1TB SSD-drives and import slots for camera memory cards in the top). It serves as import, storage, distribution, printing as well as server for five on-the-road editing workstations with each one 27" screen. It's meant as one computer that serves five traveling photographers at one time. The MacPro itself has 1TB SSD built-in and lots of RAM, as well as an external back-up drive attached (the usb-cable going out of the unit).
Now, this is a workflow computer! I stumbled over this made-to-travel Mac Pro computer integrated into a flight box with eight SSD-drives and import slots for camera memory cards in the top). It serves as import, storage, distribution, printing as well as server for five on-the-road editing workstations with each one 27" screen. It's meant as one computer that serves five traveling photographers at one time. The MacPro itself has 1TB SSD built-in and lots of RAM, as well as an external back-up drive attached (the usb-cable going out of the unit).

 

Photography team on the road: The five workstations run by one portable Mac Pro that is special built and tricked out with all sorts of extra power.
Photography team on the road: The five workstations run by one portable Mac Pro that is special built and tricked out with all sorts of extra power.

 

I hope you enjoyed today's article. As always, feel free to mail me at thorsten@overgaard.dk for suggestions, ideas and corrections.

 

 

 


Thorsten Overgaard

   
   

 

leica.overgaard.dk
Thorsten Overgaard's Leica Article Index
Leica M cameras:   Leica S:
Leica M10   Leica S1 digital scan camera
Leica M Type 240 and M-P Typ240   Leica S2 digital medium format
Leica M-D Typ 262 and Leica M60   Leica S digital medium format
Leica M Monochrom Typ246 digital rangefinder    
Leica M Monochrom MM digital rangefinder   Leica Cine Lenses:
Leica M9 and Leica M-E digital rangefinder   Leica Cine lenses from CW Sonderoptic
Leica M9-Professional digital rangefinder    
Leica M4 35mm film rangefinder    
Leica M lenses:   Leica SLR cameras:
Leica 21mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4   Leica SL 2015 Type 601 mirrorless fullframe
Leica 21mm Leica Super-Elmar-M ASPH f/3.4   Leica R8/R9/DMR film & digital 35mm dSLR cameras
Leica 21mm Super-Angulon-M f/3.4   Leica R10 [cancelled]
Leica 28mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4   Leica R4 35mm film SLR
Leica 35mm Summilux-M ASPH FLE f/1.4 and f/1.4 AA   Leica R3 electronic 35mm film SLR
Leica 35mm Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0   Leicaflex SL/SL mot 35mm film SLR
Leica 50mm Noctilux-M ASPH f/0.95    
Leica 50mm Noctilux-M f/1.0 and f/1.2   Leica R lenses:
Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH f//1.4   Leica 19mm Elmarit-R f/2.8
Leica 50mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0   Leica 35mm Elmarit-R f/2.8
Leitz 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 "rigid" Series II   Leica 50mm Summicron-R f/2.0
Leica 75mm Summilux-M f/1.4   Leica 60mm Macro-Elmarit f/2.8
Leica 75mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0   Leica 80mm Summilux-F f/1.4
Leica 90mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0   Leica 90mm Summicron-R f/2.0
Leica 90mm Summarit-M f/2.5   Leica 180mm R lenses
Leica 90mm Elmarit f/2.8   Leica 400mm Telyt-R f/6.8
Leitz 90mm Thambar f/2.2   Leica 35-70mm Vario-Elmarit-R f/2.8
    Leica 35-70mm Vario-Elmarit-R f/4.0
     
History and overview:   Small Leica cameras:
Leica History   Leica Q full-frame mirrorless
Leica Definitions   Leica Digilux 2 vintage digital rangefinder
Leica Lens Compendium   Leica Digilux 1
Leica Camera Compendium   Leica X
The Solms factory and Leica Wetzlar Campus   Leica Sofort instant camera
    Leica Minilux 35mm film camera
    Leica CM 35mm film camera
     
Photography Knowledge   Thorsten Overgaard books and education:
Calibrating computer screen for photographers   Thorsten Overgaard Masterclasses & Workshops
Quality of Light   Overgaard Lightroom Survival Kit for Lightroom CC/6
Lightmeters   "Finding the Magic of Light" eBook (English)
Color meters for accurate colors (White Balance)   "Die Magie des Lichts Finden" eBook (German)
White Balance & WhiBal   "Composition in Photography" eBook
Film in Digital Age   "The Moment of Impact in Photography" eBook
Dodge and Burn   "Freedom of Photographic Expression" eBook
All You Need is Love    
How to shoot Rock'n'Roll   "After the Tsunami" Free eBook
X-Rite   The Overgaard New Inspiration Extension Course I
The Origin of Photography   The Overgaard Photography Extension Course
Case in Point    
The Good Stuff    
Hasselblad/Imacon Flextight 35mm and 6x6 scanner   "Magic of Light" Television Channel
Leica OSX folder icons   Thorsten von Overgaard YouTube Channel
     
Leica Photographers:    
Jan Grarup   Riccis Valladares
Henri Cartier-Bresson   Christopher Tribble
Birgit Krippner   Martin Munkácsi
John Botte   Jose Galhoz
 
Douglas Herr    
Vivian Maier    
Morten Albek    
Byron Prukston    
     
The Story Behind That Picture:   Thorsten Overgaard on Instagram
More than 100 articles by Thorsten Overgaard   Join the Thorsten Overgaard Mailing List
Thorsten Overgaard Workshop Schedule   Thorsten Overgaard on Twitter
    Thorsten Overgaard on Facebook
Leica Forums and Blogs:    
Leica M10 / M240 / M246 User Forum on Facebook   Heinz Richter's Leica Barnack Berek Blog
The Leica User Forum   Leica Camera AG
Steve Huff Photos (reviews)   Leica Fotopark
Erwin Puts (reviews)   The Leica Pool on Flickr
LeicaRumors.com (blog)   Eric Kim (blog)
Luminous Landscape (reviews)   Adam Marelli (blog)
Sean Reid Review (reviews)   Jono Slack
Ken Rockwell (reviews)   Shoot Tokyo (blog)
John Thawley (blog)   Ming Thein (blog)
    I-Shot-It photo competition
 
 
The Von Overgaard Gallery Store:    
Hardware for Photography   Von Overgaard Ventilated lens shades:
Software for Photography   Ventilated Shade for Current 35mm Summilux FLE
Signed Prints   Ventilated Shade for older Leica 35mm/1.4 lenses
Mega Size Signed Prints   Ventilated Shade for Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH
Mega Size Signed Limited Prints   Ventilated Shade E43 for older 50mm Summilux
Medium Size Signed Limited Prints   Ventilated Shade for 35mm Summicron-M ASPH
Small Size Signed Limited Prints   Ventilated Shade for older 35mm/f2 lenses
Commisioning Thorsten Overgaard Worldwide   Ventilated Shade for 50mm Summicron lenses
Thorsten Overgaard Archive Licencing   Ventilated Shade for Leica 28mm Summilux
Vintage Prints   Ventilated Shade for current 28mm Elmarti-M
Photography Books by Thorsten Overgaard   Ventilated Shade for older 28mm Elmarti-M
Home School Photography Extension Courses   Ventilated Shade for 75mm Summicron (coming)
Overgaard Workshops & Masterclasses   ventilated Shade E55 for 90mm Summicron
Artists Nights   Ventilated Shade for 28mm Summaron
    Ventilated Shade for 24mm Elmarit
Gallery Store Specials   Ventilated ShadeE60 for 50mm Noctilux and 75/1.4
 

 

   
   
   

Above: Cozy moment with the Apple MacBook Pro LaCie 4TB hard drive and the Leica M-D 262 digital rangefinder. © Thorsten Overgaard.

 





 


Also visit:

Overgaard Photography Workshops
Books by Thorsten Overgaard
Street Photography Masterclass Video
Adobe Photoshop Editing Masterclass
Adobe Lightroom Survival Kit
Lightroom Presets by Overgaard
Lightroom Brushes by Overgaard
Capture One Survival Kit

Capture One Styles by Overgaard
Signed Original Prints by Overgaard

Von Overgaard Gallery Store
Ventilated Shades by Overgaaard
Leather Camera Straps
Camea Bags
Leather Writing Pads
Sterling Silver Camera Necklace

Leica Definitions
Leica History
Leica Lens Compendium
Leica Camera Compendium
Leica 21mm Super-Elmar-M ASPH f/3.4
Leica 21mm Super-Angulon f/3.4
Leica 21mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4

Leica 28mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4
Leica 35mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4
Leica 35mm Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0
Leica 35mm APO-Summicron-M f/2.0

Leica 40mm Summicron-C f/2.0
Leica 50mm Noctilux-M ASPH f/0.95
Leica 50mm Summicron-SL f/2.0
Leica 50mm APO-Summicron-M f/2.0
Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0
ELCAN 50mm f/2.0
Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4
7artisans 50mm f/1.1
Leica 75mm Summilux-M f/1.4
Leica 75mm Noctilux-M ASPH f/1.25
7artisans 75mm f/1.25
Leica 80mm Summilux-R f/1.4
Leica 90mm APO-Summicron-M f/2.0
Leica 90mm Summilux-M f/1.5
Leica 35-70mm Vario-Elmarit-R f/2.8
Leitz Cine lenses
Leica L lenses

Leica M6

Leica M11-P
Leica M11
Leica M11 Monochrom
Leica M10
Leica M10-P

Leica M10-R
Leica M10-D
Leica M10 Monochrom
Leica M9, M9-P and Leica ME
Leica M9 Monochrom
Leica M 240
Leica M 240 for video
Leica M 262
Leica M-D 262

Leica M 246 Monochrom

Leica SL
Leica SL2
Leica SL2-S

Lecia SL3
Panasonic Lumix S1R
Leica R9 dSLR
Leica / Kodak/ Imacon digital back
Leica Q
Leica Q2
Leica Q2 Monochrom
Leica Q3
Leica CL
Leica TL2
Leica Sofort
Leica S medium format
Leica X
Leica D-Lux

Leica C-Lux

Leica V-Lux

Leica Digilux

Leica Digilux 1

Leica Digilux 2
Leica Digilux Zoom

Leica Digilux 4.3

Leica Digilux 3

Light metering
White Balance for More Beauty
Color Meters

Screen Calibration
Which computer to get
Sync'ing photo archive to iPhone
The Story Behind That Picture
"On The Road With von Overgaard"

Von Overgaard Masterclasses:
M11 / M10 / M9 / M240 / Q / Q2 / Q3 / SL2 / SL3 /TL2 /

 

 

Overgaard Photo Workshops

Leica 35mm f/1.4 FLE Ventilated Lens Shade for Adventurers by Thorsten von Overgaard
Want this lens shade?
Click to see more!

 

 



Thorsten Overgaard
Thorsten von Overgaard is a Danish-American multiple award-winning photographer, known for his writings about photography and Leica cameras. He travels to more than 25 countries a year, photographing and teaching workshops to photographers. Some photos are available as signed editions via galleries or online. For specific photography needs, contact Thorsten Overgaard via email.

You can follow Thorsten Overgaard at his television channel magicoflight.tv.

Feel free to email to thorsten@overgaard.dk for questions, advice and ideas.

 

 
           
  · © Copyright 1996-2024 · Thorsten von Overgaard


 

© 1996 - 2024 Thorsten Overgaard. All rights reserved.

 

Web Analytics