Anyone using a laptop only? no extra screen's?

[mlech]

I got got a laptop and already considering to return it.

I changed over from my desktop with a 22" LCD widescreen, now I'm using a 17" laptop.


I am using a wireless keyboard and mouse, I just find it more difficult to work on this screen.

I don't see the point of having a screen hooked up, in this case I'll go get a desktop with greater performance for the same price.


Anyone using your laptop screen only? and how is it? I find it strange for me.

[Daship]

I would be lost without desktop and multiple monitors.

[DreamState]

The ability to travel light is always a plus with a laptop :D

[Daship]

Even more plus with a tablet and logmein to use your desktop remotely.

[alex.hondsmerk]

15" laptop screen only. I am looking to get a 28" or so screen at some point!
Once, I hooked up my computer to a friend's HD projector. Photoshop (and CoD!) was amazing!

[S100mike]

I love my ALL IN ONE little powerhouse - MacBookPro 15" Quad Core,8 GB of Ram and a 750 GB HDD, it is powerful, portable and awesome for all my editing needs. After using Sony and Toshiba Laptops, the MBP is really is in a class of it's own. I have had such great success with the display that I don't even need colour management software thrown into the mix. I am getting near 95-98 % colour accuracy from screen to Canon 9500 Mark 2 printer.

Maybe in the near future I would add a thunderbolt display but for now, all my photographic workflow needs are completely covered. 100% satisfied...

[thedge]

Laptop is my only general use computer and used for edting yes but it has a dock (company provided) and a 24" Dell Ultrasharp (mine) via DisplayPort.

If you dont want to bother plugging and unplugging cables all the time get a docking station for it. Makes things a lot easier. There is definitely a point to having external monitors on laptops.

[JJD.Photography]

I think it's a matter of getting used to the new setup. I only use a laptop and no way I will give up the saved space or ability to use the device anywhere I please (bed, couch, park, on the road, wherever!). There is no way I will be stuck at a desk with a desktop! That's so 90's! :oops:

[aliengin]

In the recent years laptops became popular infact in most homes they replaced desktops even thought they do not move from the same desk!
For me its all about mobility, travelling to a race, shooting and doing all the post process from the media room is almost impossible without a laptop.
My setup is a 17 inch MacBook Pro and I just got a Intuos 5 Medium tablet. its size (not the active area) is same as 17 inch Macbook, I put the tablet right over the keyboard and it works perfect.
if you think 17 inch monitor is small, I've seen miracles created on a 13 inch laptops.
Its all about getting used to I guess.

[Mosephus]

Ditto, i just went from a 27 in imac to a MBP and while I'm still saving for my monitor, I've enjoyed the mobility I've gained.

[Gnhntn]

Ben using nothing but a laptop for a few years now. Sometimes miss the larger monitor, but for the most part no problems, currently have a 16" display.

[madjack]

17" laptop for a little over a year now.. It felt good to break away from the desktop. Went out the other day with the wife and shot a bit. later we went to a restaurant for a couple happy hour beverages and viewed the pictures at the table. Can't do that strapped to a tower.

[MCAsan]

For me laptops do not have enough resources...screen size, memory, USB 3 ports, disk space (especial with RAID 1), full standard keyboard.

The closest I found is an HP 17 Envy. It has two 1TB drives, one SSD for boot, and USB 3 ports. So I use it in the field to collect the files from our cameras and make at least one copy. The only editing we do in the field is throw away obvious losers. Once we get back home we import the files into our respective LR libraries on our desktops. There we have serious screen sizes, color calibration, RAID 1 disk arrays...etc.

[82NoMe]

I have to have both. Desktop with three 24" monitors and a laptop when out of the house. I use offline file sharing so all files stay on the desktop but the ones I like to have when I travel are with me and then re sink automatically when I rejoin the network. Best of all worlds.

[MadlyAlive]

I would be lost without desktop and multiple monitors.

What he said.

[madjack]

Im not very tech savvy. What is the significance in multiple monitors?

[CAL Imagery]

Im not very tech savvy. What is the significance in multiple monitors?
More screen space for getting stuff done. Even though I rarely edit photos anymore, I love two monitors because I can vastly increase my productivity.

Photographers will often have a grid of photos on one monitor and edit or view the individual photos on another. Or they edit on one and have the controls on another. Or basically whatever you darn well please.

[golfinmom4]

17" laptop for a little over a year now.. It felt good to break away from the desktop. Went out the other day with the wife and shot a bit. later we went to a restaurant for a couple happy hour beverages and viewed the pictures at the table. Can't do that strapped to a tower.

Also Gnhntn and JJD.photography:

Please tell me what laptops you are using. I am researching now and don't want a MBP. I am not a professional but want an excellent screen to do personal editing. I have read that one should buy an IPS screen but there aren't many out there on laptops, perhaps Lenovo and some of the gaming computers.
Do you use a color calibrater for your laptop? Any information would be appreciated.

[JJD.Photography]

Also Gnhntn and JJD.photography:

Please tell me what laptops you are using. I am researching now and don't want a MBP. I am not a professional but want an excellent screen to do personal editing. I have read that one should buy an IPS screen but there aren't many out there on laptops, perhaps Lenovo and some of the gaming computers.
Do you use a color calibrater for your laptop? Any information would be appreciated.

I use a 17" HP Pavilion Entertainment PC (about 3 years old). No calibration done and have been pleased with the results when pp'n. I don't know how much better (if at all) pp'n would be on a larger screen. I have been thinking about upgrading to an external monitor.

[Pearlallica]

I'm pretty happy with the notebook solution I've put together. I invested in an open-box/discounted 13" macbook pro, swapped out the hard drive with an SSD, took out the optical drive and put in a drivebay to hold the stock 320GB HHD and of course upgraded to 8GB RAM. I then picked up this value display (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/816846-REG/HP_Hewlett_Packard_NL773A8_ABA_Compaq_LA2405wg_24_ LCD.html) from B&H which has a display port to connect the macbook and a dock to slide in the macbook. It's like a 24" iMac with upgrades with the ability to go portable whenever I'd like. Considering all of this, I would never, ever buy an iMac.

I also have a powerful Mac Pro with multiple cinema displays. At the end of the day, it's true, I do use the Mac Pro for maximum work efficiency. The macbook is a little sluggish in comparison when loading large 21mp files. But even when the macbook is attached to the monitor, it's still ultra portable if I'd like to work in a different room.

[madjack]

Also Gnhntn and JJD.photography:

Please tell me what laptops you are using. I am researching now and don't want a MBP. I am not a professional but want an excellent screen to do personal editing. I have read that one should buy an IPS screen but there aren't many out there on laptops, perhaps Lenovo and some of the gaming computers.
Do you use a color calibrater for your laptop? Any information would be appreciated.

Mines a Hewlitt-Packard. As far as calibrated, I followed a link to check it out provided by another member and found I was ok. Sorry for the late response.

[TijmenDal]

Just a 13" MBP.
I find it big enough for everyday use, although when doing photo- and video editing I wish I had a 15" or even 17" screen, I don't find it small enough in any way.
When I'm at my parents and am using their 21" screen, I just find it way TOO BIG.

[Pearlallica]

Just a 13" MBP.
I find it big enough for everyday use, although when doing photo- and video editing I wish I had a 15" or even 17" screen, I don't find it small enough in any way.
When I'm at my parents and am using their 21" screen, I just find it way TOO BIG.

LOL I have three 27" cinema displays on my mac pro. Some days it is overkill and so I turn a screen off. When I'm working and in the zone I use every inch of those screen. I have a 13" mbp and my productivity is stifled quite a bit because of the amount of panels in lightroom and photoshop. I do basic editing on the laptop, but when I need to speed things up I will attach to my 24" screen without hesitation. I don't know how you cope with that workflow. :)

[KVN Photo]

I use 4, yes 4 laptop for editing, 11' MBair, 13' MBP 2.7GHz, Acer TM 6292, and MBwhite. I had no problem with the monitor size as I'm used to it for like 7years. But when I need larger screen, I could always connect it to 40' LCD :D

[20DNewbie]

I've only ever owned laptops, although I have added a netbook for editing while away.

[Luckless]

I use a 24" primary with 20" secondary for my main workstation. I never really got into buying a traditional laptop with enough power or screen size to comfortably and efficiently do much of any editing work.

In my mind, if I'm not at my workstation, then I'm likely not somewhere that I should be doing that kind of work in the first place. I would rather save it till I got back home, and use field time to do other things. Like working on improving my horrible photography skills. For on the move, I have a small underpowered netbook. It is more than enough to run a terminal to a cluster computer or check my email, and that is all I really ask of it. I really don't want to lug around a large laptop that is going to be annoying to use compared to my primary system.