• 
• 
• 

Friday, February 27, 2009

Hi-Tech Studio: Workstation To Go

Apple’s new MacBook Pro and LED Cinema Display are a sleeker, faster and greener solution for the fluid studio

This Article Features Photo Zoom

The Apple 24-inch Cinema Display and the 15-inch MacBook Pro make a viable combination to replace a desktop workstation in your studio.

In a 24-hour world, work doesn’t wait quietly at the studio. For agile photographers who need consistent software and display performance wherever they are, Apple’s recently introduced MacBook Pro and companion 24-inch LED display make an intriguing combination as a possible do-it-all combination and desktop workstation replacement.

The Satellite Is The Mother Ship
While the concept of a powerful laptop computer as the mainstay of a studio isn’t a new one, most portable machines fall short in their capabilities for heavy-duty image processing of large image files. Furthermore, the small screens simply aren’t adequate as a main monitor. Pairing an external monitor for studio-based work, which would be a necessity for a professional, requires even more power, and with some computers and monitors, the process can be a challenge as you deal with matching screen resolutions and color calibration.

The new MacBook Pro and the new 24-inch Cinema Display are a different combination. Pairing these two products offers both mobility and a big, high-resolution display for detailed image work, and the two products were designed to work smoothly together. A single cord connects the laptop to the monitor, and once connected the two displays work seamlessly.

The 24-inch LED is light and easily portable itself. With it and your MacBook Pro, you can quickly set up a photo workstation anywhere you have access to power—for tethered shooting around the studio or working on location. For many photographers, this pair even can be a solid desktop replacement if you bump the specs on the MacBook Pro to their max and use external drives to expand your storage.

The advantage of a setup like this is that when you must leave the 24-inch display behind, the only change to your workflow is screen size.