4K Displays
 

4K display to be used for video and photography.
Recommendations for computers that can drive them.
I know the Mac Pro can but are there any Windows machines available?

:ok:

You need some serious grunt backing it up depending what your doing.

I do focus stacking macro photo's occasionally with an occasional go-pro video edit.

The display quality of the 4k is good for just viewing but its the machine its fitted to that makes the difference to working with images and video.

When I stack 50 macro photo's its the ram and the processor that gets the hell kicked out of it, the same with video.

24GB ram i7 will run happily at 100% for 5-10mins converting a 30min go-pro video or dealing with a hefty focus stack.

The games machines will have the cooling sorted for you. And the amount of ram will help. As will a SSD.

If the machine is just for viewing the processor and ram on the MB isn't much of an issue. You need a reasonable sized ram on the GPU 2/3Gb and a SSD to keep the data transfer up. And make sure the cooling system is up to it.

Also as well if its for photography get a colour calibrator for the system. Other wise your going to get issues with people claiming the colour doesn't look right. 9/10 its their systems which are out but the 1/10 that calibrate their own will bitch like hell knowing they are right.

LookingForAjob & Mad_Jock

Many thanks for your input.

Will go for the Mac Pro 3.7Ghz Intel Zeon E5 which will connect up to 3 x 4K displays. It's the baby of the Pro line and retails at $2999. (ouch) :{

Its up to you.

If its just going to be used as a display machine you can get something cheaper in the PC line.

It might be better speaking to a custom build merchant with what you want to do.

Again depends if you using it for other things and you want it to be mobile.


That's a colour calibrator.

Its a pain in the bum having your work machine as the display machine. Better to have a display machine of what ever flavour you like so it can sit and do its thing. Then have another machine which does the processing.

As said the display machine just needs high graphics and a SSD for data transfer and a decent cooling system but nothing special. You should be able to pick one of them up of 500$ for the base unit and another 500 for the graphics cards. Your better to have a card per output device.

Cheers JocK
I like the colour calibrator.

Thanks:ok:

it makes a huge difference.

If your getting pics etc done by outside companys make sure you include in the agreements that the output needs to be on the standard that the calibrator is.

It will save you no end of issues with "that doesn't look right"

And if your talking about 4k stuff I am pretty sure that you want it looking right. And what they will see is what it will look like in print as well.

Don't get an overpriced ashtray / minature bathroom dustbin! Do it properly and get a dual GTX780 rig for half the price, that can be upgraded over time :cool: (I think you can drive 2 4k displays off each card, if not more, at 60hz)

Just buy yourself an Eizo ColorEdge instead and be done with it. :cool:

Unless you are seriously doing 4k video, there's absolutely no need for that nonsense in photography where any decent calibrated monitor will do.

Any half decent printing company will give you output profiles for their print devices, as well as file spec requirements. It then rests squarely and fairly in your shoes to make it look the way you want based on their profiles and ensure you comply with their requirements.

Calibrated monitor + output profiles + spec requirements = success

Plus, forget any silly clauses in printing agreements....they'll only laugh at you, why should they change their monitor calibrations for every customer ? Remember... they are doing the printing for you, not editing, thus they will not be spending any time whatsoever starting at your file other than the minimal amount necessary to send it to the RIP server.

The responsibility is always in your shoes to submit a decent file because if you're only contracting them to print, then how are they to know what is a "good" and "bad" file, they have to assume what you supplied is "good" and press-ready. Put yourself in their shoes !

If you're that obsessive about achieving 110% perfection in your prints, then the only answer is to ask for a hard proof before the job rolls onto production. That's the way it's always been, and that's the way it will always be. If they don't know what a hard proof is, or refuse to do one, then change printing companies ASAP !

Went for the MacBook Pro Retina.
Will edit Final Cut Pro X in Proxy and with still photos the MBPr is sufficient.

Thanks all for your input. :ok:

Indeed it is. Great machine, great screen !

Fine choice sir !