Lightweight and inexpensive notebook for traveling

[rpcrowe]

There are some things that can be done easier with a notebook computer than with a Chromebook. One of these is downloading RAW images with an opportunity to view them.

I want to be able to transfer my images from my CF cards (via card reader) and save them to an external hard- drive when I am traveling. I don't have any desire to edit the images but, I would like to be able to take a cursory look at the RAW images from time to time to ensure that no major equipment failure has happened.

I rally want to get this done as inexpensively as possible since I am on a fixed income... My idea is that this refurbished Asus Notebook would do the job at $112 USD plus about another $9 USD in state tax..

http://www.frys.com/product/9117778

I would probably use the Canon Digital Imaging Program for opening the images.

However, I have a legitimate copy of Adobe Photoshop CS6 that I removed from my old desktop computer and can install on the Asus. However, it is on a disk and this computer doesn't have a CD/DVD reader.

I now use Adobe CC. I have not installed Lightroom because I don't really like using that program. I wonder if, since I have the CC on my desktop - could I load Lightroom onto my new notebook?

[Manfred M]

I now use Adobe CC. I have not installed Lightroom because I don't really like using that program. I wonder if, since I have the CC on my desktop - could I load Lightroom onto my new notebook?

Your Adobe CC licence allows installation on up to two computers; at least this is true for the whole CC package, I'm not sure what restrictions there are on the Photoshop / ACR / Lightroom only package. If you want to have the software on more than two, you just have to deactivate the licence on one and activate it on the other. You don't have to uninstall anything.

I do this all the time; when I am on the road, I don't need anything on the desktop and transfer the licence to the laptop. When I get back home, I do everything on the desktop and remove the licence from the desktop. The second licence is on my wife's laptop.

[Dave Humphries]

I wonder if, since I have the CC on my desktop - could I load Lightroom onto my new notebook?

Yes

I looked at the link and ...

I would suggest that 160 GB HDD might not be large enough, but then I don't know how much you'd shoot on a typical trip.

Let's say you have 120 GB left after installing everything you need and the OS, that's just 4 x 32GB CF full cards - how does that sound?

Dave

PS
I have to say one advantage of always having used SD cards is that I ensure my laptops always have a slot for it, avoiding the need for a separate card reader.

[rpcrowe]

Yes

I looked at the link and ...

I would suggest that 160 GB HDD might not be large enough, but then I don't know how much you'd shoot on a typical trip.

Let's say you have 120 GB left after installing everything you need and the OS, that's just 4 x 32GB CF full cards - how does that sound?

Dave

PS
I have to say one advantage of always having used SD cards is that I ensure my laptops always have a slot for it, avoiding the need for a separate card reader.

I would use the notebook only for transferring my RAW files from the CF cards to an external hard drive. I would not expect to store those files on my computer's hard drive.

My UDMA compatible CF card reader downloads files faster than the comparable # and size of files from my SD cards via my computer's card readers. I made a very unscientific test shooting the same image (with same shooting parameters) onto both my CF card and my SD card using the Canon 7Dii. I don't really remember what speed SD card I was using but, my CF cards were either 400x or 800x.

[rpcrowe]

I have figured it out - for some reason, my Chromebook will open CR2 RAW files when it would not a year of so ago. I can view the files as images. Perhaps I was not doing things correctly earlier...

In fact, I can transfer my files from a CF Card attached through a USB cable on a card reader (this one is a Targus - I have several different ones) to an external hard-drive (in this case a Seagate) via a USB cable.

For anyone who is interested, here's how it works:

1. Turn on Chromebook

2. Attach the card reader and the external hard-drive to the Chromebook via individual USB cables

3. Insert card in card reader

(It seems that it doesn't matter in which sequence the above steps 1-3 are performed)

4. Open file manager using ALT-SHIFT-M

5. Set file manager to half screen using ALT-1

6. Open second File Manager window using Ctrl-N

(You may have to reposition one of the File Manager Windows by dragging)

7. Select appropriate devices in each window. On my Chromebook I see both the EOS and Seagate.

8. Selecting the EOS - I will then see my RAW files. It will show a tiny round thumbnail of the image. Double clicking will open the image in your Chromebook screen. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS... It is just that you can if you want to see the image before you transfer it.

9. I can then select all of my RAW files (using shift-click) and simply drag these files over to my external hard drive.

When my images have been transferred to the Seagate External Hard Drive, I can view them by double clicking on the image.

IT WORKS QUITE WELL

I plan to start off with an empty hard drive large enough to more than hold whatever images I plan to shoot!

There are some editing programs that can be used with the Chromebook. I have no desire to do any editing when I am traveling.

For an important trip, I would very likely use a pair of hard-drives for safety...

NOTE: I would definitely have my Chromebook plugged in to an A/C outlet while doing this. My small external hard drives draw their power from the Chromebook (my desk-top external drives have their own current supply). I would not want the Chromebook to go dead as I am transferring files

[loosecanon]

The computer you suggest has a low screen resolution (not size) - not ideal for image checking. Also remember - long battery life is achieved by slower computing, lower graphics and less screen brightness.

[paintingwithlight]

I am repurposing my old (slower) SDHC cards as external storage for my laptop when I travel. Since I typically keep 1 out of 3 shots, photos taken on a 64 GB class 10 SDHC card fit (after culling) nicely on to a 32 GB class 4 SDHC card.

[Manfred M]

The computer you suggest has a low screen resolution (not size).

Let me disagree here. Screen size is far more important than resolution, especially when compared to what we see on the tiny screens on the back of the camera. To a degree, I find screen resolution one of the least important attributes for editing; colour accuracy, gamut and contrast are far more important than resolution.

I traveled with a netbook for a number of years and used it more or less the same way that Richard is planning. I had a Windows version and was even able to run Photoshop CS on it (newer versions of Photoshop needed a higher resolution screen).

[george013]

In the RAW file there's an embedded jpg-image. I just have been a weekend in Tourcoing,France, with a laptop. Every day I copy the images to the laptop and view them with Iview. I think that's what you want.

George

[rpcrowe]

I am going to do my quickie trip to South Carolina with my Chromebook as my way to transfer my images to a small (in size but rather large capacity) external hard drive from my CF cards using a card reader.

If it works, everything will be great. If it doesn't work well enough; I have enough CF cards (albeit some are slower than others - but should not matter for travel pictures) to cover my shooting for the two or three days I will be in Charleston!