ML Raw & Storage

[jasonmillard81]

So it seems that some good advice made its way from these forums and direct messages into my ears.

 

I will not be selling my 5D3 as of yet.  I will invest in Komputerbay 64gb CF cards and get working on some continuous raw recording.

 

I have a 2011 MBP with 8gb ram and specs not worth listing since it can barely handle h.264 video let alone RAW.

 

I am looking to get an iMac and purchase some external HD's for a workflow solution.

 

Questions:

 

1. iMac:  is it worth upgrading internal HD from 3tb SATA to 1-3TB fusion?

2. iMac:  Should I upgrade gpu to 4gb? I am not rendering 3d or playing games...is it necessary?

3. Storage:  I need an external to import/edit videos (SSD?) and for storage (7200rpm HD 4gb or higher)??? suggestions for this?

 

Anything I am missing?

 

Thanks!

[Sean Cunningham]

I'd suggest going with the upgraded GPU because more and more any image based workflow is relying on GPU acceleration versus CPU.   GPUs are so much better at floating point processing than the fastest CPUs it's not even funny. 

[HurtinMinorKey]

Storage: I'd go with the 256GB Flash internal for editing, and then augment with external for storage.  Spinning drives are slow and affect the performance of almost everything you do.

 

I'm not a big fan of the fusion drives. (and I have one).

[jasonmillard81]

thanks for the advice all :).  any other options/opinions?  I am thinking of upgrading RAM myself.

 

is 256 Flash internal drive sufficient for all the programs etc. i'll have on my mac?  

 

What external drive would I get to unload and edit ML raw files?  How about back-up for my videos, and general videos, pics, documents?  Is there a book or website that can help since I clearly am not familiar with any of this?

 

thanks!

[jpfilmz]

thanks for the advice all :).  any other options/opinions?  I am thinking of upgrading RAM myself.

 

is 256 Flash internal drive sufficient for all the programs etc. i'll have on my mac?  

 

What external drive would I get to unload and edit ML raw files?  How about back-up for my videos, and general videos, pics, documents?  Is there a book or website that can help since I clearly am not familiar with any of this?

 

thanks!

I just recently lost my 2010 imac (upgraded with 32 gigs of ram) to a house fire.  Had no big problems working with raw on it.  I just could not run resolve lite on it due to the graphics card.  I'm replacing it with the latest imac maxed out on all the specs. I'm getting the 1 terabyte internal SSD and going to edit everything off external drives....either thunderbolt or usb 3 drives.

[Sean Cunningham]

...How about back-up for my videos, and general videos, pics, documents?  ...

 

Another hard drive of some sort is, unfortunately, the only reasonable sort of "backup" you can make given the size of the files these days.  

[see ya]

For backup a small RAID in a box, either network or desktop attached would be useful:

 

http://www.readynas.com/ or http://www.synology.com/en-uk/support/nas_selector

 

They have many benefits, cheap, consumer or enterprise disks, disks replace easy, network attached can replicate between each other if you went for more than one, say one at home, in the office, friends or parents place. Cloud, gets your data off site. eSATA & USB direct connections, ReadyNAS has 2x ethernet connections which can be bonded. Snapshots, remote access through the manufacturers portal.

 

Would suggest RAID 0 for a Desktop if it's just for additional storage immediate access. RAID 1 for full redundancy if for a backup and avoid RAID 5 and all other RAID configs unless using enterprise class disks.

 

For off loading raw files / h264 I use small 1TB 'Passport' style USB drives and a second user netbook bought cheap. Duplicate the files to internal h/d and external passport drive, can be a bit slow, probably better set ups.

[jasonmillard81]

Good points...

 

I am a public school teacher not looking to do this professionally.  Most responses look like: "well then who cares if it is h.264, raw, 4k, etc. just get out and shoot" while in theory I get it...it doesn't answer my questions.  Being an amateur with a low budget doesn't mean I don't want excellent quality.  Some will also say:  "then get a few CF cards, a card reader, bigger/faster HD and try out ML raw" to which i reply: "what if I realize it isn't worth the hassle and I'm better off with a gh4 or a hacked gh2 etc? all that wasted money"

 

a few questions:

 

1. obviously we have to wait till the gh4 is in the wild to see what it can do without true 4k and massive add-ons, which I wouldn't get regardless...I'd record to the internal gh4 codecs ONLY:  GH4 internal codec specs vs. ML raw specs on a 5d MK III who wins for overall "look" when compared as closely as possible...obviously speculation.

 

2. What sites/books/tutorials offer the best Mac workflow for raw.  I don't mind time intensive in the sense that I will have to walk away from the computer while it converts/renders certain steps for hours...as long as those hours don't entail me to be glued to the computer, which is insane for my amateur purposes.  I will be getting a Mac so best quality/easiest workflow suggestions?

 

3. iMac 27" :  

       

      a. is it necessary to go from 1gb to 2gb or to 4gb of dedicated GPU options?  Can 1gb be fine for raw or is 4gb necessary?

      b. can a 1tb internal SATA drive be sufficient for video editing or is there a real benefit out of fusion or SSD?  I'm sure there is an obvious benefit but cost/benefit analysis is it practical and necessary?  Remember I DON'T have a deadline, I teach children and don't work for a production company

      c. best exernal HD options?  It sounds like I should import and edit on a fast external drive?  is this correct? if so what size/type.  What suggestions for back-up of videos, pictures, music, files?

 

Thanks!

 

Remember think from my perspective!