Netbook + Lightroom + Travel = ?? Any Experiences?

Netbooks seem suitably lightweight and cheap these days that I'm thinking of picking one up before an upcoming trip to S.E Asia.

My main motivations are:

• back-up photos from CF cards for added security,
• WI-FI internet
• basic image culling/editing etc, in Lightroom if I have some spare time.

Any experiences, thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
---
andrew
http://www.pbase.com/abott

I used an ASUS 900HA last year while traveling in Canada & Alaska. Went with the smaller 9" screen model because it fit neatly in the front pouch of my camera bag.
Upgraded it to 2GB RAM and a larger, faster HD.
Used Windows 7 as base OS, along with FastStone image viewer and Lightroom 2.

Performed very well, Lightroom 2 worked well - a bit slow at times but still usable for basic editing, adding tags, etc. Didn't use FastStone much in the end.

I have a Canon 50d and shoot exclusively in RAW mode; but the 900HA and Lightroom handled it all quite well. After a days shooting I would load all the images onto the HD using a card reader (faster than USB from camera) and back them up to external USB flash drives. I would then import the new images into Lightroom and leave it to render the 1:1 previews for an hour or so. After dinner, it would all be ready to review / process the days images.

Also managed to do some HDR along the way using Photomatix (need to be patient while it processes the files though).

The keyboard is a bit small so typing can be a bit frustrating and the screen resolution presents some challenges with Lightroom - some dialog boxes don't completely fit on screen (mostly configuration stuff which I set up before I left using a higher resolution external monitor).

Internet browsing, email etc all worked well both wired and wireless (Windows 7 makes wireless network setup and connection very easy).

Regards,
Phil.

--
http://www.pbase.com/phil_a_mitchell

I've posted here a couple of times about my experience with a netbook and travel last year... but am happy to again. I traveled twice last year with a netbook, both times borrowing one from someone I work with. In both instances, I wanted something that I could backup to, review images, and use for internet connectivity (email and video chatting) while on the go. Both of the systems had 2GB of RAM, and fast harddrives. In neither case did I have Lightroom though. I used Faststone on one trip and Irfanview on another. Both worked well for reviewing my pics. Like I said though - no Lightroom or image editing. I have traveled with a full notebook - and doing image editing on any laptop is both contrary to what I want to be doing while traveling, and difficult to do well, given the screen colors on a notebook. Not to mention - that a netbook is underpowered for image editing. IRFanview and Faststone worked very well for image review, though.

This year - I purchased a netbook, and ended up with the Acer Aspire One, with 2GB of RAM. We plan on taking it to Hawaii with us in May, and using it much like I did the other two last year. BTW - the two I had used in 2009 were the Aspire One and the Lenovo S10. Both worked very well -- the Acer cost 20% less, which is why I ended up buying it. The other difference this year, is that most netbooks can be picked up with the N450 Pinetrail atom processor. The difference between this, and the atom in the systems I used last year - is battery life. The N450 based systems last all day on a charge -- very nice, when on the go.

hth -

--
Joe

Old Acct: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/postersprofile.asp?poster=hjigihivhdif

An 11.6" may be your best bet. at the very least go high res screen - 1280x720/1366x768 instead of 1024x576 or 1024x600.

Consider mobile celerons/pentium/core solo/core duo over atom. Mobile versions wont hit your battery too hard, but will be much more peppy than atom.

e.g.
http://www.gateway.com/systems/series/529598112.php

andrewbdub said:

Any experiences, thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

I have used a friend's Netbook with Lightroom. It runs and is definitely usable. However, it's not great and, of course, you'll be stuck with the inherent limitations of a netbook display.

My old (belongs in a museum) laptop isn't up to Lightroom. But it runs IrfanView just fine. That combo has worked great for me on several trips to Asia. IrfanView is free, it will handle NEF's, make/resize JPEG's and much more. Simple edits (crops, brightness, contrast etc) are a cinch. It will even support many PS plugins.

I consider it an essential tool and it gets installed on any computer that I touch:

http://www.irfanview.com/

Thanks for all the responses folks - much appreciated.
--
andrew
http://www.pbase.com/abott

and under $600.

Got one when newegg ran a quick $499 sale and nothing for the size/weight is better.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115685&Tpk=acer%20ferrari

Worth looking at and will do FAR better with raws in Lighroom vs the other suggestions that you are getting in this thread.

ATI3200 is no slouch with the new catalyst drivers either (photoshop makes use of its abilities with version CS4)

Take care.

though for the price "some" netbooks can be upgraded to 4gbs ram to get similar performance. Something else to think about.

take care!

The OP asked about netbooks specifically. The systems mentioned so far in this thread (netbooks) are roughly half the cost of the Ferrari One, weigh less, and have twice the battery life. If the OP wants to double the cost, there are a lot of systems which would perform at the higher level, provide better batter life, than the ones already suggested - or even what you have thrown into the mix. CNet put it nicely in their review of the Ferrari One, "Of course, all this comes at a price, and at $599, we'd be tempted to just jump into a thin 13-inch Intel ULV model, such as the 13-inch Toshiba T135..."

--
Joe

Old Acct: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/postersprofile.asp?poster=hjigihivhdif

Sarajean

Thanks for the input, but I'm really only seeking a small, lightweight netbook that will fit in my (largish) camera bag while backpacking. It's netbook or nothing
--
andrew
http://www.pbase.com/abott

andrewbdub said:

Sarajean

Thanks for the input, but I'm really only seeking a small, lightweight netbook that will fit in my (largish) camera bag while backpacking. It's netbook or nothing

Click to expand...

look at the dimentions again - its a netbook

jdoo said:

The OP asked about netbooks specifically. The systems mentioned so far in this thread (netbooks) are roughly half the cost of the Ferrari One, weigh less, and have twice the battery life. If the OP wants to double the cost, there are a lot of systems which would perform at the higher level, provide better batter life, than the ones already suggested - or even what you have thrown into the mix. CNet put it nicely in their review of the Ferrari One, "Of course, all this comes at a price, and at $599, we'd be tempted to just jump into a thin 13-inch Intel ULV model, such as the 13-inch Toshiba T135..."

Click to expand...

Good point. The Acer Ferrari is definately far more powerful than the average netbook and way faster with Lightroom. But at a price.

Take care.

I did exactly what you are planning. I bought a Samsung N140 (nice non glossy screen, 250G drive) Upgraded the Ram, installed LR3 beta.

Worked just fine. Fits in the outside pocket of my Flipside 400.

Travelled for a month in HK, NZ, KL. Small enough to stick in the room safe in hotels. Just a bit slow rendering D3 NEF's, but then LR3 was slower than LR2 anyway. Unfortunately Adobe won't let you use a licence 3 times, hence used LR3 beta.

Forgot to mention, also took a small USB HD, to back up with Synctoy.
Just in case laptop failed, got stolen and kept USB HD in my wife's luggage.

Have a good trip

I have an Acer Aspire One and use it for exactly the purposes you mention when travelling. I find it's excellent. It only has 1gb RAM and runs Lightroom 2 without any problem but the screen is too small for any serious photo editing so I leave that until I get home.

If you want to post any shots online for the folks back home whilst you're still travelling then I find it's easiest to set the camera to take Raw + 2mp Jpegs. The Jpegs are ideal for uploading and it saves re-sizing everything.

I've had my Acer for a couple of years. If I was looking to buy something similar today I would also take a look at the offering from Dell.

Remember that these netbooks don't have a CD drive and so to transfer images off the netbook and on to the desktop PC I use a separate external hard drive that I can plug into the USB

--
Confused of Malvern
'The greatest fool can ask more than the wisest man can answer'

Confused....

Thanks for your reply and for confirming that LR will run on a 1 GB machine. Also, good tip about shooting RAW plus small JPEGS.
--
andrew
http://www.pbase.com/abott