Traveling with a Laptop?

Ok, I'm not really a complete geek yet -- I don't have a laptop.

My issue is this: should I buy a laptop for backing up my camera and for some field editing while on trips or just wait until I get home to work on the pictures and burn backups there.

Experience has shown me that it's a real chore to wade through hundreds of pictures after I get home (and sometimes it doesn't really get finished.)

My lovely wife ( ) gave me permission to buy a laptop but I'm thinking, "How much will I actually use it and how useful will it be versus the burden of carrying extra stuff?"

thanks in advance,

Easydiver

Ok, I'm not really a complete geek yet -- I don't have a laptop.

 

My issue is this: should I buy a laptop for backing up my camera and for some field editing while on trips or just wait until I get home to work on the pictures and burn backups there.

 

Experience has shown me that it's a real chore to wade through hundreds of pictures after I get home (and sometimes it doesn't really get finished.)

 

My lovely wife ( ) gave me permission to buy a laptop but I'm thinking, "How much will I actually use it and how useful will it be versus the burden of carrying extra stuff?"

 

thanks in advance,

 

Easydiver

I carry mine, either a 12", 15" or 17" Laptop to back up and capture footage, more so for making sure I have copies more than anything else. I also need to check email when I am away and occasionally need the laptop to watch movies if I cannot connect the tv to my iPod . It is a pain carrying the laptop, but that is offset for me by actually having it because of those reasons. Getting it through the airport and the short carry back and forth to other transportation is worth it for longer trips.

That being said I find myself doing less editing and sorting on the road until I get home in an attempt to enjoy the vacation time and relax. A few years ago I would download and look and wasted time. Now it is a quick look to see what worked and didn't work and to think about the next day of shooting. Will do some quick flags on shots that look good and worry later.

I have looked at the photo bank devices and came close to getting one of those and an iPod Touch to do the limited surfing/email I need to do. The only reason I held off is that the rumor is there will be a real ultraportable Mac coming in January. I also figure the iPod Touch may be revised a bit more before my next trip. But if the iPod Touch, for example, has some way to connect a USB drive and copy flash cards down the road I would probably bring that and bag the laptop

My lovely wife ( ) gave me permission to buy a laptop but I'm thinking

Easydiver

Get it quick before she changes her mind

A laptop allows you to check your camera output and know how you are shooting and if you need adjustments. It backs up your shots and depending on the length of your trips is a darn good tool to have. Those 2 factors allow are good enough reasons for a serious shooter to bring a laptop.

We (my wife & I) carry a MacBook Pro with us and we use Aperture.

Each day we download and pitch the obvious junk. Then we burn a backup DVD of the day's "keepers".

Aperture prevents us form spending too much time tweaking photos since it has only the basics. Sometimes we simply tweak the exposure or levels to decide whether a photo is salvageable or not

The advantages are:

1) Get to see if there are any obvious camera issues

2) Get two sets of the images on different media so we can safely erase the CF card.

Disadvantages:

1) Hassle to/from airport

2) More $$ potentially lost to theft

Permission from wife; early edit of pics; watch DVDs; play iTunes; games of Solitaire.

Go on, you know you want one. Hee hee. Sony VAIO. Never leave home without one.

Flying from or through the UK with a laptop is a real pain: only one carry-on allowed. It's great to have a big image at the end of the dive, but I've given up. I want my camera in my carry-on! I take a JOBO GigaVu viewer and a cheaper hard drive to back up dual copies of each dive, then recycle my cards. I just bin the obvious clunkers by reviewing in playback mode before removing the card. Typically I have 1-2 Gb per dive, depending on how silly I have been, or how successful...

Tim

B)

Make sure it's small and light. I carry an IBM Lenovo X60s with 12 inch screen, it weighs 3 pounds. That way, I can carry my camera equipment, laptop and regulator all in one carry on.

There's no way I would be without my laptop on a trip; it helps me figure out what I'm doing well and what to work on.

JP

Flying from or through the UK with a laptop is a real pain: only one carry-on allowed.

Tim, is that a specific airline restriction or UK airport in general restriction you are talking about?

Maybe this is of help: Singapore Airlines (UK)

Articles allowed on-board

All airline members of the International Air transport Association (IATA) have agreed to observe the following baggage regulations. You may carry on board the articles listed below free of charge over and above your free baggage allowance:

-...

-A laptop or notebook computer

-...

Best regards,

Bart

PS: replying to the topic: no woman's approval involved here, but definitely travelling with a laptop

no it's currently a UK restriction whatever the airline. your laptop bag is your one carry on.

if you can stuff into a wheelie that fits the gauge your fine.

however this is about to change as BA and BAA have been losing too much money over this stupidity. in fact the rule was changed in december, however, it seems the airports now need time to change back to what was allowed before... don't ask i don't know why.

i seem to recall the implementation date for heathrow should be in january but this needs checking.

/paul