ryankroboth
New member
Hello all,
I am an independent cinematographer currently working freelance in the Pittsburgh area. I have always color corrected the work I have done for myself and others, and with the introduction to a more accessible DaVinci Resolve, I am trying to expand my knowledge of color correction. Here in lies my issue, to operate Resolve quickly and efficiently, you need a decent hardware solution. I am currently working on a 2008 17" MacBook Pro. Being top of the line at the time, it has actually handled almost everything I throw at it still to this day without too much painful render. I primarily shoot on an AF100 or hacked GH2, so it's not seeing anything over 8bit, or too stressful. However... there is a strong possibility of me acquiring the BlackMagic Cinema camera sometime in the relatively near future, and with that, I would like to utilize the full potential of its 12bit raw capabilities (primarily because that will give me the extra information I need to really dive into color correction).
So now, I've come to a point in my career where I really want to have a system dedicated to editing (I use Final Cut 7 currently), as well as color correction, with minimal time wasted waiting for renders. Now, as of today, Apple announced their new lineup of iMacs. To sum it up in case anyone hasn't heard, quad-core 2.9ghz processor, flash fusion hard drive, 4 usb 3.0 and 2 thunderbolt ports, all starting at $1800 for the 27" version. On the other hand, there is the Mac Pro, with obvious potential hardware upgrades and add-ons for a steeper dent in the wallet.
Essentially, it comes down to this, it is pointless for me to purchase a MacPro as it is because there is no thunderbolt, and no usb 3.0, two things I desperately need for hard drive connectivity and a fast workflow. The new MacPros are rumored for 2013. When in 2013? No one can say. So my TRUE QUESTION is: As a editor/colorist wanting to branch out into a fully functioning and efficient DaVinci Resolve, currently working in 8bit AVCHD, with future prospects of working in up to 2.5k 12bit RAW, is the new iMAC practical/fast enough to handle my workflow? Or is it worth it to hold off until the next generation of MacPros are announced. Yes, the MacPro will assuredly be the only choice if I ever decide to invest in a DeckLink, but is that a game changer?
Overall, one could argue that time is the real deciding factor here. I do not plan in working with anything over 8bit AVCHD until at least the beginning of next year, and money is a factor, I don't want to dish out the funds for a MacPro if ultimately I don't need it for what I am working with.
If you've stuck with me to this point, I appreciate it, and any input would be extremely helpful.
-Ryan
I am an independent cinematographer currently working freelance in the Pittsburgh area. I have always color corrected the work I have done for myself and others, and with the introduction to a more accessible DaVinci Resolve, I am trying to expand my knowledge of color correction. Here in lies my issue, to operate Resolve quickly and efficiently, you need a decent hardware solution. I am currently working on a 2008 17" MacBook Pro. Being top of the line at the time, it has actually handled almost everything I throw at it still to this day without too much painful render. I primarily shoot on an AF100 or hacked GH2, so it's not seeing anything over 8bit, or too stressful. However... there is a strong possibility of me acquiring the BlackMagic Cinema camera sometime in the relatively near future, and with that, I would like to utilize the full potential of its 12bit raw capabilities (primarily because that will give me the extra information I need to really dive into color correction).
So now, I've come to a point in my career where I really want to have a system dedicated to editing (I use Final Cut 7 currently), as well as color correction, with minimal time wasted waiting for renders. Now, as of today, Apple announced their new lineup of iMacs. To sum it up in case anyone hasn't heard, quad-core 2.9ghz processor, flash fusion hard drive, 4 usb 3.0 and 2 thunderbolt ports, all starting at $1800 for the 27" version. On the other hand, there is the Mac Pro, with obvious potential hardware upgrades and add-ons for a steeper dent in the wallet.
Essentially, it comes down to this, it is pointless for me to purchase a MacPro as it is because there is no thunderbolt, and no usb 3.0, two things I desperately need for hard drive connectivity and a fast workflow. The new MacPros are rumored for 2013. When in 2013? No one can say. So my TRUE QUESTION is: As a editor/colorist wanting to branch out into a fully functioning and efficient DaVinci Resolve, currently working in 8bit AVCHD, with future prospects of working in up to 2.5k 12bit RAW, is the new iMAC practical/fast enough to handle my workflow? Or is it worth it to hold off until the next generation of MacPros are announced. Yes, the MacPro will assuredly be the only choice if I ever decide to invest in a DeckLink, but is that a game changer?
Overall, one could argue that time is the real deciding factor here. I do not plan in working with anything over 8bit AVCHD until at least the beginning of next year, and money is a factor, I don't want to dish out the funds for a MacPro if ultimately I don't need it for what I am working with.
If you've stuck with me to this point, I appreciate it, and any input would be extremely helpful.
-Ryan
