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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
How important is SDRAM?

Scott Brooks
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Aug 1, 2007, 2:57 AM

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How important is SDRAM?	Can't Post

I'm getting ready to purchase a Mac Book Pro, which will be used for both video and photo editing. I noticed that the 15 inch comes in 2.2GHz and 2.4GHz ... but the 2.2 has 128 MB SDRAM and the 2.4 has 256.

Will this make much of a difference and if so ... how?
Scott Brooks

DarrenS
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Aug 1, 2007, 9:40 AM

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Re: [Sparky] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I know nothing about macs nor do I plan on learning, however 128MB and 256MB is way too small to do even semi-pro image processing on any platform. You'll want 1GB minimum (1000MB).

Scott Brooks
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Aug 1, 2007, 11:30 AM

Post #3 of 10 (755 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I think I misunderstood the description.

2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1440 x 900 resolution
2GB memory
160GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM

The RAM I was looking at is associated with the graphics card.
Scott Brooks

Postal Boy
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Aug 1, 2007, 12:13 PM

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Re: [Sparky] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ah...the VIDEO SDRAM. 128mb will be fine, 256mb is for gamers. Actually, my work computer has 64mb is all, and my previous was only 32. Ran PS fine, but game support was lacking. Most games now days require 128mb in the video card for texture and polygon buffering. It isn't as big of an issue with graphics programs because the CPU does the work, not the graphics processor and memory.

Once you get it, though, you can't add more. If you are planning on image compositing or 3D graphics then more is better.

-Postal

Scott Brooks
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Aug 1, 2007, 3:25 PM

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Re: [Postal Boy] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks! I think I'll probably drop down and go with the 2.2. Other than Wedding Day Edits the main thing I'll use it for will editing photos. I'm also purchasing either a 23 or 30 inch monitor.

This sounds like what I need.

Great info.
Scott Brooks

Timothy Harry
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Aug 1, 2007, 6:08 PM

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Re: [Sparky] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

If you intend on doing anything in motion or Color even a little bit even at all, you will want and need the 256MB card. Motion chokes on mine with a 128 MB card, and Color is supposed to be 10 times more graphics card needy. Put as much graphics memory as possible in that MBP.

Motion, Color, Aperture, and many other apps now do require a lot of graphics card horsepower. They finally figured out that a dedicated GPU could offset some of the work the system is doing. The advice given to you previously used to be the case with previous versions of software, but it is definitely no longer the case.

Tim Harry

Bandwagon Media
Odessa, TX

(This post was edited by Timothy Harry on Aug 1, 2007, 6:11 PM)

DarrenS
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Aug 1, 2007, 6:11 PM

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Re: [Sparky] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

If you're going with a 30" display you're going to need a special video card that supports the high native resolution and color depth a 30" is surely to offer (i.e. pretty sure you'll need at least 256MB on the video card). Plus you'll need an expensive dual-link DVI cable to handle all the bandwidth required. FYI.

Postal Boy
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Aug 2, 2007, 10:04 AM

Post #8 of 10 (703 views)
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Re: [Timothy Harry] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm not familiar with Color. But Motion at least is a motion graphics application which falls into the categories I mentioned above for "more is better"...I use Combustion for compositing and more is definitely better. More will not make a system render faster (if you are doing rendering stuff) but during the editing process of motion graphics it makes a big difference.

What is the Color application used for? I have heard of Aperature as well, but am not familiar with what it does. Photoshop, I believe, couldn't care less about graphics card memory amounts - but I may be wrong.

-Postal

Timothy Harry
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Aug 2, 2007, 10:23 AM

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Re: [Postal Boy] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Color is for color grading and color correction in video. It is part of the new FCS suite. Aperture is something that if you are on a mac you should be using for all of your organization and basic photo manipulation. It takes many of the features of iPhoto and runs away with it! It features non destructive raw image processing and works with the raw file natively. You can create different versions of your photo to apply different effects to, export images to photoshop for more advanced correction, and print and upload the pictures to the web right out of the application. It uses the graphics card for a lot of its horsepower, especially when correcting curves etc. My wife takes all of our picture for us, and she would not be able to keep the library of pictures nearly as well organized as she does without aperture. Check it out here: http://www.apple.com/aperture/

Tim Harry

Bandwagon Media
Odessa, TX

Scott Brooks
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Aug 2, 2007, 11:56 AM

Post #10 of 10 (691 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] How important is SDRAM? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I don't know a lot about specs, but I do know that all the Mac Book Pros are capable of running the larger cinema screens. It's between another 23 or move up to a 30.
Scott Brooks