Mac Laptop recommendations for Hasselblad capture on location...?

[bpepz]

There is a Microsoft download to check Windows 7 compatibility with 32 or 64 bit alternatives. I run Vista on a Toshiba but 7 would only run in 32 bit mode so I have left it as it is.

 https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=20

I don't know about vista but the latest phocus works in windows 10 and windows 7 64bit.

[eronald]

I have a custom buy model 2011 17" MBP, fixed by Apple for free, and with the SSD it tests as fast as my current MBP.

Edmund

I don't know about vista but the latest phocus works in windows 10 and windows 7 64bit.

[gss]

Well I went and bought two Unibrain FireWire 800 repeaters (https://www.1394store.com/eshop/product.asp?dept%5Fid=61&pf%5Fid=2501), one Maxoak external laptop battery (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_2_6?k=maxoak+50000mah+185wh+6+port&sprefix=maxoak) and some spare 5.5/2.1 male-to-male dc power connectors (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DX72UXW/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1455647471&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=valley+5.5%2F2.1+dc+power).

I can confirm that these all fit together nicely.  What I cannot confirm is that they are necessary.  I had initially failed to get sufficient power for my H4D-40 with the Thunderbolt/FireWire adapter and a 5 meter (15ish foot) FireWire cable, but was able to use the 1 meter cable.  I have tethered with a 1 meter cable ever since.

Having bought the above I set out to test the new gear.  It worked great.  I then set out to show that it was needed, as my previous experience had indicated.  Here's the rub, everything worked great without the added power.  1 meter or 5 meter with no repeater, two 5 meter cables with a repeater and no power, 3 5 meter cables with 2 repeaters and no power, all worked great.  The laptop I used is the same one I used initially, a first generation retina MBP.

Bottom line is that a MacBook Pro with the Thunderbolt/FireWire adapter may work fine with no external power, but if you do have issues a very simple setup exist to inject power into the mix without going to FireWire 400.

[shaun]

Hi

I have the h3d1139. My 2010 macbook pro died and I went for replacement model with firewire. Only 8gb ram and that worked great with my imac but the macbook is slooow running phocus tethered. I know 16gb is recommended, had to forget about it on last shoot. To me it looks like the firewire port on the mac doesn't give a tight connection which is where I suspect the problem is.

Shaun

[Dinarius]

I see that two Lenovo laptops offer Thunderbold 3, the P50 and the P70, but at a price. They are not cheap.

http://shop.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/thinkpad/p-series/

Does Thunderbolt 3 offer more "umph" than 2?

Thanks.

D.

[Miyata610]

I can happily power my Phase One H25 with my tiny 11" MacBook Air and the Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter.

However....

I use a small FireWire hub and I power that hub by using a USB to 12v cable (available from China via eBay for a few dollars) and power this from the Air too.

My older 13" MacBook Pro with built in FireWire has no problem powering the back by itself.

[Chris Gahran]

I am using an iMac, not a laptop but I may be able to add some information.

iMacs and Mac laptops provide 7 watts to the FW cable. I am shooting with a CF-22MS and Phocus will lose the multi-shot capability of my back. I can shoot single shots all day but I need to restart Phocus or unplug/plug the FW cable for Phocus to once again recognize my back's multi-shot capability.

I run two longish cables that work without problems when attached to a MacPro. (Mac>Lindy 5m Active Extension Cable> TetherTools 4.6m to the digital back.) The iMac's frugal delivery of only 7 watts at the FW port has me convinced I need to buy a powered FW Repeater to kick up the wattage across the cable run.

A few more watts over the FW cable should solve my problems with Phocus not recognizing multi-shot capability after 5-10 minutes of idle time. (BTW, I have FW ports because all my Macs are 2010s so I can still run Rosetta.).