Who has bought the Apple Studio?

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I use the Spyder X elite and data colorwill provide you with the very specific instructions on the best way to calibrate the new Studio Monitor. The Spyder X pro will also do the job The process/set up is a bit different than it was when calibrating my 2019 27" iMac.

I print at home on a Canon Pro 100 and using the Light Room Classic print module settings for color match to my monitor the results are great. Prints on metal are done by McKenna Pro and also come out great.
Can you use it to profile your printer as well?
 
I need to learn that, I do pet memorials sublimated on aluminum and everything I print and press comes out a bit darker than what my screen shows.
 
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I went from a 2019 5k iMac (core i9, 40GB memory) to a Studio Max (10 core), 64GB memory and 1TB SSD and I have no regrets. I also picked up the Studio display as there really wasn't anything else compelling (other than the XDR which was just to much $$). Once you go to a 5k monitor it's hard to to back to a 4k one.

I thought about picking up a MacBook pro instead but I decided to go for the Studio. I don't need that much horsepower when I'm on the road and I'd rather take a smaller and less expensive laptop (Macbook Air).
 
I am curious who has bought the apple studio and how you like it? Is it worth the money? Which model did you go with? What do you do with it? What screen are you using? What did you have prior to the studio?
I got the Studio, Max with 64gb and a 1 TB SSD with the Studio Monitor. Love it and it has no hesitation..
 
I went from a 2019 5k iMac (core i9, 40GB memory) to a Studio Max (10 core), 64GB memory and 1TB SSD and I have no regrets. I also picked up the Studio display as there really wasn't anything else compelling (other than the XDR which was just to much $$). Once you go to a 5k monitor it's hard to to back to a 4k one.

I thought about picking up a MacBook pro instead but I decided to go for the Studio. I don't need that much horsepower when I'm on the road and I'd rather take a smaller and less expensive laptop (Macbook Air).
Which Air did you get? My Pro is an anchor and I'm considering getting an M2 Air. Thanks
 
I plan to use the 2TB on the Mac studio to hold OS, Photoshop, Lightroom, LR Catalogs for fastest performance, ALL of TopazLabs AI software, Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher, Davinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro since they cost about the same for learning Video editing. (I hope 2TB will be enough)

Then add a Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 hub for more ports (sadly it will add redundant card readers) then daisy chain off of that a Thunderbolt 3 hub (until a Thunder bolt 4 version is released) with a SATA—III SSD 2.5” (Samsung 870 EVO 4TB drive (I wish I could afford a Samsung 860 Pro) for Photos and customers sublimation designs, and font, clipart, and files storage (Actually the design files might get put on an external drive to allow more photo storage space)), and a PCIe 3.0 m.2 (Samsung 980 pro (I have a spare 2TB but hope to buy a 4TB later)) As a work drive before moving files to the SSD and backed up to a larger external storage drive of unknown type at this time.

My current workflow thoughts are as follows..
Copy files from Camera storage card to the m.2 2-4TB drive for culling and editing put card back into camera and formate it or delete the photos, (Lightroom catalog will be on the much faster 2TB main drive in the Mac Studio (man I wish I could have afforded the 4TB version), move edited photos to the slower SSD drive, backup all files on the 4TB SSD drive to another drive. (I am not sure if it will be as large an SSD drive as I can afford or an external Thunderbolt 3 or 4 enclosure with a huge mechanical drive in it.

Am I making any mistakes in my thoughts? Is there a better, faster, more efficient workflow? I am totally new to Macs but thought I could share work related info between my iPhone and m1 iPad Pro easier this way.

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I plan to use the 2TB on the Mac studio to hold OS, Photoshop, Lightroom, LR Catalogs for fastest performance, ALL of TopazLabs AI software, Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher, Davinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro since they cost about the same for learning Video editing. (I hope 2TB will be enough)

Then add a Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 hub for more ports (sadly it will add redundant card readers) then daisy chain off of that a Thunderbolt 3 hub (until a Thunder bolt 4 version is released) with a SATA—III SSD 2.5” (Samsung 870 EVO 4TB drive (I wish I could afford a Samsung 860 Pro) for Photos and customers sublimation designs, and font, clipart, and files storage (Actually the design files might get put on an external drive to allow more photo storage space)), and a PCIe 3.0 m.2 (Samsung 980 pro (I have a spare 2TB but hope to buy a 4TB later)) As a work drive before moving files to the SSD and backed up to a larger external storage drive of unknown type at this time.

My current workflow thoughts are as follows..
Copy files from Camera storage card to the m.2 2-4TB drive for culling and editing put card back into camera and formate it or delete the photos, (Lightroom catalog will be on the much faster 2TB main drive in the Mac Studio (man I wish I could have afforded the 4TB version), move edited photos to the slower SSD drive, backup all files on the 4TB SSD drive to another drive. (I am not sure if it will be as large an SSD drive as I can afford or an external Thunderbolt 3 or 4 enclosure with a huge mechanical drive in it.

Am I making any mistakes in my thoughts? Is there a better, faster, more efficient workflow? I am totally new to Macs but thought I could share work related info between my iPhone and m1 iPad Pro easier this way.

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Sounds like a great plan to me. I love that dock with the SATA slot👍👍👍
 
Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts on the Apple Studio. I have a 2012 imac (prior to them moving to 5k monitor). I was trying to hold out to see if they released a 27" iMac update but my patience on post processing is wearing on me so I started looking at Studio. I also got a notice from Drobo that next version of MacOS won't be supported so its either update computer now or have to update computer and NAS at same time. Spec'd out Studio is pricy but like several have said time is valuable. Any tips on convincing a spouse? LOL
 
I have the Studio and really like it. It's an M1 Max, 64GB, 4TB (mostly for my Lightroom catalog previews lol). It's been really good, noticeably better than my 27" iMac (2018 I think). I've edited 4K video, all sorts of 45 / 51 MP RAW files and it's generally very fast and most operations are either instant or very, very fast. If I had it to do over, I'd get the exact same thing :)
I also got the M1 Max, 64GB, 4TB, Apple Studio Display. This is replacing a late 2014 iMac 5k, 8GB, i7, 1Tb SSD, best graphics at that time. I upgraded back then to 32GB of after market memory. I can no longer upgrade the OS on this machine as 2014 I believe to be the cutoff for the latest OS. This was a fantastic machine back then. I paid the same then as the current new Mac Studio not counting the new monitor. For the little bit of video I may do I think this option is great choice for all the reasons Steve mentions. :cool: 😉
 
Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts on the Apple Studio. I have a 2012 imac (prior to them moving to 5k monitor). I was trying to hold out to see if they released a 27" iMac update but my patience on post processing is wearing on me so I started looking at Studio. I also got a notice from Drobo that next version of MacOS won't be supported so its either update computer now or have to update computer and NAS at same time. Spec'd out Studio is pricy but like several have said time is valuable. Any tips on convincing a spouse? LOL
This is why I started this thread. I have been holding out as well but it appears they won't be doing it. As much as I like the all in one I suppose it does make more sense to have the high quality monitor that you don't have to pay for each time you need a hardware upgrade. Buy once pay once I suppose. Apple will have another event I believe in October so figured I would see what happens there.
 
I am curious who has bought the apple studio and how you like it? Is it worth the money? Which model did you go with? What do you do with it? What screen are you using? What did you have prior to the studio?
Bought it…like it…it's even faster than my M1 14 MBP since it's got the Max instead of the Pro version of the m1.
 
Well, Now I have until the 5th to go through Steve Perry’s Lightroom videos to learn the proper way to install and use everything. I know I am set up wrong on my PC, Now I will have to redo about 45 folders with thousands of photos on the new drives.
I am still trying to decide between a large external drive or learn how to setup my first NAS.
 
I also got the M1 Max, 64GB, 4TB, Apple Studio Display. This is replacing a late 2014 iMac 5k, 8GB, i7, 1Tb SSD, best graphics at that time. I upgraded back then to 32GB of after market memory. I can no longer upgrade the OS on this machine as 2014 I believe to be the cutoff for the latest OS. This was a fantastic machine back then. I paid the same then as the current new Mac Studio not counting the new monitor. For the little bit of video I may do I think this option is great choice for all the reasons Steve mentions. :cool: 😉
I wish I got the 4TB version but I used the extra money to get external drive bay with 1x CFexpress Type-B Card reader, 1x UHS-II SD4.0 / TF Card reader, SSD (4TB to start), and m.2 (already had a spare Samsung 890 Pro 2TB) hard drives I am still looking for the best SSD drive to put into it but so far 4TB seems all I can afford.
 
After convincing wife our 10 year old iMac needed to be replaced, I'm going to order/pickup mine on Monday. I know many on You Tube are saying don't go with RAM or GPU upgrades for M1 Max model but I'm doing both to try and future proof it as best as I can. Going with 4TB storage as well.
 
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I wish I got the 4TB version but I used the extra money to get external drive bay with 1x CFexpress Type-B Card reader, 1x UHS-II SD4.0 / TF Card reader, SSD (4TB to start), and m.2 (already had a spare Samsung 890 Pro 2TB) hard drives I am still looking for the best SSD drive to put into it but so far 4TB seems all I can afford.
I thought I would bite the bullet up front and buy the additional extra's later as I needed them. For now 4TB is all I need for internal storage as this should be enough for the next year or so if I am brutal with culling images and I don't start shooting a lot of video. My next upgrade is to get a 10GB card for my Synology DS1821+. I am extremely interested to see if I can store and edit previous years images off of the Synology without feeling too much pain/slowness.
 
I have bought Apple Mac's and Mac Books, particularly the Pro version since they first came out.

The Number ONE lesson is to buy them as fully spec'd as you can reasonably afford - because they are horrible to upgrade later and one never knows what "power/space" you will need in 6 months let alone longer.
I budget on expecting a 16" MBP to last me ~2-3 years; but a desktop much longer.
I still use my 2013 Mac Pro (Trashcan) to run as a server in my office - I did not buy the vastly over-priced Cheese Grater (well for the spec I wanted).

When I bought my Mac Studio I bought the Ultra version AND bought it with the max 8TB SSD and other options -- primarily because the ultra provides 2 additional T4 ports but also because the performance was significantly better than anything else I had seen or tested.
I have shot both very large file size (16-bit) stills, shoots with many thousands of images and videos (including a few 8k 12-bit) -- the "Studio" has handled all very well (some software like Adobe LRC not so much and I have an open issue with the latest release of LRC, which Adobe support had me role back to 14.4.1 AND that does not work nearly as well, but at least I can export images with graphical water marks visible).

The OP @DavidT asked given his "Studio" has 2TB where should he put the LR catalogue. My response is it is not the catalogue but the Previews that take the bulk of the space.

I am vicious in thinning previews and NEVER build smart previews. I also thin the repository of LRC back-ups -- regularly deleting all and then running a Library Optimisation and backup as a one time event and then weekly thereafter. My LRC catalogue is 5GB but the previews file is 65GB (and this is after thinning).

On import to the Studio's SSD I build 1:1 previews on all images then quickly go through a shoot and thin the herd (delete obvious misses), work through the shoot images and produce outputs etc.. Then move the whole lot (excluding rejected) including edit history onto a very large NAS/RAID server, which is backed up regularly. From that point forward my SSD only holds the selection of medium sized JPEGs of the outputs I sent on/used. This is simply for reference. AND I delete all 1:1 previews I also regularly check that no smart-previews are held on my SSD. Exactly the same process for Videos/CINE work. The "plan" is to keep the SSD available for the core system, active applications AND files I am working on that day/week AND to use a slower drive as swing space for longer term projects and other data that I dip into less frequently.

I have One large very fast external SSD attached to the Studio. It happens to be an 18TB WD G-Drive Pro. AND yes I have other back-up and RAIDs that I use for time machine back-ups and similar longer term storage.

Some folk keep their photos in an external SSD and build Smart-previews - this seems to work best for folk using MacBooks and similar. I like to work on the original files until I have completed all pixel level work (Raw conversion and physical changes). I am told this makes working with images held on external SSDs "safer" -- I don't do this so have no evidence either way. I do know that Smart-previews are large files and the preview file grows very large.
 
I've had it for about 5 months now and couldn't be happier. I'm a film/video editor by trade and have definitely put it through it's paces on editing projects and it's been super smooth and whisper quiet (have never heard the fans turn on). I have the M1 Max chip with 64GB's of RAM.

And for Lightroom and the Topaz and DXO plug ins it's been like lightning. Even compared to my fully tricked out M1 chipped 16" MacBook Pro.
 
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