MacBook Pro Retina Review

[Kenneth Sky]

Question to Michael:
I have been waiting for the refresh on iMac 27" to use as my main photo editing machine. Rumours are that when (? 3 months) it arrives, it won't have a Retina screen as the manufacturing yields on large screens are poor. Would I be better off, from a photo editing point of view, to wait for the iMac or go with the MBR Pro Retina?

[Jeff Magidson]

It might be a VERY long time before we see a "Retina" display on 21" or 27" iMacs because of the computing resources it would take to push that many pixels. With each new version or Lightroom, many complain about performance. I'm guessing Lightroom would become a real dog if it had to generate such enormous previews.

[Jorge del Valle]

I've read the review and I have a question too. I've seen a post in another forum that says the rMBP has problems properly displaying LR previews to the point that it makes it unreliable for checking image quality. The post seemed to suggest that if you want to use LR on the rMBP it's probably better to hold off until Adobe releases a LR update that works with the retina display.

Could anyone confirm the issue with the previews? I haven't been able to find any specific information about how prevalent or bad the problem really is. My current laptop is pretty slow and I'd really like to upgrade to the rMBPB. But the program I'll be using on it 90% of the time is LR, so if it's not going to be good for that I'll have to hold off.

At the same time I don't want to wait unnecessarily for a LR retina-enabled update that I have no idea how long it's going to take to come, specially if it turns out that the issues are not that bad or that there are viable workarounds.

[michael]

I'm using LR4 daily on the MBP Retina with no problems.

Michael

[budjames]

I have a 2007 MacPro 8-core with 32gb RAM and 4tb of internal RAID storage and an OWC SSD boot drive in one of the DVD bays. Two 5-bay external eSata SansDigital towers sit behind it for long term storage and TimeMachine backup.

Does the MBP retina make the MacPro obsolete for the photo hobbiest?

My everyday work Mac is now the 2012 MBAir i7 2ghz, with 8gb RAM and 256 SSD. it rocks compared to the 2011 version it replaced, especially now that there is USB 3.0 capability and faster RAM and SSD. LR4 and Light PS CS6 usage works fine on this machine.

Cheers.
Bud James

[StuartOnline]

I am also using LR4 with the MBP Retina Display without any issues.
Have also gave it a try with Aperture 3.3 since that program is optimized to take advantage of the Retina Display.

Now I have had one issue and that is for some reason all of my USB 3 drives are only being recognized as USB 2.
Have reported this issue to Apple as have a number of others.
Have already been contacted by Apple (via phone) and they are working with me to resolve this issue.

Even ZDNET (June 24th) picked up on this USB 3 issue with the new Macs:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/problems-reported-mounting-usb-30-external-drives-on-new-macbooks/13188?tag=search-results-rivers;item0

I think Apple maybe having problems on why some are having issues and other are not.
In time I am sure Apple will get this issue resolved.

Stu

[N Walker]

Examined the new Pro Retina at the Apple store and disliked the reflections caused by the gloss screen - for my liking.

Importantly there is no Kensington lock - securing laptops to media centre tables to prevent an 'opportunist' casually walking off with one when the bulk of photographers' are out shooting is standard practice.


 

[rdonson]

I'm loving my new Retina MacBook Pro.  I think I'll like it even more when the software vendors adapt their apps to the new screen in the coming months.  Right now its working flawlessly and its FAST.  I enjoy the reduced glare on the new screen.  The one thing I'm waiting for is the new Thunderbolt to FireWire dongle.  I'm not ready yet to shell out for a portable Thunderbolt external drive.

[kaelaria]

Examined the new Pro Retina at the Apple store and disliked the reflections caused by the gloss screen - for my liking.

Importantly there is no Kensington lock - securing laptops to media centre tables to prevent an 'opportunist' casually walking off with one when the bulk of photographers' are out shooting is standard practice.


 

It's not gloss.  It's raw LCD.

Kensington locks are nothing more than a joke.  Opened in seconds with just about anything, been common knowledge for years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIQIJpOhV4c

[N Walker]

It's not gloss.  It's raw LCD.

Kensington locks are nothing more than a joke.  Opened in seconds with just about anything, been common knowledge for years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIQIJpOhV4c

I am fully aware it's a Raw LCD (uses two pieces of bonded glass but not cover glass to protect the LCD) - it still has a gloss finish and reflects its surroundings.

My Kensington lock is not as useless as the one shown in the video and cannot be disabled with a plastic tube - my combination lock could be cracked (more seconds to achieve and be caught in the act), forced or cable cut with croppers.

I stated 'opportunist', your video link for the lock in question is not common knowledge to 'everyone'. Often people will steal on the spur of the moment without going equipped for stealing - too much temptation presented to them through insecure items which can be lifted in a split second.  Thieves obviously do not want to be identified and are unlikely to hang around the scene of their crime. The majority of house burglaries take only around 2 minutes which includes the time taken to force entry.

In past years thefts from press centres have involved gear laying around for the take - cameras, lenses, laptops and even colour negatives (USPGA 1998).

All of the professional sports photographers that I work alongside, lock their laptops - some insurance companies in the UK will reduce claims if the laptop is not locked at sporting venues when the photographer is absent from the press centre.

[Jorge del Valle]

Question for Michael and Stuart. When you say you have been using LR on the rMBP with no issues, have you been forcing it to 2880x1800 resolution with some tool like setRes? I'm asking because what I've read in some posts would suggest that when you use LR on the rMBP at "default" resolution image previews look fuzzy to the point that you can't judge sharpness when you zoom in 100%.

Cheers.

[stevesanacore]

Although I realize the retina display looks great. Is it better or worse for working on photographs? I find my Eizo is so much better than any of my Apple displays. Even calibrated I find the regular glossy or even matte displays are not very accurate. Is the retina better or worse? Does it calibrate accurately? I've lost confidence in Apple supporting working pros the last few years with them overlooking the MacPro and the loss of the 17" Macbook Pro along with it's matte screen.

[budjames]

After reading all of the reviews and Diglloyd's review, I'm going to hold out for a MacPro replacement, rumored to be coming next year. I don't need the portability as I have my MacBook Air 2012 i7 for traveling.

Cheers,
Bud

[StuartOnline]

Question for Michael and Stuart. When you say you have been using LR on the rMBP with no issues, have you been forcing it to 2880x1800 resolution with some tool like setRes? I'm asking because what I've read in some posts would suggest that when you use LR on the rMBP at "default" resolution image previews look fuzzy to the point that you can't judge sharpness when you zoom in 100%.

Cheers.

Jorge personally I have not noticed any fuzziness. You may want to take a look at a comparison Derrick Story did on Lightroom 4.1 and Aperture 3.3 via the MBPR.  Now Aperture has been optimized to run on the MBPR and I hear Adobe will be following soon with Lightroom being optimized to run with the MBPR.

[Jorge del Valle]

Thanks Stuart. Interesting read. I hadn't come across that one in all the searching I've done online on the subject. It's interesting because, as Derrick himself says in the review, people post all kinds of opposing opinions on the usability of Lightroom on the rMBP.

At this point I've decided to order it. I've already heard from people like you that are using it without issues, and if there are any it seems like forcing it to go into full retina resolution works well as a workaround until the release a LR update.

Cheers.