How much RAM for Photoshop and 5Dmk2 RAWs

futureal33

futureal33

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Hi all,

Looking at upgrading my system and just wondering how much RAM I really need? I currently have 4GB.
I have my Photoshop set to allow 100% usage of my RAM, and I just loaded up 5 RAW files off my 5Dmk2 and my RAM usage shot straight to 100% and the system went quite laggy (as you'd expect!)
So reducing the allowance down to 70% resulted in a more responsive system, but Photoshop noticeably slowed down...

So just wondering how much RAM is recommended? Is it simply a case of more = better? In which case 16Gb or even 32GB?

I am using 64bit Win7 OS.

Thanks
 
what version of photoshop? if its cs3 then it wont use any more than 3gb no matter how much you have.

otherwise as much as you can afford vs the amount of times youll ever have 5 RAW 5dmk2 files open.

edit - but then CS3 doesnt support 5dmk2 raw so thats an invalid point.. :bonk:
 
8 Minimum, 16 recommended if you have lots of images open at once.
 
4GB is OK with single images but if you wanted to do a HDR of three it will be slow.
 
Just a motherboard that can take 32gb of ram, runs windows 7 ultimate 64bit, the main reason for the ram is i play flight simulators :-s but its a rocket, built it myself and its cheap and fast! Never had a problem
 
Gregory Hicks said:
Just a motherboard that can take 32gb of ram, runs windows 7 ultimate 64bit, the main reason for the ram is i play flight simulators :-s but its a rocket, built it myself and its cheap and fast! Never had a problem
Click to expand...

Would you mind sharing your system spec? What motherboard are you using etc?

I am literally in the process of ordering a new system and had planned on going for 16GB but if 32GB is even better....

Thanks
 
Go to novatec and have a play thats what i did cant remember specifics of top of head.....
 
futureal33 said:
Would you mind sharing your system spec? What motherboard are you using etc?

I am literally in the process of ordering a new system and had planned on going for 16GB but if 32GB is even better....

Thanks
Click to expand...

The problem might be getting 8GB RAM modules.
 
16GB would probably be fine and 4GB modules are significantly cheaper than 8GB ones so you would save a decent amount of money!
 
I've always wondered why CS "needs" 8 Gb of RAM when it's processing a 24Mb file ?

Even allowing for the footprint of CS + Windows, that's a very large chunk of RAM to use for photo-fiddling :)
 
mrgubby said:
I've always wondered why CS "needs" 8 Gb of RAM when it's processing a 24Mb file ?

Even allowing for the footprint of CS + Windows, that's a very large chunk of RAM to use for photo-fiddling :)
Click to expand...

file size has little to do with memory usage, photoshop uses a lot of RAM for processing images. itll chew up as much as you can throw at it for processing large files.

take a high res image from a 5Dmk2 ~24mb and apply some filters and layers etc and watch the memory usage shoot up.

try the test here and watch your memory usage - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18342923
 
neil_g said:
file size has little to do with memory usage, photoshop uses a lot of RAM for processing images. itll chew up as much as you can throw at it for processing large files.

take a high res image from a 5Dmk2 ~24mb and apply some filters and layers etc and watch the memory usage shoot up.

try the test here and watch your memory usage - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18342923
Click to expand...

What I was getting at was even with a 20M pixel image at umpteen bits per colour there is loads of rooms for whatever fourier transform you want to do :)
 
futureal33 said:
So just wondering how much RAM is recommended? Is it simply a case of more = better? In which case 16Gb or even 32GB?

I am using 64bit Win7 OS.
Click to expand...

you may be running 64 bit, but if you want to run with more than 16gb ram your going to need to be running W7 pro and not the home version. Home is limited to 16gb, pro goes up to 192gb.

Check before you invest in your upgrade :)
 
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