MAC STUDIO for FILMMAKERS | REVIEW | Why I bought the M1 Max Studio (BMPCC 6K / Pro user)

[@OfTwoLands]

Here is my review of the Mac Studio (for filmmakers). What is your current editing setup ? Cheers, Flo

[@JTechWP]

Got an M1Max Mac Studio, 24gpu, 64GB 1TB on the way and waiting for an ASUS 42" Rog Swift 120 hz OLED monitor to arrive + Secret Labs Magnus Pro XL desk. Shame Apple didnt add HDMI 2.1 on it, Display port will get the higher frame rates on some monitors.

[@JoeCastellon]

2015 base model MacBook Pro 13" with upgraded SSD to 1TB. Takes about 4 hours to render a 3min 50 sec video in 4K 🤣 Thank God my mother gifted me a Mac Studio with 32 cores and 1TB, which is on the way 🙌🏻

[@mexiconoseb]

So I just bought this today... M2 Max 12/30 with 64 and 2tb. I got to say your video is one of few, and the only which I found that puts it into real life application FOR filmmakers. Thank you. It helped me decide and I went for it!

[@PB72UK]

My biggest problem with my mac studio m1 max , is on my old machine i could set it off rendering or copying files and go make a cup of coffee and come back and it would be almost done … now i hit go and its done in seconds lol … i’ll never get a cup of coffee now im using a Studio 😂

[@jeremyevantaylor1724]

Thank you very much for making this video. I've been holding out till the m2 Mac Studio comes out, but my PC just died. I know for sure that I will never go beyond editing 4k Braw and HD CinemaDNG from my original BMPCC. You've shown me that I don't need to wait for the m2 or get a fully spec'd out Ultra to be able to edit and color correct without proxies. I've said this before, but I think the reason your channel is growing isn't just that you provide really great content and you have the skill to back up the talk, it's also because of the sincerity when you're speaking. It's natural and conversational, instead of having that slightly amped up, Philip Defranco style of talking that a lot of KZbinrs have adopted without consciously realizing they are all acting the same. Anyway, your authenticity is appreciated. Gracias!

[@OfTwoLands]

Thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot to me !! I try to be as genuine as possible :)

[@BijuViswanathfilmmaker]

Best , balanced review in KZbin about this. Thank you

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks so much !!

[@chrisso1973]

Spot-on, Flo, thanks for this concise and well-considered review. I’ve just bought the same model and your experience has really confirmed my decision that this gives the best bang for buck. I too use the BMPCC 6K, so it’s nice to know it handles those 6K Braw files nice and smoothly. I’m coming from a 2016 21” iMac, so am hoping for a decent jump in performance from what I’m used to. This review gives me the confidence to know my money was probably well spent. 👍. Cheers mate!

[@OfTwoLands]

Thank you for the positive feedback !! The jump from a 2016 iMac to the Studio is going to be really nice :) Have fun mate !!

[@musiolikart]

Thanks, spot on, going for the same max Studio. Great price drop now because of m2 .Mac mini. Current maxed 2017 15“ with BM eGPU is now going to rest in peace. Have a good day.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks and congrats, have fun!! :)

[@derekuhm]

Got a M1 Max Mac Studio with M1 MacBook Air. Couldn't be happier with this setup.

[@OfTwoLands]

Congrats and have fun :) !!

[@michelangelotorres_filmmaker]

Your Mac Studio costs exactly as much as my Macbook Pro 17 '' early 2009. This makes us understand how much producing the processors internally has been a game-changer for Apple, not only for performance but also for pricing. Mac Studio is a fantastic machine and is perfect for both home studios and production companies or adv agencies that have an internal video department. I currently have a Macbook Pro 13 '' M1 connected to an external monitor and I'm happy with it, I work very well with Final Cut and DaVinci and at the moment I don't need to have a second Apple, as I'm mainly doing post-production (I'm not traveling too much), but in future, I plan to take a new main machine: if I opt for a home studio I will choose a Mac Studio, while if instead, I decided to go to a coworking space I could also consider a Mac Mini. Let's see

[@OfTwoLands]

Yeah it's pretty insane what changed over the past few years !! I think between the Studio or the Mini you will be happy either way. It is great that now we are at a point where we can choose a machine that suits us best in terms of use and not sacrifice power or portability.

[@AffinityPhoto]

I'm very curious why nobody is talking about how poor the SSD performance is for the most important metric: *random 4k reads*. The sequential burst speeds are definitely important for video files. On my mac studio ultra, using amorphousdiskmark, my internal 2TB ssd eeks out 175MB/s. Compare this to my Gen3 (older) NVME in a USB4 enclosure (Acasis) connected to the back of the Studio which pulls in 1100 MB/sec. The Studio SSD is Gen 4 and tightly integrated into the M1 Ultra SOC. It makes no sense. I've seen others score in the 500MB/s range but, still, that's poor for cutting edge tech. As a test, I launched the current version of Photoshop CC on my old imac and it loads 4 seconds faster than my $7000 Studio.

[@chuan-kangshih78]

My need for the Mac Studio will be exactly like yours. You clarified all the real world issues that would remain in the dark after one has scrutinized all the test results in numbers. You clearly addressed all my concerns. I am going right now to order mine. Thank you very much!

[@nickking9958]

There's a slightly annoying fix for the spacebar preview bug... Open Activity Monitor, select CPU, type QUICK into the search bar, select "QuickLookUIService (finder)" and force quit that process. That usually fixes it for an hour or two. Appears to be an M1 bug. Happens on my MBP M1 Pro too.

[@OfTwoLands]

Really appreciate the tip mate, thank you !! It hasn't happened for a few days now so hopefully it means it's good all now :)

[@KenFlanagan]

Thanks for the video. Just a quick fyi. I have the same 16inch MacBook Pro and it was struggling. Seemed to be overheating and the cpu just shut down. After months of scratching my head and speaking with apple I took it in to apple to get diagnosed. They took the back off and saw that the fans were absolutely covered in dust. After a clean it’s good as new. I would never have thought this could be the problem but it was. If your MacBook Pro is struggling in the heat try giving the fans a clean. Meanwhile the Mac spec you got looks about right but surprised your didn’t go for a larger internal drive. Thanks

[@OfTwoLands]

Thank you for watching and for the tip !! My MBP 16 has been like this pretty much since day 1 though, same with my wife's 15. I didn't go for more than 1TB since I always end up filing it quite quickly with the amount of footage I am dealing with so I always use external drives. Much more economical too :) That being said if I had unlimited funds I would get 4 TB haha! Cheers :)

[@codyhornefilms]

If applying grains and multiple nodes for color grading do you think the extra $200 32 Core GPU upgrade would be worth it or does your 24 core handle it just fine. I'm mostly working with 4K footage

[@davidpaulcarr8978]

It would have been good to hear about your choice of monitor. The LG isn't particularly expensive. Are you happy with it for grading?

[@OfTwoLands]

I'm really happy with the 27 LG, it really feels like I'm using an iMac. I still think it is pretty expensive at 1200 USD but better than 2000 like the new Apple one I guess.

[@davidpaulcarr8978]

Thanks for replying! There are two cheaper LG monitors shown when you click on the link to see your editing setup, which is why I asked.

[@topicruben]

You always manage to produce these clean/very technical/and beautiful videos. That magic box looks exquisite. Thanks man for sharing and for all the info. Cheers

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks so much for the positive feedback mate !! And yes that box is insane, I still can't get over it haha!

[@MarineX]

My current setup is the Mac studio, studio display, and they handle the Fx3 footage with no issues

[@OfTwoLands]

Nice !!

[@DarrellDucharme]

What model Mac Studio do you use?

[@MarineX]

@@DarrellDucharme M1 Max, 32 core GPU, 32gb ram, 2tb SSD

[@DarrellDucharme]

@@MarineX thanks, what about 4k 60 and 120? I have Sony a7s3, currently using a i9 13900K with RTX 3080 build, thinking of going the Mac Studio M1Max route.

[@Jordyce]

Thank you for this! Rendering benchmarks are one thing, but those transcoding benchmarks are very useful/specific and the results were impressive.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thank you for watching, glad you liked it :) !!

[@Christophe-Cochez]

Tres bien, vous conseillez de rester sur la configuration de base avec 32 Go de RAM ou de prendre l option avec 64 Go ?

[@OfTwoLands]

Merci! Ca depend de l'utilisation. Plus est toujours mieux. Avec FCPX et Resolve 32GB c'est suffisant mais je sais que Premiere par example demande plus.

[@michaelch5060]

Just got the M1 Ultra, absolutely amazing performance coming from a 2019 iMac. Thanks for sharing.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for watching :) The Ultra must be an absolute beast !!

[@dannyh1891]

Great review, You mentioned travelling with your mac studio. Do you also travel with a monitor? If so, could you say which monitor please.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks!! I haven't travelled with it yet, I was saying that it is a possibility if you had to. Currently I still have my MBP 16 :). I do know some people that travel with it and which monitor doesn't really matter as it is more about the size.

[@dannyh1891]

@@OfTwoLands Thanks 👍🏼

[@Lufe_Siqueira]

Awesome as always, Florent! Im thinking about getting the m2 Max on base stats here in sydney, but i Dont know if it's worth waiting for the m3. Are you still using the m1 max on 2023? How is it holding up for playback on resolve and premiere for multiple camera clips?

[@PercyLeon1]

Great video, I recently bought the Apple studio, however, I'm debating if I should buy the Apple 5k display. My co workers recently bought me a Dell XPS 15 laptop oled display with 64gb. I would like to use the Apple Studio on display as well as the XPS to the display. Or should I buy a 4k display with a higher refresh rate?

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks !! I can't really comment on other monitors since I have used only my Lg 5K (which I love). If I had to buy one now I would probably get the Apple one since I always prefer their build and colors as well as the natural OS implementation. I think just use/get the monitor that suits you :).

[@gizmoplans]

Just bought one myself and it delivers today. 2 TB 64 G.B. U.M. can't wait to dig in! Thanks for an honest straight forward review.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for watching and have fun :) !!

[@bartez8018]

What is best monitor for mac studio? I will use mac for adobe illustrator mostly, but with wacom graphic tablet so I don't need ultra high end monitor :D

[@deenfilms]

So you’d definitely recommend for small production company work?

[@OfTwoLands]

Yes, 100% !! I'd recommend this to anyone working on a desktop for any kind of visual work (editing, retouching, rendering, VFX etc)

[@robinferand]

Hi, The issues you are experiencing with the Mac Studio (Quik Preview with space bar, stabilization in fcpx and harddrive/ssd taking long time to mount) I have the same ones on my MBP16 Max so I'm guessing it's monterey.

[@theeditorrestrial]

im looking at going for the m1Ultra, 2TB and 64 Gigger. At the moment that is....Apple may or may not have a spring event announcing the new Mac Pro (which base model will prob be around 6k) and then a new Mac Studio with M2 chips BUT will see.

[@OfTwoLands]

The Studio Ultra should be more than enough to handle anything you can throw at it as a solo shooter! 👍

[@SalyarAli]

Thank you! After this video I ordered MacBook Pro 16 with m1 max 32g. Because, if 32g sweet spot for you, it will work for me.

[@OfTwoLands]

Congrats, and have fun :) !!

[@allen_bernardo_jr]

Do you still use this mac studio 2 years later? I'm thinking of getting a Mac Studio next year because my m2 air is kind of slow with video rendering :/

[@ordinarygg]

Your mac book pro is actually not quite powerful after the m1 air + mac mini was released. It lags behind even those base models drastically. Probably m1 mac mini also does 2-3x fast transcoding times than your 16'. I sold mine 16' as saw m1 because it's trash right now, literally MacBook Air with m1 and no cooling destroys it everywhere)

[@tombinroth]

Great review. Just curious, Do you edit 6k files without proxy from the USB-C G-tech disk? Is it fast enough?

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks !! I usually export all my 6K files to 4K prores to edit in FCPX. Most of the time I edit on my T5s, I keep the G tech for archiving and sometimes I go back to an edit.

[@talktalk4503]

Did you experience the studio colleting dust, like many users have shown? If yes, how do you clean or prevent it? I m thinking of getting one too

[@OfTwoLands]

Not that I noticed, at least not more than any other piece of equipment or furniture. The metal is easy to wipe or clean too if needed :)

[@talktalk4503]

@@OfTwoLands i c. Ppl said it's inside the studio tho.

[@hammadkt]

Stil using the 2015 Macbook pro 2.5 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 16 GB AMD Radeon R9 M370X 2 GB Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB will be upgrading to M2 MacBook Air.

[@OfTwoLands]

The M2 looks very promising :) I would love to get an Air, they're so small!!

[@itoltd]

Thank you for this great review, well done! I’ve a question concerning your LG 5K display: are you experiencing ghosting issues with it? Thank you

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for watching !! No problems at all so far and it has been more than a year :)

[@michaelolgaalgar5729]

Thank you for this, howabout the high pitched whining sound many people have complained about? do you have it?

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for watching !! The only thing I hear is the fan at the back since my studio is very quiet but I doubt it is what you mean.

[@michaelolgaalgar5729]

@@OfTwoLands Thank you, and do you hear the fan often?

[@meteoroz]

I'd like to get the Studio Monitor over the LG Ultrafine due to the superior build quality. Would you recommend this? The LG seems wobbly and flimsy in comparison.

[@OfTwoLands]

I already had the LG before so I didn't feel the need to get the new Apple one. If I was to buy the Studio now though and I didn't have a monitor I would go for the Studio Monitor for sure! PS The LG isn't flimsy and also much better value haha!

[@Scriptshepherd]

Hey Flo, thanks for the video. I also edit on the Macbook Pro 16" (2019), and my 16GB of RAM make it impossible to edit 6k or even 4k footage. The Mac studio sounds tempting -- how do you pack a monitor for it specifically when traveling/on-the-go? Also, what are the minimum specs you'd recommend for seamlessly editing BMPCC6K footage like you -- Is there any real downside to buying a 32GB RAM Zenbook Duo, instead of paying twice as much for another Macbook after two years just with more RAM?

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for watching !! I have never packed a monitor yet, I always travelled with a Macbook. You can pack a monitor in a pelican and check it in if you need to fly but it is pricey. Doable if you really need it and if you go for a long enough period that you can justify the cost. I have put an iMac in a car before though. Re specs I always had 32GB RAM and it seems to be the sweet spot for me. Hard to tell what minimum spec I would recommend but I would say go for the M1 Pro at least and with 32GB just to be safe :). If you want the Studio then you will get the M1 Max anyway which is more than fine as you saw on the video. I always use Macs so i actually don't know PCs that well :(

[@Scriptshepherd]

@@OfTwoLands Thanks so much as always!

[@wildpatagoniafilms16]

Nice concise review~ To the point as always! two questions: 1- at5;19 you show a shot of a sunset, (stunning image mate!), did you get that with the 12K or 6K and regardless of which one, what glass and filter? (if any... ), & 2: what speakers are the ones you have on your desk set up? Thank you!!! cheers! ;)

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks !! The sunset shot was filmed on the 6K Pro with a canon 70-200 F4 IS, no filter. And the speakers are these Adam Audio : amzn.to/3t0JwcK

[@jiasizhezheng431]

Hi mate mind if i ask whats that aspect ratio of your landscape footage, are you squeeze it down or just crop into 80%(looks like) safearea? Thanks from down-under :)

[@OfTwoLands]

Hey mate, it is 2.35:1 :). I just crop it to that size.

[@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel]

Good video

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks!!

[@Thomasmcbrown]

Can you please tell me what hardware you use to to import dv cameras , VCRs , and HD Cams ? Or without HD option.

[@dirkmcmillan5992]

I just got a Mac Studio this week.

[@OfTwoLands]

Congrats!!

[@markbelew3155]

How are you exporting in Davinci to ProRes, I can't find the same option and everything I've read has always said its not possible but you clearly are doing it, care to share how?

[@OfTwoLands]

Just in the render section, choose Quicktime - Apple Prores 422 :)

[@MrIanWebb]

Do you have a specific video discussing why you use Gen4 vs Gen5? I'd love to learn more about that decision. Thanks 👍

[@OfTwoLands]

Not specifically about it but I discuss this topic in my 6K Pro VS 6K video :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gISYZZx4jrOtfcU

[@devabavhad1062]

Thank you man. gonna buy Max 32GPU 64 Ram

[@OfTwoLands]

Have fun :) !!

[@maurosegurah]

Thanks, great video with actual practical experience.

[@OfTwoLands]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@youperspective]

Thanks for the video! I am a photographer and occasional videographer (CANON R5 so 4K and potentially 8K in the future) and I was thinking about this base model but with the 64Gb RAM upgrade for extra longetivity, what do you think?

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for watching !! The base model with 64GB would be great I think :)

[@rgsfilmmaker]

Hi does Mac Studio work fine with HDMI LG monitors? I have LG monitor which is HDMI cable and 1920 resolution. Will there be any difference in performance because of HDMI?

[@kunsunrethy]

do you have your MacBook pro review? I'm planning on getting the new m1, but so confused on what spec to get. I'm looking at 32gb ram 1tb storage m1 Pro 10c CPU

[@kunsunrethy]

my workflow are Lightroom, premier pro and DR. But quick turnaround time. surely shooting in BRAW for post. not as heavily graded, mostly applied and LUT and call it a day. im not doing any features, purely short clips and mini docu.

[@OfTwoLands]

I don't have one for the older Macbook, but the great thing with the new M1 is that it doesn't matter which computer you get, you just have to figure out which chip :). That configuration is pretty solid and should be fine !!

[@kunsunrethy]

@@OfTwoLands thanks Flo! Really wish I can wait for M2. It would be mind-blowing!

[@OfTwoLands]

@@kunsunrethy M2 looks very impressive for sure!! I am really curious about M2 Pro and M2 Max :)

[@OrigEntertainmentOfficial]

Can you make a video on your current workflow? What codec you shoot, then your transcode settings in Resolve, then output settings in FCPX? Thank you! I currently just shoot on ProRes and import and edit natively in FCPX but want to try more BRAW. But I love the speed of FCPX both in terms of process but also the editing tools themselves.

[@OfTwoLands]

I will keep that idea in mind for sure :)

[@brucekennedy5274]

Great overview - I have the same one and it’s a trooper.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thank you!! Such a good little beast :)

[@_pierre_]

Thank you Florent, for this detailed explanation about your Apple Studio. I was still doubting between one and the other. Thanks to your explanation I know I'm going for the Studio basic with 1tb.ssd Thanks for sharing.

[@OfTwoLands]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for watching!!

[@Thomasmcbrown]

Premere seems to not recognize my DV Cam. Most options are grey in color and not an option, no response. Please help.

[@michaeljacobs8449]

Thank you, liked and subscribed. Looking forward to more from you. I am just starting out with filming making and need all the advice I can get. I currently use a MPB for editing.

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks for the support!! Hopefully I can help a bit :)

[@khaleel898]

I'm gonna buy for sure

[@OfTwoLands]

Nice !! Such a great computer, have fun :)

[@khaleel898]

@@OfTwoLands I can see you have only 1Tb ssd n I'm wondering how you edit footages? Directly from external SSD or do you copy the files to your computer?

[@YonnBurgos]

great review! thanks!

[@OfTwoLands]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!!

[@YonnBurgos]

@@OfTwoLands I'm waiting for mine to arrive in October and excited to work with it. Thanks again buddy!

[@roseinkpictures1782]

Great video. Right to the point. Thank you

[@OfTwoLands]

Glad you like it, thank you for watching !!

[@Mr.Monta77]

Excellent video, very informative. Thanks.

[@OfTwoLands]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!!

[@nunucello]

Great job

[@OfTwoLands]

Thanks!!

[@denizakyurek3987]

Which monitor do you use?

[@OfTwoLands]

This LG 5K : amzn.to/3rLh80F

[@ludovicavice3496]

What about demonising in davinci ? Why does no one talk about it..since its processor intensive

[@creativegreats6924]

Whats demonising ?

[@ludovicavice3496]

@@creativegreats6924 I meant denoising ***

[@creativegreats6924]

What's needed for denoising in davinchi ? More ram ? How much ram ?

[@creativegreats6924]

@@ludovicavice3496 what did u Mean when u said no one is talking about it

[@Thomasmcbrown]

hi

[@madebyams]

I think I need one :)

[@OfTwoLands]

Haha, it's pretty cool !!

[@LeicaM11]

The 5k Display is senseless, because MacOS does not support even 4k. Everybody needs to switch down to 2560x1440, to even see some elements of that weird macOS🤫

[@stevenfries7032]

Oh jesus. You were better off ditching mac completely and building a PC. You can get more bang for your buck with PC.

[@OfTwoLands]

Haha I know you can usually get more bang for buck with PC but most Mac users, myself included, use also Macs for the OS. I have used PCs for a long time but for what I do and how I like to work, Apple is just way better. Nothing against PC. When I use the top of the line android phone, I still prefer an iPhone. Preferences :)