iPad in your workflow? How?

kbevphoto

Just curious if any of you use an iPad in your workflow. It's a pain to bring a laptop into the field all the time, so I am considering an iPad. If there was an apps that would let me do some of the "Lightroom Library Module" activities, it would save me a lot of time.

For example, it's be great if there was a way to:
1. Reject photos
2. Pick them/ rate them
3. Add keywords
4. Add captions


If I could crop, that'd help, but it's not a must have.

Assuming I shoot RAW with my Nikons, are there apps that can do this in a way that when I pull them into LightRoom some of this is done?

Using an iPad for some of the sorting and pre-processing would be great because I could do it on flights and my morning commute without drama. Opening a laptop on the bus/ subway is not practical for me. Thanks in advance.

WillCAD

I'm not an iPad owner, so take my comments with a grain of salt, but I see a few potential hiccups with the idea:

1) iPads have no USB input and no media card readers, so getting your images from the camera to the iPad would involve a multistep workaround process. Wi-fi adapter on camera, upload to net, download to iPad, yada-yada... too complex and time-consuming for field use, IMHO.

2) iPads are not optimized for photo editing. Sure, there are photo editing apps available, but if you're on a pro gig, you want pro software to do even your basic post-processing. An iPad might be nice for viewing your pics, but it's not an editing platform for a pro photographer, or even for a serious amateur, IMHO.

3) iPads currently have a maximum capacity of 64gb. Not much for photo editing, particularly if you shoot RAW.

Personally, I'd choose a more robust Windows or Mac based tablet, something with plenty of storage capacity, plenty of RAM, memory card reader, USB interface, and an OS capable of running either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, as well as any noise reduction and cataloging software you might use at home, and the RAW conversion software that comes with your camera.

To me, the best way to optimize workflow on the road or in the field is to use the same tools you use at home.

kbevphoto

WillCAD wrote: »

1) iPads have no USB input and no media card readers, so getting your images from the camera to the iPad would involve a multistep workaround process. Wi-fi adapter on camera, upload to net, download to iPad, yada-yada... too complex and time-consuming for field use, IMHO.

3) iPads currently have a maximum capacity of 64gb. Not much for photo editing, particularly if you shoot RAW.

I am pretty sure you can buy an adapted to get a USB reader connects. 64GB is plenty for field shooting.

The trick is that I'm not trying to "process" them with editing software. Just approve/reject, keyword, etc. I can edit when I'm home. That's why I said I'd want the "library" module in a program.

WillCAD

I did a Google search and came up with this thread that deals with the subject

http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/product/MC531ZM/A?mco=MTQzMzA4NjA&pqid=Q7YFY4AACY4PT9CCJX2TJCTCD2HJYUFDC

Looks like your capabilities are a little limited, but you can use the iPad as a storage and viewing device if you spend the extra on the camera connection kit.

If you want to buy an iPad, just do it. Its not the best solution to what you're asking, but if you are going to buy one anyway, you can create enough workarounds and fixes to sort of do what you want to do with your files.

If you're not going to buy an iPad anyway, don't buy one just for this reason; there are other devices out here that will do the job better and cheaper.

kbevphoto

Yeah... I just want to know what I can expect. It felt like it'd be an easier field backup unit/viewer than bringing a laptop with me. The new MBAir looks crazy light, but not quite what I'd want. although.... 8- )

printergirl

Ran across this the other day. I love it...now I wish I had gotten the 64 instead of the 16.

http://fstoppers.com/ipad/

RobSylvan

I did a photowalk a few weeks ago and put my iPad and my Epson P-7000 in my camera bag. I do have the camera connection kit and with it I can hook the P-7000 to the iPad and use it as a card reader (it can't access the photos on the drive itself). The walk was about 2 hours, followed by lunch and an Adobe software demo back at a local camera store serving as base camp. On the walk back to the camera shop I popped the card in the P-7000 to back it up as I always do. When I got to the camera store I hooked the P-7000 to my iPad and selected about a dozen shots I wanted to look at more closely. During lunch I looked at those photos more closely and played around with a few in the PhotoExpress app for iPad. By the time the demo was over I had uploaded 6 to my Photoshop.com account and emailed a copy of one of the photowalk hosts to him after showing it to him on the iPad. It was very fun, easy and handy in that situation, and a laptop wouldn't fit in my Boda bag.