iPad as camera storage device on the road

drunken fool · 6 Oct 2010 at 14:24

Hi all

I'm contemplating using a 64Gb iPad with the camera attachement device as a mobile storage instead of the netbook i currently use.

From reading up it seems it handles RAW's with no real issues but just wondering if anyone else currently does this or can think of any issues in doing it?

SteveOBHave · 6 Oct 2010 at 14:36

Probably my only issues would be that it weighs a ton and doesn't have nearly enough memory for long trips especially if you have it loaded with movies and music.

Rollo · 6 Oct 2010 at 14:39

I wasnt sure if it resized the jpgs on import but i've just checked my 16g wifi one and my nefs are fully intact, viewable on the device and transferable via usb uding windows.

drunken fool · 6 Oct 2010 at 14:49

SteveOBHave said:
Probably my only issues would be that it weighs a ton and doesn't have nearly enough memory for long trips especially if you have it loaded with movies and music.

it weights a ton? My experience is it weights a lot less than my netbook and has a longer battery life. Would only be using it for storage not movies and music.

Rollo said:
I wasnt sure if it resized the jpgs on import but i've just checked my 16g wifi one and my nefs are fully intact, viewable on the device and transferable via usb uding windows.

Do you have to use itunes for the transfer back to PC?

neil_g · 6 Oct 2010 at 14:53

i can think of cheaper photo storage devices to be honest..

Ksanti · 6 Oct 2010 at 16:26

At 64 Gb is there really that much of an advantage to an ipad rather than just getting bigger/more memory cards?

SteveOBHave · 6 Oct 2010 at 16:53

Ksanti said:
At 64 Gb is there really that much of an advantage to an ipad rather than just getting bigger/more memory cards?

Other than being able to view the photos - surely not? Especially considering that you can buy a 250GB Photo Safe for around £90... Really if you want an iPad, just buy it, I'm not sure that 64GB of storage space and the ability to view unedited photos on the fly is justification for spending close on £700... You can get a rather nice lens for that...

robertgilbert86 · 6 Oct 2010 at 17:05

iPads are quite nice but for £600/700 you could a light and powerful laptop on which you could start processing your images with 300GB+ of storage.

I took my netbook with me on a USA road trip and processed as a I went a bit. It was pretty grim using Lightroom with 12MP RAWs but it can be done. If I were to do a trip like that again I'd be looking at getting a proper laptop - so much less tedious.

Schizophonic · 6 Oct 2010 at 17:18

Your not going to be processing the images on the go are you? Like another member said here there are other cheaper storage solutions. How would you connect the camera attachment? Care to show us?

Raymond Lin · 6 Oct 2010 at 17:53

In an emergency i might but it's cheaper to buy a couple of 8G cards than an iPad! Lol

I have a netbook with 250G HD for this if i go travelling, the iPad is not going to be a storage device, mainly it's slow, its not very big, and its expensive!

Amp34 · 6 Oct 2010 at 17:59

Personally I would't even contemplate an iPad for photo storage "until" it can run a close to full version of Lightroom (or similar) and allow connection of an external HDD. At the moment it's really only Windows slates/tablets that can do that (and probably will be for some time...)

Plug 500GB notebook HDD in one side, camera in the other side and transfer files from camera to Disk, whilst creating a lightroom catalogue, viewing and deleting rubbish photos and then doing some quick editing/uploading of a few if needed...

drunken fool · 6 Oct 2010 at 18:23

When i say storage i don't mean long term storage, i mean temp to move files onto in an emergency. I don't intend to use it for any form of editing at all although could be handy to view files and start the deletion process.

It's mainly to replace the bulky laptop i carry around for the same purpose. I never really need any more than 32Gb extra storage for a day and if i am away for longer then i can take the reserve netbook for emergencies.

If i wasn't gettting the 64Gb for £450 then i wouldn't contemplate it and i am aware that there are other (potentially better) options out there. But, the ability to use it for smaller volumes of storage and surf net/twitter/facebook/angry birds combined with the lightness and longer battery than a netbook/laptop has got me seriously thinking about it.

SO far i acknowledge the storage size constraint and possible speed issues (any more details on that). Any other issues that can be thought of?

Rollo · 6 Oct 2010 at 18:35

Do you have to use itunes for the transfer back to PC?

Nope, appears under explorer so you can just drag and drop. I wouldn't buy an ipad specificially for that purpose but it is nice to be able to view them.

SteveOBHave · 6 Oct 2010 at 19:03

drunken fool said:
When i say storage i don't mean long term storage, i mean temp to move files onto in an emergency. I don't intend to use it for any form of editing at all although could be handy to view files and start the deletion process.

It's mainly to replace the bulky laptop i carry around for the same purpose. I never really need any more than 32Gb extra storage for a day and if i am away for longer then i can take the reserve netbook for emergencies.

If i wasn't gettting the 64Gb for £450 then i wouldn't contemplate it and i am aware that there are other (potentially better) options out there. But, the ability to use it for smaller volumes of storage and surf net/twitter/facebook/angry birds combined with the lightness and longer battery than a netbook/laptop has got me seriously thinking about it.

SO far i acknowledge the storage size constraint and possible speed issues (any more details on that). Any other issues that can be thought of?

It sounds like you've just got a good offer on an iPad and you're seeking some sort of subsequent rationalisation for getting it. Honestly I don't think you're going to find it here - it doesn't stand up as a photo tool. Just buy the thing.

Raymond Lin · 6 Oct 2010 at 19:26

Not every card reader works on the ipad either. I couldn't get my USB reader to read my extreme cards, not enough power.

Rollo · 6 Oct 2010 at 23:33

I did n't think any card reader was officially supposed to work. Either you plug an SD card into one adaptor or the camera into the other one?

Raymond Lin · 6 Oct 2010 at 23:41

Rollo said:
I did n't think any card reader was officially supposed to work. Either you plug an SD card into one adaptor or the camera into the other one?

I shoot CF cards, and CF reader are USB....so just plug it into the USB one.

Andy90 · 7 Oct 2010 at 13:06

Take a look at the following:-

Vosonic VP8870 - which is a portable device with a built in LCD Screen and 320gb storage space. Can store Jpeg, TIFF, BMP, GIF, RAW, Motion Jpeg, Mpeg-1/2/4, XviD.

Can import from CF I/II, Microdrive,Standard SD, SDHC, MMC, MS (MS Pro, MS Pro Duo, SM, XD with a separate adapter

Costs around £369

Then there are the Epson P7000 - similar device, only 160gb though and quite a bit more expensive around the £500 mark.

Canon do similar devices, the M30 and M80, but they're 30Gb and 80Gb respectively - the plus side to them is that the menu functions are extremely similar to the Menus found on Canon DSLR's and also use the common BP511 battery.

That said for the money you could buy an awful lot of memory cards

DampCat · 7 Oct 2010 at 14:00

Ive seen people use it as a very handy electronic portfolio, but as a tool to use on a shoot, i wouldn't consider it.

bigredshark · 7 Oct 2010 at 14:15

DampCat said:
Ive seen people use it as a very handy electronic portfolio, but as a tool to use on a shoot, i wouldn't consider it.

Sums it up for me too, lovely to show people the shots on but I wouldn't use it while shooting...