27 replies to this topic

[John Bantin]

Always trying to find ways to reduce my baggage weight, does anyone have any experience of downloading D800 RAW files to an iPad and uploading them back to a Macbook Pro computer later?

[mblazer]

I haven't done it with the D800 yet (just started using it with a new kit), but have done it with the D700, using the iPad Camera Connection Kit - http://store.apple.c...connection-kit. For manipulation of RAWs on the iPad itself, you might look at the PhotoRaw app. I use the iPad while traveling just to be able to view images in the larger format. I still keep the originals on the CF card, and transfer to my Mac once i get home.

[John Bantin]

I normally download to Macbook Pro but keep the cards as back-up. If I do this, will the iPad be back-up or will I not be able to upload them when I get home?

I don't do any conversions until I get to my calibrated 30 inch HD monitor.

Edited by John Bantin, 02 January 2013 - 08:22 AM.

[JackConnick]

You'd bettrer have a BIG iPad to store a bunch of 35MB files...maybe take a small hard drive?

Edited by JackConnick, 02 January 2013 - 08:24 AM.

[John Bantin]

You'd bettrer have a BIG iPad to store a bunch of 35MB files...maybe take a small hard drive?

32GB?

[JackConnick]

That's not a lot John, really a lot less, as a good part of that is taken up by the iPad system and your own apps, music, books, etc.

It seems like it's possible, and can work ok with the SD card and jpegs. CF cards require that you plug in the camera.

There are a couple of issues with getting them off the iPad onto a computer later though.

Read this thread on dpReview for some recommendations.

Jack

Edited by JackConnick, 02 January 2013 - 09:01 AM.

[lehua808]

if you want small get one of those portable hard drives that you can D/L your photos to direct from the memory card.

[John Bantin]

That's not a lot John, really a lot less, as a good part of that is taken up by the iPad system and your own apps, music, books, etc.

It seems like it's possible, and can work ok with the SD card and jpegs. CF cards require that you plug in the camera.

There are a couple of issues with getting them off the iPad onto a computer later though.

Read this thread on dpReview for some recommendations.

Jack

Thanks for that...it seems I'm packing the 13-inch Macbook Pro!

[Aquapaul]

I went to Fiji and shot nearly 1000 photos and had them all on my iPad then connected to my computer when I got home and downloaded them with no problem. I used a D7000 and shot RAW, I did have the largest iPad at the time I think it was a 64gb but not sure and it was stolen last year in Honduras so I can't check. I had room to spare.

I was a bit nervous about it but out turned out okay, the only thing that I didn't like was that at the end of the week the Nai'a crew was wanting to show a slide show of the weeks pics and I couldn't figure out how to get them off without my MacBook Pro.

I would say if you have room for your computer take it.

[johnspierce]

Here's my workflow using an iPad 2 and my Nikon D7000. Obviously, the D800 files could fill up a 64gb iPad in short order, so the main points about only keeping minimal "processed" jpegs on the iPad from day to day will be important. I took about 2300 photos in Switzerland with just my iPad using this workflow and it worked out pretty well.
--------------------------------

iPad Photography Workflow

Required Software/Hardware:

• Apple camera kit
• iPad, preferably with 32gb or 64gb
• Photogene iPad app
• Web Albums HD iPad App
• Photo Transfer App iPad App
• Picasa software account on Google or Flickr account
• Optional iPad Software – nice to have, but not necessary:
  
• Snapseed
• Photo FX ultra
• Filterstorm Pro
• PhotoForge2
• Color Effects
• Photosmith

WorkFlow steps:

• Upload photos from SDCard to iPad. They will all be in a folder called "recently imported"
• Photogene has an "explorer" view. I go through each photo and modify only my “keepers” from a day of shooting. After modification, they are marked with a little "scissors" icon so I can see which ones are flagged. If I decide I don't like the photo, I can just revert to original and it won't be flagged.
• When done with all of today’s photos, I go back into Photogene explorer view and choose a "select for export" dialog. I pick all the ones with scissors.
• *IF* I have wifi access, I choose Export to Picasa, full resolution JPEG. It does just put them all in a "upload area" folder on Picasa, so then I have to go there and create a new album and move the photos, but that's easy. Photogene also exports to Facebook and Flickr.
• I also export my finished photos to the iPad photo library just for slideshow viewing on the trip.
• I only keep my favorites from each day in JPEG format only then I delete the imported, unmodified photos since they are backed up on the SD cards anyway. I usually run about a 5-10% keepers ratio for a day of shooting. I can always go back and re-import specific photos.
• When I get home, I import all the photos from the cards to my computer
• Then I go to Picasa and I can download the entire album of "fixed" photos to my computer Another way to transfer to your computer is to use the Photo Transfer App and wirelessly copy the photos.
• I just started using the Photosmith app and it has functionality to allow tagging and meta data entry which can be quickly imported to Lightroom when I get home.

As I said above, I am not sure what challenges the 36mp files from the D800 will introduce, but this workflow will work perfectly well for a week with 17mp files.

JP

[andy_deitsch]

I love the idea of using the iPad rather than lugging a laptop but I do like to process my photos each day. The storage limit of the iPad shouldn't be a problem. You could always get a hard drive for it such as this one from Kingston:
http://www.kingston....sb/wireless#wid

[johnspierce]

Just looked at the Kingston Wi-Drive, oh yeah I'm going to buy one of those. If it works well with iPad, that's all I will take to Fiji in a couple of months.

[Stoo]

I travel with both a 13" MacBook and a separate drive. Laptops are likely the #1 target for thieves so having a backed up drive, stored/carried separately from the laptop is critical I think.

[bvanant]

I think one problem with the Kingston is that it only works if there is a WIFI connection and most boats I have been on don't have WIFI so the drive is pretty useless til you get somewhere. You could use your phone as a mobile hotspot but my Macbook Air is not a whole lot heavier than my ipad and you can plug in as many large drives as you like.
Bill

[johnspierce]

I think one problem with the Kingston is that it only works if there is a WIFI connection and most boats I have been on don't have WIFI so the drive is pretty useless til you get somewhere. You could use your phone as a mobile hotspot but my Macbook Air is not a whole lot heavier than my ipad and you can plug in as many large drives as you like.
Bill

I just got my 128gb Wi Drive today and it does not require a wifi connection. It creates it's own hotspot so all you need is the Wi Drive and iPad. Turn on Wi Drive, wait until blue blinking light comes on indicating it is active, connect to it from iPad with Kingston Wi Drive app. Very easy - it also has WEP,WPA or WPA2 security just like any hotspot.

You can connect it to your local wifi at home too, but it is not a requirement.

The Wi Drive is smaller than my smartphone, I'm very impressed! The iPad + Wi Drive + Apple camera kit and software I've listed in my previous post is a very nice compact setup. Combining my 64gb iPad with 128gb Wi Drive gives me plenty of capacity for a week. If you are like me and just want a way to view and store photos on a trip with the heavy lifting done when you get home, this is a good alternative to carrying a laptop. For me, the iPad is a much more versatile device since I use it to read books, watch movies, surf the net and store all my user manuals. Plus the battery lasts long enough for those big travel days to remote destinations.

Edited by johnspierce, 05 January 2013 - 07:48 AM.

[andy_deitsch]

John,

Glad the Wi Drive worked out for you. The other nice thing about it is that you can connect up to three devices to it at the same time so if you want to share images with others on the trip, you can do that.

[John Bantin]

That's another £85 you've just cost me!

[JackConnick]

How are the transfer rates? if you were transferring a day's shooing from a D800 in RAW, it seems like wifi would be very slow.

Jack

[johnspierce]

How are the transfer rates? if you were transferring a day's shooing from a D800 in RAW, it seems like wifi would be very slow.

Jack

Well, it's certainly not a speed demon, from my iPad to the WiDi a 173mb file took 72 seconds. Satisfactory for what it is...

I could always take my i7 MacBook Pro with 16gb ram, 256gb SSD and FireWire card reader plus thunderbolt Lacie backup, but that's about 15 pounds of stuff. iPad plus WiDi plus chargers is maybe 2 pounds and the footprint has to be about 1/10 of that setup. And I'm not going to spend 3 hours a day working on my computer while on vacation.

Again, it just depends on what your intentions are... If you want to do all your post-processing while on location, this is not the ideal setup. If you want to review your pics and videos and perhaps create some quick sideshows to share with people on your trip, this is quite viable.

[aorr]

I'm a bit frustrated that the old iPod Color adapter for hooking up a digital camera to load pictures to an iPod doesn't work for new iPods et al. :-(

-Andy