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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Tablet for viewing DSLR photos/back up (2 Viewers)

mikenott

mikenott

Flawed but improving!
England
I have an iPad, but it is a pain to connect to my Canon 1D IV to import and view pictures as it insists on using the Imported Photos system which just puts them all in a long camera roll type album which is difficult to edit. To put stuff into albums I use my desktop PC and then then copy albums through iTunes to my iPad. This works, but isn't what I really want to do.

What I want is a tablet (preferably 10") with a USB connection that allows direct reading of my camera CF/SD cards (either by direct coupling to the camera or to a small CF/CD card reader) and a Windows type "File Explorer" interface which allows me to put photos from the cards into a (new?) dedicated folder to be able to view/delete/email them. In some cases, for long trips, this would also act as a form of back up storage.

I did look a couple of years ago, but couldn't find anything that seemed suitable. but time and technology have moved on. I haven't kept up to date with every twist and turn of tablet development, but hope a Forum member might be able to help or even provide a solution?

I have trawled through this Forum but can't see anything that seems to directly address this question ..... but I may have missed it!

Thanks in anticipation,

Michael.
 
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If you want to go the whole hog then Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet is a proper computer that runs full fat Windows 8 and has a full size USB port.

There are lots of Android Tablets round with SD card slots but this are principally used for additional storage and never having used one I can't comment on their utility in photo management. When ever I have used a card in an Android phone it has had to be set up for that use.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I have been watching the Microsoft Surface Pro with interest and Microsoft have just announced an upgrade version (Surface Pro 2) http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/23/4761614/microsoft-surface-pro-2-tablet-announcement (sales have not been good so.....). But at $899 it is still a bit steep.

I have seen the Android devices with SD card slots, but my 7D is CF card only and the 1DIv is CF and SD and I tend to use the CF card as my prime storage. Oh, for an Android with full USB....

Michael.
 
This is something I have also been looking at. I haven't got it but have a look at
http://petapixel.com/2013/03/26/how...g-an-android-tablet-and-external-hard-drives/
It can certainly be done somehow.

This one does refer to rooting the android (whatever that is) but it seems on later versions of android that there is something in settings you just tick to connect to a USB

There is also this

http://www.shopandroid.com/samsung-micro-usb-to-usb-adapter/5A18A14072.htm

It was the lack of USB connectors that was putting me off tablets, I will now have to retghink
 
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No joy here.. i just plugged my EOS600d into an Acer iconia A210 via the tablet's USB port.. I turned the camera on, and it started to read photos on the tablet with an option to import. But then the camera flagged an error, and it aborted reading the pics.

Maybe it would work with a card reader (which I don't have). If so, it would be a solution.
 
Have a look at this:

http://www.mymemory.co.uk/Memory-Card-Readers/Apotop/Apotop-Wireless-Card-Reader-for-iPhone-and-iPad

It reads SD cards directly and would read CF via a card reader plugged into the USB port. It's designed specifically to do what you appear to want with the iPad and iPhone but I have one that I use with my Blackberry PlayBook for that very purpose. Slow but functional on the PlayBook but I have seen it in action on an iPad and it is very fast.

A lot cheaper than a new tablet too.

Derek
 
There are a number of photo management apps available for iPad/iPhone which get around the maddening chaos that is Apple's "Photos".

Photo Manager Pro is popular and may do what you want? Here's a link, take a look at the "How to" section to see if it does what you want.
It only costs £2 from the App Store. HTH

[I have no connection with the company/vendors linked above].
 
Jumbo got there before me - but why not look whether there's an app that does what you want, rather than buy a whole new device?

There's an overview for such apps available at here.

I don't use any of these so can't recommend one from personal experience.

Andrea
 
Since I use Lightroom, I found that Jeffrey Friedl's Collection Publisher is a great way to get albums from my PC neatly on my iPad.

To go direct from the camera to the iPad, check out the Photosmith app. I've got it but don't use it really because I don't really bother to back up inthe field, so prefer my other route.
 
I use a Samsung Galaxy 2 android, albeit a 7" tablet. I use a USB adapter (5cm long) connected to a USB CF card reader. I can view/edit the photos taken with my Canon 7D using a photo editor app.

I can create folders on the Tablet to store the photos if I wish or move them using a file manager to an existing folder or to the SD card or usually after editing back to the CF card sometimes keeping a copy on the tablet. I've only done this with jpegs. I've not tried it with RAW files.
 
Does anybody know if this will work with RAW files?
Tom Lawson.

IanF said:
I use a Samsung Galaxy 2 android, albeit a 7" tablet. I use a USB adapter (5cm long) connected to a USB CF card reader. I can view/edit the photos taken with my Canon 7D using a photo editor app.

I can create folders on the Tablet to store the photos if I wish or move them using a file manager to an existing folder or to the SD card or usually after editing back to the CF card sometimes keeping a copy on the tablet. I've only done this with jpegs. I've not tried it with RAW files.
Click to expand...
 
Not into the technology but I have seen USB's designed to be used in android tablets, they seem to have two size's of ports. Would be great to put photos on our Samsung Galaxy.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I think I can summarise them as follows - in particular, relating to importing photos from a CF card:

1. The iPad is not good for managing/importing photos on its own. You can buy adapters and use apps, but they are a bit of a workaround. If you already have an iPad, that is probably the best solution for you.

2. Android tablets are easier to use for CF card transfers, but still often seem to require an adapter cable or additional (USB) power cables to to allow file transfer. Issue seem to be that the mini-USB ports fitted don't alwats allow full USB functionality requiring "dedicated" cables such as teh Samsung mini-USB to full USB On The Go cable. Nevertheless, possibly the right way to go in terms of ease of use and price (circa £300)?

3. Windows Surface Pro devices offer full USB interface as standard, but are very expensive (circa £700). From what I have read the Surface RT versions, whilst good, do not offer the full Windows 8 set of features, so going to a Surface PRO is "better" in this context. But a Surface Pro is very expensive.

So, Android is becoming my target solution, but what experience do Forum members have of using Android tablets ? From my perspective the features I am I am looking for:

1. A 10" screen. Old age and declining eyesight!
2. Ability to add SD mass memory storage through a card slot
3. Ability to connect CF Card Reader through mini-USB cconnection
4 A cracking quality screen
5. Preferably, a SIM card slot (i use the iPad out on the road)
6. Good build quality.

Any suggestions?

Michael.
 
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It's only 7" but the Tesco Hudle is a bargain at £119. Micro SD card slot and USB OTG socket so it can use USB storage/card readers plus HDMI out to your TV. No SIM card, just tether it to your phone (via wifi) for 3G!

Pete
 
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Although I have not discounted Android devices, the new generation of Windows 8.1 devices looks promising, but pricey. Microsoft launch delivery of their MS Surface Pro 2 on Oct 22nd and several other manufacturers have announced similar devices but won't release pricing information until after the Microsoft launch. The one that sticks out to me as a potential "winner" is the Dell Venue 11 (see one review at http://www.itproportal.com/2013/10/04/dell-venue-11-pro-hands-on-preview/) which seem to be very configurable in terms of hard disk and RAM sizes and mentions s SIM card slot in at least one review as well as a full size USB (3.0) port. According to Dell they will physically launch the Venue 11 on November 7th but I am hoping to get prices before then.

As a small aside, my research indicates that the Windows Surface RT (now Surface 2) has very limited functionality and s not a full blown Windows device - just be wary if you are looking at them as MS are selling of the RT cheap(er).
 
Are you completely discounting laptops? The HP 13" 4340s (14" 4440s, 15" 4540s, 17" 4740s) comes with Windows (8) but it can also run Mac osx, Linux, Windows XP and Android (the last 2 I have running in mac osx using Virtual box). Having 5 operating systems (2, 3, 4 insert number required here) on one device gives total control and allows any software to be used. A small fat32 "data" partition also allows all operating systems access to the same files (Linux can access all partition types but windows and mac os are not so easily accommodated).

Pete
 
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Mad_Sunday said:
Are you completely discounting laptops?
Click to expand...

I think I am. I have had many laptops, but really like tablets due to their weight, instant start up and touch screens. I realise the gap between modern laptops and tablets is narrowing, but as I have a desktop PC that dims the lights when I turn it on due to its CPU/memory etc., and which I use for my main photo processing I am looking for a quick and easy device to quickly review pictures in the field and to provide basic PC functionality whilst on the road. Tablets seem to meet that need for me. Others may make different decisions!

Still oscillating between Microsoft surface pro 2 and Dell venue pro 11
 
For your info: a full size ipad with an external keyboard and my laptop is the same weight (if anything the laptop solution is lighter, but this is without charger).

Niels
 
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