iPad (or XPS13) for photo backup and quick editing while travelling birding (1 Viewer)

[MiddleRiver]

Now that the latest gen iPad has USB-C I'm tempted to try one in lieu of having to pack a larger laptop when travelling. I like a backup option as well as ability to quickly edit photos for ID purposes when birding. E.g. after a day of birding, off-load pics and adjust zoom/brightness on those poor ones that were tough ID in field. At around $1k US for a pad, pen, and perhaps keyboard, it does start to enter same territory as an XPS13 or similar 2-in-1 PC running windows.

Has anyone pondered this question?

 

[Mike Crawley]

I back my photographs to my standard iPad when I’m away from home (both in the U.K. and plenty of foreign countries)
Apple make a lightning connection card reader, which I’ve been using it for about 5 years.
I’ve never felt the need for a pen or keyboard to use with my iPad.

 

[Butty]

1. I don't see how the arrival of a different type of port changes anything - I'm sure suitable leads for connecting anything to anything have always been available.
2. USD1000 just for storage and basic editing? Crikey. Why not buy a spare cheap phone and do it all with that? - a quarter of the price and much more portable.
There is a whole nother thread which covers alternative ways of backing up photos when away from civilization:
Thread 'Photo storage when away' Photo storage when away

 

[MiddleRiver]

1. I don't see how the arrival of a different type of port changes anything - I'm sure suitable leads for connecting anything to anything have always been available.
2. USD1000 just for storage and basic editing? Crikey. Why not buy a spare cheap phone and do it all with that? - a quarter of the price and much more portable.
There is a whole nother thread which covers alternative ways of backing up photos when away from civilization:
Thread 'Photo storage when away' Photo storage when away

I haven't used a new iPad, but in past I found the little CF card readers pretty poor in terms of managing photos. I'll have to re-visit it, now that I have a newer phone.

If you re-read my post, it's not just for backup. "...in lieu of having to pack a larger laptop when travelling" Maybe I should have emphasized the 'replacement for a laptop' more clearly. The idea is to have a very compact 'computer' which serves as on-the-road way of doing some light editing etc. Of course I'd also use it for looking at Google-maps, eBird, etc. Those are all things I can do on phone, but as I age, my small phone is mighty fiddly, has a mediocre camera - and a new iPhone, is actually well into the $1k realm.

I'll re-phrase my question:
Is there anyone travelling with and iPad as a more portable option to a conventional laptop and for use with birding associated tasks such as photo-editing, research, eBird tasks, etc.?
The crux question for me is whether I give up too much over an small laptop. It's be superb to be able to look at recordings using Audacity which I don't think is possible on iOS (?).

 

[Butty]

If you re-read my post, it's not just for backup . . . on-the-road way of doing some light editing etc

If you re-read my post you'll see that I was aware of that and addressed that issue:

USD1000 just for storage and basic editing?

I thus suggested an alternative based on your stated requirements. I also provided a relevant link about backup.

 

[MiddleRiver]

If you re-read my post you'll see that I was aware of that and addressed that issue:

I thus suggested an alternative based on your stated requirements. I also provided a relevant link about backup.

I appreciate your suggestions. But transferring hundreds of images to my 2"x4" screen phone and then trying to go back and forth comparing with web images, other same-day images, adjusting/editing, etc. is not working for me right now. I'm doing it right now (camera can wifi directly to phone), but it's tedious to say the least. I've got a 17" workstation but it's heavy, valuable (3x more than an iPad), relatively short batt life, and large for being able to carry-on in a shoulder bag already full of optics etc. So... I've been contemplating either a small 2-in-1 or an iPad.
YMMV ;-)

I'd love to hear from anyone using an iPad or tablet in their 'workflow'.

 

[Butty]

I appreciate your suggestions.

YVW.
Thank you for clarifying that, in fact, you want far more than just...

a backup option as well as ability to quickly edit photos

 

[Mike Crawley]

I'll re-phrase my question:
Is there anyone travelling with and iPad as a more portable option to a conventional laptop and for use with birding associated tasks such as photo-editing, research, eBird tasks, etc.?

yes, since 2018, using a lightning connection card reader

 

[Tanager]

yes, since 2018, using a lightning connection card reader

Ditto, with pdf field guides too

 

[Mike Crawley]

I have the Collins Bird Guide App. and the Sibley App. on mine.

 

[Essex Tern]

I am 100% iPad for photos now, ditched my laptop years ago.

I edit in Lightroom, have had full Photoshop in the past, but for my needs Lightroom is more than enough.

I backup with ssd drives, iCloud backups, physical iPad storage and Lightroom backups - plenty of backup together with the SD cards themselves.

I also use an Apple pen 2, it’s great for selective edits, general use in Lightroom with sliders etc, and in general with an iPad.

I wouldn’t go back to a laptop for my needs. Also the same with field guides, I have the following in pdf and Kindle format, carrying the same on my phone of course…….

 

[MiddleRiver]

Nice!
How do you get photos to LR on iPad?

 

[Essex Tern]

I use as Apple USB-C SD card reader - I save them to Photos in raw and then select the photos to import into Lightroom from there (generally all and then use Lightroom to go through the good and bad as it can be quicker for me as I can mass edit). The iPad storage I use as a temporary backup, keeping the files until finished and then deleting for next time once happily backed up elsewhere with raw/edited copies, I might leave one or two good shots on the iPad. I have a 1TB iPad and the same as cloud storage in Lightroom, working for me so far.

 

[MiddleRiver]

This is why iOS is a love-hate relationship for me. I actually have an SD card reader (lightning). Plug it into iphone SE3 (current iOS etc), select photo, try to send it to card. 'Files' does not show up and I see no way to move files to SD card. So that right there is a deal-breaker. If I upload pics to ipad or phone and edit them, I'm going to want to move them back to memory card! Cloud/wifi is not always an option.
Frustrated. And tempted to just go Windoze with an XP13...

 

[Essex Tern]

I just tried.
In photos I select a photo, save to files and I have the option of Lumix being the camera the card was formatted in, so works fine for me. A similar option appears when attached to a USB ssd drive.

 

[MiddleRiver]

Thanks Essex Tern ;-) It turns out I'm an idjit. I could only see two lines of options in the 'send' area. Scrolling up, the 'Files' is there. What a noob!!