iPad or EeePad..?

[IanCD]

Anyone using either an iPad or Asus EeePad as part of their kit... e.g. for Landscape or Travel photography..?

Re apps, I know iPad has Photogene. Just did a quick search but haven't found an equivalent app. for Android (is there one?)

Is it possible to import raw files to these devices to view on location - or restricted to JPG...? What apps 'do' importing? How broadly compatible are they with raw formats (range of supported cameras), if at all...?

I'm thinking about iPad 3 or Asus Transformer Infinity, instead of taking (heavy) laptop out and about on trips... not for any major editing, mainly for initial review though basic editing functions - cropping, exposure & contrast, B&W preview - would be useful

Ian

[enaiman]

I am using RawDroid on a Transformer tablet and I am pretty sure there are more apps available (this one is free).
I consider Android to be more flexible than IOS and not so restrictive. There are at this moment more apps for IOS but that will change in the future.

An advice if you go for Asus - buy the dock too; not for keyboard but for connectivity. It will make your life easier.

[IanCD]

Hi Eugen,
Just briefly checked RawDroid out... looks good. Thanks.
I'd need the dock for SD cards, if I recall reviews right?
Ian

[dje]

Hi Ian

I've just been through this process as well, in preparation for a trip to Canada. I decided on an Android device (Toshiba AT100 tablet) over the IPad because I was concerned about the connectivity of the IPad. You have to get a Camera connection kit to allow the IPad to download photos but I'm not too sure that it gives you a true USB interface. The Toshiba comes with a File Manager app which you can use in conjunction with the built in USB connector and SD card reader in the same manner as you use File Manager on a normal computer. This is important to me as I want to back up my photos to USB pen drives.

I'm using the following Android photo apps

Adobe Photoshop Touch - about $12 - cut down version of photoshop but work quite well, adequate for simple editing on the run. I don't think it handles RAW files.

RAWVision - about $3 - can use this to view RAW files (I've only tested Canon) and extract jpeg from RAW.

DSLR Controller - about $5 I think - allows you to control the camera via USB connection (for Canon anyway). Similar to EOS Utility only it has more functionality.

Having read Eugen's comment above, I must try RAWDroid.

Dave

[Colin Southern]

The iPad Camera Connection Kit is 2 adaptors - the first lets you slip an SD card into it, the 2nd is a USB connection that allows you to import images directly from the camera using PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol).

I've got the kit, but haven't used the 2nd adaptor so can't comment on it's "USBness".

Can't see myself ever moving away from the iPad though - the integration of everything with the iPhone & iCloud is just too good to risk losing (buy an app on the phone, it's pushed to the iPad -- buy a song on the iPad, it's pushed to the iPhone -- take a picture with the iPhone, it's pushed to the iPad and my PC -- and everything is backed up to iCloud every night whilst I'm asleep.

The displays are also very VERY nice for photos - it really does them credit.

[enaiman]

Ian,
I was recommending the dock for the USB ports which are very handy; you might be even able to connect a card reader (not sure about this) or better, it might have a SD card slot. Plus the dock has its own battery and you can connect / disconnect it at any time.
If you don't decide for the dock, you will need to buy an adapter for about 30-40 USD.

Just look at the specs.

[Val Mansfield]

I have just bought my wife an ASUS Transformer for her birthday, she is delighted with it. So am I!

We have a couple of major trips coming up and the intention is to leave the laptop at home and download to the ASUS and then back up from that to a portable hard drive. I’ve tested this out and it does it beautifully using the USB port on the keyboard – which came as part of the deal, not as an extra. The only problem is that you can’t view RAW files on it; but from this thread it appears that an application that does this is available; I’ll be checking that out and the other applications mentioned as well.

I find the keyboard excellent compared to the fiddly thing on the iPad and you don’t lose half the screen when you’re typing. The extra time given by the second battery in the keyboard is also a plus.

It has its own card reader that accepts the card from my Canon 60D, but can also download directly from the camera. It integrates with my wife’s Iphone without any problems and has its own “cloud” which is free for a year, but I use Dropbox and Google Drive, both of which it supports.

The division between iPad and Android almost started a civil war in the family, but even the iPad supporters are impressed.

[Black Pearl]

I use an iPad 2 everyday as a photography tool and have to say I'm happy with it. I have the Camera Connection Kit and have used both the SD card reader and the direct connection to plug my D300s in. I had the chance of a good usedlaptop recently for a bargain price but having used it for a weekend I decided everything I was doing on it I could do on the tablet which was lighter, quicker to switch between apps, silent, didn't get hot and the battery lasted longer.

The iPad can handle RAW files with ease though it slows it down a touch over jpegs but it is the apps that make it sing.
Snapseed is my main editing app but I also have the new Photoshop Touch which is pretty much a full blown CS with a few restrictions. It has multiple layer support, clone, levels, curves and more.

My recommendation - iPad 3

Don't pay any attention to the Apple vs Android arguments it's all cobblers spouted by nerdy freaks who like to fill the net with bile. Go look at the products you are interested in, have a good play with them to see how they handle images and look closely at the apps you think you will want to use. Buy whichever ones suits your need and ignor the tripe.

[dje]

Another Android app I've just found - Photo Mate for about $5. Lets you view RAW files and also do basic editing on them, and allows you to convert them to jpeg.

Dave

[enaiman]

It might sound weird but the biggest problem is not the software itself but being stuck with ONE manufacturer. It's a case of "take it or leave it" and you'll have to live with your choice. There is no diversity at all; Apple is the only one to make tablets with IOS so it will be everytime IPad x with the same hardware.

I do remember last year when Apple did a major upgrade for IOS. Previously, any device connected to its port, was able to draw up to a maximum of 100mA so it was possible to connect a small card reader, even a small USB stick ot a camera to an IPad. That major update also lowered the max current drawn to 35 mA so nothing was going to work like before. There were many people upset about this change but would you think Apple cared about? Nope - as I said "take it or leave it".
Unfortunately, Apple is too big and it doesn't have competition in the IOS market so it tends to not care too much about losing a few unhappy customers; "no problem, you'll buy an iPhone in the future and you'll be hooked, you'll buy an Ipad too after that"

Let's say that I want my future tablet to have a normal USB port, what are my options? IPad - nope; any other tablet with IOS which might have what I am looking for? No chance, there is nobody else allowed to use IOS.
How about other options? Does Samsung make a tablet with an USB port? Yep. Does it have a HDMI too because I would love that ... unfortunately not but hey - Asus does have a tablet with both of them. OK, I might buy it but, maybe there is another with a bigger screen - and indeed there is another manufacturer with all of the above plus a 12 inch screen ...

This is what I am talking about.

If there were others able to use IOS then it wouldn't be a problem because we would have "choice".

In the end it comes to your personal choice. Go to a store, get some of the tablets in your hands and see how it feels, then, think about what would you like the tablet to have because that will decide your final choice.

[IanCD]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks - really helpful..!
Looks like I still have a decision to make between iPad3 and Transformer Infinity, though I haven't been able to find a UK release date for the it yet... I hope it's available by September, as I have a trip to Turkey then, which was the trigger for this... I don't want to take my (heavy, 17") laptop and plan on transferring pictures from SD card to an external HDD... looks like it's possible to do that with either device, with the camera connection kit for iPad... but the EeePad with its dock / keyboard with integrated SD card slot and USB port looks like a winner...
Ian

[IanCD]

One other thought on this... is tethered shooting possible (with Nikon) possible on either device..?
Not sure why I might want to, but wondering...

[enaiman]

Have a look at the app mentioned by Dave - DSLR Controller
I do have it too and it works very well with my Canon 60D; check the compatibility list.

Tethered shooting with IPad, not sure if it's possible.

[Colin Southern]

Tethered shooting with IPad, not sure if it's possible.

Sure is

http://tethertalk.com/2012/02/08/sho...get-you-there/

[enaiman]

Thanks Colin, I forgot about that
I am using the same thing on my Transformer.

[Manfred M]

I had my TF101 Transformer along on a recent African trip. I used both the built in image viewer and the Photoshop Touch app that Adobe put out. There were a few issues I had to deal with; first of all the TF101 does not have either a USB or SD slot, but the portable keyboard does, so the device was a bit larger than just the tablet (albiet with a much longer battery life supplied by the keyboard. This was quite important to us as we spent a lot of time away from places where I could easily recharge the unit.

On previous trips I used a netbook.

Yes, it did work and we were able to review our day's shooting with the equipment. The processor on the first generation TF101 was not blazingly fast, but it was fine for looking at jpgs. We did daily backups onto 32GB flash drives as well.

Main reason for the Transformer versus iPad - the Transformer was significantly less expensive than the iPad (about 2/3 the cost at the time). This was also the reason I used to travel with the netbook; low financial risk if it broke or died. The darn things have been so robust and they did not break and no one has stolen them, so I can't justify replacing them...

[dje]

and plan on transferring pictures from SD card to an external HDD... looks like it's possible to do that with either device, with the camera connection kit for iPad... but the EeePad with its dock / keyboard with integrated SD card slot and USB port looks like a winner...
Ian

Ian could I suggest that you check out whether you can do this with the IPad. You can certainly load the photos on to the IPad from an SD card but can you transfer them to a HDD via USB ? Colin might be able to confirm this either way.

Dave

[dje]

Have a look at the app mentioned by Dave - DSLR Controller
I do have it too and it works very well with my Canon 60D; check the compatibility list.

According to the DSLR Controller website, it is only compatible with Canon cameras at this stage.

[IanCD]

Thanks again, Dave...
Anyone know (source for) UK release date for the Transformer Infinity..?
Ian

[Colin Southern]

You can certainly load the photos on to the IPad from an SD card but can you transfer them to a HDD via USB ? Colin might be able to confirm this either way.

Dave

Not sure I fully understand the question, but the only way to get images off of an iPad via USB AFAIK is to connect it to a PC then copy/paste directly from the device. I doubt an iPad would allow transferring of anything direct to an external HDD.