I’ve always said that the iPad is the ultimate content consumption tool, and that tablets are meant for content consumption, not creation. I still stand by that thought but it doesn’t mean I think the iPad should never be used for creation. Some times it can get the job done. If you’re a photographer and want to make quick edits and/or export your photos to social networks while in the field, the iPad may help you.
For the purpose of this test, I used by Nikon D90 with the 28-70mm f/2.8 lens, a 64 GB WiFi-only iPad and the Apple Camera Kit.
The Camera Kit is the gateway between your camera and the iPad. It comes with two small adapters. One is a SD card reader (which is the one I used) and the other is an USB port.
Using the kit is straightforward. Just plug the camera via the USB port, or place a card into the reader and connect the adapter to the iPad. The Photos app will launch and you’ll be able to choose what to import, pretty much like in iPhoto.
Once you import the photos, they’ll be available in the Imported Photos event. You may then share them as they are, or edit them using your favorite app. I use Photogene ($2.99), which IMHO is the best photo editing app out there. If you’re editing small files, let’s say, less than 5MP, then you can try the free Adobe Photoshop Express. If you’re using full resolution of your DSLR, however, you’ll only get a big crash when trying to save files in Photoshop Express.
So, before I start a tour on Photogene, let’s take a look at the original image as it was imported. I shoot RAW, so this is straight out of the sensor (or the A/D converter, if you’re pedantic).
It’s the everyday flower shot. EXIF info is: 70mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 200. Taken with a Nikon D90 using a 28-70mm f/2.8 lens.
Now, we open it in Photogene and make the usual adjustments for color, contrast, brightness, exposure, noise level, sharpness, etc.
It’s very intuitive to use and the controls should be familiar to any photographer who’s been shooting after the 1990’s. Besides the usual adjustments, you may also add some effects to the photos, like vignetting or borders.
In just some minutes you can have your photo from RAW to ready for publishing, which is very cool. Here’s the final result.
You can also see it larger on Flickr.
Bottom line: the iPad can really do the job for small edits in the field. Or even at home/office, when you’re too lazy to get up and go to the computer.
Another great use for the iPad in the field is as a bigger LCD to check your shots. No matter how good your camera’s LCD is, it won’t show some imperfections and you will only notice when analyzing the images in your computer.
Related stories: Apple, iPad, Photography, Technology