Which iPad for Lightroom Cc?

[Gnondpom7632]

hi everybody,

I’m using Lightroom on my computer for 5 years and I would like to start using Lightroom mobile.

I’m going to buy new iPad pro but I don’t know what’s The beast option to work on my dng files:

1- have only 64Gb of memory and take the one with SIM card to have permanent internet connection

2- take the one with 256 Gb of memory and having only WiFi on it

of course, I don’t have money to get 256 Gb and SIM card and I don’t understand exactly what Lightroom mobile needs to work properly (and offline if possible)

Thank all in advance for your help and sorry for my English ( i’m French by the way)

regards

[Klickflip]

The larger iPad pro 12.9" have usb 3, so importing your raw files will be quicker. And the larger screen is great.

It does take a bit of time though to copy over to photos from SD card reader, much much longer than on a laptop or desktop with a card reader.

If you have a high MP camera, or do lots of shoots then more storage (256GB) will be best, if you plan to use iPad / Lightroom a lot.

If you plan to be away from Wifi and want to be able to sync / backup , and need to get access to those files on another computer , then less memory and SIM will be better - depends how you are going to use it.

Bear in mind syncing several GB's over a SIM card connection can be slow if you don't have 4G connection. and can be costly if you go over your data allowance.

- even on standard 12mb/s broadband Wifi , it takes several hours to upload and sync a few GB's of raws .

I think you really need Fibre 50mb/s + connection to take full advantage of the sync.

Could you not use your phone as a wifi hotspot if you really need to Sync when out ?

And do you need 4G / Sim wifi for other things on your iPad when out?

[Brad Lawryk]

I use your #2 choice. iPad Pro with 256GB. It is always been more than enough to handle all my images until I get back to somewhere with a wiFi connection. You don't have to be always connected to LR CC. You can easily import once you get to a connection. You can still use the LR CC App without a connection as well if you want to do any editing. You don't need a connection until you go to sync to the cloud.

[pschefz]

i would go with iPad 12.9 pro 256gb....not sure how much use a cell connection would be, of course it is good to have but like someone here said, you can wifi tether with iPhone and realistically you don't want to upload raw shoots to the cloud without a solid wifi connection.....

i have the 12.9 iPad pro and just got the sd card reader....transfer speed is pretty good, the real issue is that everything still has to go though apple photos app....its an extra step and you have to make sure to delete everything from there once you have it in LR unless you want all images in both places.....

another issue that has come up for me in this workflow is that apple right now does not support certain compressed raw files....photos will import them and you can then import them in LR, but there is no thumb preview, so there is no way to be selective on import....for most people of course this is not an issue.....

[David Illig]

Bonjour et bienvenue! Je choisirais 256GB et compterais sur le WiFi pour la synchronisation de dossier. Cellulaire est trop lent et coûteux pour de grandes quantités de données. Votre anglais est meilleur que celui de certains indigènes ici.

(Good morning and welcome! I would choose 256GB and rely on WiFi for file synchronization. Cellular is too slow and expensive for large amounts of data.)

[Gnondpom7632]

Thanks a lot everybody for your quick answers, it's helping a lot

So, If I want to summary, you all agree to say that I have to get the 12,9" iPad, with 256 Gb of memory. It's make my wallet sad, I was hoping 10 "would be enough to do the job .

Actually, I have my DNG files on my laptop. If I understand properly the way Lightroom is working, the best solution for me is to copy the DNG files I'm working on, on my iPad too. That way, I will be able to work either on laptop or iPad, depending of my location. When I get internet connection, lightroom is going to synchronize changes I've made, without using a lot of data/time as files are on both devices. That's it?

Last thing, I saw in your messages that I have to use photo to transfer my pictures.  With iOS 11 update, can I switch off photo and use Files app to store my DNG?

Thank again to all

[pschefz]

if you are trying to do meaningful work, i would definitely recommend the 12.9 iPad...

right now as far as i know the only way to work with LR and all raw files in the cloud is to import with LR CC or LR mobile since those actually upload full raw files to the cloud, once the files are uploaded they can be edited in LR CC, mobile or LR classic and all edits should sync across all devices.....

right now, you can not switch off photos and import to a folder (files)....once you connect the card (in the reader) photo app opens automatically.....there is no other way right now....

apple still seems to refuse to give access to the ports....i am really hoping that this limitation will be lifted at some point.....direct import into LR, even tethered shooting (!!!!!)....there is no reason for this not to be possible....other then apple not allowing it.....

so the iPad solution is possible and doable but once you look into a 12.9 pro with 256gb, a MacBook might be in the same price range and might be a easier choice?

i already have the iPad pro and am trying right now to include it in my workflow with LR CC....so far the import is (like i said) a pain because i can't see my (fuji) compressed raw files and regardless have to use photo to import.....

[Gnondpom7632]

In fact, a macbook is not solution for me because I already have one, 15" and 3 years old, which is doing the job properly.

I don't have any trouble with it, my only issue is that I'm really late to process my pictures (still processing my honeymoon pictures shot one year ago) because I cannot bring it with me at all time.

In my work, I have a lot of standby time. That's why I'm looking for a mobile option. I would like to process my picture on iPad when at work, and process them on macbook when at home, with synchronisation between both devices of course .

I'm not adding pictures every day in my library, it's more or less adding 2000 pictures once a year when coming back from holidays, or adding 50 pictures after a weekend. I enjoy a lot shooting with my camera but I'm not using it every day.

Regarding this way to use lightroom, is it possible to have pictures on both devices and synchronize changes by the cloud?

Thanks again (I'm gonna stop to say thank in each message before getting you bored )

[john beardsworth]

I'd suggest you consider how much you really want to do on the iPad before blowing big bucks. Right now, if I replace my iPad I would be going for the 128gb iPad , not pro, and wifi only.

I don't treat the iPad as a laptop substitute. Sometimes I import photos into it, and the 128 would give more scope than my current 32. Currently I have 4000 pictures synced, all with offline access enabled. When I'm off wifi, I just don't feel that much need to sync via mobile data, so I feel that option is a waste of money, for me.

[pschefz]

afaik only the pro (and only the 12.9?) has usb3 connection which makes a huge difference on import....

depending on price of course but in general i would go with the fastest iPad if you are planning to use it for anything photo related....the pro looks to be pretty future proof as of right now, since it already does everything right now....

but it all depends on budget of course....

[john beardsworth · Accepted solution]

No doubt the pro is quicker, a year more future proof too, and significantly more expensive. But I think it may help the OP to see that someone like me, a heavy user of Lightroom and Mobile, is thinking of spending my own money on the non-pro 128 rather than the pro models.

[Klickflip]

Buy a secondhand 1st gen 12.9 Pro 128gb WiFi, should be €400-500 . Great bang for buck.

had mine for nearly 2 years and it’s still working great , seems fast enough for lightroom and most other apps .

i hope adobe will add on tethering support for canon and Nikon and be able to import straight from Lightroom via SD card reader. Instead of having to import to photos then add to lightroom.

Though you can set lightroom to automatically add new imported photos into the current album. But you do have to stay on Photos import and can’t multitask - maybe spit screen is a way round this.

People have said its Apple not giving access to the port for other developers but I think that’s rubbish, as many other apps use the lightning connector directly  for things like microphones , and audio interfaces.

I would love to shoot tethered into it or it or at least be able to do a one stop import From my canon 5d mkiv.

I see laptops being a thing of the past very soon for location photography , where you don’t need to do photoshop work.

Im waiting in anticipation to what Phase One , will bring out for an iPad version of Capture one Pro , as that is what most professional photographers use.

[Gnondpom7632]

Good Idea, I'm gonna look if I can find one close to my home (I'm no so confident to buy a second hand without seeing the device before )

[Gnondpom7632]

Budget is of course the sinews of war and if I'd love to be able to buy an iPad Pro 12,9", with 512 Gb and Sim card, I will not spent 1300€ for this.

I will get the iPad Pro because my wife want the apple Pencil so much, and it's not available with basic iPad unfortunately.

I think I will test what I can do or not do with lightroom mobile for a month and if happy with it, I'm gonna take the lightroom cloud offer.

That's why I will take the 10" iPad Pro wifi & 256 Gb. If I cannot do what I expected with lightroom mobile, at least, I save 300€ with a smaller screen . And as John said, if a heavy user of lightroom like him can manage his process of pictures with 9" screen, I sure can do it with 10". Furthermore, on the new iPad Pro generations, core is the same for both sizes of screen and they are both working with usb 3.

One more time, thanks everybody for all your answers, it really helps me to understand how lightroom mobile works and what choices I have to make for choosing my iPad. I'm Glad to meet you all, and hope to see you soon on new topics, where I maybe can provide a kind of help.

Best Regards

[Klickflip]

Good choice.  256gb is plenty . Plus the new 2017 pros ones are 2x quicker importing from SD card than the 2015 one.  . Make sure you get the latest OEM Apple (usb 3) sd card reader.

As previous one I got from amazon was usb 2 and was painfully slow.

[Klickflip]

Turn off adobe cloud sync when on SIM card or you’ll eat through your data allowance in no time .

If fact I wouldn’t bother with the extra cost of Sim version .

i can tether to my phone if no WiFi . And I would‘t try to sync my album on 3or 4g unless I really needed to.

Just wait till back home or somewhere with good WiFi, as syncing a few hundred raws can take sevreal hours.