# Anyone have the camera connection kit for iPad?



## labread (Jan 26, 2011)

I'll be taking a vacation to Europe this summer and would love to have a way to save my photos other than just on the memory card.  I know that there is a camera connection kit for the iPad that allows photos to be put onto the device without a computer.  I am wondering how photos then get off the device.  does anyone know if the camera connection kit works in reverse, or if I then have to go through iTunes to get them off?
I'm also open to any other suggestions.  I've seen some sub-$200 tablets in sales flyers, and I might just pick one of these up for this purpose alone.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I bought one, used it on one trip didn't like it, and haven't touched it since.  At least in my eyes, it was a nice device for viewing photos while traveling, but the iPad just isn't a satisfactory backup storage for me, plus I found appalling one menu choice I couldn't get rid of.

It's Been awhile, but my memory is that it wasn't too difficult to set up and use. And the shots were beautiful on my iPad!  Unfortunately, when I travel I jam up my iPad with lots of video for plane travel time, so there isn't much storage space remaining. I shoot RAW on a DSLR so my pics take a lot of storage space.  If you shoot jpegs on a digicam, this won't be such a problem.

For me the worst feature is that the menus for the camera connector encourage you to let it delete the files off of your compact flash (or sd) card after moving them to the iPad.  To me this is a horrendous thought, and I'd sooner torture puppies than remove my photos from their card till I am home and the trip was over with the photos moved to my desktop computer.  I researched it while on my one trip, and couldn't find a way to remove this from being offered.  I was neurotic that when I was tired I would accidentally remove pictures from their cards and end up losing them.  I only used the camera connector once or two nights (after photo days), then didn't even use it again on the one trip I took it on.  Haven't touched it since, and I don't know where it is now (which is another problem, I disliked having another little "piece" to keep track of).

For backing up photos, I'd recommend one of the portable media storage devices like the Epson P3000 or the Vosonic products (there are probably newer and better versions of these, I'm a bit behind the times on this technology).  but they aren't nearly as nice for viewing your photos during a trip!


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## lorraineya (Aug 24, 2009)

I love mine! It worked great for me when I wanted to email photos or upload them to Facebook. Photos look beautiful on the iPad. Personally, I prefer to save all my photos on the sd card and then back them up at home on my computer. 

Yes, you have to use iTunes to get the photos from the iPad to your computer. The kit is super easy to use and if you have an iPhone, you can use it to add photos from your iPhone to your iPad. 

It's really great for traveling but I wouldnt use it as a backup device. SD cards are cheap and small. Buy several and use them to store your photos and the iPad to view them.


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## Guest (Mar 27, 2011)

I'd rather get a cheap netbook over the cheapo tablets.


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

If you are on a Mac, you can connect your iPad and open the photos program and sync them that way.  Syncing thru iTunes causes folder issues for me.

I purchased the camera kit when it first came out and never use it.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I use the photo kit all the time while travelling.  Love it.  I've never deleted any files from my card accidentally (though I've probably just jinxed myself).  What others said, though.  If you want to keep your photos permanently, don't delete them from a card and put them on a different device for backup.  Many of my photos are for use for my blogs etc.  Those I upload from the iPad to an online photo service and then delete most of them from the iPad.  Pictures I know I'll want to keep forever I put on my netbook before deleting from the cards.

Betsy


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## kwajkat (Nov 6, 2008)

I just carry extra SD cards when I travel and don't fool with them until I get home.  I am wondering if there are places in Europe that you could just take your SD card in and have them burn the photos to a CD for you?  I have done that before when I have forgot to take extra SD cards.  Since tablets tend to reformat your photos to have them fit on a tablet, I would be hestiant to transfer them for fear that I would lose the ability to enlarge them or return them to the standard size photo.


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## labread (Jan 26, 2011)

Thank you all for your feedback!  You are absolutely correct that I would just keep the images on the SD cards, so I wouldn't need to worry about getting the images off the iPad.  It would just be an insurance policy.  I don't know which route I will end up going.  Perhaps I'm just trying to justify the purchase of an iPad.  ;-)  I did take a look at the Epson P-3000 and related devices, but the price is quite high.  Sound like just what I need, though!


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## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

I have the camera connector and like it. Don't use it much. My last trip was to Tahiti and I ended up not taking the iPad because I wanted to use my laptop with the wifi on the ship. (iPad just to hard to type quickly). 

I always remove the photos from my camera once I've downloaded to my Mac Air. For some reason I just never leave images on my card. Dunno why. Maybe next trip I'll keep them on the card and take extra cards. I just like dumping them into folders name for each location I'm in. Blue water in Bora Bora looks just like the blue water in Rangiroa, so w/o folders saying where the pics were from I'd be lost.

P.S. Tahiti is a photographer's DREAM!


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

I just returned from a trip to Israel where I used the iPad camera connector. I did not delete the pictures from the card (although I was paranoid about accidentally choosing that option).

The iPad is great for reviewing the pictures taken during the day. I had a camera with GPS built in, so it was really cool seeing the points on a map of where I took pictures. A couple people accidentally walked away from their cameras and they disappeared very quickly. All the pictures they had taken were lost with the camera.


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## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

lynninva said:


> I just returned from a trip to Israel where I used the iPad camera connector. I did not delete the pictures from the card (although I was paranoid about accidentally choosing that option).
> 
> The iPad is great for reviewing the pictures taken during the day. I had a camera with GPS built in, so it was really cool seeing the points on a map of where I took pictures. A couple people accidentally walked away from their cameras and they disappeared very quickly. All the pictures they had taken were lost with the camera.


Israel!!! I had a trip booked, then I canceled, but retracted that cancellation. We are going Nov 29-Dec 11, 2011. I was worried about possible violence erupting what with all that's going on in the Middle East. Did you feel safe there? I will take my Nikon D90, but it will never leave my body - no matter where I take it I never leave it.

I just returned from Tahiti and opted to take my laptop instead of my iPad. I forgot about the map when you take pictures! Does that location map stay with the photos afterwards? That is too cool. I just can't seem to travel without the comfort of my Mac Air. Maybe I'll switch to the iPad for Israel though. How were your connectivity capabilities in the hotels with your iPad? I want to be able to check in with my family back in the USA when I'm there (I'm going solo, but with a group of folks from church.)


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

The GPS data is supposed to stay with the pictures.  If I upload them to a photo storage site with that capability, I am supposed to be able to see them on Google Maps.

I felt safe - the military were very visible. They stopped the tour buses from going down one street because kids were throwing rocks at the buses. It was a wonderful trip; we went with a tour group hosted by our pastor. 

The hotels we stayed in charged about $22/day per device for (slow)wi-fi access. They also have rates by the hour. Some people walked to a nearby McDonalds to use wifi in the evening. 

I don't have a personal smartphone, so I added an international plan to my iPad. You have to choose that while still in the US. I bought it just to make sure I had some access; I never did use the hotel wifi on my iPad. Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv has free wifi - probably to ease the pain of having to check-in 3-4 hours early.  

I actually used the free web browser on my Kindle for regular email contact with my family. I have the K3 with global 3G. I used a new gmail account so I wouldn't have to wade through advertising emails. I had no problem checking my email while riding on a bus throughout Israel. (I didn't carry the iPad with me during the day.).  I wouldn't use it for a lengthy update, but the K3 was great to check email frequently and send short responses.


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## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

We had guards with machine guns board and stay on our bus when we traveled around Egypt a couple years ago. We felt safe despite a tourist being killed 30 days before we were there. Only one place Queena (or something like that) refused to allow Americans off the Nile boat. Ok by me... I don't want to go where I'm not wanted! They did allow us to enter a hotel lobby for coffee, but we could not exit the front doors. We found out later that it was not because they didn't like Americans, but because they feared for our safety due to some people who were there. 

I'll do more research on wifi in our hotels in Israel. I think we are only at 3 hotels during a 2 week stay, and I'd really like to just take my iPad not my MacAir.

What do I need to do to get International on my first gen iPad? I didn't know I needed that.


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

GinnyB said:


> What do I need to do to get International on my first gen iPad? I didn't know I needed that.


You only need the international plan if you want to connect via the 3G overseas. On the cellular connection link under the iPad settings, there is an option to add an international plan. You have to have a current domestic plan & then you can add a specific amount of international access for a 30 day span.

I thought it was worthwhile to sign up for some access just in case I wanted to connect via the iPad while out & about. It turned it on after uploading my pictures so that the map would update with the GPS info. And it was great to check Facebook & write longer emails.

Several people brought iPads with them each day. We could leave items on the bus while touring the sites. I only did that on the days when we were switching hotels.


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## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

I don't plan on carrying it with me unless as you say we are changing hotels. I want to connect only when in a hotel. So if the hotel has WiFi then I don't need an international plan If no WiFi then I need it.

What was the cost for 30 days? I presume I need to buy in 30-day increments.

I have a few travel dates (Vegas in June and Dallas in July) and I'll try my iPad vs MacAir on those mini trips. Of course, that's not international travel, but I will be connecting with home and I will be using my camera. 

Thanks for answering all my questions!


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## BrentKnowles (Mar 8, 2011)

I have the camera connect kit. Don't use it a lot (don't travel a lot) but it was handy the few times we were out -- not to back up the pictures but to be able to view them and make a better decision about which to delete or to show them to the people we are visiting.

I also use it to hook my usb keyboard up to it while traveling, which is handy sometimes.


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