Transferring Images From iPad to Mac

[Rizzo]

I have an old iPad that I plan to use as a backup for my images while on vacation. All the images that I shoot are in RAW format. If I load the images from the camera's SD card to the iPad and then into Lightroom Classic on my iMac when I get home, will the images remain in RAW format? Or in the transfer process will they be exported as JPEGs? Thank you so much.

 

[Woolsocks]

I have an old iPad that I plan to use as a backup for my images while on vacation. All the images that I shoot are in RAW format. If I load the images from the camera's SD card to the iPad and then into Lightroom Classic on my iMac when I get home, will the images remain in RAW format? Or in the transfer process will they be exported as JPEGs? Thank you so much.

I imagine they will remain in raw. Only worry is that the ipad can't take your raw images onto it's internal storage. And your raw files will be corrupt when you transfer them because the ipad doesn't know how to write them onto it's storage. Why not just buy a larger sd memory stick?

 

[JoeW]

I have an old iPad that I plan to use as a backup for my images while on vacation. All the images that I shoot are in RAW format. If I load the images from the camera's SD card to the iPad and then into Lightroom Classic on my iMac when I get home, will the images remain in RAW format? Or in the transfer process will they be exported as JPEGs? Thank you so much.

It depends upon whether you have the Photos program on your iPad. If so, they will probably be imported in to your Photos library and automatically converted to jpegs. I think the way to avoid this would be to delete any Photos software on your iPad and then import the Raw files into a folder on your desktop.

Now I'm not an iPad user (though my wife is). How do you plan on importing the photos--is there a port you intend to use? And how do you intend to export the photos to your Mac from the iPad?

My personal suggestion would be to buy a bunch of memory cards (no big card so if it fails you lose 3,000 photos). Instead, buy a bunch of like 10-15 GB cards, label each one when you're finished (like "Day 1" or "M-T-W" or "Beach" and "Tour" or whatever), then once labeled, put the cards you've just used in to a zip lock baggie in a safe place in your luggage. And each day or so you open that baggie to put in that days' memory card. It will involve less weight, less space, less time (you won't be transferring files to the iPad), won't need to bring a charger for the iPad.

 

[PJM]

I have done it and kept the images in raw format. Unfortunately, I don't remember exactly how I did it at the moment.

But, if you have the iPad and the Mac why don't you experiment?

 

[Rickbb]

Just copying files maintains the original properties.

 

[Rizzo]

I did a bit of experimenting & here is what I found. Once I loaded the photos on the SD card into Photos on the iPad, I then connected the iPad to my iMac with a USB cable. Next I opened Lightroom Classic on my iMac & selected the iPad from the sidebar in Lightroom. When I imported the photos into Lightroom they came in as RAW files.

So why not simply get a fistful of SD cards? Well, I wanted a backup to the SD cards.

 

[Rickbb]

Been awhile since I used a MAC or iTunes but there used to be open-source iTunes clone software that would let you mount the iPad as a hard drive. Then you could just copy and paste direct through the USB cable.