Can Photojournalists Use Apple iPad on the Field?
Here’s why photographers doing news reporting should stay away from using the iPad in the field.
“Highly doubtful” would be my response, in contrast to this blogger who believes iPad and photojournalism are synonymous. Now we all know the iPad isn’t out yet, but by looking at the specs, and by drawing some of my imagination and experience as a photojournalist, I’m hardly convinced anyone in this line of work would want to use the iPad in the field, transmitting images of breaking news. Here’s three reasons why:
- BACKING UP. With only one 30-pin port available to convert to USB, how can photojournalists backup their work on external hard disks? 16GB and even 64 GB is too little to take to the field when they can be out for days at a time.
- UPLOADING. Sending images to the newsroom needs to be in the field, not late at night at the comfort of your own home. Plus, 3G and wireless mean nothing to reporters and photojournalists who travel to areas without such coverage. Deserts, seas, mountains and even still-developing countries don’t have such luxuries. A satellite uplink is required, and while this could be possible for the iPad, netbooks and notebooks have already proven themselves in this aspect.
- EDITING. Once again, editing needs to be done in the field, not on your sofa with a glass of iced tea. Some photo editing apps are out there, but I believe none of them can process RAW files and give the full flexibility of a dedicated RAW editor.
While the iPad is a gorgeous fit for showcasing your portfolio or crunching up in a Starbucks chair reading digital magazines, it’s not for me if I were a globe-trotting photojournalist. But there is hope for the future. Apple always improves its products over time. Who knows, there may be more USB ports in the future, and maybe the ability to run more complete programs (and not mere apps). In the meantime, I’ll stick to my notebook and smart phone.
Sure, if you look at only the iPad as it is today. But don’t you think, with just a little vision and imagination, that maybe in the near future there will be more storage and applications to fill these gaps?
You need Wifi for that laptop, so uploading can’t be done in the filed unless you have an uplink, which could work just as easily with a tablet. You think the technology won’t exist soon enough?
The first iPod was 5GB. In a few years, they were over 100. The iPad will grow as well. As will applications, like mobile versions of Lightroom and Aperture to fill the editing gap.
What you don’t address is the iPad’s size compared to you notebook. Not sure about you, but a notebook won’t fit in my camera bag, but the iPad will easily.
Yup that’s what I’m talking about — the iPad now. Sure it will improve over time, but people don’t look into the future and imagine what they may have. They look at what’s available now and see if it fits their needs. So based on that, this first generation iPad doesn’t fill those shoes.
It’s about flexibility. The iPad just doesn’t have the programs nor the ports to do field reporting. We’re not talking WiFi here, and a notebook makes tethering to a satellite phone easier than an iPad. You have a point with the size, as the iPad is quite small, but there are small notebooks just as there are big ones.
All in all, the iPad is mainly for the bulk of consumers for casual use. For dedicated and serious work for photojournalists, IMO it doesn’t cut it.
In other words, it is not there yet for photographers. It is great for media reader tho, which it is designed to be.
Eventually it might get there one or two years from now. Meanwhile HP Slate (PC version) will be coming Q4 this year.
Let see how the PC version compare to the Ipad later.
I agree it’s an excellent media reader/player and probably something you want to use to show your photos to your friends. That’s probably what I would get it for, as a kind of marketing tool cum personal entertainment system. There are many slates coming out now (though none as hyped as the iPad) so who knows, we might see one that can handle more complicated uses.
There will be no sexier way to show off your portfolio.
Imagine handing someone a laptop while you’re both standing up. See? This doesn’t happen, because laptops are idiotic to use anywhere but your lap.
“but people don’t look into the future and imagine what they may have.”
Uh… they don’t?
Yeah it would be really nice to show off your photos on the iPad. I don’t know if I can afford to buy one just for that purpose but if I had one I would definitely use it to show my friends more.
Everyone dreams, but as a consumer and a professional, when I decide whether I should buy something, I ask myself what it can do for me. If it can’t do what I need it to do, then I probably won’t get it. Future products may be able to do all kinds of things, but it won’t today’s device do all that. It’s the same as how people can fantasize about the future, but doing that doesn’t change the reality that’s in front of you.