The Apple camera connection kit was possibly the first accessory I bought for my iPad. I was a little peeved at the cost and It’s still expensive at £25. Still, if you want to import photos from your ‘proper’ camera via the SD card or USB cable there are few other options.
You could go down the Eye-Fi route, but the cost, compatibility and power issues, on top of the hassle to set one up put many people off.
I recently spotted this 5 in 1 camera connection kit on EBay and thought it was worth at least a look. At £2.50 including P&P I didn’t hold out much hope for it being any good but I am pleasantly surprised.
There is a little switch on the side to select between USB and card reader. The card reader works with SD(HC), MS Duo, MMC, Micro SD and T-Flash cards. I tested the USB with a camera via a cable, my iPhone and it also allowed me to type with a basic keyboard.
It’s roughly the combined size of the two adapters that come as the official kit, but with all this functionality in one unit I think it is not only a bargain, but a must have.
I’m yet to test the USB capability with powered USB microphones or headsets but there is no reason why they shouldn’t work too. The packaging does stipulate this adapter only works with the iPad 2 and 3 though.
If you are a blogger or journalist shooting multimedia or just want to holiday light without your laptop and fancy taking a high resolution fully featured camera with you, this camera connection kit should travel along with you. The fact it takes so many cards means that you could also back-up and edit from cameras like the HD Hero or Android phones. Importing your images and then syncing them with ‘The Cloud’.
The photo at the top of this post was shot on the Leica M9. I then inserted the 16gb SD card into the 5 in 1 camera connection kit and imported the RAW file into a beta version of PhotogeneRAW. I converted edited and exported the image in around a minute into the app Blogsy.
I am still testing the PhotogeneRAW app and hope to blog about it in the near future.
Should you want the 5 in 1 camera connection kit, just search for it on Ebay. Always look at the seller reviews to ensure you are dealing with a reputable merchant.
Posted via the iPad
How is it for importing video though? I was tempted for one of these to go with my Zi8 but heard that the iPad just refuses to import anything above SD quality.
Are you recording at 1080p? I haven’t had issues with other kits. Not tested this one yet. I’ll have a play and let you know.
As ios7 has arrived, my cheapie cam connector is now non functioning. Bu**er!
Loath to spend £25 on an official one.