Deleting photos (from the iPad) imported from a camera with camera connection kit

Photos copied onto the iPad via the camera connection kit (and the same applies to photos taken with the iPad or saved from emails/websites etc) can be deleted directly on the iPad - either via the trashcan icon in the top right corner if viewing the photo in full screen, or via the icon of the box with the arrow coming out of it in thumbnail view.

If there are lot of photos and you want to delete them all then you should (depending on what program you use) get a 'delete' option after importing them to your computer.

Thanks for this answer. I have to say that Apple really should come up with a better idea.

You can try leaving feedback (it may be in iOS 5 but I havn't seen it mentioned anywhere) : http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

cardopski wrote:

Thanks for this answer. I have to say that Apple really should come up with a better idea.

How could it be better than giving you the ability to delete them?

It would be better to let me delete an entire 'album' in one click rather than use the solution above. An iPad can't really give you a great review, I'm not even certain that it imports the photo from the SD card in its highest resolution—does it? If it did then I'd be fine importing and deleting them from the iPad (as mentioned above), rather than doing a second import from an SD card to my iMac.

cardopski wrote:

I'm not even certain that it imports the photo from the SD card in its highest resolution—does it?

Yes, it imports a full res photo..

The iPad does not necessarily display the full res photo though.

As as example, if you shoot RAW, those will get imported to the iPad but you will only see a thumbnail (or a jpg if you use RAW+jpg). The RAW will get imported to the computer when you sync the iPad.

If the photo is 2304x1536 or less, you will view the full res photo.

Thanks Chris. This will certainly simplify things.

added;

Also, when syncing from the computer to the iPad, photos will be "optimized" to 2304x1536 unless the photo is smaller, then it will sync full size.

Hi

As other correspondants have noted, deleting large numbers of imported photos is tedious. I have come up with a more efficient way of getting rid of them when running Itunes on a PC. I don't know whether it will work on a MAC.

1. Run up iTunes without the iPad connected and disable automatic synchronisation. (Lets you get at things before iTunes!). Then close iTunes.

2. Plug in the iPad and allow iTunes to start. Minimise the iTunes window and open "My Computer" from the windows desktop. You should see an entry for the iPad at the root. (NB this entry will not be present if there are no imported photos on the iPad).

3. Click on the iPad entry and you will see a "DCIM" folder. Click on this and you will see a series of folders for each batch photo import that you carried out.

4. Enter each folder and delete all the files EXCEPT one. You can do this by selecting all the files using Ctrl-A and then unselecting 1 by holding down Ctrl and doing a left mouse click. Then delete all of the files using the "del" key. You may think that it would be even more efficient delete whole folders - good idea but the rotting fruit company does not allow this. If you delete all of the files you will be left with an empty folder that you cannot get rid of.

5. Now close"My Computer" and then iTunes. Disconnect the USB cable.

6. Start the iPad and open the "photos" app. All of the photos except the single ones in each folder should have disappeared. Just select and delete these photos manually as described by others and they and the folders that contain them will disappear.

Not ideal, but it smashes down the number of files that you have delete manually.

Voila!

This looks like a winner🙂. I printed it out since my memory lasts maybe one millisecond and there are 10 or more full seconds of data. I'm trying it now. It makes perfect sense.

I did it but, there must be a better way. I had around 2000 photos and maybe 35-40 folders with 25 GB of photos. The results of a 2 month trip. What was Apple thinking when they made it so you could import photos via a camera? They didn't think this through very well.

What happens if you delete DCIM folder?

What 2 months in the field and only 2000 photos! Seriously, the IPAD is set up to prevent you deleting directories. I tried to change security settings and was blocked. This seems the best that I can do -I'll probable have another go at it after the next holiday. Just a point, the number of directories is directly related to the number of backup sessions that you do. If you can space the time between backups then you will reduce the number of directories but at greater risk to you photos.

We travel in a small RV in Spring and Fall for 2 months plus other trips over an 8 year period. I usually empty the camera into a laptop with an external backup along. The laptop is heavy, slow to start, subject to hangups etc. I wanted a 'better' way so I got the iPad which in addition to storing photos for review has many great apps for travelers. I can't backup as in all their wisdom, Apple doesn't allow external hard drives. I bought two large, 16 GB SD chips for the camera and never erased them. Then when home, I transferred the images from the iPad to the laptop. Now, I feel comfortable erasing the iPad and you know what I went through but got it done thanks to you. All the images are in the laptop and backed up to an external drive. Next to erase the chips which is easy.

I have ipad2, imported a bunch of pics from camera connection kit. They are in a folder I created and there is no trash can to delete them. How do I delete them? Even when the delete button shows it is not highlighted. Don't want to sync, I bought ipad so i don't have to carry the laptop around. Does this really have to be this hard?

achernack wrote:

We travel in a small RV in Spring and Fall for 2 months plus other trips over an 8 year period. I usually empty the camera into a laptop with an external backup along. The laptop is heavy,

If you were travling by suitcase, I could see leaving the laptop at home and only using the iPad but you have an RV, so why not use the laptop?

Then when home, I transferred the images from the iPad to the laptop. Now, I feel comfortable erasing the iPad

Even with it being slow, to start, subject to hangups, etc.?

If you use iCloud Photo Stream and leave the laptop on, the photos will transfer to laptop from the iPad. No need to sync the photos later.