Can I transfer photos from iPad to SD card?

This is really the most absurd limitation on the iPad. It's bad enough that you have to buy a "camera connection kit", but to have it one way only is just silly. The Cloud is not a solution either. Most hotels have horrible upload bandwidth, so you can't even use the cloud. I was on a trip in October and using my GoPro. I found I needed more storage on the iPad to deal with some of the video and there was no way to accomplish this. I should simply be able to move the video (even nicely edited video) over to an SD card and load up new video. Leaving the raw video or pictures on the original SD's is not right answer. As powerful as an iPad is, we should be able to travel with one and back up edited pictures and video without relying on a PC or fast internet.

Hokie Bonzo wrote:

I should simply be able to move the video (even nicely edited video) over to an SD card and load up new video. Leaving the raw video or pictures on the original SD's is not right answer.

But putting it onto an iPad is the right answer to safely store it?

(hint - No)

I think your missing the point. I should be able to get the pics/video OFF the SD card, edit them on the iPad and THEN safely store the edited product on the SD card. Thus freeing me to do the same after my next day of travel. I'm not looking to STORE the data on the iPad, I'm looking to store it on SD cards, AFTER editing it on the iPad. This isn't exactly rocket science. The iPad is great for travel and with a Bluetooth keyboard handles a lot of my needs. There is NO justification for making the "camera kit" a one-way device.

Suggestions here -> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Hokie, just an idea for you, I've noticed that several wifi HDD are now available on the internet which will allow the transfer of pics, videos and documents to and from the iPad (and many other devices). Perhaps this might help you with transfering pics off your camera SD card and onto the iPad for editing then back again.

I've never used one of these wifi HDD devices so can't comment on how good they are, but it has to be better than the very outdated and one-way transfer method currently used. Just Google 'wifi hdd', incidentally there is a very useful article on the best Wi-Fi Hard Drives for iPhone and iPad on the Business Insider website.

Fritzmoore, very well said, as a customer we expect the products to perform in an efficient manner and as a customer we will try to pick the best available for our circumstances. If the manufacturer chooses to ignore customer demands then so be it. The customer walks. You are no troll.

Chris CA, I see you are a devoted Apple customer and I appreciate you defending the brand because Apple do produce some stunning kit, but that is no justification for calling other users trolls just because they made the decision to buy a rival product which suited their needs better. I purchased a Nexus 7 recently because of the deletion of Google Maps/Streetview and YouTube following the iOS6 update which I considered unacceptable. I patiently waited several months for Apple to provide a downgrade option, and posted on several discussions on these offical forums before noting with disbelief that entire threads of discontent were being deleted which was the last straw.

Which brings me back to the obvious question, bearing in mind that most digital cameras use an SD card for storage, why don't any of the current range of iPads have a SD card port for ease of transfering photographs and other documents? Perhaps the next generation of iPad may have it added if enough rival tablets continue to pinch iPad sales.

As for iCloud, It's OK if you have wifi and only a few low resolution pics to download, but what about that hour long video recorded in 1080 HD at a concert with no wifi, or those pics taken with a 12 or 18 megapixel camera.

An SD card and reader would solve all those problems with the minimum of fuss and without the need for wifi which sometimes is simply not available or appropriate.

Don't really think I was "defending" anything.

Just making suggestions since it doesn't do what you want it to.

but that is no justification for calling other users trolls just because they made the decision to buy a rival product which suited their needs better.

One single post in these Apple forums to state that he is using a different product makes him a troll.

One post mentioning another product makes him a troll? That's absurd. That individual tried to work with an Apple product, found it lacking and tried something else. That is a valid solution to a problem. Most of us appreciate Apple products, but we don't all have a shrine to Steve Jobs in our house and also use other solutions.

I find, as others do, that not having an SD reader in the iPad an annoying deficiency. The fact that they SELL a PARTIAL solution is also annoying.

The wifi hard drive mentioned by richvid might be a solution, but not sure if I could establish a direct wifi connection to one. I will investigate to see if I can do that, or if both devices have to be on an established network. I have an AirPort I could use, but now I'm adding two devices to try and fit in my motorcycle baggage when the REAL solution is just to make the Camera Kit bidirectional.

I also want something like this to store a backup copy of my photos on motorcycle tours. I have been looking into these wifi drives but have yet to get one. With most if not all of these drives you do not require a network to use the device, you connect directly to the drive's wifi connection. What is not clear is if you can save files from the iPad to the drive. The way they are marketed is that they are used to store media copied to them from a PC then streamed to iOS connected devices through an app the manufacturer supplies in the app store.

Wow. Just... wow. A *superb* product with an incredibly moronic flaw. What were they thinking?? It's like those old first-gen digital cameras that you had to connect to a computer to get the photos off of. Why even offer the stupid camera kit in the first place? This is the dumbest non-feature I've ever seen from Apple.

This is beyond Stupid! I can transfer my photos to my IPad via the camera kit. But I can't put it back on after editing to a SD card. Unless I go over the river and through woods to grandma's house with a horse pulling a sleigh. I mean how freaking ******** was apple? you know use a external drive port? that ever come to mind a thumb drive maybe? can e-mail video's. and don't tell me to plug it in to a computer then down load it to the PC then down load it to a thumb drive then down load that to a 8-1/2 inch floppy then up load it to.. you get the point

It is 2013, I was going to purchase an Android, to use SD Cards, but see only mini's used on new tablets. So bought a 4th gen iPad and The SD Card lightening adapter. Took me about a week until I found AirDrive HD App, this seems to allow me to transfer pages and numbers files more securely on a closed wifi, local FTP, or bluetooth, than using iCloud, also xfers .jpg images from the Mac book into ipad. Photo and iPhoto xfer easily using a USB connection, but only in one direction, from iPad to MacBook. The SD reader only recognized camera files, ignored any from the computer placed on the card. That's the bad news, but yesterday I spoke to an Apple tech and was told that the new OS for iDevices will allow multitasking and easier linking for file management. They expect the upgrade to be free next fall from the Apple App Store.

Dear richvid:

THANK YOU SOOOO much for recommending the WIFI HDD!! I read the reviews on the "Seagate Wireless Plus 1 TB Mobile Storage with built-in WiFi Streaming" & two of the customer reviews said they've managed to save their RAW files both NEF [Nikon raw files] & CR2 [Canon raw files] to this WiFi HDD as a way of backing up their photos they loaded to their iPad, then saved to the WiFi HDD as well. I am going to purchase the Seagate Wireless Plus & use it as a way to backup my iPad while traveling, AND to stream extra movies/photos to my iPad from it, that otherwise wouldn't all fit on my iPad! I really didn't want to have to bring my laptop with me when traveling, & this is such an amazing find for me when I read your comment! So thank you for your help!!!!!!!! =)

I dont think so. It is a valid question and opinion, and I am following this same path now....

There is no way to go abroad with your camera and just and ipad to handle your pictures and movies. It is better to carry an small laptop(netbook) or other kind of tablet (android).

Apple solution, besides expensive, manipulate your files. You will never got the same file/image quality in your ipad with its device (Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader).

fsevcik wrote:

I dont think so. It is a valid question and opinion, and I am following this same path now....

You don't thinks so and what was a valid question?

What path are you following?

There is no way to go abroad with your camera and just and ipad to handle your pictures and movies.

Why put the photos and videos onto your iPad (the title of this thread)?

Apple solution, besides expensive, manipulate your files.

The Camera Connection kit is more expensive than a laptop?

adn Apple never gets the files. They are on yoru iPad.

You think Apple accesses (or even wants to access) the photos/videos on your iPad and "manipulates" them?

You will never got the same file/image quality in your ipad with its device (Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader).

This is incorrect.

Since it is the same file, it is the image quality.

The RAW/jpg photos are transferred directly to the iPad.

fsevcik wrote:

There is no way to go abroad with your camera and just and ipad to handle your pictures and movies.

And yet, somehow, I do it every time I travel abroad.