Editing RAW Files on the iPad Pro | 3 Apps I Use

[cwarfield]

Yes please for a video on iPad file management!

[alanhuntley]

Those three apps are my most used editing tools on my iPad Pro, too. But, I also enjoy Raw Power because it gives you control over the raw pre-processing just like the long defunct Apple Aperture did. Also, it's a one-time purchase.

[bobwill]

In 2019, I took an iPad, and a laptop to Dragon Con, with the intention that all of my photos from the week would be edited on the iPad, only using Photos, Pixelmator, and Affinity. It took a lot longer to get everything edited and uploaded, organization was a huge problem. (I was also seeing if I could break away from Adobe).
2021 at Dragon Con, I only took the iPad, and that was essentially only for storage, didn't try to edit at the convention. Took the stuff home, loaded into a desktop and started working with Lightroom Classic, and use the iPad to do edits while lounging around; but, doing the heavy duty work on the desktop.

[saopaulosoul]

I have an iPad Air m1 5th generation. So far editing has been a

the pros are :
- the pencil! this absolutely changes the way I edit on my iPad, it feels a little more intuitive and I honestly love it.
- I use Lightroom CC, and it is pretty easy to use if you know your way around Lightroom on the laptop or desktop, then you will have no issues on the iPad.
- when youre doing a lot of edits, lets say 800 photos or so for a wedding, or for some paid event/work. The idea of sitting in front of a desktop or laptop for extended periods gets taxing on the back, gets tiring on the legs. Editing on the iPad, you could stretch out, get into more comfortable positions.
- get a good sd card, cfexpress card type b etc. card reader. if you want to edit straight off of the card. if not I extensively use files, and find it works well. export times of 24 mpx raw files is not an issue, its relatively fast. Transfer raw files to the iPad on to a folder, I add to Lightroom CC -edit- export to new folder as jpg.
- finally the ability to edit anywhere and everywhere, sometimes in from of clients on the spot, for example I did a shoot for a boutique, we hired a model to show off their new seasonal clothing and right after the shoot I edited a few images in front of my client asking for her input on how she wants them edited. once we had settled on the type of edit she wants I came home edited the rest sent her a dropbox link. That easy. AS opposed to emailing or messaging back and forth, giving her edited samples, getting feedback, re-editing them, resending them. Also it just is an intuitive feeling to hand your client an iPad for them to see their expected finished product right after the shoot!
- also on vacations I have stopped taking my laptop, I just take my camera and the iPad.

cons:
- forget batch processing.
- sometimes when I try to open a photo from Lightroom into photoshop it doesn't work. the photoshop app will open but the photo won't. if you love photoshop, be prepared for struggles with this.
- affinity photo is awesome and I use this mostly for some serious work, like headshots where I ned to retouch the skin, the eyes, blemishes, fine tune the hair, do any color changing of hair etc. for more fine tune work. but then it kinda sucks coz you pay for the subscription for both Lightroom and photoshop, but then you end up not using photoshop.
- if you are into heavy ai usage, especially for masking on Lightroom, then youre better off on the desktop version, you cant do that on the m1 iPad Air.
- can get hoooot, dont edit with iPad on lap. edit with iPad in a position where it has airflow.
iPad Air is so capable, I would like to upgrade to the m3 iPad Pro 12.9 when it comes out, mainly because the pro iPads have this hover feature with the Apple Pencil and that is pretty useful and intuitive!

[Rexyspride]

I really hope Affinity make a Lightroom competitor, I feel like it has the potential to be very popular!

[rs]

Great video Matt! I love editing on the iPad, it feels so interactive (especially with the pencil) and the display is top notch.

[TheAbennett]

Two big differences between Affinity and Lightroom. Affinity can stitch photos together, Lightroom cannot. Lightroom targets Adobe cloud storage and syncs across devices, Affinity relies on device storage (which can be iCloud for example, and thus syncs across devices also, but is more flexible).

[Bemitchy]

Love this! So keen to see what the Matt Day file management looks like on both IOS and Mac 🤙

[danjackman]

I do all of my editing with iPad version mini six, Lightroom CC, and affinity.

[iSmeeaa]

I always look forward to your uploads. This just made my work day better. Thanks Matt 🤙🏻

[WhoIsSerafin]

Been doing all my photo editing on a tablet for a few years now

[MatthiasGarner]

Matt, this was great. This video game out 2 weeks after purchasing an iPad pro. Impeccable timing!

[demianserafino]

Thanks Matt. Didnt knew darkroom! I recently purchase ipad pro with m2 and rocks. Do you know how i can stich panoramas on ipad? Cant in ligthroom 4ipad or photoshop...

[tab]

Thanks. I like how the Pixelmator Photo works with raw files right from the stock Photo gallery and does not make any duplicates. But currently I miss for 2 things in pixelmator: no vignette editor, no chromatic aberration/defringe tool. At least I can not find them on my iPad Pro 11 M1...

[skykubo]

hello! i just bought an ipad pro 11 2021. when i edit raw photos on lightroom, the picture goes blurry when doing adjustments. have you experienced this problem as well? and if you have, how did you fix it?

[dunkkid]

This is literally where my street photography workflow is heading. Now I just have to get an iPad Pro 11 inch 🤔

[amerfilm]

Great video as usual! I agree with that feeling editing in an IPad with Lightroom ❤️

[edshotsdotcodotuk]

Batch editing can be sort of done with Lightroom CC. Transfer a whole shoot to the iPad through Lightroom, do a blanket colour correction, gradients and brushes. Export the best as DNGs to an external drive and then import them to Lightroom Classic on your desktop. The adjustments seem to hold and it gives me a head start to edit the finishing touches.

[bernarddoddemajr]

You mentioned the Logitech case/keyboard. What’s your opinion on typing on your lap?

[NokoChan]

iPad 8th gen (the basic one), Lightroom works fine.