Whether you’re already on board with using the iPad as an editing tool or you’re still in the investigation phase, we’re here to help you unpack why it might just be the most solid addition to your workflow yet — and how you can step it up another notch with LaCie desktop and portable storage solutions.
The latest iterations of iPad Pro (3rd generation and higher) and iPad Air (4th generation and higher) are packed with potential for photo, video, audio, and design professionals. Lightweight, ultra-compact, and often faster than a MacBook Pro thanks to improvements in the iOS and hardware, the latest iPads don’t just make on-the-go editing possible—they can turn it into elegant and truly enjoyable experience. Pair it with an ultra-responsive Apple Pencil and Adobe’s Creative Cloud app and the sky’s the limit.
The only setback? Storage space. If you’re working with large files and a huge media library, the iPad simply isn’t there yet in terms of offering enough internal space. But, because the latest iPads have moved from Lightning to USB-C connectivity, you can now seamlessly connect select LaCie drives to your device for fast access to all your stored files.1
Here’s a look at three use cases we’ve compiled to show just how smooth and mobile the LaCie + iPad Pro workflow is. The question is, which one speaks to you?
For Editing on Set
If you’re looking to edit photos or footage right there on set, this is is your use case. A SmallRig Mount enables you to attach the Rugged SSD or Rugged SSD Pro to certain camera rigs such as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K/6K, Sigma FP, and Z CAM. The mount attaches to the camera cage using two captive 1/4”-20 screws, securing both the SSD and its connected USB Type-C cable by ratcheting thumbscrew. The mount’s offset attachment on the top left corner of the cage helps avoid interference with an attached top handle, side handle, or other accessories. All of this means that your SSD will directly ingest files, not after the shoot, but as you shoot. Once you’ve got your images, plug the drive into your iPad and let the on-set editing begin.
For Docking at Your Desk
While the iPad isn’t designed to dock peripherals, there are two LaCie solutions that are built to do exactly that: the 1big Dock and the 2big Dock. These Thunderbolt™ 3 powerhouses supply you with all the docking essentials—USB 3.0 port, SD card reader, CF card reader, and the ability to connect a secondary monitor—and it’ll keep your iPad powered as you use it. What’s more, the 2big Dock comes equipped with hardware RAID 0/1 so that you can optimize for speed, capacity, or data redundancy and it offers up to 36TB of massive storage. That’s a whole lot of space and performance for editing 4K, 6K, and even 8K footage on your iPad.
When Mass Capacity is a Must
There’s something freeing (and necessary) about knowing you’ve got terabyte upon terabyte of mobile storage when you’re on the go—especially when traveling or going off grid. And nothing delivers that quite like the Rugged USB-C. For outdoor wanderers and city commuters alike, this portable hard drive combines all the essential features: a compact build that makes it easy to fit in your bag; up to 4TB of storage for keeping loads of high-res files and footage at your fingertips; respectable transfer speeds of up to 140MB/s; universal USB-C connectivity; and unrivaled durability (it’s drop, crush, and rain resistant, plus IP54 rated, which is suitable for most users). All of this is to say: when you’re hitting the road with your iPad and Rugged USB-C, constrained storage space is not an issue.
Want to learn more?
- See a list of iPad-compatible LaCie solutions.
- Read this for an in-depth look at using your LaCie drive with an iPad.
1. Minimum System Requirements: iPad OS 14 or later, iPad Pro 3rd generation/iPad Air 4th generation and higher.