Feeling really dumb about this camera connection kit!

[mikeswife]

Hi y'all! I am feeling so dumb, sitting here trying to figure out how to connect my mini to this camera connection kit I have for my IPAD4. While waiting for my mini to arrive I researched & silly me realized the other device in the camera connection kit was one that connected directly to the camera. Who knew! I had just thrown it in a drawer & used the SD card one! So I must have practiced using the direct connect camera one on my IPAD4 because I am sitting here w/ my darling mini & can't for the life of me figure out enough entry points match up to make the darn thing work! I looked at Apple online & it looks like I'm going to have to purchase yet something else to make it work? Hubby's gonna love this! I want to keep the process simple (using the camera reader) as will be taking it out of country on trip & need as few cords & stuff to keep up w/ as possible. Thanks!

 

[J. A.]

Do you use this cable to get photos off the camera:




(USB adapter)
or this:




(SD card reader)
Source of pictures: Apple Store USA

Not all cameras will work with the USB adapter. If the one you use works, all you have to do is turn on the camera, to import pictures to your iPad Camera Roll.

 

[mikeswife]

Hi Johanna, my teacher! When I bought my IPAD4 last year I got the 2 USB connection kits together & realize the difference b/n sticking the SD card into the one adaptor or attaching the cord to the camera to the other. When I did it w/ my IPAD4 everything was fine because the size of the "male" parts fit. But on this mini, I have the tiny "male part" plugged into my mini w/ the USB part hanging free, I have my camera cord w/ it's appropriate fitting plugged into the camera & a the USB end hanging from the other end of it and I have this little USB adaptor w/ only 1 USB adaptor entry area & the other side is a larger gray metal "male" side that would fit into my IPAD4. So that is why I'm thinking it's not compatible w/the mini & there is probably "another" new adaptor I'm missing for the mini or a newer camera kit out for the smaller entry hole that the mini has? Mine doesn't look like the picture you posted above.

 

[J. A.]

Sorry for the late answer. My Wi-Fi is slow (sometimes) when my son and daughter are at home.

If the cable worked with your iPad 4 before, it should also work with the mini, afaik. They both use the lightning connector.
I use the cable I posted since a few months ago with my iPad mini (original) and my Canon camera, successfully.

Here's another idea:
Some cameras are able to build up their own Wi-Fi, and connecting your iPad to this (and using an app that supports this feature), you're able to import pictures to your iDevice, without even using a cable. I know that Canon and Samsung have their own apps that work that way.

 

[mikeswife]

My dummy problem is I am blanking out on which cord parts fit in which parts! Maybe I will try again tomorrow. I didn't sleep well last night & I don't do well on limited sleep. I'll also try to google again for some type of video or description of how to connect the connection kit & the usb cord & the camera together. Obviously I'm missing some blatantly obvious step somewhere! Thanks for trying to understand me!! I really appreciate it!

 

[mikeswife]

Trying upload the pic of my camera connection kit from Apple website.

 

[J. A.]

Trying upload the pic of my camera connection kit from Apple website.

That's what I use for my iPad 3.
Do/did you use a lightning to 30 pin adapter to get it working with your iPad 4?




Apple Store

 

[giradman]

If the cable worked with your iPad 4 before, it should also work with the mini, afaik. They both use the lightning connector.
I use the cable I posted since a few months ago with my iPad mini (original) and my Canon camera, successfully.

Here's another idea:
Some cameras are able to build up their own Wi-Fi, and connecting your iPad to this (and using an app that supports this feature), you're able to import pictures to your iDevice, without even using a cable. I know that Canon and Samsung have their own apps that work that way.

Hi Mikeswife - as you likely already know, the 'small' lightning connector (shown in previous posts) is the one that attaches to both of your iPads, so the only issue is whether you want to use the SD card from your camera or a direct connect to your camera, so I'm sure that you'll figure out the connectors - I use the 30 pin adapter for my iPad 2 which will not work directly on your iDevices (i.e. w/o yet another adapter).

But mainly 'chiming in' on Johanna's second comment, i.e. there are now a number of 'wireless' ways to connect between SD cards and iDevices and also computers to transfer pics between the two. For myself, I just bought the AirStash (pic below) - believe that we have a 'sticky' in one of the forums and there are a lot of excellent comments on Amazon - not much experience yet but seems to work well w/ a free app for your iPads - avoids all of these silly cable/adapter options now available for these different iPad versions - good luck in your choice(s). Dave

 

[mikeswife]

You know why I've tripped ya'll up? I've been calling my big IPAD an IPAD4 but it was called "The New IPAD", but ended up w/ the name IPAD3. Looking over the forum names I see the latest IPAD air is the IPAD 4. So I'm seeing that my IPAD 3 is a 30pin one, which is why the camera kit I bought for it isn't fitting up correctly w/ my mini. So it is looking like I do need to purchase some type of adapter huh? (after all of this, LOL)

That other thing sounds interesting giradman. I went on amazon & read about it a bit. I'll let some of y'all test it out first!

So now I'm thinking since it looks like I am going to have to purchase a new camera connection thing that maybe I will just get the SD card reader. I'm happy w/ the one I use on my IPAD3 & that would mean less cords to hook together, just slip the card in & DL. I can't think of any benefits of the USB adapter over this one. We will be taking it on a trip to Israel, France & Italy & the less fuss the better!

Thanks again y'all for bearing with me. Again, I promise I'm not a dummy & usually I'm the one everyone comes to in the family for computer help. Scary thought huh! ;-)

 

[giradman]

OK - if you indeed have two iPads w/ different adapters, the AirStash might be a good option for you; again no need to worry about different adapters - and BTW, it needs no testing - the facts are in & you'll need to decide - Dave

 

[Outdoorsben]

I use an eye-fi card in my camera and wirelessly sync photos. Works fantastic. It has an iOS app, as well as an OSX app.