Apple iPad Pro and camera compatibility
Q I’m thinking of buying a camera after a number of years. In my travels in the past I used a Minolta AutoPak 470. It did what I wanted it to do. I would now like a simple do-it-all modern pocket camera (travel cam), on the lines of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 or TZ90. But it needs to be compatible with my Apple iPad Pro. I could settle for a cheaper camera, but would like a Panasonic. What would I have to do to get a Panasonic on my Apple? I am now 78 years old, but not obsolete. Robert C Ingram
A Have no fear! Almost all new travel cameras can communicate wirelessly with both Android and Apple smartphones and tablets. This is usually via Wi- Fi, supported by a dedicated app which can be downloaded and installed for free from the App Store for your device. There have been several apps for Lumix cameras over the years, but the one to use with a TZ range camera is the Panasonic Image app. This enables you to view, on your iPad screen, what the camera’s live view screen displays. You can also remotely control the camera using your iPad, as well as import photos and video that have been shot on the camera. This is a convenient way of sharing photos and videos with social media networks if you use them. Another possible benefit is location tagging. The TZ100 doesn’t have built-in GPS, but the Panasonic Image app can use its host device’s own GPS to tag the location of photos you take. The catch with Apple devices is that if your iPad does not have cellular/mobile data support, it doesn’t have GPS. It has to be said that using apps like Panasonic Image can be frustrating. Many people have problems connecting their phones and tablets to their cameras because of Wi- Fi issues. It takes some practice to understand what you need to do to avoid connection problems by doing things in the right way. We would definitely recommend the TZ100 over the TZ90; it’s a little bigger but has a 1in sensor, which is substantially larger than the TZ90’s 1/2.3in sensor, and so able to produce cleaner images with greater tonal depth, especially in low light.