Which iPad next.

[Tim Ryland]

Lightroom Version Number

V5.3.1

Operating System

1. iOS

Looking to replace my 5th gen iPad with a better model with pencil support. I can’t afford a 12.9” Pro, so the choice is really between 2018 11” iPad Pro (if I can find one), 2020 11” iPad Pro (also seem to be in short supply) and 2019 iPad Air 3. I must admit the Air3 is looking promising at the moment as the 256gb price point is much nearer to what I can afford.

Is there anybody using the Air3 on here, and what do you think of it.

I am just a hobby photographer, not a professional.

 

[clee01l]

Why is pencil support important? I have an older iPad mini and a 2018 12.9" iPad Pro that was a replacement for my 13" MBP. I've never used a pencil on the iPadPro. (FWIW, Think Steve Jobs had the right idea on touch screens and stylus/pencil. )

 

[Tim Ryland]

Pencil is a nice to have as anything newer than I’ve got will support it. Currently I use a capacitive stylus which is OK. Generally need to use something as I have very fat fingers. Something which has also plagued my guitar playing for years.

 

[clee01l]

Something which has also plagued my guitar playing for years.

Short , fat fingers here. Some Guitar chords are impossible. I gave up and took to the Mandolin because I could not make a "G" chord.
I don't need much granularity on an iPad and I use a real keyboard on my iPadPro.

 

[Conrad Chavez]

I haven’t used an Air, but because the current Air has an A12 chip, there should be no performance problems, at least not compared to other iPads.

To save money (around 15%), I always check the Apple Refurbished section of their website to see if the configuration I want is in stock, since Apple Refurbished is as good as new in my experience, and with a full warranty. I got both my 10.5" Pro and Apple Pencil that way. But the stock available there changes from day to day.

Why is pencil support important? I have an older iPad mini and a 2018 12.9" iPad Pro that was a replacement for my 13" MBP. I've never used a pencil on the iPadPro. (FWIW, Think Steve Jobs had the right idea on touch screens and stylus/pencil. )

Pencil support is not important in Lightroom, except for someone who paints masks a lot.

Steve Jobs was not against the stylus, he was against the stylus being required. He believed a tablet should be able to do all of the basics out of the box with just your fingers. (Because when the iPad came out, some of the competition required a stylus.) When Apple introduced the Apple Pencil, they made sure it was one of the best available…but still optional.

Pencil support is great if you get into drawing/painting with Procreate, Adobe Fresco, or Adobe Photoshop on iPad. But drawing/painting is still a niche. What is really going to boost Pencil use in the general market is the upcoming iPad OS 14. The Scribble feature is supposed to greatly improve handwriting recognition to the point where if the Apple Pencil is at hand, for some people it might be faster to write notes and fill out forms with the Pencil than with the software keyboard.

 

[Replytoken]

To save money (around 15%), I always check the Apple Refurbished section of their website to see if the configuration I want is in stock, since Apple Refurbished is as good as new in my experience, and with a full warranty. I got both my 10.5" Pro and Apple Pencil that way. But the stock available there changes from day to day.

GMTA! I was just going to suggest this, and I will second that stock changes quite quickly. If it is there and you want it, buy it. I know that B&H is currently running a sale on some models, and Best Buy sometimes has very good prices.
iPad Pro | B&H Photo Video

Good luck,

--Ken

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Good tip on the refurb store, I've had some good deals from there.

LOVE my pencil, I use my iPad 10x more than I did without it.