A spherical camera that pairs with your iPhone and is truly pocketable - that's the Ricoh Theta, just announced today.

Capturing spherical images is cool. But maybe not cool enough to spend $399 for a camera. But the idea that you can just hold the Theta up, take a shot, record everything around you, then crop what you want later... now that's interesting.

It's shooting distance is from 10 cm to infinity. So basically everything is in focus. The device pairs with an iPhone running the Theta app that allows you to view and share the images. There's also a Mac and Windows version.

The device has 4GBs of internal memory and builds Jpeg files. Most of the controls are auto, but it does have exposure compensation. The Theta has a tripod mount and can be controlled remotely by an iPhone running the app.

Ricoh created a few movies that demonstrate its function and capabilities. The device goes on sale in October. If I can get my hands on one, I'll report more.

iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

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Are you debating between Eye-Fi and Transcend to WiFi-enable your camera? If so, you may want to read the DP Review article, Battle of the Wi-Fi Cards: Eye-Fi vs. Transcend. The author explores various capabilities such as transfer rate, flexibility, and maximum range for transmission.

Interestingly enough, however, DP Review focuses on the Eye-Fi 16GB Pro X2 SDHC and not the more modern Eye-Fi Mobi, that for my money is the best WiFi card on the market right now. In my testing, the Eye-Fi Mobi 16 GB SDHC ($72) is second only to having WiFi built in to your camera, and in some cases it's even better than that.

That being said, there's lots of good information in the DP Review article, and it will help you get up to speed on what to consider in a WiFi memory card.

iPad for Digital Photographers

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Wirelessly transferring Raw and Jpeg files from a Toshiba FlashAir WiFi SD card or a Transcend 32 GB WiFi SDHC card just got a lot easier thanks to the new PhotoSync 2.0 for iPad and iPhone ($1.99).

In addition to PhotoSync bringing their smart "ease of use approach" to WiFi transfer, photographers can capture in RAW+Jpeg mode, then choose exactly the file type they want during the transfer process.

The process is easy. Turn on the camera with the WiFi card installed. Go to Settings on the iPad and choose your Toshiba or Transcend card that appears in the Wi-Fi menu. Launch PhotoSync and tap on the red "sync" icon in the upper right corner. Tap on Receive at the bottom of the popup menu. Swipe through the options until you locate your FlashAir or Transcend Wi-Fi card (see the top illustration). Tap on the icon and PhotoSync will connect with the camera. It literally takes seconds to do the whole process.

From this point, simply choose the images you want to copy to the iPad and sync. You can choose to have them land in your Camera Roll or in a specific album you've established for that camera.

And this is only one of 50 new feature in the PhotoSync 2.0 app. Essentially, you can move photos from any device to any device with PhotoSync, now including WiFi SD cards. It's essential gear for mobile photographers.

iPad for Digital Photographers

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Finally we have an iPad version of the modern Google Maps, and mobile photographers will appreciate its navigation muscle plus new "explore" and indoors mapping feature. That's right, you can now use Google Maps to find locations inside airports and malls. So when you just arrive at a new destination, you have half a chance of locating the services you need.

An indoors map of San Francisco International Airport

Other helpful tools include visual traffic indicators, bike routes, public transit, direct link to Google Earth, walking directions, and more. iPad-toting photographers on the go should definitely have this version of Google Maps downloaded and ready to navigate.

iPad for Digital Photographers

This is the kind of stuff I write about in iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks format.

Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

The Samsung GC110 Galaxy digital camera does take pictures. But to be honest, I've spent most of my time with it looking at the shots by others.

That's because it features a 4.8" HD Super Clear display that is both huge and gorgeous. Using the Galaxy to browse Flickr and Instagram is a treat for the eyes. Tap the Home button, and you also have access to the entire Web universe including using Chrome for browsing and Gmail.

Under the hood there's Android 4.1 Jellybean controlling a 1.4 GHz quad core processor with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. I've had no problems connecting to networks at home or on the road. Once I do, I have a large screen device with decent horsepower that can serve as either a large smart phone (without cellular) or a small tablet. Take your pick.

In the vertical position, it's not bad to hold because the zoom lens is at the top of the device and out of the way. When horizontally oriented, the Galaxy feels a bit clumsy to me, and I haven't found a comfortable way to hold it. So I'm in portrait mode most of the time.

The LCD is also command central for setting the camera. When you tap the Camera icon, the Mode icon appears on the right side. Tap it, and you're presented with 3 options: Auto, Smart, and Expert. Auto is self-explanatory; the camera takes care of everything. Smart is really your access to scene modes for macro, party, action, etc. For me, Expert is where the action is. Here I can access Program, Aperture Priority, Manual, and Shutter Priority modes to take more control of the camera. All of the usual suspects are located here, including aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation settings.

If you don't mind onscreen camera controls, these are logically placed and easy to use. But this is also where you'll feel that this is a different device. Other than a physical shutter button, zoom ring, and flash pop-up button, the Galaxy behaves more like your smart phone than a camera, albeit it one with a 21X optical zoom lens (35mm film equivalent 23-483mm) with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 on the wide end and f/5.9 on the telephoto side.

And as a camera, it gets the job done, both with 16 MP stills and HD video. It definitely has its quirks, however. For example, the Auto Screen Off control is very aggressive. Two minutes is the longest setting in Auto mode. I realize that the Galaxy has a big screen to power, but I had to turn Auto off all together and take my chances with the screen staying on. There are times when the camera becomes unresponsive. So I would have to go back a menu screen, then return to make the adjustment I wanted. And it does use micro SD (up to 64 GB) to augment its internal 8 GB memory. I know micro SD is the trend in super compacts, but the Galaxy is 5" long!

This all leads to trying to define exactly what the Samsung Galaxy GC110 really is. Since I'm primarily an iOS user (iPhone and iPad), the Galaxy is an opportunity for me to use a modern Android device without having to turn my iOS world upside down. I can test Android apps and see how things look and multiple platforms. It gives me a chance to learn and understand more about the Android ecosystem.

The large LCD is a pleasure to view, performance is good, and the entire Google Play store is available to me. I think that's what I really like about the Galaxy. It's a photography-oriented smart device. Not many smartphones or tablets have a 21X optical zoom lens.

The Samsung GC110 Galaxy digital camera is currently available on Amazon for $449. Since it's WiFi and Bluetooth, no contract is required for connectivity.

iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

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Fans of the Toshiba FlashAir wireless SD card will be happy to see the Olympus Image Share app back in iTunes for iPhone and iPad.

In my latest book, iPad for Digital Photographers, I recommend Image Share as the easiest way to filter Jpegs from Raws and only upload the Jpegs to your iPad. The app left iTunes for a couple weeks, presumedly while it was being retooled, but now has returned with new features. And most importantly, the old features still work.

If you have an Olympus E-P5, you can now tap the new remote control and geotagging features in the Image Share app. Very nice. Those of us using the FlashAir card don't have access to those features. But we can still wirelessly transfer our photos from the camera to the iOS device.

ShutterSnitch Adds Eye-Fi mobi Support

In related news, the venerable ShutterSnitch app has added support for the Eye-Fi mobi wireless SD card. On first test, I could not get the two talking to each other, even after quitting the Eye-Fi app as instructed by ShutterSnitch. I'll keep testing. Once I get things working, I'll report my findings.

iPad for Digital Photographers

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The new Eye-Fi Mobi 16GB SDHC Wireless Memory Card does what I've always wanted an Eye-Fi card to do: easily connect my iOS device to my camera regardless of my location.

Once the card and camera are connected, the images flow from the camera to the iOS device, such as an iPad, where you can edit and share the pictures. The process is relatively simple.

• Insert the card in the camera and power up.
• Download the mobile app at www.eye.fi/mobi and enter the activation code that comes with the card.
• Take a picture with your camera to force the card to begin broadcasting.
• Open the Settings app on the iPad, tap on WiFi, and choose the Eye-Fi card that's in the list of networks.
• Return to the Eye-Fi app and watch the picture being transferred from your camera to the iPad.

In the Eye-Fi app, you can monitor the connection via the status button in the upper left corner. When it's green, the two devices are talking. When it's red, the Eye-Fi card has timed out and stopped broadcasting.

The Eye-Fi app on an iPad mini

This is where the system could use a little refinement. There's no control over how quickly the Eye-Fi card powers down in the camera. As it works out, it's just a couple of minutes. I understand why it does this, to save battery power. But once the card powers down, you have to prod it again to transmit, then go back to Settings on the iPad and log back in to the network.

I would like to have some control over the time period before the card powers down. I found myself having to log in to the card repeatedly, even during a single session of shooting.

Once the images are on the iPad, Eye-Fi creates a Photos Album to manage them. This is very convenient. You can access the Album via the Photos app, iPhoto app, or any other app that can read Albums. I also liked that transfer was swift. My medium-sized Jpegs loaded quickly and were virtually ready for use immediately after capture.

You can set up sharing to Facebook, Twitter, or via email within the Eye-Fi app itself. But since the images are automatically saved to your Camera Roll, you have access to them for publishing using your normal workflow. You can add multiple Eye-Fi Mobi cards to the app, and switch among them as needed. This allows you to have cards in all of your cameras if you wish.

The Eye-Fi Mobi is available in 16 GB ($75) and 8 GB ($50) capacities. Both versions are rated at a speedy Class 10. I anticipate refinements in how we can control the card's power management. But even in this first release, the Mobi is one of the best wireless card options currently available. Both versions are available on Amazon.com

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When our computers start acting doggie, we close down our apps and restart. Do you ever do that with your iPad? According to experts, it can help with misbehaving apps, but isn't necessary as a general maintenance procedure.

Closing apps on your iPad.

Shutting down a misbehaving app is easy, First double-press the Home button, then tap and hold on any of the apps that appear at the bottom of the screen. They will start to wiggle and display a red "-" button in the upper left corner. Tap on the red "-" button to close an app.

When you first do this, you might be surprised at how many apps you actually see on the task bar. Most of them are in a suspended state and not using resources. Once you've shut down any misbehaving apps, press the Home button once to stop the wiggling. Then press it again to return to normal working mode.

Now hold down the Power button until you get the "slide to power off" message. Go ahead and power down. After a few seconds, press the power button again to restart the device.

You've now essentially rebooted your iPad. Check your Settings to ensure you're connected to the correct WiFi network, then get back to work!

Follow Up Note - A few readers have interpreted that I'm suggesting that you close down all of your apps to improve performance or to conserve battery power. That's not my intention. The apps you see on the task bar in the App Switcher are the apps that have been open, but not necessarily open at the moment.

I usually only shut down apps that are misbehaving while I'm using them. And yes, I do restart afterwards. I am amazed at how many apps appear in the App Switcher when I do that. (I've apparently been doing a lot of stuff.) And I do notice improved performance when I remove a rogue app from the task bar and restart. The main point is sharing how to do so if needed.

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You can browse your entire Aperture library on an iPad, and even grab the photos you need, using the iOS app Plex ($4.99) and the free Plex Media Server for your Mac.

This clever software provides a variety of streaming options for photos, music, and movies. But it can also peer directly into your Aperture or iPhoto library, and serve up organized content on to your iOS device.

The setup for Plex is literally a short series of clicks. You install the iOS app on your iPad. Download and launch the server on your Internet-connected Mac. Then you create an account on myPlex that enables remote access.

Aperture projects listed on an iPad

If you have Aperture or iPhoto loaded on the computer that's acting as the server, those channels are automatically added to your Plex library. Once enabled, you can browse your Aperture library on your local area network, or even remotely via the Internet.

Image captured off a Retina Display iPad via Plex using the system described in the article and applied here. (Click on photo to view full size.)

When you find a picture you want to save to your iPad, simply take a screenshot of it while in full screen mode (press the Home and Power buttons at the same time). Because of the high resolution of the Retina display on an iPad 3 or 4, the captured image will be 2048 x 1536 pixels - more than enough for sharing on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.

Plex is incredibly easy to use and performs quite well. It taps the preview files in your Aperture library. In my case, I have a older MacBook Pro laptop running at my studio with an archive Aperture library on it. If I need an image, let's say from 2010, I can browse the library on my iPad, capture the photo, and share as needed. Via this system, I have access to my Aperture library... anywhere.

Plex + Aperture is quite amazing.

Follow Up Note - Plex posted an update to the iOS app, v.3.2.1, that added a Save button in the upper right corner that allows you to save images from your Aperture library to your Camera Roll.

iPad for Digital Photographers

This is the kind of stuff I write about in iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks format.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, check out my Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012) on lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

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Frederick and I grab a table at an outdoor cafe in Yerba Buena to discuss mobile photography and to answer the question, "Can you travel with just an iPad and your digital camera?" The short answer is, "Yes."

Watch this interview and discover, in detail, how nimble photography can enhance your creativity and enjoyment without sacrificing quality.

iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

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You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.