The iPhone ( or iPad ) might be the television camera you always have with you , but many people still carry a snapshot or higher - goal standalone camera for other reasons : compactness , interchangeable or soar Lens , or easier ascendence of ikon - taking options . It ’s typically a breeze to connect a camera or its memory board card to your Mac if you want to back up or sync image while you ’re traveling . But what if you have just an iPhone or iPad ? Pack the right cable or adapter and you ’re prepare .

Since the addition of the Files app to iOS and iPadOS , you could get at international reposition , such as a join camera or a USB storage posting proofreader .

Step 1: Connect a camera or card reader to your iPhone or iPad

Older cameras often utilize USB Mini case - B or Micro Type - B and almost always are sell with a cable with that hype on one end and a stock Type - A plug on the other . To connect such a tv camera with a Lightning - equipped iPhone or iPad , you necessitate either anApple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter($29,£35 ) or aLightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter($39,£45 ) .

The difference between the two is n’t just USB 2.0 ’s 480Mbps and USB 3 ’s 5Gbps top datum rate . ( You ’ll only get a faster rate over Lightning when using iPad Pros . ) Rather , it ’s the passthrough Lightning tycoon port found in the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter . Plugged into power , you may charge your iPhone and a affiliated photographic camera while also pass data from the television camera .

Some cameras , include a Sony snapshot framework I tested , wo n’t work by nonpayment with an iPhone or iPad using the Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter because they ’re designed to institutionalise while plugged into USB . However , many models do let you turn off power over USB , allowing the exercise of the straight person - through USB transcriber . ( recollect to turn USB charging back on in your camera configurations or your camera wo n’t charge when you plug it into a regular USB tycoon adapter . )

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Apple’s two Lighting to USB adapters let you connect cameras and card readers.

you may also opt to use the Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter , plug away it into passthrough power in the Lightning port , and never need to mess with the USB power setting on the camera .

Either arranger may also be used with a USB Type - A camera card reader . If you need a lineup reader that plug away in directly , Apple sell bothLightning ( iPhone , iPad)andUSB - C ( iPad , Mac)models that say full - sized SD Cards or other sizes with an SD Card adapter .

A more forward-looking camera with a USB - ascorbic acid jack unfortunately ca n’t use a USB - coulomb to Lightning cable length or other direct connection . iPads and iPhones with Lightning lack the ability to do by USB without using one of the above Apple transcriber . you could use a USB - C to USB Type - A or USB - atomic number 6 to USB - ascorbic acid cable with an adapter to punch into the Lightning adapter .

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Apple’s two Lighting to USB adapters let you connect cameras and card readers.

If you have an iPad model that frisk a USB - blow manual laborer , you may plug a Type - A camera corduroy in via a case - A to USB - vitamin C adapter or directly connect a USB - C to USB - one C overseas telegram to a camera with USB - C.

( Some maker offer iOS / iPadOS apps that connect directly over Wi - Fi to certain of their camera model , allow you bypass USB altogether . )

Step 2: Use Files for transfer

The Files app comes preinstalled in iOS and iPadOS and lets you make do iCloud and other local storage as well as externally connected storehouse . That include a storage card inside a camera or a card plugged into a card reader .

Here ’s how to shift files from your camera or card to your local Photos memory board :

Files copy these images over and saves them into your local album . verify you have enough storage useable to have these prototype or telecasting .

If you have iCloud Photos enable , your machine immediately get down syncing images if you ’re connected to a web and other conditions are match . For case , exposure may break if you ’re on a Wi - Fi meshwork but are n’t plugged in to shoot down . If you have optimized depot enabled on your iPhone or iPad , Photos will purge local computer storage as images are uploaded if it call for to resign up infinite .

I would retain images on your camera ’s memory circuit board , give you an extra copy of your medium , until such decimal point as you ’re sure-footed you have an excess fill-in somewhere else : via full - resolution downloads to a Mac or other accompaniment you make .

For more advice about moving photo between your devices say :

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