iPad is not a computer. iPad is not a computer replacement. iOS is not an appropriate OS for large iPads.
I'm reminded of this each time I want to exclusively use my iPad Pro for photography. Apple limits photo import only to the Photos app, their Photos app can not do manual metadata editing, importing and exporting photos in and out of the Photos app causes reduction in quality. Etcetera.
The iPad Pro's true potential can never be realized due to it's crippling OS.
But, profits. So, anyway.
I’m a working photographer and I’m quoting you because you mentioned being a photographer. I realise you’re talking about using the iPad exclusively, but I still think my point will be valid.
I use my iPad Pro to edit all of my photos, the only limiting factor so far is the lack of round tripping to photoshop, where necessary.
I use affinity photo as a substitute - it’s a little convoluted when round tripping, but works ok as long as you don’t need massive final photographs. The reason for this is you edit a preview on lightroom, and affinity photo can’t edit this preview, and instead Lightroom create a render from this. This issue should disappear when photoshop is finally released as it should be able to attach xml to the preview the same as lightroom does, or use PSD in the cloud. Not much to do with iOS i don’t think.
I haven’t replaced my main mac, nor do I want to. But to say the iPad can’t be used as a professional photographers computer is nonsense. In everything except importing, exporting and storage, it’s replaced my computer. These are necessary but mundane tasks that will never be suited well to a machine like an iPad, unless you have a robust and fast cloud system. I’m a pro photographer and I process thousands of images per week - the iPad has made this a very much more pleasurable experience.
ios is not particularly limiting if you realise that it’s just a different way of working.
FYI- My work flow is:
Import from cards to lightroom classic on my Mac.
Sort and rate the photos.
Put the rated photos in a folder and sync with lightroom CC.
Edit on my iPad, with the pencil. It’s completely immersive and an amazing way to edit photos. I just haven’t enjoyed editing this much since I very first started and it was all ‘new’ to me.
I then upload stuff to clients for review from the iPad, and for instagram etc.
All edits are synced back to lightroom on my desktop straight away.
I export from the desktop to upload the finals to the client.
Then also from the desktop I archive my libraries.
This workflow is getting better and better all the time, and for now, the issue with me is Adobe not releasing photoshop for the iPad yet, not iOS and not the hardware.
That’s not to say iOS can’t get better, because it can, it’s just for me it’s the 3rd party apps that need to buck up more.
