Manfrotto’s Digital Director for iPad received both hardware and software updates, adding new versions of the cradle that extend native support to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 while updating the app to version 2.1.
The Digital Director was first released in 2015, and turns an iPad into a giant wired remote for controlling a DSLR. Dubbed a “workflow management processor,” the app provides an end-to-end solution for photographers, and is currently compatible with 14 Canon and 15 Nikon models. It is the only such device with the Made for iPad (MFi) certification. Until today, however, it was incompatible with Apple’s highest-end iPad.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro support will be especially welcome to professional photographers who picked up the massive tablet when it shipped in November of last year, and who may have been holding off on a Digital Director since then. Fortunately, for users who already own an older version of the Digital Director, Manfrotto is now selling iPad frames separate from the full device at a much lower price. A new, semi-rigid case provides support for a range of iPad models, although not the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
On the software side, several new features were added, including a new intervalometer for creating automated time-lapse sequences. This will be particularly useful to users who don’t have a camera with a built-in intervalometer. In addition, RAW images can now be downloaded through the app and transferred over email or FTP to a computer. Manfrotto has also opened up the sharing options for finished images, with users able to share JPEGs directly to social media apps installed on the iPad.
At the time of writing, the updated models and frames were not available on Manfrotto’s U.S. website, but can be seen in the U.K. store. If similar pricing conventions are followed with the new items, expect the full Digital Director to continue to cost $300 while separate frames should come in at around $35 to $40.
