PhotoAssist is an app that is geared to help you remember all the gear that you need to take on a particular shoot. It seems like I'm always forgetting something when I do location shoots. So this app is very much appreciated.
The easiest way to start off is to spend some time entering all of your gear into the "Inventory List."
At that point you can then make "Equipment Lists" for the different kinds of shoots that you do. For example, if you're making an Equipment List called "Landscapes" then you'll probably want to include your Wide Angle Lens, Tripod, Cable Release, etc.
However, if you're making an "Equipment List" called "Studio Portraits" then you might want to include your wireless triggers, reflectors, favorite portrait lens, etc.
When it comes time to pack for the shoot, just go to that list and check off each item as you pack it. You can check off each item as you put it in your bag/case.
PhotoAssist also includes a "Sun Times" feature to give you the Sunrise and Sunset (although there's a typo in the app as they both say sunset) times for a particular location.
Using the PhotoAssist App is pretty straight forward and I really like the inclusion of a "Serial Number" field, which comes in handy when you need the serial number for a piece of equipment without having to physically go find that piece of equipment and look it up each time.
Room for Improvement
Although the app works as advertised, there are a couple things that would make it even better. First off entering items in the Inventory List is more tedious than it needs to be. It would be nice to be able to pick items from a list that's built-in instead of having to enter everything from scratch. Also when entering multiple items it would be nice if it would just stay on the entry screen until you're done instead of having to tap the + sign each time. How about an online account setup from your computer that could be setup with all your gear and then the app would just sync with it?
Secondly and this one should be in any checklist app of this kind and that is an "Uncheck All" option. When I'm done packing and want to uncheck all the items on the list, currently I have to do it one by one. Also speaking of checking items on the list the check circle needs to be bigger. It seems hard to tap at least with my fingers.
The Bottom Line
This App is a welcome addition to my stable of Photography Apps. You can get it here from the App Store:
PhotoAssist
PhotoAssist allows you to create an inventory of your Photography equipment and then create equipment checklists for the various kinds of shoots you do.
- Brad Gibson
- Get on App Store
- $1.99
All info was collected on 11th December, 2009 when the app was reviewed.
About Terry White
Terry is the co-author of The Best Selling "The iPhone Book" 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions. He has been active in the industry for over 25 years and is the founder and president of MacGroup-Detroit, Inc., Michigan's largest Macintosh Users Group, host of the Adobe Creative Suite Podcast and a technology writer - Terry White Tech Blog.
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