Six months in the making, I’m proud to present Ming Thein’s Photography Compendium: an iPad app like no other. It’s not for taking pictures or processing: it’s for learning and reading on the go, and all content is also retina-display native. It’s now available for $1.99 on the Apple App Store:
The Homepage aggregates the latest posts from the site, images from my photostream on Flickr, as well as the latest video tutorial content. Think of it like the Huffington Post, but for photography – it of course updates by itself every time there’s new content, too.
On the bottom tab bar, the Dictionary icon takes you to a searchable lexicon of photographic terms – if you’ve ever wondered what the difference between longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberration is, here’s the place to find out. If I’ve missed something, you can also request a definition. Drag and release to update the list and contents – same for the blog aggregator, Camerapedia and video list, too. The dictionary content is available exclusively through the app only.
The blog tab is an offline aggregator for recent posts – you can load up the most recent posts to read on the go when you don’t have an internet connection. It also includes a mini-browser that activates whenever external links are in play.
For everybody who’s been asking for digital delivery of the Photoshop Workflow DVD and Leica M-Monochrom workflow DVD, both are now available as a HD download through the app. There are also all-new and more detailed video segments; and there will of course be more videos over time with several currently in the works. (The physical DVDs continue to be available in the normal way at the previous links for those who don’t have iPads or prefer to have a physical disc.)
Finally, we’ve translated the CAMERAPEDIA! into a searchable database of equipment. Tempted to buy something during your next camera store visit? Check out my opinion first.
To celebrate the launch of the app, I’m giving away 20 promo codes for free apps to the first 20 people to retweet or post this page link on their Facebook walls – copy the post link into the comment box along with your email address and I’ll send you a promo code. UPDATE: 1400h, GMT+8 – all the promo codes are gone. Thank you very much for your support, everybody! Enjoy! MT
UPDATE: 1000, GMT+8 22 Nov 2012: After the first day, we’ve debuted at #7 on the US app store for photography; #2 in Malaysia; #3 in Singapore and Sweden; #4 in Switzerland; #5 in Hong Kong. All I can say is that I’m overwhelmed by the support and response – thank you again! MT
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Visit our Teaching Store to up your photographic game – including Photoshop Workflow DVDs and customized Email School of Photography; or go mobile with the Photography Compendium for iPad. You can also get your gear from B&H and Amazon. Prices are the same as normal, however a small portion of your purchase value is referred back to me. Thanks!
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Images and content copyright Ming Thein | mingthein.com 2012 onwards. All rights reserved
Six months in the making . . . less than six seconds for the taking, and it’s on my iPad. Ming, this looks excellent!
Thanks for the support, Matt!
Yes on an Android version!
Awesome Ming. Hopefully you will have it for android soon. Remember that android is now like 75% of market share. Thank you.
Bought it out of respect. Good luck, Ming…
Thanks Tim! Buy it because it’s useful not out of respect, but thanks for the support!
(Takes out notebook, adds iPad to Xmas wish list…)
Great idea — good luck with this Ming!
It’s a great portfolio device for photographers. Now if only they hadn’t messed up the last OS…thanks Don!
Ooops, no Android version?
Not yet
Great app ! Where do you find the time for such an amount of work !???
I cloned myself…actually, I have a close friend who’s a developer and photographer who was my partner on this project.
Seems like you need to be congratulated but: No ipad
Can it be downloaded onto a Macbook?
Tim
Nope, sorry Tim…blame Apple.
Congrats Ming. I’ve downloaded the App and enjoying the ease of navigating to various articles. The Camerapedia is now so easy to access. Thanks again for your contributions to the photography world.
Thanks Peter!
Awesome! I just bought it! Look forward to learning!
Thanks Ryan!
Ming, looks good. I’ve bought it and am always happy to support you. The $1.99 is a steal compared to the wealth of useful information you post daily. (I’ve actually converted many of your posts into PDFs for me to keep in fear that you’ll someday take it all down
My 2 cents: It would be nice to offer the option to buy all the videos at once for a discounted rate. I ask because they seem to have several topics that I would like to watch…I previously bought your first DVD and (while it was good and certainly worth the money), I found it lacking in several areas that I was hoping to improve upon. Namely, the pictures that you walked us through editing didn’t seem to have that “Ming Thein Look” to them. I wanted to see how you took an image from raw to Ming Thein…but I wanted to see it in photos more indicative of what we see on your blog. Particularly, how you seem to nail proper skin tones ultimately giving your photos a near 3D effect in post-processing.
As always, thanks for all your work.
Thanks Wes – your support is much appreciated! Fear not about the articles going down, I put up the archive last month which should keep things accessible for the future (and much easier to find). And yes, there are plans for a complete e-book version in the future, but let me see to the rest of life and work first
I’m planning a more intensive follow up DVD with files to download and try for yourself – I’m in the middle of going through the archive looking for difficult files to work with – the reality is that you can’t put in something that wasn’t there in the first place, and most of the time strong images need very little work to make them pop. Apple makes it tricky to do bulk pricing, so I’m afraid that’s out for the moment. I can sort out a custom DVD for you if you need, though – just shoot me an email.
Awesome, Ming! I also have your first DVD, so if you do happen to produce a custom one (see above), please let me know – I’m on! Thanks once again.
Congratulations Ming!
Thanks!
Awesome Job Ming!!! Congratulations!!! Well desered!!!
Thanks Eric!
Wold there be a way for those of us who have already bought the DVDs, to download the videos to the iPad?
Hi Erling, I wish there was a way I could do this, but the app store in-purchase infrastructure doesn’t allow it. Sorry! Future video releases will be app-only. However, you can always copy the DVD and load it to the regular videos on your ipad via itunes
You Rock!!
Haha, thank you.
Dang! Was finally about to order your workflow DVD and now having got your App & downloaded a video I can’t decide whether or not just to get it on MT’s Compendium!! Great job Ming, very polished and professional looking indeed, congratulations. Yours and Lloyd Chambers’ (http://diglloyd.com) are probably the only photo blogs I read every day. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Paul – if you have the app, just download the individual video segments – it’ll be faster!
Great app!! How about a way to save or bookmark favorites?
Thanks for the feedback. Perhaps for the next version…
Hi Ming Thein,
Any plans on Android app?
Not for the moment.
Congratulations!!! I bought the app.
Thanks for your support!