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All iPads Poll: How important is LED flash on iPad for you? (for taking photos)

How important is LED Flash on iPad for you?

  • Will buy iPad the moment it has LED Flash!

    Votes: 3 2.2%

  • Very useful to have, occasionally wish iPad had it.

    Votes: 27 19.7%

  • No opinion, neutral on feature

    Votes: 37 27.0%

  • Dont need / don't want

    Votes: 70 51.1%
  • Total voters
    137
  • Poll closed .
PracticalMac

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 22, 2009
2,857
5,246
Houston, TX
It is far more useful than you think.

I use my iPad camera to catalog items and put stuff up for eBay (among other things).
The big screen makes editing the image and typing up descriptions far easier than on an iPhone.

However the big iPad causes shadows, and using separate lights will cause sideways shadows because the light is not right next to camera, let alone the hassle of setting up light.

I know, some of you will say use iPhone to take picture and wait the 2 to 5 min to upload into photo stream.
Really? I don't have the time to wait.

The iPad is about ease of use and convenience, and having LED flash makes it just more convenient and easy to use.
 
Last edited:
PracticalMac said:
I know, some of you will say use iPhone to take picture and wait the 2 to 5 min to upload into photo stream.
Really? I don't have the time to wait.

The iPad is about ease of use and convenience, and having LED flash makes it just more convenient and easy to use.
Click to expand...

I see your point, but your use case (taking pictures to put on eBay) doesn't sound that major. I would think that not very many people do that often.

And 2-5 minutes for pics to upload to photo stream? Is your wifi connection that slow?
 
Night Spring said:
I see your point, but your use case (taking pictures to put on eBay) doesn't sound that major. I would think that not very many people do that often.

And 2-5 minutes for pics to upload to photo stream? Is your wifi connection that slow?
Click to expand...

I does come quicker, sometimes in seconds, but on average it seems to take well over a minuet to update. A few times well over 2.
Have great connectivity.

JohnGrey said:
Don't see the point really, other than for battery fatigue by racking up recharge cycles.
Click to expand...

You only use power when you need the LED.

Otherwise bring your own flashlight.
What do you prefer?
 
It should of had a flash since day one.

Even phone's back in the Nokia days had a flash alongside the camera.

The question that puzzles me is this...................

You say you don't use the camera, or have not yet, so in that case a small flash unit next to the camera is a non issue to you.

So why would anyone, say there should not be a flash?

Why would anyone in their right mind want a product to be WORSE than it otherwise could be?

A flash unit should either be great if you'd like it, or a non issue if you don't

It does not make any logical sense to not want one there.

----------
carjakester said:
to be honest I've never used the rear facing camera on the iPad so i don't think its necessary.
Click to expand...

I've never used iCloud so I don't think it's necessary.
I've never used the Fire service, so I don't think it's nesessary
I've never used an iPhone, so I don't think it's nesesary

Can you see how stupid that type of statement is?

How about trying it this way:

"to be honest I've never used the rear facing camera on the iPad so for me personally I don't think it would be useful to have, but I can see others may like to have that option"
 
Piggie said:
It should of had a flash since day one.

Even phone's back in the Nokia days had a flash alongside the camera.

The question that puzzles me is this...................

You say you don't use the camera, or have not yet, so in that case a small flash unit next to the camera is a non issue to you.

So why would anyone, say there should not be a flash?

Why would anyone in their right mind want a product to be WORSE than it otherwise could be?

A flash unit should either be great if you'd like it, or a non issue if you don't

It does not make any logical sense to not want one there.

----------



I've never used iCloud so I don't think it's necessary.
I've never used the Fire service, so I don't think it's nesessary
I've never used an iPhone, so I don't think it's nesesary

Can you see how stupid that type of statement is?

How about trying it this way:

"to be honest I've never used the rear facing camera on the iPad so for me personally I don't think it would be useful to have, but I can see others may like to have that option"
Click to expand...

Well thanks for the ridicule but if you read the topic title the op asked how important the led flash is to you. I answered that question, which is the intended purpose of the thread.
 
carjakester said:
Well thanks for the ridicule but if you read the topic title the op asked how important the led flash is to you. I answered that question, which is the intended purpose of the thread.
Click to expand...

I just find it annoying that we have many people on these forums that think that because they don't use something, it should not be there.

I totally understand if the product would be made worse in some way.

EG: Should the iPad be 10mm thicker to allow for a 1 month batter life.
Whilst some may like 1 month battery, having that would affect the product greatly and understandably many would not wish that change.

Like a second speaker, for stereo, or a flash unit, or a SD car slot to read photo's of your camera, or an IR blaster to allow thousands to control their TV's and music systems. There is no negative in having many things.

I just makes me annoyed when some people feel others should not have options.
 
carjakester said:
to be honest I've never used the rear facing camera on the iPad so i don't think its necessary.
Click to expand...

I used my iPad's rear camera for the first time in 2 1/2 years (never used it on my 2 or mini first gen) to record a video yesterday and damn the quality is bad compared to my iPhone. IIRC, its the same sensor as the iPhone 4.

If Apple improves the camera though, I hope they include a flash with it too. Even the iPod touch has a flash, which is embarrassing for the iPad that it doesn't. The iPad is great for taking photos if you have it and not your iPhone, however I think most people grab their phone because its easier to take photos with it then a tablet.

The one camera I use more on my iPad then iPhone is the front camera for FaceTime. The front camera on my iPhone is rarely used except on those off chances that I don't have my iPad and someone is FaceTimeing me.
 
Piggie said:
Like a second speaker, for stereo, or a flash unit, or a SD car slot to read photo's of your camera, or an IR blaster to allow thousands to control their TV's and music systems. There is no negative in having many things.

I just makes me annoyed when some people feel others should not have options.
Click to expand...

Sure, as long as there truly is no negative, then more options are fine, even if I personally don't use them.

But if you add ALL the things you just listed onto the iPad, I'm pretty sure it'll increase size and weight. And maybe the cost. So realistically speaking, you can't add all options that might be useful to someone at some point, you have to pick and choose.
 
PracticalMac said:
You only use power when you need the LED.

Otherwise bring your own flashlight.
What do you prefer?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I'd prefer to bring my own flashlight. A maglite is ever so much more wieldy than an iPad. I love the iPad as a content consumption device, but it's not meant to be a Swiss army knife.
 
If you don't have a smartphone I could see it being useful. But how many people have an iPad and not a smartphone (with an LED flash)? Maybe that number is higher than I thought.

I at first tried to use my iPad as a scanner because some of the scanner apps seemed smoother than on android. But the android scanner app I use caught up and surpassed what I was using on iOS and scanning things with your phone is MUCH less cumbersome and inconspicuous than scanning them with an iPad. Taking regular pics even more so. So no. I would not want this feature at all...
 
I think the only time I use my iPad camera is when FaceTiming and that has been since pre-ordering the iPad 1.
 
Piggie said:
I just find it annoying that we have many people on these forums that think that because they don't use something, it should not be there.

I totally understand if the product would be made worse in some way.

EG: Should the iPad be 10mm thicker to allow for a 1 month batter life.
Whilst some may like 1 month battery, having that would affect the product greatly and understandably many would not wish that change.

Like a second speaker, for stereo, or a flash unit, or a SD car slot to read photo's of your camera, or an IR blaster to allow thousands to control their TV's and music systems. There is no negative in having many things.

I just makes me annoyed when some people feel others should not have options.
Click to expand...

Well there has been 5 iPads made now (4 with a rear camera) and none of them have had a flash. Im assuming some of the R&D Apple has been doing includes finding out what people use the iPad camera for, and if you read the responses or look at the poll included in this thread, the overwhelming majority of people do not have a need for it.

If you find it annoying reading other peoples opinions on features, then this website certainly is not for you.
 
I wouldn't use an LED flash on my iPad, but I can't see it doing any harm if they put one on there.
 
I think they need to make the camera take decent pics before they worry about a flash. Give it the 5s camera then let's talk about a flash.
 
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