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Using an iPad instead of a camera - why?

maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
Original poster
May 3, 2009
74,089
44,377
Has anyone noticed folks bringing their iPads to events, cruises, parks to use as a camera.

I was at Disney World this past May and saw people lugging their iPads around and then pulling them out for pictures. I can see people doing this with their phone - but an iPad? Why carry more stuff in 90 degrees when you don't need too and risk damaging it one rides.

It doesn't end there, I saw folks having an iPad on a harbor cruise for fathers day. They're outside in the sea spray taking pictures.

Just seems odd, carrying something large around just to take pictures when a P&S camera will suffice or exceed the quality of the pics.

The one common denominator I saw in doing this is the people who tended to carry the iPad around, either on the boat or the Disney were older (50s+) I wonder if its an age thing.

Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy :p

Anyone else notice this and/or what do you think.
 
I saw this while in Chicago very recently. It was usually younger people though. I ended up asking a girl who was reviewing her photos at a table next to me and she said that with the great new screen on the iPad the photos come out crystal clear. I tried to help her understand that I get where she is coming from but the camera itself is what is taking the pictures and that isn't as awesome as it should/could be.

I say to each their own. If they want to lug something around let them. I personally have zero desire to bring my iPad certain places or at least use it in certain settings; this includes photographic opportunities.
 
Its not that it bugs me, but I was curious as to why they'd lug around something so large, when a P&S would be easier better. Sure they'd not get the instant gratification to seeing the pictures on a gorgeous screen.

You're right, to each his own, I prefer my digital camera, others their iPad.

Its funny how i saw mostly older folks doing it and you saw mostly younger folks. Does that mean you are very very old and I'm very very young :p
 
I haven't seen anyone doing it yet, except Leo Laporte on iPad Today, just goofing around. But he did predict that folks would start doing just this.

I've taken 1 picture with my iPad, at home, for no real reason. When I went to Chicago last week, I left my iPad tucked away in the car. There was no way I was going to lug that around all day and take pictures, when I have an iPhone.

Not to mention, the potential for damage, being mugged for it maybe, and getting it wet on the speedboat tour we were going on.
 
Could it be that, when you are old, your poor eye sight and slow fingers prefer something big and simple. Besides, you couldn't care less about what other people think.
 
What you can get out of a camera doesn't just depend on the sensor and optics - a lot of it is down to your judgement, and your judgement is based on what you see on the screen or in the viewfinder. You get a lot more out of a 10" retina display than a 3.5" phone or a 3" point + shoot. In this respect, it's a MUCH better camera than the iPhone, or basically anything other than an SLR.

Beyond that, the camera in the iPad 3 is basically "good enough". Something else might be better, but you don't always need better. This is why the iPhone is so popular compared to 'better' cameras, and why you see people using an iPad.
 
I saw it happen at church one night when a children's group was singing...father in the back filming or snapping photos.

I've seen a few people at different Zoos taking pics with it. One was a guy in his 20s-30s. Another was a little girl who was holding it over a groundhog display...where she really could have dropped it into the animal display. Her father came over and told her to hold it tight.

I think it is strange. But maybe if they threw a towel/sheet/blanket over their heads they'd look like they were shooting with a large format camera! ;)
 
No, you are looking at this in totally the wrong way.

Perhaps they want to have their tablet with them, as they wish to use it for social media, web etc etc when they are out and about.

they then think, shall I carry a camera AS WELL, then they think, heck no, why bother, I'll be carrying my iPad anyway, so I'll just use that, save me taking two things round with me all the time.
 
This reminds me of a friend of mine who, when the iPad was first released, liked to mock people who used their iPads on the subway. Now? It would be weirder if I DIDN'T see an iPad on the subway.

Same goes with taking pictures on tablets. There's always that subset of the population that'll think it's odd ... until enough people start doing it. I think we'll see more and more of this in the coming years and I really don't see what the big deal is. Some people may just happen to have their tablets on them. Why NOT snap a picture with it? I haven't used a P&S camera in about 5 years and I hope I never use one again. My iPhone or my iPad will do just fine.
 
The Nexus 7 nixed the back camera. I think back cameras on tablets are useful for scanning barcodes and documents, and might as well be there to snap the ocassional pic. But serve primarily as a camera?

Ummmmmm, no.
 
I always carry both my iPad and a digital camera. Very occasionally, I will use my iPad to take a photo, for example if I'm at a seminar or lecture and I want to take a photo of a power point slide that's on the screen. My iPad will usually then be straight in front of me (because I use it to take notes), and by taking the photo with the iPad I can immediately merge the photo with my notes.
 
If they are in a brightly lit area the pictures might be acceptable as snaps with the added benefit of already being on the iPad.

I'm taking more and more pictures with my iPad, not as a replacement for another camera but because it is convenient. While writing a report I can quickly add a photo of a sample or other small object. I don't need a fantastic picture, just enough to document what I'm discussing.
 
maflynn said:
Its not that it bugs me, but I was curious as to why they'd lug around something so large, when a P&S would be easier better. Sure they'd not get the instant gratification to seeing the pictures on a gorgeous screen.

You're right, to each his own, I prefer my digital camera, others their iPad.

Its funny how i saw mostly older folks doing it and you saw mostly younger folks. Does that mean you are very very old and I'm very very young :p
Click to expand...

yeah mine was mostly older folks too. when i was at the grand canyon.

i guess i can understand someone who has bad vision wanting a bigger screen?
Ive used my ipad along side my 4s on tripods recording sketches. Just to have multiple angles. The larger screen is great for shooting movies IMO.

if i didnt have my iphone 4s, which blows my ipad photos out of the water then i guess i might use my ipad more often for photos? idk..

maybe some people just try and use it to justify the money they spent?
 
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Might be the only camera they have.
Or
The one they like the best.

When you only have a hammer everything starts to look like a nail.

I asked a few when I first noticed camera use in the field.

On a college campus it was because it was what they had at hand. Their tablets went everywhere on campus.

Some older grandparent types where FaceTime addicts with the grandchildren and this was their first introduction to social media / computing. They love the large screen. Their window on the world went everywhere.
 
for the 99.99% of the end use of photos people take these days (facebook twitter etc.) the ipad camera is fine.

And for people like myself who carry around the ipad everywhere (including a 26 mile mountain bike ride through the desert (Moab, UT) It actually keeps me from having to carry an additional camera. Either way it is a nice swiss army knife and I wont be using it on any paid shoots...

To each their own. :)
 
I don't think it's so much using the iPad to take a picture, but where it is being used. I saw two people using them for pictures at an indoor water park! This was last summer, so it's not due to the camera on the new iPad. The only case either of them had was a smart cover. Anyways, each to his own. I'd prefer to leave mine at home and use my iPhone camera or a true camera. Not that I used either at the water park - I already have too many pictures of my kids.
 
psonice said:
What you can get out of a camera doesn't just depend on the sensor and optics - a lot of it is down to your judgement, and your judgement is based on what you see on the screen or in the viewfinder. You get a lot more out of a 10" retina display than a 3.5" phone or a 3" point + shoot. In this respect, it's a MUCH better camera than the iPhone, or basically anything other than an SLR.
Click to expand...
That argument doesn't hold up very well. Why is an SLR better if it has a tiny viewfinder or screen? Sensor and optics do matter. That said, people may prefer the retina display or carrying only one device (the tablet).
 
I think it comes down to a matter of convenience/multiple uses for a device. I was with a tour group yesterday, and people who had been using their iPads on the bus had a convenient camera option. Most were playing games, watching movies, etc on the bus, so it wasn't as if they were carrying 'extra' weight. I still prefer keeping separate devices, but for as goofy as it looks, the iPad is a handy option in a pinch.
 
I am leaving Disney World right now and saw this a lot. Young and old using their iPads to take pictures in the park. I was thinking it was kind of weird as well. But there is me with my Canon 7D with battery grip and huge flash on top to take pics, I was kind of jealous of the iPad photogs they could jut close the smart cover and throw their camera in their bag.

I am sure that my pics will be better in quality and print size and capabilities, but like someone said above it is in the eyes of the beholder and to each their own.
 
What annoys me the most is people taking pictures of themselves in the mirror with iPads for their profile/display pictures. In my eyes, the only purpose of this is to say 'Hey I have an iPad'.
Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy ;)
 
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