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What I think about the rear facing camera..

T

Twenty5

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 6, 2008
157
1
So why didn't they put a better camera for stills? Apple is not expecting you to take high res photos of your family vacation trips with it. They knew that even if they put a really fancy and high megapixel camera it just wouldn't look right to be holding such a big device to snap pictures. Who would ever want to do that? Especially with much smaller devices (like the iPhone 4) already in our pockets and doing a much better job at taking stills. That rear facing video camera was implemented for FaceTime/Video Chat/Call purposes only. That is why..

-Apple never had to put a higher resolution camera for the back and..
-Steve called them both "Video Cameras" instead of just "Cameras" during the iPad 2 event.

Stills taken with that rear facing camera will suck. And the only reason why they went with 720p was to complement their new iMovie app. Fancy videos. Sucky stills. Just like the 4th generation iPod Touch. So do they both use the same camera? At this point nobody knows. Interestingly though, Apple does not specify the iPad 2 rear facing video camera specs:

Back camera: Video recording, HD (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio; still camera with 5x digital zoom
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In contrast, this is what the 4th generation iPod Touch's back camera has (according to the specs page):

Video recording, HD (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio; still photos (960 x 720) with back camera
Click to expand...

So what do you guys think?
 
They went with 720p because even that is too much for the screen to handle properly without some downscaling. If the screen were "retina", they would have made it 1080p. iPad 3 will prove this in September.
 
It seems to be pushed more for motion than stills.

Motion is not so needy of resolution.
 
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Twenty5 said:
So why didn't they put a better camera for stills? Apple is not expecting you to take high res photos of your family vacation trips with it. They knew that even if they put a really fancy and high megapixel camera it just wouldn't look right to be holding such a big device to snap pictures. Who would ever want to do that?
Click to expand...
Nope. I dont buy this excuse for a second.

1) Cameras are not ONLY for taking photos. Many apps like barcode scanners rely on the camera in order to properly function. (And barcode scanning isnt only for groceries.)

2) Not only are they poor cameras, THEY ALSO LACK AUTO FOCUS! Which, again, locks out certain apps like Chase/BoA from In-App Check Deposits, QR Scanners, Google Translate, Google Goggles etc.

3) In 2006 the Motorola Razor had a VGA camera. In 2007 the iPhone came out with a 2MP camera. In 2011 the $800 iPad comes with... a .69MP Front/1MP Back camera?!?! They couldve at least tiered it and put the iPhone camera in the mid/high end models.

4) Apple spent about 1/4 of the presentation on iMovie to prove that the iPad is a Media CREATION device. So putting in the absolute lowest spec camera works against using the App to its fullest.

5) Lets not pretend that adding a quality camera is futuristic or impossible. The iPhone 4 offers a 5MP camera. The competition (Playbook, TouchPad, Xoom) that Apple was so quick to slam at every chance offers 1.3M-3MP Front Cameras and 3-5MP Back.

Look, if Apple wants to cheap out then fine. But lets quit making excuses for why it makes sense for Apple to NOT compete in this specific feature. The iPad IS a fantastic device with or without the camera, but the fact that many great apps will not be available on the iPad due to this decision is bad news.
 
Gryzor said:
iPad 3 will prove this in September.
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I love how people spout out speculation as fact. Good job.

To the OP, I was a tad dismayed when the specs weren't revealed on the camera and the first thing I thought of was the latest Touch. Ah well, at least it captures decent video.
 
I was disappointed to find out that the iPad 2 may indeed have the horribly inferior camera found on the iPod Touch 4G; mind you, I have the 4G and the picture quality is abhorrent. I would be find with a 1MP on the touch if the picture 'quality' was actually decent; however, it is far from decent.

Interestingly, if this is true for the iPad...:

"...still camera with 5x digital zoom"

...I would be amazed if it had the camera from the iPod Touch as 5X digital zoom would render images that are an absolute insult to look at - so I am thinking either it features an improved camera - either quality wise or size wise (Although I don't see the point in 5X digital zoom with 1MP - it would be very blurry and pixelated.
 
Gryzor said:
I love how people make silly assumptions based on what they think they read. Good job.
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I'm not gonna play this game with you Gryzor. You wrote September and unless specifically stated otherwise... this September coming up is the one to be assumed. Don't make us out to be in the wrong because you can't post accurately and are purposely vague. You did this intentionally so you can continue your trolling ad nauseam.
 
Gryzor said:
I love how people make silly assumptions based on what they think they read. Good job.


Wow, you both fell right into that one didn't you? Nowhere did I say September 2011.
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Don't worry about this guy. Comes into every thread attempting to start a argument. Troll.:rolleyes:
 
Gryzor said:
They went with 720p because even that is too much for the screen to handle properly without some downscaling. If the screen were "retina", they would have made it 1080p. iPad 3 will prove this in September.
Click to expand...

I think you're right, but I also think Apple was planning on releasing the iPad 2 in Sept. but didn't anticipate the copycats to move so fast so they released the iPad 2 prematurely in response to Zoom and withheld retina, 1080P SD card and other features so they could have a release for the iPad 3.
 
urkel said:
3) In 2006 the Motorola Razor had a VGA camera. In 2007 the iPhone came out with a 2MP camera. In 2011 the $800 iPad comes with... a .69MP Front/1MP Back camera?!?! They couldve at least tiered it and put the iPhone camera in the mid/high end models.

4) Apple spent about 1/4 of the presentation on iMovie to prove that the iPad is a Media CREATION device. So putting in the absolute lowest spec camera works against using the App to its fullest.
Click to expand...

Again, I don't think Apple wanted to release iPad 2 yet, but did so in response to the Android copycats. I think they had every intention of implementing a better camera and more features, that you will see in the next release.
 
zippyzoom said:
I was disappointed to find out that the iPad 2 may indeed have the horribly inferior camera found on the iPod Touch 4G; mind you, I have the 4G and the picture quality is abhorrent. I would be find with a 1MP on the touch if the picture 'quality' was actually decent; however, it is far from decent.
Click to expand...
The iPod touch camera situation was such a big surprise because it just wasn't in Apple's character to be so darn cheap. Apple is all about creativity and high quality products so it's very un-Apple for them to put a camera you wouldnt want in your 2006 feature phone let alone a $300 Touch and again on an $700 iPad.

I know it seems I'm overreacting but as a long time Apple customer then the iPod Touch Photos are the first time I EVER felt embarassed to say "Yes, this was Made on an Apple".

zippyzoom said:
...I would be amazed if it had the camera from the iPod Touch as 5X digital zoom would render images that are an absolute insult to look at - so I am thinking either it features an improved camera - either quality wise or size wise (Although I don't see the point in 5X digital zoom with 1MP - it would be very blurry and pixelated.
Click to expand...
The best news about this is that the iPad holds less resolution than the latest iPod Touch so viewing ON TABLET then the low quality is masked. But the problem is when you post it to be seen on a computer with better resolution and all the graininess is exposed.
 
lPHONE said:
Again, I don't think Apple wanted to release iPad 2 yet, but did so in response to the Android copycats. I think they had every intention of implementing a better camera and more features, that you will see in the next release.
Click to expand...
I think just the opposite. I feel that Apple was overconfident in their Tablet market dominance that they didn't feel it was necessary to try that hard. But then the competition emerged carrying bazookas and Apple's specs were already finalized so they just went with it and hid the specs behind the misleading buzzword "HD".

I feel the iPad 2 will continue Apples dominance and that the next gen will blow minds with their features, but I'm buying two iPads next friday and wasnt intending it to only last one year before going "I guess I need to rebuy if I want a decent camera".

(BTW. People dismiss the camera as useless but as a new dad who films baby constantly then having the camera + iMovie all in one device is amazing. Unfortunately it seems to be the same iPod Touch camera which really is very very poor quality for 2011)
 
lPHONE said:
I think you're right, but I also think Apple was planning on releasing the iPad 2 in Sept. but didn't anticipate the copycats to move so fast so they released the iPad 2 prematurely in response to Zoom and withheld retina, 1080P SD card and other features so they could have a release for the iPad 3.
Click to expand...

Posters have no idea what Apple is planning for the next device or when it will release. It gets really old when people act like they are in the know. but aren't. I would bet that there are only a few people at Apple that know what is coming next you.
 
Kadin said:
I'm not gonna play this game with you Gryzor. You wrote September and unless specifically stated otherwise... this September coming up is the one to be assumed. Don't make us out to be in the wrong because you can't post accurately and are purposely vague. You did this intentionally so you can continue your trolling ad nauseam.
Click to expand...
What game? You can't just go around making assumptions and then crying about it when you get them wrong. I specifically said September without a date because of all these rumours flying around that we'll be getting iPad 3 just 6 months after iPad 2. If you can't interpret intelligent humour like that, it aint' my problem.
 
PCClone said:
Posters have no idea what Apple is planning for the next device or when it will release. It gets really old when people act like they are in the know. but aren't. I would bet that there are only a few people at Apple that know what is coming next you.
Click to expand...

Oh I know everything that's going to happen... I'm pretty deep in the industry.
 
Imagine someone trying to take a picture on their iPad... Oh gosh. Use a real camera. :D Even the thought of taking video is kinda funny.
 
Hey, if I can import my 720p video from my digicam (bonus for AVCHD), using the camera connection kit... I'll be happy using iMovie when away from home!
 
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