Camera performance compared: iPad 2 vs iPhone 4

When it comes to the imaging capabilities of the iPad 2, Apple has left much to the imagination. The company has not released much information on the technical specification of the rearward facing camera on the iPad 2. There’s not even a mention of the pixel count and we’re terribly disappointed as we were expecting the same camera module used in the iPhone 4 to be included in the iPad 2. Turns out the camera on the iPad 2 has more in common with the 0.7MP camera on the iPod touch.

So the the big question is, is the rearward facing camera on the iPad 2 any good? Well from the sample shots taken with the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4 here and here, you can see that the iPad 2 is bad at taking stills by any standard.

Why did Apple opt for a far inferior camera module while competing manufacturers are stuffing their tablets with 5MP sensors? They are two possible reasons, one is cost and the other is space constraints or both but whatever the argument is, the fact of the matter remains that Apple deems it ok to include a sub-1MP image sensor in the main camera of the latest incarnation of its most successful device ever, when all things considered Apple could very well include a better one. Yes, the iPad 2 is super thin but we’d gladly trade off some of that thinnest for a better camera for taking stills.

So is the iPad 2 a worthwhile upgrade? If you don’t have an iPad and want to get one, the iPad 2 is a no brainer. It’s thinner, lighter and have more processing power than its predecessor — all this are good enhancements but if you’ve just gotten an iPad or are happy with the iPad that you’re using now, making the decision to make the jump is not as easy. You have to ask yourself if its worth the money just to get the latest “in” gadget from Apple.

[via here and here]