It's the bane of anyone attending a museum, sports event or concert: People holding up their iPads (and other tablets) to take photographs. Apple just gave those people a far more powerful weapon with the iPad Air 2.
The new iPad has an impressive camera: It shoots 8-megapixel photos, has a large f/2.4 aperture to capture lots of light, includes a burst mode and 43-megapixel panoramas, and can capture slow-motion video. Even the front-facing camera got an upgrade with a bigger f/2.2 aperture and better face detection.
Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller spent more than four and half minutes talking about the cameras alone during Thursday's iPad Air 2 keynote. Clearly, Apple sees the iPad as a primary image-capturing device for many people.
The numbers appear to bear that out. Although the iPads don't hold a candle to the iPhones in terms of camera popularity, according to Flickr, the tablets are still responsible for more photos than most models from prominent camera brands such as Fuji and Konica Minolta.
This just confirms what we already know: Lots of people are using iPads as cameras. Apple is simply responding to the demands of its customers. It sees people using iPads as cameras— why not give them what they want?
Many on Twitter have the answer to that question: Because it blocks views and makes the photographer look like a moron.
Arguably, the large display is at least one practical defense to using an iPad for photography. The big screen allows you to see details you might otherwise miss before you take a shot.
The iPad's Retina screen is basically the best camera viewfinder ever.
That benefit, however, is counterbalanced by a trade-off in dignity. You're guaranteed to provoke eye rolling when you whip out a tablet to take a picture in a public place. Although a DSLR is arguably more bulky, you at least get the credibility of a real camera. It might be awkward, but it sends the message that you take photos very seriously. An iPad just screams rube.
If that smacks of photo snobbery, blocking more of the view for others is yet another reason against using an iPad to snap photos. For usual tourist fare, that's not a big deal, but try using your tablet's camera at a concert and things could get heated pretty quickly.
Regardless, the iPad Air 2 confirms tablet photography is here to stay— no matter how loudly its critics may protest. It's ironic that the best feature of the iPad Air 2 may prove to be its most divisive. Oh, snap.
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