Taking pictures with the iPad mini is more enjoyable and less awkward than with its bigger brother, the full sized iPad. As I suspected when I originally wrote about necessary features for the mini, the built-in camera is important. And thankfully, it works well.
Uncropped image from iPad mini processed in iPhoto for iOS. Photo by Derrick Story.
Advantages to using the built-in camera include:
- No accessories required. The pictures go straight to your Camera Roll.
- Beautiful, large LCD viewfinder for composition. It's like having a digital view camera. Yet, it's not too big like with the full-sized iPad.
- Choice of camera software. You can use the built-in Camera app that comes with the mini, or choose other popular apps such as Camera Awesome, Camera+, or ProCamera. They all work great.
- Image editing is easier than on an iPhone. Sharing, however is just as simple.
The sample image I posted has decent specs: 2,592 x 1,936 (5MP), 1.7 MB file size, f/2.4, 1/840th sec, ISO 32, and 3.3mm focal length.
Even though I do carry a Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader for the mini, if I'm after a quick shot that I want to turnaround fast, such as for an Instagram post, then the iPad mini is definitely a fun option.
I don't have a Mini yet since I ordered a cell-enabled version; but a couple days ago I saw a guy out on Red Square (at the University of Washington) taking pictures with his iPad Mini. In a world of camera phones, it's still larger than what I'm used to seeing - but it just didn't look as awkward as using a full-size iPad for photos. I suspect the significantly lighter weight will also make it easier to be patient about composition (in comparison to a full-size iPad).
I'm really looking forward to getting mine!
I bought the mini.. Simply adorable! And I have the iPhone so I thought I'd never buy an iPad. This mini is so cute I couldn't resist. Highly recommend.