Even if the iPad 2 is one great tablet, it has its shortcomings, some of which can’t be ignored by those seeking flexibility. To the list of things to hate about the iPad 2 you can add now the digital camera on the back of the tablet. What’s so ‘special’ about this camera?

    Well, iPad 2 is the unique record holder for the device with a screen resolution bigger than the one of its digital camera, in this case 0.69 Megapixels. We all know that megapixels don’t matter that much as the optical structure of a digital camera, but this is true only if all other features are identical, which is not the case with the iPad 2 camera, as tests revealed image and video quality on par with models found in devices at least 5-6 years old.

    What’s striking is that the iPad 2 is really a nice device when it comes to video editing thanks to its fast dual core CPU and the iMovie app. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do with the videos and images shot with the ‘amazing’ 0.69 megapixel camera. Pictures do look nice on the 9.7 inch screen, but once you download them to your computer another reality is revealed. And when you think that the iPhone 4 has one of the best cameras in a smartphone. Take a look below at the scores of popular mobile devices, including the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy TAB, pitted against the Canon PowerShot S95.

    Overall Image Score

    1. Canon PowerShot S95 (85.6, Very Good)
    2. Apple iPhone 4 (66.2, Fair)
    3. Motorola Xoom (64.8, Fair)
    4. Samsung Galaxy Tab (63.6, Fair)
    5. Apple iPod touch (58, Poor)
    6. Apple iPad 2 (57.8, Poor)

    Overall video quality scores

    1. Canon PowerShot S95 (73.2, Good)
    2. Apple iPhone 4 (71.6, Good)
    3. Motorola Xoom (64.4, Fair)
    4. Apple iPad 2 (60.6, Fair)
    5. Cisco Flip Video UltraHD (60.4, Fair)
    6. Apple iPod touch (58.8, Poor)
    7. Samsung Galaxy Tab (58.0, Poor)
    iPad 2 camera sample

    iPad 2 camera sample

    And here’s a video sample shot with the iPad 2 camera:

    It’s really a pity Apple didn’t invest more in a better digital camera, as the iPad 2 could have been the ideal device for producing movies on the road. Probably Apple has intentionally left features like the camera and screen resolution unchanged so that the iPad 3 could improve on those features, justifying somehow an upgrade. Apple wouldn’t be the first company to cripple its products intentionally to ensure they can effortlessly launch a new ‘improved’ product soon after.

    What’s your opinion on the iPad 2 camera? Will it prevent you from getting the iPad?