Camera Flash iPad 2

[A. GOODWIN]

I recently was looking at some apps for a substitute camera out of curiosity,
and I noticed some apps offer a flash for iPad2 for the rear facing camera.
As I was reading the description and functions it had occurred to me that this is impossible . Then I pondered ,why didn't apple include a flash feature for low light conditions. I have concluded that apple gives you just enough ,right up to an important
function as this so they can leave room for an added future model as a selling tactic!
WELL....!!!! It's not like it would have cost more than .17cents to install . Perhaps Apple is low on funds . (BA DUM TSSH.) Well if any one has an answer or if it's possible please chime in .
I do like photography and I like night shots . Thanks. A. G.€3€£¥

 

[giradman]

Well, I just replaced my iPad 2 (bought early 2011) w/ the iPad Air 2, which also does not have a flash (which is true of all the iPads made to date) - plus, the camera on the iPad 2 is lousy (the back one just 0.7 MP) and not worthy of taking decent photos, especially in low light situations; I guess OK in a pinch?

The newest iPad, i.e. Air 2 has an 8 MP iSight camera (the other newer iPad models, a 5 MP camera) - which can certainly make decent photographs and offers a lot of other options. Now my wife's new iPhone 6 also has an 8 MP camera but w/ a flash (which can also act as a flashlight, e.g. handy in a movie theater) - SO, why did Apple not put a flash in the newer iPads? Maybe the sizes between the different iDevices? Dave

 

[scifan57]

I don't think that Apple believes that iPad users are as serious about photography with their iPads as iPhone users are about photography with their iPhones, otherwise I believe we would have seen a flash for the iPad camera years ago. BTW, it's the FaceTime camera on an iPad 2 that's 0.7MP, the rear camera is 1.2MP. The original iPhone had a better camera 4 years earlier, (2MP).

 

[giradman]

Quote below from HERE (bold added) - Dave

The revised tablet adds front- and rear-facing cameras, which allow FaceTime video calls with other iPad 2s, the 3rd generation iPad, iPhone 4 and 4S, fourth-generation iPod Touch and Macintosh computers (running Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later with a webcam).[44] The 0.3 MP front camera shoots VGA-quality 30 frame/s video and VGA-quality still photos.[3] The 0.7 MP back camera can shoot 720p HD video at 30 frame/s and has a 5 times digital zoom.[6] Both shoot photo in a 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio. The rear camera shoots video in 16:9 widescreen to match the 720p standard, although only the central 4:3 part of the recording is shown on the screen during recording.[11] The forward facing camera shoots in 4:3.[

 

[scifan57]

I was wrong about the resolution of the rear camera, apparently the resolution is 0.92MP when shooting video and 0.7MP when shooting still pictures, according to the camera pixel counts in the Wikipedia article you linked to.

 

[A. GOODWIN]

True..true...Giradman. It's understable, I mean there are so many photo apps. Free and paid .I can think of several lucid , well thought , reasonable, reasons why Apple has neglected the flash. But what I am not understanding is that every camera I have and had , not to mention the dinosaurs that our grandfathers had, all have some type of flash . Even if you go back to the earliest ones when gunpowder was used as a
sorta flash. Perhaps it is intentional for marketing strategies in future . I can see it now APPLES NEW I PAD 12b52 aero stream first of its kind and added feature Front facing flash! But you have to pay 39.99 for the app . Before it will work huhuh.....well I'm not going out to get it . I have purchased a new I phone last month , I have bought 1 pad 2 and now I've got Another I pad 2 for Christmas still in the box any way I guess I support apple wished they would support us haha ....

 

[A. GOODWIN]

Perhaps scifan57 , is along the proper thinking line.
The I phones are a bit easier to port around .And it's all good
I'm not griping I just don't get it. There are several apps that say flash for I pad 2 but not a true flash for lack of a better word. I purchased the
Camera flash pro for 4.99 and it's not a double summersaut back flip
Of an app . All these flash apps are for those who take selfies all day long . Only rear facing camera . Oh well I'll be one of those statistics
That will use ipad2camera during daylight or ballpark lights only
Later ........

 

[twerppoet]

There are quite a few portable LED lights these day. Ones meant to be used for photography. Search for 'iPad LED camera light" and several will pop up. Some are larger, suitable for mounting next to an iPad for studio style work. Others are portable, even pocketable. Check out Photojojo.com for the ring light.

These are not flashes, exactly. You turn them on, take the picture, then turn them off. The downside is that they use up their charge faster. The upside is that the result is more predictable than a flash, since you can see the results and make adjustments to the lighting while taking the picture. More importantly you can hold the light source off to the side for better results, and to avoid the dreadde red eyed demons.

 

[A. GOODWIN]

How's it going twerppoet?, you know that's a fine idea, I looked into the
Photojojo.com per your suggestion . I got some ideas on the images and just put one together from some parts and pieces of led lights I've collected over the years and have a damn good one made . The cool thing about what I've constructed is its magnetic and small and has 6 LEDs operating on aaaa batts. I want to try it outside only it's like
-4 degrees and snow . Aw it works fine inside with lights out ....should be fine outside . I want to check distances out as an experiment , but limited in my small home ... Any way, great suggestion . It worked for me. Thanx.... MANIMAL

 

[twerppoet]

No problem. Sounds like you had fun with the project.

 

[A. GOODWIN]

What's up twerppoet.? How are things in .....walla walla ....is pronounced,
Wha La Wha La? ...Ya,,, it was a cool little project, I have my master in electrical and have just about every tool you could do electrical work with
After 26 years and it's not often I get to use my heatless solder tool ...great for LEDs .. Well now that I've used it it will pile up some where for another 5 yrs ... Took me two hrs to find the damn thing , lost my temper made a mess ....might have been better to take your advice and just order it. Hey they (photojojo) have a lot of neat shistuff... From what I've reveiwed prices ain't bad.... .
Have you purchased anything from them ? Curious about quality!
What I'm going to do is see how far I can shoot a night shot by
Distance in ft/ lumens 6ttl.leds and post if ones are curious.You could probably get something cheaper at Walmart. Similar. Like a reading light on head board. If anything it will tell me if I or others need more than 6 LEDs for a good exposure within say 8ft. Your idea by proxy to begin with ...huhuhuhaha
Later

 

[twerppoet]

I've had to throw out most of my old junk and tools, if there was any difference. I don't have the space anymore.

Photojojo is well known. I see their stuff reviewed all the time, mostly positive. I did buy a couple of small items a few years back. They worked well enough, but no longer fit my current iOS devices (assuming I could find them). I consider them decent value for the price. There are similar products available at much higher prices, and presumably higher quality, but in the end these tend to be products you're going to use for a year or two at most. There's little point spending a fortune on them.

Good luck with your project. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[A. GOODWIN]

Thanks twerppoet ,I will its a minor effort project . Perhaps there may be some useful info for others as well as myself , after all I pads don't have a flash and if I've done my homework correct this will maybe take some of the guess work out for others in
How much , how far , how good , .... The math will be done and others can play around with it simply by making one or as you suggest in the photojojo store. In the very least it means a well thought out , somewhat calculated in numbers just how much does one want to use iPad for low light conditions without the hassles .
Your idea on the cutting out of red eye, slightly aiming light askew , are all good ,
I imagine this is done but I don't have one and I like facts and numbers and haven't see any specs on . Also I think that one may be surprised at some tricks you could do with a magnetic led small light ,..... I'll snap pic of the one I made and put it in the forum gallery it's pretty neat and compact, ..... Ill take apic of it at night huhuhhaha
Later,,, thanks for all your support and help twerppoet!