I just got around to trying my new Surface Pro 2's "cameras" and I couldn't believe how poor they are! My iPhone's camera is ten times better than either the front or rear unit. Microsoft must have thrown them as a total afterthought just because devices are supposed to have them. I've done photography for many, many years and kinda' know my way around cameras and photography, so I'm wondering if there's some trick here that I'm missing in order to get a half way decent image out of the Pro 2's cameras?
Surface Pro 2's Camera... A Joke!
- Thread starter Sir Face
- Start date
It's because Microsoft didn't want you to look like these people:
So, good buy Microsoft.
In reality, the camera for the Surface Pro is on par with most ultrabooks and laptops. As now this is changing, expect the Pro 3 have a bit better one. The camera are for Skype, not taking pictures.
The point of the system is productivity, not an entertainment device like the Surface non-Pro, or iPad or Android based tablets (web surfing, playing Flash or Java style games, checking e-mail, and watching videos on it).
So, good buy Microsoft.
In reality, the camera for the Surface Pro is on par with most ultrabooks and laptops. As now this is changing, expect the Pro 3 have a bit better one. The camera are for Skype, not taking pictures.
The point of the system is productivity, not an entertainment device like the Surface non-Pro, or iPad or Android based tablets (web surfing, playing Flash or Java style games, checking e-mail, and watching videos on it).
Raggarkungen
New Member
Maybe the front camera on Surface Pro 2 arguably can be said to be good enough compared to some ultrabooks and laptops. But as for the camera on the back, the quality it is very disappointing. The Surface Pro 2 is a tablet and Microsoft even promotes professional usage of the rear facing camera in brochures and commercials, like this video (0:09-0:17 seconds):
[video=youtube;TJLY4Cgk18U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJLY4Cgk18U[/video]
Yea. It does deliver such performance. Just get more light. Any camera, even that 50$ drugstore digital camera can look like a professional grade camera. All you need is the skill and knowledge, and go far on top on the mountains above the clouds, on a very sunny day (exaggeration). Every camera manufacture do that. This is why the real test, is low light situation, which they rarely show, as it nearly always looks like crap. Nokia is the only phone manufacture that showcase their camera under low light as it uses this massively large light sensor, and complex image stabilization system. Making the camera pricy for the specs, as the camera cost a lot. This is also part of the reason why DSLR cameras are pricy. Beside the lens which does play a big part, the sensor size it costly. But sadly, in the digital camera world, even cellphones it's all about Mega pixels, and nothing else, but that is a different topic.
The Surface Pro 2 camera is on par with most ultrabooks at release.. well announcement, to be exact. Just now, manufactures started to put better ones (which doesn't say much either).
If you are doing real work, then you should definitely use a DSLR camera for professional looking results. Not a cellphone or any tablet.
The Surface Pro 2 camera is on par with most ultrabooks at release.. well announcement, to be exact. Just now, manufactures started to put better ones (which doesn't say much either).
If you are doing real work, then you should definitely use a DSLR camera for professional looking results. Not a cellphone or any tablet.
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Raggarkungen
New Member
Well, sure, to some degree it is a matter of cost. But since the Surface 2 has a very decent 5 megapixel camera and the Sony Tap 11 tablet got an 8 megapixel camera I am not totally convinced it is all about the cost. I like my Surface Pro 2 and I have only the best to say about it - with the exception of the disappointing camera quality, that is. Well, a Kensington lock and 4G LTE with GPS would also be nice.
Oh I agree with you. I won't be surprised if it's because Microsoft wanted to empty their camera stock at the end of the day, due that the Surface 1 didn't do well, and the Pro 1, which fared better, didn't get much success like it now with the Pro 2. But it is what it is.
I knew absolute this since day 1, as they said it was the same camera as the Pro 1. But I don't think people that bought the Surface Pro 2, remotely cares about the camera.
On my previous laptop I uncheck the camera...why? Its was shitty anyways. Why spend 50$ extra on it, nor use it. And at no point in the past 5 years I said "Damn I need a web cam". I do have one on my desktop, and do use it, every now and then (talking to family and such), however. So that is me personally. I see and treat my mobile device as an extension of my desktop computer.
I knew absolute this since day 1, as they said it was the same camera as the Pro 1. But I don't think people that bought the Surface Pro 2, remotely cares about the camera.
On my previous laptop I uncheck the camera...why? Its was shitty anyways. Why spend 50$ extra on it, nor use it. And at no point in the past 5 years I said "Damn I need a web cam". I do have one on my desktop, and do use it, every now and then (talking to family and such), however. So that is me personally. I see and treat my mobile device as an extension of my desktop computer.
The man in the picture appears to be doing survey work or "street view" shots, maybe for real estate purposes. Did not at all look like photography with aesthetics in mind.
Philtastic
Active Member
Yeah, the camera is garbage 720p. I can see why they went with that, however: most people either have a good camera (whether a stand-alone or cell phone) or won't want to hold up this 2.0-2.5 lb device to take a picture (this is relatively heavy to take a picture with a steady hand with). It's good enough for Skype and taking quick pictures that you don't really care about. For other photos, I've got my iPhone. Obviously, it would be nice if the camera was better but I probably wouldn't care much even if it had a significantly better camera.
