The “resolutionary” new iPad was unveiled by Apple CEO Tim Cook at today’s Apple Special Event, and there is much for iPhotography fans to like.
Full iPad specs are now posted on Apple’s website along with a gallery of photos and videos taken with the new iPad camera. Watch full March 7, 2012 Apple Event > Video.
The new high resolution display (3.1 million pixels), 4G LTE “next gen” iPad goes on sale March 16th and will sport some nicely enhanced camera optics and functionality. The front camera will have iSight with face detection, and will remain at a VGA resolution (0.3 megapixels). The exciting news is the five (5) megapixel camera on the iPad’s backside, which will enable high definition 1080p video recording with image stabilization. The new rear camera will also have a temporal noise reduction filter to lessen potential for “blurring” in videos.
The new five (5) megapixel iPad camera includes….
a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) light sensor and is powered by an Apple-designed image processor built into the A5X chip. The new camera system borrows from both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S and comes with backside illumination, auto-exposure + auto-focus, a fifth lens (also in iPhone 4S) and hybrid infrared (IR) filter.
During today’s Event, Apple SVP Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, showcased several photos and videos taken with the new iPad. Schiller explained that the new auto-exposure and autofocus “gives you incredible detail and sharpness and auto face detection.” The iPad lets you “compose the photo you want.” And according to Shiller, autofocus and white balance “deliver a great photo experience.”
The new iPad (not called iPad 3 or iPad HD), will start at $499 and will be available March 16.