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Can the iPad Air 2 beat the Galaxy Note 4 in a blind camera comparison? Nope, our readers say

By Nick Todorov

Published: Dec 09, 2014, 3:16 AM

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Can the iPad Air 2 beat the Galaxy Note 4 in a blind camera comparison? Nope, our readers say

Each and every time we do a blind camera comparison, the comments section gets flooded by folks trying to guess which phones were used. Last week's 1v1 shootout was no exception, and a number of commenters were spot-on about Camera 2 being the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (the Snapdragon 805 model, in particular). On the other hand, nobody got the mysterious Camera 1 right, although some were on the right track by suspecting that it was an Apple device. But it wasn't an iPhone. It was an iPad Air 2 with its humble 8MP camera.

Now, you're probably thinking that an iPad's camera couldn't have stood a chance against that of a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. And you'd be right if you do. That's why our comparison's outcome brings no surprises – over 76% of those who voted did so in its favor of Samsung's phablet. Still, we hope you'll agree with us when we say that the iPad Air 2's shooter held up well against the superior camera of its rival. At least in daytime shots, that is. In darker scenes, the iPad lagged noticeably behind the Note 4, which was expected given the former's smaller sensor and narrower aperture.

That's all for now, folks, but rest assured that it won't be long until our next blind camera comparison. In the meantime, feel free to take another look at the shootout between the iPad Air 2 and the Galaxy Note 4. Samples and crops are provided below.

Which device's camera did better?

iPad Air 2 (Camera 1)

23.96%

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Camera 2)

76.04%

Scene 1

This shot was taken indoors, under the predominating artificial lighting conditions of our office. Some natural light was coming from the right through a couple of small windows. Take a closer look at stacks of magazines to examine how the two cameras capture colors and fine details. The black couch and the shadow under the table are good places to look for digital noise and other imperfections.

Side-by-side view - iPad Air 2 (Camera 1) vs Galaxy Note 4 (Camera 2)

Scene 2

This photo was captured on a gloomy, rainy afternoon. The conditions were far from perfect for taking photos, but the natural light present was still enough to take some decent shots. Zoom in on the grass to see how well the cameras have preserved fine details. Solid colors are a good place to look for digital noise.

Side-by-side view - iPad Air 2 (Camera 1) vs Galaxy Note 4 (Camera 2)

Scene 3

And here's a macro shot taking a close-up look at a mossy pathway. The image was taken outdoors on the same day and presents plenty of intricate details to examine.

Side-by-side view - iPad Air 2 (Camera 1) vs Galaxy Note 4 (Camera 2)"

Scene 4

One more scene shot in a rainy afternoon (sorry, but the weather has been quite gloomy lately). There's a clear difference in the exposure settings that the two cameras have chosen. Fine details can be seen in tree branches and around the building's windows.

Side-by-side view - iPad Air 2 (Camera 1) vs Galaxy Note 4 (Camera 2)

Scene 5

And lastly, here's a photo from inside our office, with an array of ceiling lights providing illumination. There are plenty of areas within the frame that can be inspected for detail quality, and the darker spots are ideal for hunting down digital noise. Again, the cameras have different opinions as to how the scene should be exposed.