The Best Tablet Cameras: Windows, IOS and Android

Traditionally, tablet cameras were weak and provided poor resolution images and videos. This is because photography and videography were not considered as your tablet’s core function.

Lately however, these capabilities have been enhanced to offer impressive camera set ups that are sometimes even better than Smartphone devices.

This added capability has caused an increase in the tablet’s versatility when using. You can use it for video conferencing, video shooting, content creation, and photography. Camera quality has also been included among the most important considerations when choosing a tablet.

Do you really need high-quality cameras on tablets? Yes, the main reason for this is because a tablet is meant to be used as an alternative for either your smartphone or laptop. It balances portability and powerful productivity to easily be used instead of the two. A good camera will also attract specific professionals like creatives and designers.

Comparison Table of Top Tablet Cameras

1. iPad Pro 12.9: Best Overall
2. Apple iPad Pro 13-Inch: Runner Up
3. SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S8+: best for video recording
4. Samsung Galaxy S9 Tab Ultra: Best Android
5. Samsung Galaxy S8 Tab Ultra: Best Value and Performance
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+: Best Value
7. Microsoft Pro 8: The Best Tablet from Windows
8. Apple iPad Air: Portable Tablet
9. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5: The Cheapest Tablet

iPad Pro 12.9: Best Overall

• Screen size: 12.9-inch
• Resolution: 2048 x 2732 pixels
• Rear Camera: 12 megapixels wide and 10 megapixels ultra-wide
• Front camera: 12 megapixels ultra-wide (f/2.4)
• OS: iPadOS 16.1
• Processor: Apple M2 chip
• Storage: 128 GB to 2 TB
• RAM: 4, 8 to 16 GB RAM

Just like in many other tablet fields, the latest iPad Pro 12.9 tablet stands out as the best. It features a perfect camera with full 4K video recording capabilities. This is made possible by the rear 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel wide cameras with f/1.8 and f/2.4 aperture camera lens sizes, respectively.

The rear camera also features a unique True Tone flash light output to allow you to shoot in low-light conditions.

A lower aperture f-number, such as f/1.8, means a wider or larger lens opening. This will allow more light into your tablet camera and offer better quality. The 12-megapixel wide front camera on the iPad Pro is perfect for selfies and videoconferencing.

Modern iPads do not feature image stabilization. The Apple iPad Pro 10.5 inch was the last version to come with both image stabilization and HDR capabilities. This feature has since been discontinued.

The Apple iPad Pro has one of the best screens in the tablet industry. It is 12.9 inches in size with a 2048 x 2732 pixels resolution. This clear display is made even better by a high 120 Hz refresh rate and up to 1000 nits brightness.

The screen also features a unique liquid retina display, which is better than the AMOLED or 2X AMOLED display on Samsung tablets. Whether you need powerful iPad video editing or simple drawing, the iPad Pro 12.9 performs best.

It is powered by the new Apple M2 chip processor and 4, 8 to 16 GB RAM options. The 4 GB RAM option will be okay but a little slow when editing complex files or playing games.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S8+: best tablet for video recording

1. Screen Size: 12.4
2. Resolution: 2800 x 1752 Pixels
3. Storage: 128 GB
4. Large AMOLED Screen
5. S Pen Included
6. Rear Camera: 12 MP with an f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS)
7. Front Camera: 8 Megapixels Auto Focus, F1.7
8. Ultra Wide Camera Records 4K Video
9. Long Lasting Battery

If you are a content creator and need a tablet that will shoot your content in 4K resolution, the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S8+ is the best option. It is very similar to the S8 Ultra but more compact and smaller in size.

The S8+ features a large AMOLED 12.4-inch screen size and 2800 x 1752 pixel resolution. The screen will display your work in rich colors and an overall stunning display. Just like many other Samsung tablets, you will get a free S Pen included.

You will have an ultra-wide rear camera, capable of recording 4K videos, making this a perfect tablet for content creators. Recording and editing your videos on the tablet will be a breeze thanks to the upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset processor and 8 GB RAM.

8 GB RAM will be perfect for streaming and photo editing but might lag when you try to edit videos with it. For video editing, we recommend tablets with 16 GB RAM and above.

To save files, you will have a choice between 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB storage space. You can also upgrade your space to 1 TB using an external MicroSD card.

The SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S8+ has a fast charging system and a long-lasting battery that will keep you working on it for up to 10 hours. If you are used to working on a laptop layout, this tablet provides a perfect PC-like experience with easy compatibility to DeX multitasking with Samsung DeX and Microsoft 365 integration.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Tab Ultra: Best Value and Performance

• Screen size: 14.6-inch
• Resolution: 1848 x 2960 Pixels
• AMOLED screen
• CPU: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM: 8 TO 16 GB
• Free S Pen
• Weight: 726 g
• OS: Android 12
• Storage: 128, 256, 512 GB
• Expandable storage to 1 TB on a microSD
• Rear cameras: Wide 13 MP resolution with an f/2.0 aperture and a focal length of 26 mm.
• Second Rear Camera: Ultrawide Camera with 6 MP resolution, Autofocus, and an f/2.2 Aperture.
• Front cameras: Wide 12 MP resolution with an f/2.2 inch aperture and a 26 mm focal length
• Second Front Camera: Ultrawide: 12 MP resolution and f/2.4

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Tab Ultra is the best Samsung tablet camera. However, with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S9+, this might change. 

Currently, this is the closest Android has come to matching up with iPad power and features. However, it still falls short on certain aspects. Check out our head-to-head comparison between the Samsung Galaxy S8 Tab Ultra and the iPad Pro 12.9 inch.

The 14.6-inch super AMOLED screen at 5 mm with 1848 x 2960 pixels resolution and 450 nits brightness levels sets apart the screen as one of the best, only second to the iPad.

For editing your videos or multitasking on your tablet, you will have a powerful Gen 1 Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 processor and 8 to 16 GB of RAM options to choose from. The 8 GB is okay for basic tasks, but for real heavy lifting, go for the 16 GB option.

The rear camera is perfect for recording videos and photography thanks to a 2-camera setup with a wide 13 MP resolution option, with an f/2.0 inches aperture plus a focal length of 26 mm. The second rear camera is not as clear with a 6 MP resolution and an f/2.2 aperture.

The 6 MP ultra-wide camera is quite good for motion or action shots thanks to the inbuilt autofocus. The front cameras are also clear and good for webcams, selfies, and video conferencing.

2 Front cameras have a wide 12 MP resolution option with an f/2.2 inch Aperture and a 26mm Focal Length. The second camera is an ultrawide 12 MP option at f/2.4.

Overall, this is a premium tablet with premium features. For photography and video, you will have dual cameras for both the front and back.

Both camera sets come with a 26-mm focal length lens for easy focusing on objects as you shoot. Additionally, you will be able to shoot in 4K at 60 frames per second on both rear and front cameras.

These camera specifications are perfect if you need an Android tablet for content creation. However, if you want a better resolution or reliable low-light shooting, we recommend the S9 Ultra. It features better resolution and better functionality in low light. This is made possible by a larger 8MP sensor on the S9 Ultra compared to the S8 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Ultra: Best Android

1. Screen size: AMOLED 14.6-inch
2. Resolution: 1848 x 2960 pixels
3. Brightness: 930 nits
4. Rear Camera: 13 MP wide and 8 MP ultrawide
5. Front cameras: 12 MP wide and 12 MP ultrawide
6. Processor: Octa-core
7. Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB expandable
8. OS: Android 13
9. Rear Wide cameras: 13 MP resolution, f/2.0, and 26 mm focal length
10. Rear ultrawide camera: 8 MP resolution and f/2.2
11. Wide Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 26 mm
12. Ultra Wide Front Camera: 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚

The Samsung S8 Ultra has recently been upgraded to three new versions. That is the Samsung Galaxy S9 Tab Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S9+, and S9. These new series maintain the sleek designs and powerful features of their S8 predecessors.

Although it is not too different from the S8 Ultra, the new S9 Ultra is the best tablet on Android with a good camera that you can buy.

The size and resolution are the same at 14.6 inches and 1848 x 2960 pixels for a perfect view. However, the S9 Tab Ultra features a brighter screen with up to 930 nits compared to the S8 Ultra, which has only 420 nits of brightness.

This is closer to the premium iPad Pro, which comes with up to 1000 nits. High brightness levels allow the tablet to be used both indoors and outdoors, even in high-light environments.

For web conferencing and selfies, the front camera will be the same on the S8 Ultra, S9 Ultra, and iPad Pro, with a 12 MP wide plus 12 MP ultrawide resolution. This means you will have a total of four powerful cameras on this tablet.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Ultra and S8 Ultra feature very similar dual camera systems for both the front and rear cameras. However, the S9 Ultra will shoot better in low light thanks to the wide aperture range between F2.4 and F1.5 plus high 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel resolution cameras for videos and photographs.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+: Samsung Tablet Camera

• Rear Cameras Wide: 13 MP Wide camera
• 5 MP ultrawide camera
• The rear camera has flash and auto-focus available.
• Front Camera—8.0 MP Resolution
• Video Recording: UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) @ 30 fps
• Front camera: 8 MP
• Screen size: 12.4-inch
• Resolution: 1752 x 2800 Pixels
• Weight: 575 g
• OS: Android 10
• CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus
• Storage: 128 or 256 GB

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ takes the spot as the Samsung tablet camera. It may not be as good as the more modern S8 Ultra in terms of power and features, but the cameras are very similar.

You will be able to shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second on both the front and rear cameras, which is good, although lower than 4K video at 60 fps on the S8 Ultra.

The rear camera comes at 13 MP, f/2.0 with a 26 mm focal length, and the ultrawide rear camera is at 5 MP, f/2.2, 12 mm (ultrawide). It has flash shooting enabled for low-light shooting, plus autofocus for action shots.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+, just like the S8 Ultra, comes with a super AMOLED screen, although slightly smaller and with significantly lower resolution.

The screen is 12.4 inches and features a 1752 x 2800 pixel resolution. However, the technology used to make the two tablet screens is the same.

Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ and S8 Ultra will come with a Samsung S Pen on purchase for free and are compatible with different accessories, such as keyboards for typing notes.

For processing power, you will have a powerful Snapdragon 865 Plus and 6 GB and 8 GB of RAM options. The processor is perfect, but the RAM could have been better at 16 GB.

Microsoft Pro 8: The Best For Windows

• 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p full HD video
• 10.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p HD and 4K video
• Screen size: 13 inches
• Resolution: 2880 x 1920 pixels
• Weight: 891 g
• Dimensions: 287 mm x 208 mm x 9.3 mm
• OS: Windows 11
• Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-i7
• RAM: 16 GB
• Storage: 128 GB to 1 TB

If you prefer a Windows tablet option, we recommend the Microsoft Pro 8 as our best pick. It features a large 13-inch screen with a perfect 2880 x 1920 pixel resolution. You will be able to view your work in crisp, clear, rich, and vivid colors.

All features, including processing power, storage space, and RAM, are all above par with a powerful 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 for the processor, 16 GB for the RAM, and 128 GB to 1 TB of expandable storage space using a MicroSD card.

For selfies and webcams, you will have a 5.0 MP front camera capable of shooting videos at 1080p full HD. This is the perfect quality for vlog videos. If you want to use the rear camera to shoot your content, it will be possible to get up to 4K video quality.

The rear camera features a 10.0 MP resolution with an inbuilt autofocus camera. It shoots photos and videos at 1080p HD and 4k quality.

Unfortunately, the cameras are not the best, with the rear camera featuring only 10 MP and the front camera featuring 5 MP.

Apple iPad Air: Small iPad with a good camera

• Screen size: 10.9-inch
• Resolution: 1640 x 2360 pixels
• Weight: 661 g
• Dimensions: 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm
• OS: iPadOS 15.4
• Processor: Apple M1 chip
• Storage: 64 GB or 256 GB
• Rear camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 1/3″, 
• Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.4

If you prefer an iPad but are not able to go for the expensive iPad Pro, the Apple iPad Air is a good alternative. It takes the spot for the best value-for-money tablet with a camera that you can buy.

This is made possible by its powerful features and build, which are very similar to those of the iPad Pro but at a fraction of the price.

It is slightly smaller at 10.9 inches and features a lower 1640 x 2360 pixel screen resolution. However, the screen features the same Liquid Retina technology as the more expensive iPad Pro.

The camera on the iPad Air is better than most tablets in this review. It comes with a dual camera setup with 12 MP, f/1.8 (wide) for the rear camera and 12 MP, f/2.4 for the front camera.

Unfortunately, you will not have the ultrawide camera option found on the more expensive iPad Pro. This means the iPad Pro has two extra cameras.

The iPad Air will not disappoint when it comes to the overall zoom radius and 4K video recording. Like the iPad Pro, you will be able to shoot 4K videos with 1080p and up to 5 times zoom.

For processing power, it is significantly slower than the iPad Pro with an older M1 chip compared to the new M2 found on new models. M1 is not bad, however, and will run faster than most Android or Windows tablets.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5: Cheapest Tablet

• Screen size: 10.5 inches
• Resolution: 1200 x 1920 Pixels
• Weight: 529 g
• S Pen Included
• OS: Android 8.1
• Processor: Snapdragon 450
• RAM: 3 GB
• Storage: 32 GB
• Rear camera: 8 MP, f/1.9, AF
• Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.2

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is another Android tablet from Samsung. It is the cheapest of all the Samsung tablets in this review. Despite being very cheap, it comes with some decent features that will surely give you value for your money.

Compared to the other gadgets in this review, the cameras are okay for their price range, but surely not the best. It comes with an 8 MP, f/1.9, AF rear camera and a 5 MP, f/2.2 front camera.

Both the rear and front cameras can shoot 1080p video at 30 frames per second. It features a 10.5-inch screen and a 1200 x 1920 pixel screen resolution.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 runs on a Snapdragon 450 processor with 3 GB of RAM and an Android 8.1 operating system. You will not find a better tablet in this price range.

Choosing the Best Tablet Camera

The factors to consider when choosing the best one will vary depending on how you intend to use the tablet camera. For example, if you are a photographer or content creator, you will check the rear camera specifications, including resolution in megapixels, image stabilization, autofocus, and many others.

Megapixels: More megapixels improve the quality of your image. If you are shooting in low-light situations, choose a tablet camera with a flashlight to avoid dim shots.

If you want a tablet camera for simple vlogging or video conferencing, you will have to consider the front camera quality.

Considering the different lenses on tablets and their aperture sizes, a lower f-number allows more light into the camera and results in clearer images in low-light conditions. A good example is the (like f/1.8) aperture size.

Tablet specifications like a powerful processor, large RAM, long battery life, large screen, and resolution are also important considerations to have in mind.

Choosing a camera with inbuilt Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) is important for reducing blur caused by movement. This improves the photo and video clarity significantly.

For the best experience, we recommend cameras with powerful RAM and processors to handle video and image processing. AI-powered camera modes on tablets are an added advantage.

For the best experience, choose tablets with high resolution, such as 12 MP or higher on the rear cameras. Additionally, consider tablet cameras with a large sensor. These cameras offer better noise reduction and image quality.

For the best clarity, choose cameras with 4K or 1080p video recording capability. A camera with high autofocus speed allows you to capture images in low light or moving scenes.

Sometimes you will need to shoot for long hours away from a power source. Consider tablets with a long battery life to keep you going longer. You can choose a tablet with Wi-Fi and 4G/5G, ensuring you can easily share your photos and videos.

Conclusion

There are different operating platforms you can choose when using a tablet camera. You either use iOS, Android, or Windows OS tablets.

iPad Cameras

If you prefer iOS operating systems, the Apple iPad Pro 13-inch and the Apple iPad Air are your best options. The iPad Pro 13-inch features a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera and a 12MP Wide back camera with ProRes support, plus a LiDAR scanner.

For those who need a photography iPad, the Apple iPad Air is the best pick. It features a 12MP ultra-wide front camera and a 7MP wide back camera.

Android Tablet Cameras

For those who prefer Android tablets, Samsung and Lenoveo are the top-ranking brands in the field. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ features a 12.4” AMOLED display with a sharp quality display, ideal for Photo editing and taking video calls.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro features the best battery experience with 10 to 12 hours of continuous use. It features a 12.6” AMOLED screen with dual cameras set up at 13 MP and 5 MP).

Windows Tablet Cameras

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1t Table are the best for Windows users. They feature an OS similar to Windows computers and Laptops.

The Surface Pro 9 has a 13-inch PixelSense display and 10 and 5 MP rear and front cameras respectively. It ensures high-quality photo editing and video calls. Lenovo ThinkPad X1t features a similar 13-inch display and a smaller 8 and 5 MP rear and front cameras respectively.

What is the Best Tablet Camera for Videos & Photo?

The iPad Pro 12.9 is our top recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions