5. Capture Photos and Video

The iPad and iPad mini each include two built-in cameras for capturing photos and video: one mounted on the back and one at the front. After a couple of generations of lackluster hardware, the cameras in the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad with Retina display are now nice and sharp. The front-facing FaceTime HD camera is great for making FaceTime video calls. The camera on the back captures 5 megapixels of data, features great lens elements, and captures 1080p video with automatic image stabilization. (The cameras on the iPad 2, however, just barely pass muster.)

And yet, specifications quickly lose their importance when you’re video-chatting with a friend in another city or capturing a photo or video that you ...

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