Tablet camera vs. smartphone camera: How large are the differences really?

In our recent review of the Lenovo Tab K11 Gen 2, we also took a closer look at its camera performance. For a relatively inexpensive tablet, it was actually quite decent. Of course, there's still a significant difference compared to mid-range smartphones, right?

We grabbed the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion and took some comparison photos with the tablet and the smartphone to find out how much the image quality differs.

The specs already speak volumes: The tablet's 13 MP camera, with an f/2.2 aperture, lets in considerably less light than the smartphone's 50 MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture. The Edge 70 Fusion also features a wide-angle camera and many more software options, such as a Pro and Portrait mode.

First, let’s try the maximum zoom level, which is 8x on the Tab K11 Gen 2. The Edge 70 Fusion can get a little closer, but at the same zoom level, parts of the image already look very artificial, especially in the background. On the tablet, the image looks even worse, as if it was completely edited on a PC using a painting filter.

When taking photos indoors with less than perfect lighting conditions, the smartphone camera has a clear advantage again, as details appear sharper and there is more contrast in the image.

In bright sunlight, the tablet camera overexposes much more quickly and renders colors significantly darker. Nevertheless, decent photos can still be taken with the tablet in good lighting conditions; you just have to experiment more.

Close-up shots sometimes even turn out a little better with the tablet camera.

The Lenovo Tab K11 Gen 2 takes decent snapshots thanks to its camera, which is quite good for an affordable tablet. However, there are clear compromises in terms of dynamic range, contrast and level of detail compared to mid-range smartphones.

On top of that, you can’t just slip an 11-inch tablet into your pocket. As a result, a smartphone like the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion will remain the better choice for photographers, if only for practical reasons.