Best for · By need

Best camera tablets for hazardous areas in 2026

A camera tablet for a hazardous area needs certification for the zone it is used in, and the camera has to keep working inside whatever makes the tablet safe. In an Ex case that is not a given, so a maker’s statement that the cameras work through the cover counts for more than the specification of the tablet inside it. Beyond the certificate, what matters is the job the camera does: documenting inspections, measuring with LiDAR, recording video, calling a remote expert or scanning barcodes. These are our picks for camera work in hazardous areas, from the most complete camera system to the highest resolution, zoomed inspection photos and rounds in Zone 2.

At a glance

The top 5 compared

RankTabletBest forCameraVideoLiDARCertified forWeight
1Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inchBest overall camera system12 MP Wide, f/1.8, True Tone flash4K video, ProResYesZone 1/211350 g
2i.safe MOBILE IS940.1Highest-resolution camera50 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 1/211059 g
3ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1Best for zoomed inspection photos at T613 MP autofocus, 8x digital zoom (camera-free version available)UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 30 fpsNoZone 1/211122 g
4BARTEC ET60/65EX2 AndroidBest for photo rounds in Zone 216 MP autofocus with LED flashNot verifiedNoZone 2/221074 g
5Getac ZX80-EXBest compact camera tablet for Zone 216 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22780 g

All five are certified for gas group IIC. The first three are certified for Zone 1 and can also be used in Zone 2; the BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android and the Getac ZX80-EX are certified for Zone 2 only. Prices are on request.

The ranking

Our picks for camera work

  1. Best overall camera system

    Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch

    Xshielder · Certified Ex case for the iPad Pro 11-inch (M5)

    Certified for
    Zone 1/21
    Marking
    II 2G Ex db IIC T6 Gb
    Certification
    ATEX
    Operating system
    iPadOS 27
    Security updates
    7–8 years (based on previous iPad Pro support)
    Weight
    1350 g (including the tablet)

    If a full camera system is your priority, the Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch is the one we would give an engineer or surveyor whose job is to bring evidence back from a hazardous area. Xshielder confirms that the 12 MP rear camera (f/1.8, with True Tone flash) works through the cover, with 4K video and ProRes. It is one rear camera, so what sets it apart is the rest of the system: none of the other four picks has LiDAR.

    LiDAR is confirmed through the cover for measuring a space or capturing a 3D scan. The 12 MP Center Stage front camera with Face ID, also confirmed, suits video calls with a remote expert and unlocking the tablet with Face ID. The 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR screen, at 1,000 nits (SDR maximum), is where you frame and review the shot on site, and stylus input works through the cover for marking up what you capture.

    It is a flameproof (Ex db) cover, certified IIC T6 with dust group IIIC for Zone 1/21 under ATEX. It does not have the highest resolution on this list, and its limits are worth planning around: ATEX only, with no IECEx or North American listing yet; rated to +45 °C; 1,350 g including the tablet; and IP65 pending testing. The battery is not user-replaceable.

    View full details Request a price

  2. Highest-resolution camera

    i.safe MOBILE IS940.1

    i.safe MOBILE · Dedicated Ex tablet

    Certified for
    Zone 1/21
    Marking
    II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 1
    Operating system
    Android 14
    Security updates
    Until Q4 2032
    Weight
    1059 g

    If resolution is what you need, for example to crop into a photo of a nameplate or a gauge, the IS940.1 has the highest on this page: a 50 MP autofocus camera, against 12 to 16 MP for the other four picks. The front camera is 5 MP with fixed focus, the 10.1-inch Gorilla Glass screen works with gloves, and barcodes can be read through the camera with an app.

    It is intrinsically safe (Ex ib) to IIC T4 with dust group IIIC for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx, with Class I Division 1 for North America. It is rated IP68 and to +55 °C, i.safe states security updates until Q4 2032, the battery is user-replaceable outside the hazardous area, and it may be charged in the hazardous area within the certificate’s limits.

    The camera is one part of the system. Our data lists no video specification, no depth sensor and no stated screen brightness for it, so judge it against what you need to record. A distributor, not i.safe, lists a camera-free version, so confirm that with i.safe. T4 means checking gases that ignite below 135 °C.

    View full details

  3. Best for zoomed inspection photos at T6

    ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1

    ecom (Pepperl+Fuchs) · Dedicated Ex tablet

    Certified for
    Zone 1/21
    Marking
    II 2G Ex db ia IIC T6 Gb
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 1
    Operating system
    Android 16
    Security updates
    Q1 2032 (maker’s statement)
    Weight
    1122 g

    For crews who photograph equipment they cannot get close to, the Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 pairs a 13 MP autofocus camera with 8x digital zoom and 4K UHD video at 30 frames per second, at the strictest temperature class. A 5 MP front camera covers calls, a Samsung S Pen is included, and ecom offers a camera-free version for sites that restrict cameras.

    It is a flameproof (Ex db ia) tablet, certified IIC T6 with dust group IIIC for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx, with Class I Division 1 for North America. It is rated IP68 and to +55 °C, and ecom states security updates until Q1 2032.

    The zoom is digital rather than optical, and the 600-nit screen is dimmer than the 1,000 nits on rank 1. There is no depth sensor in our data, the battery is not user-replaceable and the tablet weighs 1,122 g.

    View full details

  4. Best for photo rounds in Zone 2

    BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android

    BARTEC · Rugged tablet, Ex version

    Certified for
    Zone 2/22
    Marking
    II 3G Ex ic op is IIC T4 Gc
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 2
    Operating system
    Android 14
    Security updates
    Until December 2031 (unconfirmed)
    Weight
    1074 g

    For sites where every hazardous area is Zone 2, the ET60/65EX2 Android has a 16 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and an 8 MP front camera with a mechanical privacy shade. The 10.1-inch optically bonded screen is rated at 1,000 nits, and an internal supercapacitor keeps the tablet running while the user-replaceable battery is swapped outside the hazardous area, so a round of photos need not stop for a battery change.

    It is certified for Zone 2/22 only, as intrinsically safe (Ex ic) with optical radiation protection to IIC T4 with dust group IIIC, under ATEX and IECEx, with Class I Division 2 for North America. It is rated to +55 °C and IP64, and runs Android 14. BARTEC lists security updates until December 2031, which is Zebra’s date for the tablet it is built on and needs a Zebra LifeGuard service contract.

    Our data lists no video specification and no depth sensor for it, and it weighs 1,074 g. A site with any Zone 1 area needs one of the first three picks.

    View full details

  5. Best compact camera tablet for Zone 2

    Getac ZX80-EX

    Getac · Rugged tablet, Ex version

    Certified for
    Zone 2/22
    Marking
    II 3G Ex ic op is IIC T4 Gc
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx
    Operating system
    Android 15
    Security updates
    Until February 2029 (unconfirmed)
    Weight
    780 g

    For Zone 2 crews who want a camera in a tablet small enough to carry all day, the ZX80-EX is the lightest on this page at 780 g. It has an 8-inch, 1,000-nit screen, a 16 MP autofocus camera and an 8 MP front camera, with 12 GB of memory, IP67, a digitiser pen and a user-replaceable battery, and it runs Android 15.

    It is certified for Zone 2/22 only, as intrinsically safe (Ex ic) with optical radiation protection (“op is”) to IIC T4 with dust group IIIC, and rated to +55 °C. Its IECEx certificate (issued January 2026) names the ZX80-Exc but not the generation, which we matched to this model by its batteries and ratings; we found no published ATEX certificate, so check what your site needs. Getac lists security updates until February 2029, which is its date for the standard model.

    Our data lists no video specification and no depth sensor for it. The certificate bars its USB, docking and other interfaces, and battery changes and charging, from hazardous areas, and it cannot be used in Zone 1.

    View full details

Method

How we ranked them

Rank 1 goes to the tablet with the most complete camera system that its maker confirms works in the hazardous area, judged as a whole: the rear camera and its video, depth sensing, the front camera and the screen you review shots on. We count what is confirmed through the cover or housing, not just the camera on the tablet inside it. The Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch has a 12 MP f/1.8 rear camera with flash and 4K ProRes video, a LiDAR scanner, a 12 MP front camera with Center Stage and Face ID, and an 11-inch, 1,000-nit screen, all confirmed by Xshielder to work through the cover.

Resolution is one factor among those, not the whole answer. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 has the highest resolution of any current tablet in our data, a 50 MP autofocus camera (the Zone 2 IS940.2 shares it), but our data lists no video specification and no depth sensor for it, and its front camera is 5 MP. We make no claims about any maker’s image processing, HDR or lens quality, because nothing in our data measures them.

Positions 2 to 5 are not a camera-quality order. Each names the strongest choice for a different kind of camera work: the highest resolution, zoomed inspection photos at T6, and photo rounds in Zone 2. Prices are on request for every brand, so cost does not affect the order. The order follows what makers state, and it would change if a maker confirmed more camera features in the zone or another tablet added a depth sensor.

Every figure comes from certificates, declarations of conformity and manufacturer datasheets, and the same rules apply to every brand. Read how we rate or see the disclosure.

Before you buy

What to check on a camera tablet

Your site’s hazardous area classification and camera policy come first. Then check what the maker states about the camera in the zone, not just the specification of the tablet.

  • Cameras confirmed in the zone

    On an Ex case or conversion, ask which cameras the maker confirms work through the housing. A camera on the tablet inside is not the same as a camera you can use, and an unstated camera is unverified, not a “no”.

  • The whole camera system

    Compare the rear camera and its video, any depth sensor such as LiDAR, the front camera for calls with remote experts, and the screen you review shots on. Resolution is only one of those.

  • Video and apps

    Check the video specification, such as 4K at 30 frames per second, whether it is listed at all, and whether your inspection or documentation app runs on the tablet’s operating system.

  • Zone and certificate

    The camera is part of the certified equipment. Check the zone, gas group and temperature class on the certificate for your exact version, because camera and camera-free versions can have separate part numbers.

  • Camera-free sites

    Some sites ban cameras altogether. Several makers offer camera-free versions, and Find tablets has a filter for them.

More choice

Other camera tablets on sale

Filter tablets with a LiDAR scanner
TabletCameraVideoLiDARCertified forCertificationWeight
Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active513 MP, autofocus, flash4K UHD at 30 fps recordingNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx940 g
Atexxo Zone 1 iPad mini 612 MP Wide, f/1.84K videoNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx990 g
Atexxo Zone 1 iPad mini 712 MP Wide, f/1.8, True Tone flash4K videoNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx990 g
BARTEC Agile S NI8 MP autofocus with LED flashNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx + UKEX1200 g
BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Windows13 MP autofocus with LED flashNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1200 g
Durabook R8-EXOptional 11 MP autofocus with flashNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX880 g (unconfirmed)
Durabook U11I-EXOptional 11 MP autofocus with flashNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX1490 g (unconfirmed)
Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC8 MP autofocus with flash (Eaton: camera-free version available)1080p at 30 fpsNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx1430 g
ecom Pad-Ex 01 P12 DZ211 MP autofocus (optional)Not verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1200 g
ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ213 MP autofocus, 8x digital zoom (camera-free version available)UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 30 fpsNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx595 g (unconfirmed)
Getac F110-EX G78 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1680 g
Getac K120-EX G38 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1700 g
Getac UX10-EX G513 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1150 g
Getac ZX10-EX G216 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1050 g
Getac ZX80W-EX16 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx780 g
i.safe MOBILE IS930.113 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx + UKEX890 g
i.safe MOBILE IS930.213 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx890 g
i.safe MOBILE IS940.250 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1059 g
i.safe MOBILE IS945.112 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx1059 g
i.safe MOBILE IS945.212 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx1059 g
The Joy Factory aXtion Extreme iPad mini12 MP Wide, f/1.8, True Tone flash4K videoNoZone 1/21ATEX + IECEx1396 g (unconfirmed)
TouchStar TS330010 MP (Sony) with Luxeon flashNot verifiedNoZone 2/22ATEX + IECEx800 g
Winmate M101AD-EX8 MP autofocus with LEDNot verifiedNoZone 2ATEX + IECEx1200 g
Winmate M101S-EX8 MP autofocusNot verifiedNoZone 2ATEX + IECEx1250 g

Discontinued models are left out; Find tablets lists them. Ex cases and conversions are listed only where the maker states that the rear camera works through the housing; where that is only inferred, the tablet is not listed here.

Xshielder

A Zone 1 iPad Pro with a full camera system

Xshielder’s flameproof (Ex db) cover for the iPad Pro 11-inch is certified IIC T6 for Zone 1/21 under ATEX, and Xshielder confirms that the camera, LiDAR, front camera with Face ID and stylus input work through it. It is ATEX only for now and rated to +45 °C, with IP65 pending testing. Tell the team about your site and fleet size to get a quote. See the iPad Pro 11-inch cover.

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FAQ

Camera tablet questions

What is the best camera tablet for hazardous areas?

The Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch ranks first on the whole camera system: a 12 MP rear camera with flash and 4K ProRes video, LiDAR, a 12 MP front camera with Center Stage and Face ID, and an 11-inch, 1,000-nit screen, all confirmed by Xshielder to work through the cover. It is certified IIC T6 for Zone 1/21 under ATEX only, rated to +45 °C, weighs 1,350 g and has IP65 pending testing.

Which hazardous-area tablet has the highest-resolution camera?

The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1, with a 50 MP autofocus camera, against 12 to 16 MP for the other four picks on this page. Resolution is one factor among video, depth sensing, the front camera and the screen: our data lists no video specification or LiDAR for the IS940.1. It is certified for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx, with Class I Division 1.

Do iPad cameras work inside an explosion-proof case?

That depends on the maker, so ask before you buy. Xshielder states that the rear camera, LiDAR and front camera work through the cover of its iPad Pro 11-inch case (ATEX only, rated to +45 °C). Atexxo states that the rear camera works through a glass opening in its Zone 1 iPad mini 7 housing, while its front camera is inferred rather than stated for that model.

Can I use LiDAR or 3D scanning in a hazardous area?

On the Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch, LiDAR is confirmed by Xshielder to work through the cover, so measuring and 3D scans are possible with apps that use it. The case is ATEX only and rated to +45 °C. The other four picks list no depth sensor in our data. Check the certificate conditions for your exact model before use.

Are there hazardous-area tablets without a camera?

Yes. Some sites restrict cameras, and several makers offer camera-free versions, including the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1, the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ2, the Atexxo Zone 1 iPad mini 7 (the “-BC” variant) and the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC. The camera-free filter on Find tablets lists them.

What is the best camera tablet for Zone 2?

A Zone 1 tablet can also be used in Zone 2, so the first three picks all work there. If every area is Zone 2, the BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android has a 16 MP camera with LED flash and a privacy shade on the front camera, and the Getac ZX80-EX has a 16 MP camera in an 8-inch, 780 g tablet.

Facts last verified on against certificates, declarations of conformity and manufacturer data. Always check the certificate for your exact model before use. Spotted an error? Tell us.