Can one paddler give up control?
Bear in mind, in a tandem kayak, the person in the back controls the boat. The person in the front just contributes to the grunt work. So whoever sits in the front needs to be OK with giving up some control.
I would guess it’s similar with a canoe.
Skilled tandem kayaks can work together to make the boat more manuverable, but for casual paddlers, I haven’t seen any put in the time to develop that level of skill and coordination.
Roles
Yeah maybe that’s why our situation works great because my wife likes to be the nature photographer up in the front of the yak and I’m the engine in the back 
canoe or Kayak
In reality a canoe is more flexible, gives you more options. I’ve had several Kayaks and canoes, paddled with family and plenty of friends, paddling clubs etc… If you want the ability to take all the camping gear for 2 people and “paddle camp”, you’ll either want a canoe or 2 separate 1-person kayaks with stash space for all your gear. With a canoe you can easily get started right away, and fairly cheap.
My only present canoe is a plastic Coleman model. It’s kinda cheesy in some ways, but it’s durable. Like maybe 12 years now of takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin!
You’re doing the smart thing looking around online, and asking, just don’t let all the possibilities overwhelm you.
With prices high…even for Royalex…
Pick up a few DVDs of both realms, then take a few lessons in both. The more knowledgeable one becomes in that particular idiom…the more one can tell if it’s your favorite style of freedom on water. Prices are up there so don’t look down at buying a good used canoe or kayak. The more your paddling improves, the more you’ll want to replace your first watercraft with a more advanced/better model = the idea of keeping your first canoe/kayak forever is a myth.
Neither
Consider getting a guideboat and taking turns rowing each other around the lake. More people should have row boats, especially beginners.
I’m guessing that you don’t have a lot of paddling skills and so I expect you’ll have trouble paddling in sync and it will be worse if you are in a canoe with single blades trying to coordinate turns.
If you don’t get a guideboat I’d strongly recommend two single kayaks. They will be easier to load and to turn and you can help each other with rescues. Paddling a single kayak is so intuitive little instruction is needed for flat water mobility.
for tandem canoes
the stern person generally controls the course over flat water. In moving water, the bow person may take on a somewhat more active role in controlling the boat.
It makes it easier for the stern person to control a tandem canoe if the bow person maintains a reasonably even paddle cadence and force, but it is possible to keep the boat going even if the bow paddler stops paddling for a while.
For photographers, canoes are often much more convenient. It is easier to reach into a camera case in a canoe, there isn’t the problem of what to do with the paddle, and it is often easier to rotate the body around for a shot.
If
a kayak, I would choose a tandem sit on top…better stability and much easier to get back in when turned over. Long is better when a tandem too…you will appreciate the extra room.
Advanced Elements inflatables are very stable, easily carried, but certainly paddle slower. If traveling down river that’s not an issue and the extra stability is nice when hitting rapids. Have fun!