A friend shared this on FB, and it is remarkable enough to re-post here. In a nutshell, Lytro lets the viewer change the focal point AFTER the shot is taken. Or as some put it, "Shoot now, focus later." Click on any subject in the Picture Gallery to be amazed. If necessity is the mother of invention, Lytro is Bokeh ng ina!
I remember seeing something like this (a prototype or proof of concept maybe) years ago, back when digital photography was still gaining popularity. The basic idea is that using complex calculations (and knowing the exact point of focus and characteristics of the lens/camera) one can derive the out of focus areas and render them in-focus. Combine this technique with taking multiple shots of the same scene at different focusing distances simultaneously, then one can effectively render a scene with any desired focal point or with 'infinite' depth of field. Wonder how this new technique works? Their 'The Science Inside' link seems vague in details, and just mentions the 'light field capture'...
This is a very curious and interesting development. Has anyone signed up yet for a camera reservations from their website?
I guess this is like the HDR function in our iphone. It will render two different exposures but for this one it will render two different focal points and merge them together. Then you can tweak it later on. Nice development indeed. Can't wait for this to prosper.
what you're referring to is called a plenoptic camera. apparently, raytrix released plenoptics cameras last year. but from the looks of it, none are as consumer-friendly as what lytro is contemplating. aye aye, sir! yes and no. yes, you can argue that it is *like* HDR in that it entails a post-shoot processing. but no, lytro images do not seem to result from composite images, unlike those produced by plenoptic cameras. while not everyone will want photos that are interactive by default, it's hard to argue against the practicality of a *point and shoot* camera that does not need to focus first. if lytro comes in at a consumer-friendly price (<$500?), it will truly be point and shoot. and if the clickable picture gallery isn't enough for you, watch this interview of lytro's founder , ren ng.
A review from Digital Rev presenter Kai Wong http://blog.digitalrev.com/2011/06/22/new-camera-lets-you-shoot-first-focus-later/ and his FB feed back group discussions link below http://www.facebook.com/DigitalRev/posts/181291965258510
What's funny is if you read the Wikipedia article on plenoptic camera it hints at the fact that Ren Ng is one of the people in the Stanford team that used a plenoptic camera that used a 90,000 microlens array to take a 16-megapixel image that could be refocused after being taken, and describes Lytro as a "Stanford spinoff". So, yeah. It does, in fact, sound like Lytro uses the plenoptic camera technique. Thanks for the info!
^yes, i am aware of ren ng's plenoptic background. but plenoptic and composite are different; it is possible to use a plenoptic camera without resorting to image compositing. regardless, until lytro is released, we're left to speculate. even ren ng's paper can only lend hints. i just hope, for all our sake, that lytro licenses its patents to others. it would be a shame for such a breakthrough to be monopolized by any other company other than apple.
This is the perfect technology for point and shoot consumer cameras. Pros would love the ability to adjust their focus after shooting. Wow.
I would agree to the other opinions out there that this will be another evolution but not a breakthrough. In my opinion this not for serious shooters this for those who made mistakes on what they intended to focus but how often you made that mistakes? For me this tech thing are for fun shooting to entertain myself as well others in your computer monitor. (Oh! look at that I can change my focus points and can do 3D or better lets defocus this snobbish friend of yours in the front great) It looks like a game to play then after it reach its fame it will be a boring one for most serious shooter peeps. IMHO
Wow! Lytro will render a lot of things obsolete like expensive DSLRS and lenses. Heck, even photography lessons!
^ i can see scientific applications for this. for instance when using microscopes and even eventually things like x-ray/MRI imaging. This way you can take quick images of people/things/organisms even in motion and still be able visualize quickly. It wouldn't surprise me if the military is already implementing these types of cameras in surveillance types of applications.
As exciting as adding one more technical capability to the camera may be, such as removing the pesky element of perfectly directed focus (which can be done with Lytro in post-production), it seems this will not be helpful to all. I see this technology as a new tool to help make great photographers take even greater pictures more easily. But sadly, this new technology might not be as helpful to all other photographers. Focus happens to be only one of those things in the entire art and craft of photography, not the only thing. This technology might help get the focus on the photos right, but it will not help sharpen the focus of one's vision.
