I've been hearing quite a lot about this new Lytro camera quite recently, and have looked at it with much scepticism. Firstly, it was down to whether it was technically achievable to do what it claims to do. Have a look on the lowdown on through google.
Essentially, to my understanding the Lytro camera camera uses 'light fields' to capture images which can be edited after capture to effectively selected the point of focus.
DigitalRev did hands-on review of this & it looks like an interesting device. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ9W5TGbanI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
In some ways, it seems like a natural extension to the level of post-production done these days. I don't think the technology is there yet at a level to tempt me, but it won't be long.
@humphreyhippo DigitalRev vids always crack me up, when not cringing with the slightly borderlining childish jokes.
I remember out school getting a digital camera back in 1997, had a resolution of 320 x 240 (had to look up the specs). Never thought it would take over use of film......
I definitely can see this tech progressing to rival my current kit now. Applications-wise, from my job perspective, forensic-applications of an improved-Lytro would definitely have a positive impact with regards to speed of documentation of crimes scenes, etc. Same with security applications.
But from artistic perspective, could you argue its taking a step too far in taking the thinking out of photography?
@mofoto I definitely think security cameras will be first main stream application of this tech.
I don't see it as removing the thinking, but changing when the thinking happens. It's like the editing vs SOOC debate.
I have one and it's really just in it infancy . I'm doing a 365 project with my Iphone and Nikon so I haven't spent a lot of time with it. It's kind of neat to be able to refocus on different parts of a picture after the fact but there is a learning curve to it.
I have the Lytro and have commented on it here. My observations are that it is more of a rather expensive gimmick right now. The only place you can actually "see" the change in focus is on the Lytro site. Otherwise you have to save your picture as a jpg. and select which of the focus shots you want to preserve. (or create 2, one for each focus) the screen is very difficult to see in sunlight and there is no zoom so I can recommend the Lytro only as a novelty.
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In some ways, it seems like a natural extension to the level of post-production done these days. I don't think the technology is there yet at a level to tempt me, but it won't be long.
@humphreyhippo DigitalRev vids always crack me up, when not cringing with the slightly borderlining childish jokes.
I remember out school getting a digital camera back in 1997, had a resolution of 320 x 240 (had to look up the specs). Never thought it would take over use of film......
I definitely can see this tech progressing to rival my current kit now. Applications-wise, from my job perspective, forensic-applications of an improved-Lytro would definitely have a positive impact with regards to speed of documentation of crimes scenes, etc. Same with security applications.
But from artistic perspective, could you argue its taking a step too far in taking the thinking out of photography?
I don't see it as removing the thinking, but changing when the thinking happens. It's like the editing vs SOOC debate.