When I first heard about the Lytro Lightfield Camera several months ago, I was intrigued by the thought, but really didn’t understand how in the heck they could pull that off. I mean missing focus at an important moment, or event is something that has been the bane of a photographers existence for ever. Could this new camera really define the term point and shoot? Can it really focus anything in the frame after the fact? Well…THEY say it can! And, I can’t wait to get one of these in my hands to play with. Now “play with” is the key here. On first look, I can’t imagine actually carrying this around to shoot with, when I have an iPhone in my pocket that does a pretty good job of focusing…but who knows, it may be the next big thing..or not. Judge for yourself.
According to the Lytro web site here are a few of the camera’s features:
- Form follows function: The Lytro’s unique compact design is driven by its 8x optical zoom lens, which features a constant f/2 aperture. The Lytro’s anodized aluminum body is lightweight yet sturdy. At less than eight ounces, the Lytro puts remarkable power in a pocket-sized camera.
- Proprietary light field science: The Lytro is the only camera that captures life in living pictures. Its innovative light field sensor captures 11 million light rays of data (or 11 megarays), including the direction of each ray, something conventional cameras don’t do. The light field engine then processes the data into a picture that is displayed in HD quality.
- Unparalleled speed: The Lytro’s speed ensures that people never miss a moment. It turns on instantly and has an instant shutter. With no need to auto-focus, the Lytro has no shutter delays.
- Low-light sensitivity: By using all of the available light in a scene, the Lytro performs well in low- light environments without the use of a flash.
- Significant storage: The Lytro is available in both 8GB and 16GB models, storing 350 and 750 pictures respectively. In addition, our first camera owners will enjoy free storage for the light field pictures they’ve uploaded to Lytro.com.
- Seeing in 3D: Coming soon! Captured as a full light field, all pictures taken with the Lytro are inherently 3D. Special light field algorithms, available in 2012, will be applied to the light field pictures to enable viewing on any 3D display and to enable viewers to shift the perspective of the scene.
For more information visit the company’s web site: www.lytro.com
