lytro - 2012, f2, $399

[porktaco]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/19/lytro-introduces-worlds-first-lightfield-camera/

Ready for the world's first light field camera -- you know, the spiffy kind that can infinitely focus? After demoing the tech earlier this year, Lytro's unveiled the world's first shipping product -- a little something it calls the Lytro camera. With an f/2 lens brandished in anodized aluminum and a rubber focus ring, the consumer-friendly camera utilizes an 11-mega-ray light-field to power all that infinite focus magic. It's instant-on and wields only two physical buttons, one for shutter and the other for power. The company's added the ability to change the focus on-camera, a task accomplished via its multi-touch glass display.

It'll ship in two versions: the $399 8GB flavor can hold 250 pictures, and comes in graphite or blue, followed by a $499 16GB model, which sports an electric-red finish and stores up to 750 images. Pre-orders go live at Lytro's website today, and will ship in early 2012 on a first-come first-serve basis. The company has one on-hand today, though, so stay tuned for our hands-on!

 

[Steve M.]

This is in ad for them, right?

 

[gavinlg]

Personally, yuck.

 

[Matus]

So the Leica M10 may skip the rangefinder? 😀

 

[apodeictic]

Wow, was not expecting that form factor. It looks like a giant lipstick container! 😀

 

[Athos6]

Any Idea what this means for real photography?

Any Idea what this means for real photography?

I wouldn't mind having this feature on a DSLR to fix my focus errors. I don't really need to pick my focus point after the fact though, I know where I wanted to focus, but it doesn't always happen though 🙂. Any ideas what the image quality on this would be?

Athos6

 

[christian.rudman]

My guess on the focus ring is that you still want to be able to decide in camera where you want it focused. Not everything in the image is something you'll want to have as the focus point, so being able to pick while shooting could be valuable. That, and they needed more for the user to do than just power on and click the shutter. 😛

I'm excited about this, and happy that they decided a different route than the camera form norm. It's a new-wave Brownie! I'm not going to be first in line, but I am excited that the tech is available finally and I'd love a chance to check one out.

The nice thing is, this is the first model, more dev happening very soon!

 

[chrishayton]

Ive looked at these articles on this lytro and i fail to see how it can possible work. I have a suspicion its a techno wind up. The lens spec is a joke, 8x f2 lens in a camera for less than $400. Alot of things dont add up.
Anyone else agree or am i being close minded?

 

[morgan]

You need to read some of the other articles about it. I don't fully understand, but how it gathers and records light is completely different than a conventional camera. You need special software to decode and pick focus points, you can make 3d images out of it somehow. It's not a single sensor either. What you guys think is a focus ring is a zoom ring. Everything is in focus because it somehow gathers all available light. So no focus lag, instant on, all kinds of stuff. Personally I think it sounds kinda interesting. Here's a NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/22/technology/22camera.html

 

[segedi]

Ive looked at these articles on this lytro and i fail to see how it can possible work. I have a suspicion its a techno wind up. The lens spec is a joke, 8x f2 lens in a camera for less than $400. Alot of things dont add up.
Anyone else agree or am i being close minded?

It looks like a really expensive kaleidoscope... and the tiny LCD doesn't instill any confidence either.

The resolution in the specs is really suspect. I'm thinking that it takes a lot of space to store an image with infinite focus, so the 250 images the 8GB can hold are going to have a large file size (35.5 MB if my math is correct) but i'm not thinking you'll be able to print them very big (if at all?)

I'd really like to see this tech in a video camera, selective focus - nice!

 

[astrosecret]

I shoot exclusively with analog cameras unless it's for a client. this is the first digital camera i've been interested in in a long time. i want it to be for me what the pd150 was for david lynch. i want to disregard all the pretensions i have about photography and embrace this thing. i LOVE that it shoots in square format.

BUT i can't for the life of me get it to focus properly in their online galleries. everything is soft and clicking on some parts of the image focus completely different parts of the image, with nothing coming into tack sharp focus. even the stuff that does focus is terribly soft. so the lens is rubbish, the software is rubbish, all i can say right now is i need more proof. i wish this technology was legitimate but it hasn't lived up to it's claims yet.

 

[HoodedOne]

I totaly agree with Astrosecret

If the quality they show on their site, is the actual quality you get. Then this is a nice gimmick in a cool package.
My first digital camera (3 Mp) made beter pictures than this thing.

 

[Griffin]

It's one of those things we thought were impossible, just like those touchscreen Star-Trek thingamajigs.

 

[randomm]

Its like a regular digital camera, EXCEPT, and that's a pretty big exception, it records the vector (i.e. direction) of each recorded light ray, if I understood the specs correctly. And that's supposed to make all the magic possible.

 

[furcafe]

The tech is legit & while the image quality produced by the initial offerings may not be sufficient for "serious" photography, it is only a matter of time before that changes. Couple this w/HD video & I think still photography as we knew it for practical (not artistic) purposes really is over.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

My reading, there is substance here. It actually captures enough information so that you can select the focus later. But, the resulting image is screen resolution... Lytro site says "HD resolution" and one article suggests "720p, expect about 960x720 pixels."

This will produce revolutionary screen images and that's nice. But, not the 10-15-20MPx images from which we make large prints.

 

[drewbarb]

Reading the articles on dpreview and NYTimes, it's clear the resolution is fairly low, at least by the megapixel race standards. But the company founder talks about this camera being used for sharing snapshots primarily electronically- which is how most casual snapshot pictures are shared these days anyway.

I have to echo the sentiments of astrosecret and hoodedone above; I'm a dedicated film photographer personally- but for snapshots of everyday things I want to share, this thing could be more fun and exciting than anything to come down the pike in a long time. The ability to just point and shoot instantly, with no need to worry about any technical stuff, (including focus!) and the ability to refocus at any point after the fact? And only 400 bucks to get in on the fun? If this works, it could be a game changer for non-photographer picture takers and casual snapshots everywhere. Never before have I seen a photo gizmo that I really wanted to be the first to have and play with.
Sign me up.

 

[Shade]

I think its a nice technology to have in the future. Though the package they are offering may be very tempting for those facebook-ers.

 

[wgerrard]

Take this thing as the first roll out of a new technology, and not as an attempt to produce a better DSLR, and I think it looks very interesting. I expect they'll find customers for this technology far away from snapshot fans. For example, police could use it to identify people in photos they could not in images from any other camera. I'd think, too, the ability to move the point of focus would have applications in aerial and satellite reconnaissance.

An image is built from captured and processed data, whether it's done with chemicals or with chips. Technology gives us ways to manipulate data that film cannot provide.

 

[Bug]

I personnally find the concept interesting and it pushed me to educate myself about this so called light field stuff.
In itself, going to bed less stupid is already a good point!

I am very enthusiastic about the future of such a device. I would not look this kind of novelty down my nose.
Let us not forget the aim of our photgraphs. We want people to see them, that they induce emotions, a sense of déjà-vu which calls for souvenirs and then a personnal connection to what people see on the picture support.
I do not care about the support. Analog supports make for more tactile sensations, granted. But honestly, most of us share our pictures by web...

And, not being an expert, I am just wondering all the artistic possibilities this can bring. The square format in itself is for me a very good point.
Having all light vectors registered means that - potentially - I could play with those vectors right? I could say bye bye to any Lenbaby?!? I could simulate any kind of filter or device which alter the focus?
Man this is promising...

Ok, quality is poor. But hey, already f2 for the first released product? The pictures from my grandfather with the film of the time do not really look better, do they?

Well, let's wait and see. But thanks Lytro for daring!!!