Lytro 'living picture' digital camera - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Tezster · 2011-10-20, 12:07 PM

Has anyone heard of this device? Looks like it has the potential to be quite a game-changer i.e. the ability to change the focus point AFTER the picture is taken

I personally don't care about the product itself i.e. I don't see it as much more than a glorified technology demo - especially considering its proprietary format. What I'm really curious about is the underlying technology, and whether it's something that can be realistically adopted.

A couple of articles:

New camera allows users to shoot first, focus later

Hands On: The Lytro 'Living Picture' Digital Camera

jvincent · 2011-10-20, 12:42 PM

I have read a bunch of the articles on this and I think they are selling a bit of snake oil or maybe more accurately trying to hide behind some fancy jargon like "light-rays".

From what I have been able to de-cipher, it's a mix of multi-plane or multi-focal length image capture and some fancy signal processing.

A traditional camera (digital or film) focuses on a single plane and the sensor records the "light-rays" based on that setting. Your eyes work the same way. The light from the focussed plane gives you the best resolution, lowest noise, etc and the light from the unfocussed planes (there are an infinite number of these!) also gets captured as a part of the process.

Now, if you could simultaneously (or essentially simultaneously) capture multiple planes in your field of view you can, with some smart manipulation of the data, create what looks like focussed images for the entire depth of field that the camera can see.

So it's not so much changing the focus after the data is recorded as it is CHOOSING the focus.

For those who are seeking high resolution, low noise images I doubt it will be a winner because in order to capture multiple planes they have to give something up.

Jake · 2012-03-03, 03:44 PM

It is now available.

http://www.lytro.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lytro

I can see this being very advantageous with a macro lens or microscope.

jvincent · 2012-03-03, 03:53 PM

The price is low enough that I might pick one up just to check it out.

2011-10-20, 12:07 PM	#1
Tezster Veteran Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Mississauga Posts: 1,985	Lytro 'living picture' digital camera Has anyone heard of this device? Looks like it has the potential to be quite a game-changer i.e. the ability to change the focus point AFTER the picture is taken I personally don't care about the product itself i.e. I don't see it as much more than a glorified technology demo - especially considering its proprietary format. What I'm really curious about is the underlying technology, and whether it's something that can be realistically adopted. A couple of articles: New camera allows users to shoot first, focus later Hands On: The Lytro 'Living Picture' Digital Camera __________________ My Living Room HT setup

2011-10-20, 12:42 PM	#2
jvincent Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ottawa Posts: 5,371	I have read a bunch of the articles on this and I think they are selling a bit of snake oil or maybe more accurately trying to hide behind some fancy jargon like "light-rays". From what I have been able to de-cipher, it's a mix of multi-plane or multi-focal length image capture and some fancy signal processing. A traditional camera (digital or film) focuses on a single plane and the sensor records the "light-rays" based on that setting. Your eyes work the same way. The light from the focussed plane gives you the best resolution, lowest noise, etc and the light from the unfocussed planes (there are an infinite number of these!) also gets captured as a part of the process. Now, if you could simultaneously (or essentially simultaneously) capture multiple planes in your field of view you can, with some smart manipulation of the data, create what looks like focussed images for the entire depth of field that the camera can see. So it's not so much changing the focus after the data is recorded as it is CHOOSING the focus. For those who are seeking high resolution, low noise images I doubt it will be a winner because in order to capture multiple planes they have to give something up. __________________ Android rocks!

2012-03-03, 03:44 PM	#3
Jake Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Gatineau and Ottawa Posts: 10,236	It is now available. http://www.lytro.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lytro I can see this being very advantageous with a macro lens or microscope. __________________ Tip: See an offending post? Don't reply, report it by clicking on the 'Report Post' icon.

2012-03-03, 03:53 PM	#4
jvincent Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ottawa Posts: 5,371	The price is low enough that I might pick one up just to check it out. __________________ Android rocks!

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