New camera lets you focus photos after you shoot

New camera lets you focus photos after you shoot

edition.cnn.com

(CNN) -- An auto-focus camera? Not new. Not exciting.

A camera that lets you focus after you've already taken the photo? And lets you focus anywhere within the image you want? That's got people talking and, according to its creator, is the start of "a picture revolution."

Oh yeah -- it can also transfer a regular photo to 3-D.

Lytro, a company launched Tuesday by 31-year-old entrepreneur Ren Ng, promises that camera will be released soon.

"I am thrilled to finally draw back the curtain and introduce our new light field camera company, one that will forever change how everyone

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Just yesterday, I was in a camera store checking out which camera I have to buy. According to the store clerk, DSLR cameras have the advantage over point and click cameras in that you can adjust which object to focus. But with this technology coming out, even ordinary point and click cameras will have the capability of DSLR cameras when it comes to focusing and more. I may have to wait until this camera is out in the market before buying my camera.

edition.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

This general approach can be used for much MUCH more than post-hoc focusing. It's also a big part of what you see the military refer to as "sensor fusion" - if you've got enough crappy simple cameras on a scene, you can mathematically combine their images to see detail you might not otherwise have from any one camera, to see from variable points-of-view rather than jump from one camera to another, and to focus otherwise blurred images.

It also works for sonar, and synthetic aperture images.

And from orbit.

My guess as to how this technology works is multiple lenses at different foci and a combination of the images. I didn't read the article, just saw the pictures in action. Seems impressive, but I would still rather buy a Canon camera for 6000 bux than this one.

Originally posted by Bedlam
This general approach can be used for much MUCH more than post-hoc focusing. It's also a big part of what you see the military refer to as "sensor fusion" - if you've got enough crappy simple cameras on a scene, you can mathematically combine their images to see detail you might not otherwise have from any one camera, to see from variable points-of-view rather than jump from one camera to another, and to focus otherwise blurred images.

It also works for sonar, and synthetic aperture images.

And from orbit.

maybe that's what the military is using to capture targets. it could be the secret weapon that bob woodward mentioned he knows.

it's like having the whole world under surveillance. or at least a big chunk of it.

so what you see on shows like 24, were they capture a grainy image and are able to focus on a small object, say a watch and completely clean it up, is in fact actual military equipment.

it must also be perfected if a civilian is know able to market it to the public.

This tech has actually been around for many years. I saw a demo of it online ages ago. Igt is called a pltenoptic camera.

It works by splitting light on a multiple focus array, recoding distance info with luminosity or something similar. I was wondering when these would hit the market.

Here is a link to a 2005 arrticle about this technology

www.dpreview.com...

follow the linkt to the examples, they are very cool.

I don't see this taking off as a mainstreem technology. It may be a consumer fad for a while. But there is not enough controll for the professional photographer due to the losses in other areas like exposure controll. It also reduced the effective megapixel count on your sensor as the pixels are collecting distance info as well as light, so there is a significant loss in resolution.

Very cool though!

Also info on this from Jackatmtn's thread on the 22nd if anyone is interested. www.abovetopsecret.com...

Being an amateur photographer, I'm salivating over this of course. Definitely cool. I'll bet it won't be long before the other major camera companies follow suit on this. But I still like my Canon DSLR. It does a great job for me.

reply to post by Klassified


I am not sure about this technology. I have been a keen amature photogrpaher for 20 years or so now. I think learning to use the camera to create the immage is part of the skill. Also, think about how muchpost processing would be required if you have to go home to refocus 300 pictures at the end of your holidays!!

Also, I think there would need to be a lot of controll over depth of feild, just pulling the focus about is only half the story.

Here is a very good technical description of how it works, for those techie geeks (like me) who like that sort of thing.

graphics.stanford.edu...

reply to post by Shamatt

I have to agree with you there. But I do think this could have a place in the photographers toolbox in certain situations. Especially those who do photojournalism, sports, etc. I wonder what Ansel Adams would think about this technology?

Originally posted by THE_PROFESSIONAL
My guess as to how this technology works is multiple lenses at different foci and a combination of the images. I didn't read the article, just saw the pictures in action. Seems impressive, but I would still rather buy a Canon camera for 6000 bux than this one.

You don't know yet the complete features of this camera. Why have you already made up your mind that you don't like it? It is wiser to keep an open mind and wait until the product is out of the market before giving out our opinion on the product.

Originally posted by wavemaker

Originally posted by THE_PROFESSIONAL
My guess as to how this technology works is multiple lenses at different foci and a combination of the images. I didn't read the article, just saw the pictures in action. Seems impressive, but I would still rather buy a Canon camera for 6000 bux than this one.

You don't know yet the complete features of this camera. Why have you already made up your mind that you don't like it? It is wiser to keep an open mind and wait until the product is out of the market before giving out our opinion on the product.

I rather like the look of the new Sony Alphaa A580 myself!

It has all the tools a photographer needs to controll his immages and take good pictures. That is what we need in a camera. But, I am sure this new technology will be brilliant for general use, I wold think for paties and stuff. You know it will pick a useable focus point for the snap shots. But you always find there is something going on in the background in party pics, with this tech you could refocus and take a look. Brilliant!

Probably also usefull to the police in riot and civil unrest photography for the same reason.

Cool toy, but not yet a photographers choice, imo.