Lytro, the small startup company that promised the ability to refocus photographs after they’ve already been taken, finally unveils their Consumer Light Field camera, boasting a unique rectangular design.
Encased in a dual-tone elongated “box”, on either end you will find the LCD touch-screen display and the f/2 lens with a max zoom range of 8x. There are other controls located on the sides, such as power, zoom, shutter buttons and a USB port. Users can avail of two versions with variances in built-in memory: either an 8GB (approx 350 shots) or 16GB (750 shots).
What makes this camera unique is that it uses light-field photography, which essentially captures light from various directions. This data is then calculated and translated into something our own eyes can perceive, resulting in a 3D “map” of the subject that was photographed. It is this 3D “map” that allows you to later change the focusing in the photo. Lytro states that the images can be manipulated as soon as they are captured, and because light-field photography captures directional info, photos taken with Lytros can be viewed on 3DTVs as well.
They will be on sale next year, and are available only through the Lytro website.
source: CNET