Camera Reviews : Lytro Unveils Groundbreaking New Consumer Light Field Camera with Endless Refocusing

New camera instantly captures interactive pictures to share online

October 28, 2011

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Mountain View, CA—Lytro unveiled the first Lytro consumer light field camera, introducing a new way to take and experience pictures. Unlike conventional cameras, the Lytro light field camera captures all the rays of light in a scene, providing brand-new capabilities, such as the ability to focus a picture after it’s taken.

The pocketsize camera, which employs an 8x optical zoom and f/2 lens in an iconic design, creates interactive “living pictures” that can be endlessly refocused.

The Lytro is the only consumer camera that lets people instantly capture a scene just as they see it by recording a fundamentally richer set of data than ever before, notes the company.  Lytro cameras feature a light field sensor that collects the color, intensity and the direction of every light ray flowing into the camera, capturing a scene in four dimensions. To process the additional information, Lytro cameras contain a light field engine that allows users to refocus pictures directly on the camera.

When the Lytro’s “living” pictures are shared online, the light field engine travels with each picture so anyone can interact with them on nearly any device, including web browsers, mobile phones and tablets—without having to download special software.

The camera’s sleek design was created with simplicity in mind. With no unnecessary modes or dials, it features just two buttons—power and shutter—and has an intuitive glass touch screen for viewing pictures and refocusing them directly on the camera.

Notable features include:
•    Form follows function: The Lytro’s compact design is driven by its 8x optical zoom lens, which features a constant f/2 aperture. Its anodized aluminum body is lightweight, weighing less than eight ounces.
•    Proprietary light field science: The Lytro is the only camera that captures life in “living” pictures. Its 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.
•    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 autofocus, the Lytro has no shutter delays.

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