Camera Labs

Check it out.. If it works like they say it's it'll be time to throw away the rule books..

http://allthingsd.com/20110621/meet-the-stealthy-start-up-that-aims-to-sharpen-focus-of-entire-camera-industry/

_________________
"I'm playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order" - Eric Morecambe
________________________________________
D7000 and too many lenses.

Really understanding how this work is slightly maddening.

Fantastically interesting though, never heard of this concept before

_________________
Canon 5D MkII -|- Sigma 24mm f/1.8 | Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 | Canon 50mm f/1.4 | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Lensbaby Composer
Canon A-1 -|- Canon 28mm f/2 | Canon 35mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/3.5 Macro

Hi jkstacey,

Nice find and thanks for sharing. Got that LYTRO site bookmarked already. The opportunities afforded with this technology is truly a game-changer. One can only imagine what would be possible if paired with a good lens....but wait...what role will the lens then have? Perhaps it will represent the upper limit of sharpness?

I can't help but think of cybermystic, gmazza and others here - on would think this would make "focus stacking" a breeze! What could it do for expanded dynamic range/HDR type stuff too. The more you think about it, the more exciting it seems!

Cheers

_________________
Nikon stuff and other stuff, but not nearly as much stuff as I really want!

i saw this pop up on twitter last night, and ive started to read the thesis of the technology involved. fascinating stuff. i think im going to have to start to save up for one now.

if marketed right, and as long as its not so expensive that only millionaires can afford it, it could very well change the landscape of digital photography. if you had to choose between a camera that could do all that and one that couldn't, you would be mad not to jump in. canon, nikon and the rest wont be far behind.

_________________
No guts, no glory
Canon 5D mk II, Canon 70-200 f/2.8L USM, Canon 24-105 f/4L IS USM, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 24-60 f/2.8, canon 430EX II, 2x Yongnuo YN560, Cactus v4 triggers

Flickr

I was looking for their stock, but it looks like it's not traded yet.

like to see better examples, any even a crap shots can look good on a reduced jpg

_________________
Canon Powershot S95, Canon 6D,7D, 24-70 2.8 Tamron VC, Canon 15-85, Canon 85 1.8, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L Macro, Canon 70-300L +Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

I have read most of their rapport as well.

For anyone else interested, you can get it here:
http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/lfc ... 150dpi.pdf

I still have trouble grasping the technology, but have I understood the thesis correctly when I say: that this has something closely to do with the hyper focal point?


From page 3 on the thesis.

_________________
Canon 5D MkII -|- Sigma 24mm f/1.8 | Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 | Canon 50mm f/1.4 | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Lensbaby Composer
Canon A-1 -|- Canon 28mm f/2 | Canon 35mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/3.5 Macro

It's just a concept at the moment, they havent actually made anything.

They play with examples on their website just outline the possibilities, they arent actual images shot with one of these things.

I think its a great idea. It would push the price of lenses way down. Also no more worrying about Sigmas front or back focus issues.

_________________
Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

Jeremy, I too wonderd about lens prices, is it time to start `off loading` now? ......before the rush

tbh though, IF this technology works properly, (inc the `pro side`) it COULD be the death of photography as we know it.

I wonder how worried existing manufacturers actually are.
They would presumably have to join in......or buy the idea & stop it

_________________

Nikon D800E & D700 bodies + Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

Nah, the death of photography as I knew it came with the release of autofocus. And then just to shoot it when it was down, digital. Getting rid of focussing altogether is merely an insult.

_________________
Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

You still have to focus, it's just that you do it afterwards in post instead.

_________________
Canon 5D MkII -|- Sigma 24mm f/1.8 | Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 | Canon 50mm f/1.4 | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Lensbaby Composer
Canon A-1 -|- Canon 28mm f/2 | Canon 35mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/3.5 Macro

I see they now have a button to "Reserve a camera" on the Lytro site, so maybe there will be something in peoples hands by the end of the year?

_________________
Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX; 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, 35mm f/1.8G
Speedlight SB-700

http://keystrokesukimages.com

.
Interesting thread which I missed seeing until today. Maybe I shouldn't do this because I just haven't the time to read the whole paper but isn't there a noise issue? I did see a brief section where it was claimed that signal to noise ratio wasn't impacted because information from several sensor sites was added together but that rather assumes that sensor read noise reduces as pixel size reduces and I think that is not a good assumption.

On a more general note, one is asking the sensor not only to record information about intensity, as cameras currently do, but also about direction. Thus the sensor has to record more information but with the same number of electrons as would be generated by the light striking a conventional sensor (on the assumption that the base ISO is similar). My grasp of information theory mat be pretty tenuous but that says to me that the final image must be noisier in some fashion. Maybe the noise is less intrusive than the chroma/luminance noise we all see from time to time but we'll have to see.

If it all works as advertised then is it aimed at the DSLR owner who wants to adjust focus after the event or could it be aimed at the compact camera owner to synthesis shallow depth of field? Maybe if I'd had more time to read I wouldn't have to ask these questions but the Lytro site seems pretty short on answers as well.

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

The majority of p&s/casual camera owners won't have even heard about this new idea & until they pop into their local camera shop to buy a new camera, or more likely via the internet/Currys etc etc sites before they go on holiday, aren't likely to, so maybe if they're asking for folk to `reserve a camera` now, theyr'e actually wondering how much interest there will be, certainly from serious photogs.

They can't be using `interest/potential reservations` at this stage, to base R&D costs on. (unless it is further into the future than they're implying) & probably not using it to establish manufacturing set up/output either.

_________________

Nikon D800E & D700 bodies + Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/