Lytro Introduces First “Living Picture” Camera

Image Credit: Lytro

Forget about setting exposure. Check.

Forget about memory cards. Check.

Forget about focusing? Ch…..What?

Today, amid a torrent of fanfare, Lytro introduced the first of its “light field” cameras. These cameras incorporate a remarkable shoot first, focus later concept which they hope will take the photography community by storm. Earlier this year, we previewed the technology inside the camera based on the PhD dissertation of Lytro’s CEO. It is now apparent that the company not only wants to revolutionize the guts of the camera, they want to reinvent the concept of the camera itself.

Design

The Lytro camera design is so revolutionary that one might be excused for not recognizing it as a camera at all. The traditional camera design cookbook has definitely been thrown out the window. And why not? SLR cameras of yore took their shape based on being able to wind and unwind film from its canister. Point and shoot cameras seem to take on non-ergonomic shapes dictated by the efficiency with which engineers can cram circuit boards into a deck of cards sized box. The Lytro design is a square tube roughly the size of a sleeve of golf balls. In an Apple-esque nod to minimalist design, there are only three physical controls – a power button, a shutter button, and slider which allows zoom control. One end of the tube houses a multi-touch screen which allows users to interact with the images and it is that interaction which lies at the core of the light field concept.

It is clear from this product launch that Lytro wants to sell the light field image as a new way of experiencing photos. It had seemed earlier this year that this technology was simply a way of spitting out jpegs with customized focal points that were defined after the fact. Novel enough, but Lytro doesn’t seem to be interested in using light field technology to produce stagnant photos. Instead, their cameras will produce “living images” in which focal points can be modulated not only be the photographer, but by anyone who views the photo.

Viewing “Living Images”

This brings up one of the more controversial parts of the business model . Although you can manipulate the light field files on your own computer to your heart’s content, sharing with others requires more work. Since viewing the files takes special algorithms and lots of processing power, sharing is not as simple as emailing jpegs off to Grandma. In order to share a “photo” with others which can be viewed interactively, it must be hosted on a server (presumably Lytro’s own) and viewed with the appropriate browser or Facebook plugin. For those used to the infinite number of ways that a standard jpeg file can be viewed and shared, this may be unnerving. But this may just be part of the adjustment to a new way of experiencing photographs.

Hardware

So what magic is inside this enigmatic metal tube? The aperture is a constant f/2 lens which maintains itself over a variety of focal lengths (no easy task). Focal lengths ultimately top out at an effective 8x magnification. That, curiously, is where the traditional camera specs end. The sensor resolution is quoted in megarays (11) instead of megapixels as another reminder for us to break out of our conventional mode of characterizing hardware. Ultimately, it seems, there is a resolution sacrifice in partitioning the sensor into micro lens defined sub-images and the end result is that a final photo may not have the resolution we are used to seeing with traditional cameras. But the goal of this camera is not to provide infinite resolving power, it is to present a new visual experience which may not require staggering megapixel resolution.

What’s Left

Forget carrying memory cards. The Lytro camera houses a self contained flash drive which is a breakthrough in simplicity but a pain when your memory fills up in the middle of an event. The battery is also self contained and not user-serviceable.

Price-wise, at $399, the camera is much less expensive than anticipated. Pre-orders are being taken now, with shipments beginning in March 2012.

Conclusion

The technology behind the Lytro camera is intriguing and impressive. But the bold way in which they have chosen to incorporate it and market it is even more striking. Unfortunately, they may be leaving some camera traditionalists behind with some of their decisions. But camera traditionalists may not be their target market. Lytro photos on Facebook may have the wow power to go viral and the light field approach could have the potential to disrupt the market. Will Lytro be able to coax enough users in to this novel approach to make it worth their while? They certainly seem to think so. For those of us who follow camera technology, it will certainly be fun to watch.