News - Lytro Illum: a professional grade light field camera

[HEXUS]

The camera will be priced at $1,599,
pre-orders are available from today with $100 off.

Read more.

[Harkin]

Annnd the generous folk of Hexus will be giving away one of these beauties?!? :S

[Lucio]

I see the technology as offering a better path towards 3D imaging than traditional steroscopic approaches, having multiple focal points should in theory capture sufficient information to allow a 3D image to be extraopolated without requiring alternating shots to be taken.

As for adding nothing, having the ability to alter the focal point after the fact allows photographers to make decisions about what they want the shot to show, rather than having to decide that at the time the picture was taken. An area where this could be particularly revelant is survelliance footage, instead of having an area being recorded and hoping that the camera focus and detail is sufficient to read key details, being able to alter the focal distance should improve the information which can be gathered.

[Repressor]

Recessed hot-shoe.

But is it a proprietary hot-shoe?

[R4P70R]

No view finder is not for professionnals
This kind of "after focus" is already on android on my nexus 5, it's only a software processing from multiple angle of view image that is possible to do with two "normal cameras"

[this_is_gav]

I predict that five years from now Lytro will only be remembered within sentences such as 'Remember Lytro?'

People will say that? I'd never heard of them.

Come on Hexus! You've ignored the one flagship mobile which actually contains a second sensor to aid in refocusing, rather than the pure software attempts of others. The One M8 interpretation isn't perfect by any means, but it's far better than the Samsung and LG attempts.

[crossy]

Maybe I'm being a tight-fist, but the thought occurs that $1,500+ would buy you a relatively decent "prosumer" DSLR. Which, being the case, why would I want to spend the same amount on this device that can't take different lenses etc, and is from a comparative unknown? Sure, the refocus-at-will idea is a good one, but I'm pretty unconvinced that it's worth paying a premium for - just take a load of shots instead with a normal camera.

Telling that the article says that the original Lytro is down from $399 to $199 - basically half price - surely indicative that it's not taking off. (Or "v2" is shortly to be available).
EDIT: Just checked John Lewis - which Lytro says is their UK reseller - and they've still got the 8GB model of Lytro original for £399. No thanks - can get a Fuji HS50EXR or Canon SX50 plus battery and card for that kind of money.