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Lytro finally enables camera's WiFi chip, introduces iOS companion app as well
Though Lytro early adopters might not know it, every one of those little light field cameras actually has a WiFi chip embedded inside, lying dormant until the company decides to flip the switch. Well, that time has finally come in the form of a firmware update, and wouldn't you know it, it coincides nicely with the release of a new iOS app as well. Dubbed Lytro Mobile, the app connects with the device over WiFi (naturally), letting you view its contents on your favorite iOS device. Simply select the Camera feature in the app, and it'll prompt you to swipe the Lytro's menu drawer until you see the WiFi logo as shown in the picture above. Tap it, follow the on-screen instructions, and voilà, you're now able to upload your images directly to Lytro.com either over a cellular or WiFi connection, no USB plug required. Like the Lytro desktop app, the mobile version lets you refocus a picture and change its center of perspective via Perspective Shift. You can also add captions and geotagging data, and share your living pictures via Facebook, Twitter, email or SMS. Along with letting you see what's on your camera itself, the app also gives you access to a mobile version of the Lytro website. You can check your profile, view the most popular and most recently uploaded pictures and "like" any photo that strikes your fancy. Interestingly, the app also lets you create an animated GIF out of a living picture -- simply select either "refocus" or "perspective shift" on any of your Lytro shots to have one of those two animations added to your camera roll (we've included an example GIF after the break). Last but not least, the Lytro Mobile app has a series of tips for Lytro owners to learn more about their camera. To learn more about the app, check out the screenshots, video and release after the break. Or you can just head to the App Store link to download it right now.
FocusTwist lets you focus photos after taking a picture
A new app called FocusTwist by Arqball lets your iPhone do what a US$400 Lytro light field camera is used for. Like the Lytro, the FocusTwist app lets you adjust the focus a picture after you have taken it. However, the method of after-focusing is completely different in FocusTwist than it is in the Lytro. The Lytro uses specialized hardware and software (you can read about it here). FocusTwist, on the other hand, has a bit of trickery up its sleeve. The app actually takes several photos at different focus points when you expose an image. Users can change the focus by tapping different parts of the image. Arqball's back-end servers handle the image processing, so the images can even be refocused by any friends you've shared a photo with. Because the FocusTwist app takes a succession of rapid images at different focal lengths, the after-focusing feature only works well if you manage to hold your iPhone very steady while taking a pic. For best results, a tripod is handy. FocusTwist is US$1.99 and available in the App Store now.
tap2focus is a clever poor man's Lytro app for the iPhone
We've all been impressed with the Lytro Light Field Camera, which allows a single picture to have multiple focus points. It's a complex process, and the Lytro cameras aren't cheap: they begin at US$399. Our Steve Sande reviewed the Lytro Camera about a year ago and was impressed with the technology. Now, a $0.99 app called tap2focus kinda, sort of simulates what a Lytro Camera can do, albeit in a rather low-tech, but clever way. Here's how the app works. You take a picture by tapping on an area you want in focus. Then you tap another area that should be in soft focus. Tap3focus then snaps another picture. If you have multiple focus points you can tap in multiple places. When done, tap2focus creates an image that allows you to tap in different places and put the area you touched into focus. Of course, this is not one image, but several, and if you moved the camera, you'll see the movement as you tap. You can share your photo with anyone who has the app installed on their iPhone, or if you sign up for a free account and your friends can view the image on the web either on a computer or on any smartphone with a browser. You can see some examples of how the app works on the developer's website. %Gallery-180227% I have to say this is a clever idea, but like the Lytro, I'm hard-pressed to see the everyday value. The app could be considerably enhanced if the developer aligned and cropped the images which would stop the movement that results from handheld picture-taking. tap2focus is clever, and inexpensive enough to play with. I applaud the creativity, even though I don't think it is a must-have app. tap2focus requires iOS 6.0 and is optimized for the iPhone 5.
New Toshiba camera sensor lets you refocus after the shot, plans 2013 launch in smartphones and tablets
Hoping for some after-the-fact focusing in your next smartphone camera? Well, you'll have to wait around a year, but Toshiba's planning exactly that with a new module that houses an array of 500,000 tiny lenses. Within a 1cm-thick unit, these lenses are layered in front of the camera sensor, which can capture slightly different images from each lens arrangement. Those picture can then be combined in a "complete" picture using Toshiba's own software. Apparently, the camera will also be able to measure the distance between objects in the shot -- similar to how 3D images are captured -- with the user then able to shift focus between close and distant detail, or even create images that are in-focus throughout. Toshiba says the module will also be able to capture video with a similar degree of focus management -- something that Lytro hasn't got around to just yet. The sensor is still a work in progress, but the manufacturer plans to commercialize the module before the end of 2013. Toshiba is looking to ally itself with multiple smartphone (and tablet) makers -- and here's hoping that it finds its way into a device outside of Japan. [Thanks Franck]
Lytro to get Perspective Shift and Living Filters for more focus-shifting fun (video)
Lytro has just announced a software update that expands upon the multidimensional elements of the little light-field point-and-shoot. The Lytro Desktop software will get two new features, dubbed Perspective Shift and Living Filters, both of which expand upon the device's focus-shifting capabilities. Perspective Shift lets you change the photo's center of perspective, while Living Filters are interactive image effects that range from cool to kooky. We had a chance to get an early look at these features, so join us after the break for our impressions and video of them in action.
Lytro camera getting parallax effect and 3D display support, lands in Hong Kong (video)
Lytro isn't done extending the usefulness of its light field camera just because we have manual controls. Another update due by the end of the year will take advantage of that focus-independent sensor to allow a parallax-based 3D effect in photos: invoke a 'full' focus in reviewing shots and you can start poking around the scene in a limited way without having ever touched a dual-sensor camera. Appropriately, we're also getting support for examining photos on 3D monitors and TVs that emphasize the added depth. The promised features come hand-in-hand with Lytro's immediate availability in Hong Kong, where 8GB blue and gray cameras are selling for $3,888 HKD ($502 US) and the 16GB red model goes for $4,688 HKD ($605). Check out our Chinese crew's eyes-on look at the parallax effect in a video after the break.
Lytro camera gets manual controls, new colors and accessories for exacting light-field fans
A frequent gripe of Lytro camera owners has been the hands-off nature of the photography, with that signature infinite focus about the only real fine-tuning that's on tap. As of a fresh firmware upgrade, the light-field camera is much friendlier to demanding shooters. The unconventional point-and-shoot now lets owners manually adjust the ISO sensitivity (80 to 3,200) and shutter speed (1/250th of a second to 8 seconds) as well as lock the exposure or invoke a neutral density filter. Regardless of their precision demands, anyone who was already sold on the concept still gets a few perks with today's refresh: the 8GB model now comes in Seaglass green and a Target-exclusive Moxie Pink, and there's both a $30 sleeve as well as a $60, accessory-friendly case for those who've fully committed to the Lytro lifestyle. Neither upgrade will bring higher resolutions or video, but they'll go a long way towards accommodating those who were at least on the fence. Check out an interactive sample of the shutter speed control's benefits after the break.
Lytro light-field camera hitting Amazon, Target and Best Buy sites next month
It's about to become a heck of a lot easier to get your hands on a consumer light-field camera. The Lytro, that marvel of post-picture-taking-focusing, is finally expanding its reach well beyond the confines of its own site. The camera will be hitting Amazon and Best Buy and Target's sites come October 9th. That same day, Canadians will be able to pick the lipstick-shaped device up via Future Shop, followed by retail availability in Canada on the 10th. In mid-October, it'll be hitting stores in Singapore and Hong Kong, swinging back around to the States in November for availability in CityTarget stores in select locations.
How would you change the Lytro?
Few products make everyone here at Engadget quite as giddy with excitement as Lytro's light-field camera. Given how regularly we need to photograph things, we were desperate to know if this was going to revolutionize the way we snapped pictures. It had more than a few things going for it, innovative product design, great engineering, it was fast, responsive and had a great UI. However, the pictures themselves were of a low resolution, and the depth-of-field trickery only works with extreme close-up-and-background shots where you can mess around with your bokkeh. As nice as it is in theory (and practice, on a well-lit day), it's certainly not going to replace your DSLR any time soon -- but given that the company's presumably working on version 2.0 of the device, what would you suggest they tweak?
Lytro finally rolls out Windows desktop software, celebrates with free shipping
As cool as the Lytro camera's post-picture taking focusing technology is, it's hard to overlook some of the product's shortcomings -- not the least of which is the fact that the company only offered a Mac solution when the device launched earlier this year. Lytro has finally addressed that oversight, with the release of a desktop application for Windows. To use it, your system will need to be running Windows 7 with 2GB of RAM and at least an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU (you can find the full list of minimum specs in the source link below). To celebrate the launch, Lytro's offering up free shipping on camera orders this week. Also new are the Lytro tripod mount and USB wall charger accessories.
Distro Issue 31: Tales from the South Pacific, Apple's new iPad and the Woz
Let's just call Issue 31 the New Issue, shall we? That's what Apple did this week with the refresh of the iPad, and in this week's refresh of Distro, we'll bring you our first-hand impressions of Cupertino's latest slate. Also in this issue, Darren Murph takes a look at the challenges of bringing wireless to the disconnected, in "Internet Tales from the South Pacific," and Steve Wozniak tackles the Distro Q&A like only he can. We'll also bring you our reviews of Lytro's debut light field camera and Dell's XPS 13 Ultrabook. So go on and download the new issue.Distro Issue 31 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
Lytro camera review
Lytro camera hands-on (video) Lytro open to partnering with smartphone makers, executive suggests Lytro's light field camera captures 'unprecedented' images, lets you choose focus later Don't let that cute design fool you. Lytro, the world's first commercial light field camera, is the culmination of nearly twenty years of research -- a project that once occupied an entire wall facade, and has since been miniaturized into something that fits in the palm of your hand. An impressive feat, sure, but not as arresting as the end result: the ability to refocus pictures, even after you've taken them. To achieve such magical endeavors the Lytro camera uses heaps of custom software (armed with a custom .lfp file format) coupled with some serious silicon to measure not just color or the intensity of light, but its direction, too. The latter is achieved with an eleven "megaray" sensor, which is bolted to an f/2.0 8x optical zoom lens, all encased within that sleek body. Seeking to save us from unfocused mishaps, the technological tour de force also unlocks some considerable creative potential. So, is the $399 shooter going to revolutionize photography as we know it? Or does the Lytro's first foray into consumer electronics fall prey to the shortcomings of 1.0 product? By now you should know the drill: rendezvous with us past the break to find out.
Lytro Light Field Camera: Hands-on with the future of photography
On March 1, a new era of photography began when California-based Lytro started shipping the first Lytro Light Field Cameras. When I first heard about light field photography last year, I was intrigued enough to pre-order one of Lytro's cameras sight unseen. The camera arrived on Friday, and I've now had a chance to put it through its paces. In this review, I'll explain what light field photography is, describe how the camera and what Lytro calls "living pictures" work, and give you my impressions on how this first-generation device does its job. TUAW's interest in the Lytro goes beyond pure "cool gadget" fascination, since the device is technically a Mac-only peripheral. At this point, the Lytro Desktop software only runs on the Mac platform, although a Windows version is on the way. About Light Field Photography What's a light field camera? Normal digital cameras measure the color and intensity of light, while a light field camera also captures the direction that the light is moving at a point in time. The Lytro measures all of the light in front of the camera and then recreates that three-dimensional light field in digital form. Once the data is downloaded from the Lytro to your Mac, a piece of software called Lytro Desktop processes those images so that you're able to view the light field. As you'll find out in a bit, the camera can be focused on a particular point as you're capturing an image. But since you've captured much more information about the light entering the camera, you can also refocus the image in the software. This is where the magic of light field photography comes in -- photographers are essentially able to shoot a photo and then focus after the fact. Without having to worry about focusing on a subject before capturing an image, photographers can simply "point and shoot", then refocus at will later on. Viewing light field images is like magic -- you click (or tap if you're using an iPad to view) on a spot to bring it into focus. Needless to say, this is absolutely stunning in images that have both close-up and distant elements, as the viewer can choose what to focus on. Give this image a try: There are tantalizing hints from Lytro that the same information stored by the camera will soon be able to be manipulated by the Lytro Desktop app to display a 3D image or, in a particularly Blade Runner-ish way, shift the viewer's perspective a bit to see the image from a slightly different point in space. Design and Specs Light field photography is a new science, having been first achieved at a Stanford University lab 15 years ago. The CEO of Lytro, Ren Ng, wrote his doctoral dissertation (available here) in 2006 describing the math and physics of digital light field photography. The first DLF cameras, known as plenoptic cameras, filled rooms with many cameras looking through multiple microlenses and required supercomputer power to process the images. Through years of research, Lytro has managed to squeeze all of the necessary camera technology into what looks like a small, square-sided telescope measuring 1.61" x 1.61" x 4.41" (41 mm x 41 mm x 112 mm) and weighing just 7.55 ounces (214 grams). On one end is a 1.46" (33 mm) backlit touchscreen LCD that is used to control the Lytro camera, while on the other is a glass window covering the optics. The camera features an 8x optical zoom lens that stays at a fast f/2 aperture throughout the zoom range. There's a square magnetic lens cap that keeps the end of the optics covered when not in use. With light field photography, you don't talk about capturing megapixels -- instead, you're capturing megarays. There's no other camera to compare the first Lytro with, so the 11 megaray spec is a bit meaningless -- that number indicates the number of light rays that are captured and is not indicative of resolution as we know it. The Lytro comes in three models -- Red Hot (US$499, 16 GB, holds 750 images), Electric Blue ($399, 8 GB, stores 350 pictures), and Graphite (same as Electric Blue). I purchased the Electric Blue. The exterior of the camera case is covered with a silicone rubber grip in the area that your hand holds it. This grip also contains a power button, a micro-USB port, two holes for attaching a wrist strap (included), and the shutter button. Sliding a finger back and forth across the top of the grip also zooms the camera. Unboxing and using the Lytro Camera Apple's aesthetic has definitely had a major effect on how electronic devices are packaged. The Lytro box is plain white with photos of the two ends and a side view of the camera printed on the top and ends. Opening the box, the first thing you see is the camera, perched atop a plastic tray. Lift up the camera, and a small set of instructions is folded underneath. Below the plastic tray is the USB cable for charging the Lytro and retrieving images, the wrist strap, a soft cleaning cloth, and some additional information. %Gallery-149390% The lithium-ion battery inside is already charged up when you receive the camera, but Lytro recommends plugging in the device so that it can be fully charged. The touchscreen display indicates the level of charge. Once it was charged up, I was ready to go take some light field pictures. Taking light field photos is quite easy -- you turn the camera on, take off the lens cap, make sure that the image you're shooting is framed nicely in the viewfinder, and then press the shutter button. To help frame a subject, swiping a finger to the right on top of the hand grip zooms the camera in, and swiping left zooms out. There's also a "Creative Mode" that provides more control for capturing extreme macro images, using the zoom's full range, and setting the center of the range of refocus. Accessing the mode is done by swiping up on the touchscreen and tapping a specific icon. When Creative Mode is set, there's a blue frame around the display. Setting the center of the refocus range is just a tap away. Here's another image that was done using Creative Mode: Once you've taken a number of images, swiping to the right lets you look through them. Want to zoom in on a detail? Swipe your finger on top of the camera. Deleting a bad photo -- yes, you can still capture horrible images just like with any other camera -- is accomplished by swiping up on the display and tapping the popular trash can icon. There's also a way of tagging special images by tapping a star icon. Those images are imported to your computer before any other image. Importing and sharing Moving the images to your Mac and the free Lytro.com web storage / viewing area is also simple. Attaching the camera to your Mac via the USB cable for the first time opens the app installer, which is stored in the camera. When the app is installed, images are pulled over to the Mac. Importing and doing the processing of eleven images took a little over two minutes on my machine (a Core i7 recent-vintage iMac); if you've filled up your Lytro, be prepared to do some waiting. In the Lytro Desktop software, images are displayed by "story." All images taken during a specific session show up in a single story, and images can be moved between stories by clicking and dragging. Stories can also be renamed, so images taken on a trip (for example) can be grouped and given a title appropriate to that trip. %Gallery-149516% The Lytro Desktop software is also used to share your images with others. To begin with, double-clicking opens the image in full size so that you can click on it to refocus. Once you've found a focus range you like, you have the option to shares the image or save the photo as a 1080 x 1080 pixel JPEG for printing or touchup. Saving as a JPEG, of course, gets rid of the interactivity. However, the static photos are much less engaging than the interactive images, so it's better to share the images online so others can "play" with them. From the Desktop app you can post an image on your personal Lytro.com page or share a link on Facebook. From the Lytro.com page, it's possible to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, or email the link. There are also embed codes for placing the images into a web page, which is how I got the sample images onto TUAW. Negatives There are a couple of things that I wish the first-generation Lytro had -- a way to attach it to a tripod (there's no tripod mount), a flash (despite the fast f/2 lens, it still takes noisy low-light pictures), and a way to geotag images automatically. If the Lytro is as successful as the company hopes, perhaps we'll see improved models in the future. While you can view and refocus shared images on iOS devices, there's no way to do that directly in your Lytro.com account. The company is working on an iOS app that should be available in the near future. The bottom line One of the most common questions I've received since taking delivery of the Lytro camera is "What are some practical things you can do with it"? That's a very good question, since the images aren't as high resolution or editable as those from even a fairly pedestrian point and shoot digital camera, or usable without a computer of some sort. I can see many practical uses for the device. For example, artists who want to display images of three-dimensional objects (sculptures) can now use a handful of shots and let potential customers focus in on different points; the same thing goes for eBay sellers or real estate brokers, who now have a new tool for giving potential buyers a stronger sense of the merchandise. For those of us writing at tech sites, the ability to take amazing macros or product shots that readers can interact with is going to be a draw. Travelers will find light field images to be a unique way to capture snaps of places visited, then they can use the website or Mac Desktop software to "revisit" those places with a level of interactivity never possible before. As I noted earlier, the captured light field can be manipulated to provide 3D images, and that's a feature that many expect to see soon. There's no word on how the images will be viewed, but I'll pass along the information when this capability becomes available. The Lytro camera is small enough that I'll be able to carry it everywhere, so it's going to be a perfect companion to my iPhone camera (snapshots) and my "working camera." I absolutely love being able to capture images very quickly with no need to focus. The camera is immediately available for use after power-up, and it has already been useful for me in taking macros in seconds, instead of having to play with focus and lighting. I also believe that using the Lytro is going to also change the way I think about traditional photography. Rather than framing my photos two-dimensionally, I already find myself thinking about depth of field more often now. The Lytro is going to be a useful tool for expanding my photography skill set. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But it's a first step into a new world, and at some point in the future this technology may work its way into the mainstream. Until then, enjoy the images you'll start to see from Lytro owners everywhere.
Lytro pre-orders start shipping, infinite focusing now within reach
Those of you that scurried to get an early spot in the pre-order cue for Lytro's upcoming camera, ought to carefully skim your inboxes for an email confirming shipment of your infinite focusing shooter. Per a ton of tips from you, in addition to a post from the company's official blog, early orders of the unconventionally shaped camera that allows you to refocus after the fact are now en route to abodes stateside. When we played with it at its launch event, we came away impressed, yet ultimately longed for the underlying technology to be licensed to others -- something the company maintains it's actively exploring. No matter, with a unit in hand, look for our full review in the coming days.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Lytro video camera 'a possibility', would need more processing muscle
While we impatiently await a Lytro to call our own -- or at least rigorously review -- it looks like the light field technology could be used for video. Ren Ng, CEO of Lytro and the man behind the camera's focus-dodging optical wizardry, mentioned that the main barrier between the curious camera lens and video recording is the amount of processing power required to manipulate all that fully-lit input. He also mentioned that Lytro is continuing to develop the wireless connectivity within the device, something that wasn't fully baked during our hands-on. If it's a processing power issue, those incoming quad-core smartphones might be able to help squeeze some video out of that f/2.0 lens...
Lytro Light Field Camera's guts get spilled on the FCC's dancefloor
There's a scene in Robocop 2, where our eponymous hero is set-to with an angle grinder and dumped in pieces outside the Detroit Police station. Now replace the cybernetic Alex Murphy with the Lytro Light Field camera and you'll know what was found on the sidewalk opposite from the FCC's concrete bunker this morning. Interesting tidbits revealed in the government-sponsored autopsy included a questionably small Zoran imaging chip and Marvell Avastar W8787 wireless SoC -- but the company's already swiftly denied it'll have WiFi capability. Still, the infinite-focus device is certainly on for that early 2012 launch date if it's passed through the FCC without derision. We like to treat you right, dear readers, so below you'll find a cornucopia of galleries to hunt through before these units arrive in your hands. What do you think? Should we equip all our staffers with Lytro cameras for our future hands-ons?
Lytro open to partnering with smartphone makers, executive suggests
Now that its famed light field camera has finally become official, Lytro is looking to the future, with an eye, apparently, toward the cellphone market. During a recent interview with PC World, Lytro executive chairman Charles Chi described his company's new sensor in greater detail, and talked at length about its purportedly superior battery life. He also divulged a few hints about Lytro's roadmap. When asked whether the firm would ever license its technology to a smartphone manufacturer, Chi confirmed that Lytro has "the capital to do that, the capability in the company to do that, and... the vision to execute," before launching into an explanation of what it would take for such an initiative to succeed: If we were to apply the technology in smartphones, that ecosystem is, of course, very complex, with some very large players there. It's an industry that's very different and driven based on operational excellence. For us to compete in there, we'd have to be a very different kind of company. So if we were to enter that space, it would definitely be through a partnership and a codevelopment of the technology, and ultimately some kind of licensing with the appropriate partner. Far from a confirmation, to be sure, but it seems like the handset market is at least on Lytro's radar. Read the full Q&A at the link below.
Switched On: The 2011 Switchies
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. It's that special time of year between the post-holiday sales and the pre-CES hype that presents an opportunity to consider some of the most innovative devices of the year. Switched On is proud to present the Saluting Wares Improving Technology's Contribution to Humanity awards, also known as The Switchies. This year marks the sixth annual Switchies, which are decided based on a rigorous examination of the opinion of me, and do not reflect the opinion of Engadget or its editors. For that latter honor, nominees will need to win an Engadget Award. Let's roll out the red carpet then.
Lytro's light field camera hits the FCC, drop-dead simple user manual in tow
2011's most outrageously incredible camera just hit the FCC, leaving it a step or two shy of being on retail shelves here in America. The Lytro light field camera (hands-on) -- for those who blinked through late October -- is a rare game-changing device that enables photographers to shift the depth of field after the image has been captured. The downside, of course, is that this functionality is tucked into a pocket-sized toy rather than Canon's incoming EOS 1D-X (or similar), but we're hoping that it's only a matter of time before the company licenses this out to the big boys. The included user guide proves just how simple the $399 device will be to operate, but on the same token, how few options there will be for advanced users. Dig in yourself in the source link below -- looks like that "early 2012" shipping promise might just be kept.
Lytro camera hands-on (video)
You knew Lytro was up to something, but with its infinite focus light-field powered camera out of the bag, how does it actually stack up in real life? In a word: novel -- you certainly won't be tossing your regular camera for this shooter, at least not in its current incarnation. Still the concept of shoot now, ask focus questions later is revolutionary, so hop on past the break for our initial impressions. %Gallery-137034%
