nofilmschool » plenoptic

Panasonic's Revolutionary New 'Micro Color Splitter' Sensor Filter Doubles Light Sensitivity

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:02:38 +0000

The most common way we get color images with digital cameras is with a Bayer pattern CMOS sensor, but there are plenty of variations on that design being used today. The upcoming Aaton Penelope Delta uses a Bayer pattern over a Dalsa CCD, for example, while the RED EPIC-M Monochrome uses the MX CMOS sensor foregoing color filtration entirely. By their very nature, though, color filters of any kind cut down the amount of light transmitted to the sensor. That’s why Panasonic is developing a brand new type of color filter that will employ diffraction to split up the color spectrum, instead of filtration, and thus will be capable of doubling the light sensitivity of the sensor. (more…)

Toshiba 'Out-Lytros' Lytro, Designing a Camera Sensor Capable of Video Refocusing

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 23:53:53 +0000

Lytro is a company implementing a novel and fascinating idea — obvious enough for anyone to appreciate it’s wow-factor, but original enough that visual creatives can be impressed with its technology — you can set your focal distance after taking your shots. Now, you can also even shift your perspective a bit, another near-magical innovation for digital photography. That said, right now Lytro cameras have several major limitations: they are stand-alone cameras, which may be inconvenient for shooters used to novelty photography on a tiny multi-use device — plus, there isn’t great direct mobile integration with social media. Interestingly, Toshiba has just announced that it’s developing its own lightfield-type sensor, specifically for tablet and smartphone applications — and, it’s expected to allow focus shift for your mobile video as well. (more…)

Want Adjustable Depth of Field in Post? You Don't Need Lytro, Now You Can Use a DSLR

Joe Marine — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:54:52 +0000

Light field cameras could be the next big thing in photography and/or video, but as of right now, there is only one company selling anything that can achieve the affect: Lytro. If you have been wondering if this effect could be recreated with the DSLR you already own, the answer, as it turns out, is yes. The Chaos Collective, a group of internet futurists, has created a way to achieve the exact same effect as the Lytro camera with any DSLR, and has even created a way to embed the adjustable photos online. (more…)

Mystical Lytro Light Field Camera Now Allows for Equally Magical Perspective Shift, Plus Living Filters

Dave Kendricken — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:25:15 +0000

Lytro cameras already allow us to do something that, while (apparently) scientifically possible, seems to invoke more Gandalf than optical physics — which is to manipulate focus, dynamically and after the fact. By sampling the whole ‘light field’ within the field of view, they are truly fascinating iterations of the tools we use daily. This has some pretty interesting implications for the future of photography, not to mention videography — but Lytro isn’t stopping there. In fact, you can not only interactively shift your focal point, as you could before – but you can now, to an extent, alter the actual perspective of your shot as well, in real time — not to mention apply filters which also react in line with the company’s “living picture” aesthetic. For a demo video and some interactive examples, read on. (more…)

In Case You Missed the Crazy Future Camera That's Refocusable in Post, Here It Is

Ryan Koo — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:35:46 +0000

Years ago a reader emailed me about plenoptic cameras, also known as light-field cameras, which allow an image to be refocused after the picture is taken. Sometimes referred to as a 4D camera, this crazy technology is now headed to a consumer camera from new manufacturer Lytro. News of this development, which utilizes technology first seen in a 2005 Stanford research paper, hit the internet last week, with Lytro now taking reservations for the device. Check out the refocusable images in action, and let me know what you think — game-changer or gimmick? (more…)