Lytro is set to release its second light field camera since 2011, the Lytro Illum, promising richer sets of image data with interactive depth feedback display compared to conventional digital or film cameras.
The upgraded Illum builds on the original’s light field technology allowing photographers to capture the direction, colour and brightness of the rays of lighting within the frame.
Lytro claims that photographers will have the ability to explore different perspectives, focal points and dimensions of the image after it has been captured.
Optically, the Illum has an 8x zoom lens with a 30-250mm equivalent focal length. The 40-megaray (a measure of light field data capture) light field sensor allows photographers to take a wide range of shots with extreme close-focus macro capability and a constant f/2.0 aperture across the entire zoom range. The shutter speed is up to a high of 1/4000 of a second to allow users to capture action scenes.
The Illum uses very few tactile-controls, with primary focus on the articulating touchscreen with a smartphone-like interface. The camera also sports a hot shoe supporting all leading flashes.
As for software, the virtual camera controls within post-processing include aperture focus and perspective adjustment and tilt control.
Workflow is also compatible with existing photo-editing suites like Adobe’s Photoshop and Lightroom software and Apple’s Aperture software.
Other features include the integration with popular social media networks, interactive depth-of-field assist (allowing for the composition of 3D images), drag and drop cinematic animations can be added, in-camera, to photos (pan, zoom, focus, and perspective shift).
The Illum is available on the company’s website for Australian and New Zealand customers for pre-order until July 2014 for $A1799.
