The Future of Photography

[Mike Farley]

The cameras we use today are essentially the same as those from the film days, the main difference being that the image is captured on a digital sensor. Yes, this does allow all manner of wondrous things such as instant review of a shot, impossibly high ISOs to shoot handheld in near darkness and frame rates higher than even a pro spec SLR could ever manage, but with the exception of the Lytro the underlying photographic principles have not changed. That could all be about to change with the forthcoming introduction of the L16 next year.



It is basically sixteen individual cameras with lenses at three focal lengths, any ten of which are used simultaneously to produce a 52 MP image from a unit which can fit in a pocket. Focal length is by pinching and zooming on the rear screen and by using multiple small sensors which already have a wide depth of field, the camera's computational power can render everything in focus. Each sensor can be set for a different exposure to increase dynamic range in much the same way as we do with HDR today, except it occurs simultaneously. It seems that there will also be a desktop application for post capture processing.

None of this comes cheap and the first model will sell for $1,699, although it can be pre-ordered for $1,299 before 6 November by paying a deposit of $199. Those early adopters will not receive their cameras for nearly a year, with delvery expected to commence in September 2016. That's only in the US as arrangements for international orders have yet to be announced.

Thom Hogan has a good write-up which neatly summarises the new technology, and there is more information at DPReview, Imaging Resource and no doubt elsewhere.

http://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/the ... lmost.html

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/460749 ... table-body

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/20 ... our-pocket

[Peter Boughton]

There doesn't seem to be any obvious order to the lens layout.

How it is going to handle close ups or eyes looking down the lens shot - it the four corner cameras are all used it's not just going to magically all fit together?