Fix Your Focus With Just a Click - Lytro Revealed

If you have yet to hear about Lytro, this interactive photo above is a must see!  Simply click the arrow in the bottom right corner of the image to get started.  As you click around the image, prepare to be amazed as your focus completely changes!

While it will not fix a blurry image that suffers from camera shake, it clearly is effective at changing the plane of focus.  We think it's rather amazing technology but it definitely has the potential to encourage sloppy technique.  As covered in our Complete Course in Professional Photography, it's always best to get the image right in the camera at the time of the exposure.  This eliminates needless hours spent behind a monitor attempting to fix the error.  Of course it's nice to know a tool exists that can change a throwaway image to a keeper. 

Here's an informative video detailing more of its capabilities.

What are your thoughts on this technology?

Join the conversation on Twitter.  Follow along with Facebook.

Tune in on YouTube.  Visit the Official Site at NYIP.com.

Comments

[Victoria]

This is excellent. Often, when I'm rushed to capture a moment, I fail to focus properly. This technology allows me to correct costly mistakes.

[jameswhe]

My first reaction was a dislike because it discourages good technical habits. After more thought, however, I believe that this feature, or a close resemblance, will become a part of most cameras in the years ahead. Why? Because most amateurs want to take good photos but don't want to invest the time and money in the learning process. (Thus point and shoot.) More accomplished photogs may take a liking to it as well because it will allow more concentration on their subjects rather than on technical considerations. (As with zoom lenses and a myriad of other modern advances.)
The possible downside is more time spent in post processing. But then, that's what tweaking is all about at the manufacturing level.

[Dan Buckenmyer]

On the website, this seems too cool to be real. And that is my concern. If the original is clearly out of focus, or the photographer has used a large aperture, how can the out of focus area be correctly brought back into focus without degrading the image? I know that we can do some sharpening in post-processing, but this seems like they used a small aperture, and then in post they blurred section so that when you click on that area, it just readjusts the blur/focus area. I would have to see it done on one of my own shots that I know has out of focus areas, then see the print to see if the photo is degraded (too much grain...) before I could believe it or buy it.

[Carl - Michigan Wedding Photographer]

This is actually amazing technology. I can see however how such technology will divert the focus on technique. Such is the world of technology as many old school photographers said the same thing about the development of digital photography as a whole.

However, from an experienced photographer's standpoint this technology can offer some time savings. I often shoot weddings where time is limited and it is very important to use all the resources at you disposal to create memorable images. Often times I find myself taking multiple exposures of a same scene in order to compare results of foreground, mid-ground and backgrounds. An example of this is of a bride and groom kissing in a meadow or garden. It is often a great affect to catch the organic life in the foreground and the subjects blurred in the background or vise-versa. Adding this depth can take a rather flat photography and add the character that will cross the line from good to great photography. Such technology allows for one click of the shutter rather than two or three which speeds up the process.

I am interested in trying it out.