Lytro today introduced its second generation plenoptic
camera – the Illum, which gives fans of light field photography a second more “affordable”
option aside from the first generation Lytro camera.
In terms of design, the Illum sports a futuristic look that
no other camera manufacturer has built before with an angular body made from magnesium
and a lens barrel built from anodized aluminium. The lens of the camera is equipped
with both a focus ring and a zoom ring wrapped in silicone rubber.
The camera also features a 4-inch touchscreen panel on the
back with a touch-friendly user interface that allows users to change settings
such as Program, ISO, Shutter and Manual controls, set the timer, adjust grid
and switch from single or continuous shooting mode with just a tap of the
finger.
Moreover, the screen is placed on an angle, which according
to Lytro should help users check the image when the camera is placed near the
waist (consumers are said to typically hold the camera near the waste). The
screen can also be adjusted in order to give photographers flexible shooting
angles.
The Illum also boasts a couple of programmable hardware dials
that are pre-configured for ISO and exposure adjustments. There’s also a visual
depth assist histogram button alongside the shutter button near the camera
grip.
The camera will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
processor and will rock a 40 Megaray light ray sensor, a mechanical shutter with
a speed of 1/4000ths of a second, Wi-Fi connectivity (which allows the Illum to
connect to Lytro’s servers), an SD card slot, a USB 3.0 port and a hot shoe for
external flash.
Being a plenoptic camera, the Illum also offer features
unique to other light field photography products. For starters, it still has
the same re-focus functionality as the first generation Lytro camera. There’s
also a new feature called Light Field Animations, which is sort of an
extension of the refocusing feature that animates captured images.
The same technology used in the camera’s refocusing
abilities also pave the way for a smaller form factor. According to the company’s
CEO, Jason Rosenthal and founder Dr. Ren Ng, their products’ unique sensor is
able to figure out the direction of light ray using computation and software,
thereby reducing the amount of lens pieces (almost 50% reduction).
The Lytro Illum will be available starting in July for
around $1599 (jaw drop alert!). But those who will pre-order the camera will
get a $100 discount.
