MicrostockGroup

I read this article about a camera start up:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/230867/camera_startup_lytro_promises_to_revolutionize_photography.html

Was also playing around on their website adjusting the focus:

http://www.lytro.com/picture_gallery

Yes, if it is everything they say it is, we will all need to buy new cameras soon!

OTOH, I was very hopeful about the Foveon sensor when it was first announced but ASAIK it's promise has never been fully realized.

It's a nice idea, useful for the masses = snap shooters.

I think it won't work for any stock work. Resolution seems to be an issue. Noise is definitely an issue and focus is still soft even at the screen size the show case.

No massive use for professional work.

As a non-photographer, that was my professional opinion as well. 

Speaking of Lytro, I went to their launch party last night. While the dynamic refocusing is cool, it's the combination of a vibrant 3D image with dynamic focusing and adjustments to depth of field that was the most striking. They weren't saying how big the camera lens and aperature will be, but the parallax is enough that the 3D looks very good. The value of a light field for capturing and post processing a 3D image is exciting, I'm a believer after seeing it in person.

They didn't mention that, but my guess is it won't be suitable for production work for awhile. That's always been the downside of plenoptic imaging, you split your sensor N number of ways, resulting in much smaller images.

Yeah, because it was so off topic, I shouldn't share my observations. 

It looks to me as if it adjusts to three or four planes of focus and nothing in between.

No doubt it will get better and better, if the initial idea catches on with buyers.

The cameras on their site now.  Looks like a toy and there's very little info about things like sensor resolution.  In the low resolution samples, distant subjects look soft.  I'm still excited though, it breaks the mould of digital cameras being very much like film cameras.  Hopefully the technology will be useful for pros one day.
http://www.lytro.com/

Very cool! I want one!

"It is built for Mac OS and requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. A Windows application is in development."

I think I love these people...

I don't like products with integrated memory where the difference between 8GB and 16GB is $100.

It definitely doesn't sound like it is really ready for prime time, but with a bit of advancement it could radically alter something like macro photography. Imagine being able to just shoot a macro and then in post decide how much of a depth of field you want. You could also vastly improve portrait photography by having more of the face in focus but also have the very out of focus background - plus the data is already there to make things 3d.

I totally agree that the "mac" approach to consumer electronics is very frustrating. I would much rather be able to buy 2 batteries and swap them and upgrade the storage with just a card rather than having to pay an extra 100$ to get 8 more GB worth built in. Not to mention the fact that if the trends of the past continue you could buy a new 64 GB card for that price and the convenience of being able to swap in a fresh card when traveling away from your computer...

You watched too much Star Trek. Not gonna happen in the next 100 years - for regular consumers anyway.