Lytro camera

A Silicon Valley start-up has vowed to redefine the meaning of "point-and-shoot" with a camera technology that allows users to take photos with no regard to image focus. According to Lytro Inc. founder and CEO Ren Ng, the company's upcoming Lytro cameras are equipped with an array of highly sensitive sensors that leverages light-field technology to capture the so-called "missing dimensions" of a picture.

Full disclaimer: we're no photography buffs. With that in the open, the concept behind Lytro's technology seems straightforward enough. The company's camera records all the data it can about the field of light it's exposed to, including the color, intensity and direction of individual light rays. The result is a highly adjustable digital image that, among other things, allows you to refocus shots after they're taken.

Lytro expects to launch its first camera toward the end of this year, but it hasn't shared any pricing details, saying only that the device will be "reasonably priced" for consumers. Assuming it's priced within the grasp of the average shopper, many believe Lytro's innovative offering will obviate existing digital cameras. Looking beyond still imagery, Ng eventually hopes to bring light-field technology to the video industry.



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