Feb 26 2008Adobe To Start Making Hardware Products?
Adobe recently displayed a camera lens they've developed that's capable of taking 19 different depth of field pictures with a single snap. Then, using their custom software they showed how you can manipulate a picture's focus and potentially bring objects at farther focal lengths into focus with nearer ones, etc. Pretty freaking neat. Adobe built this prototype to show off their software, but similar products could be on the market in a few years. And I'm going to buy one, damnit. I'm tired of all the hot girls in the background of my vacation photos turning out blurry because the camera decided to focus on my boring girlfriend.
Several more pictures, including one with an explanation of how the camera works, along with a video of Adobe demonstrating the prototype, after the jump.
The Sharpest-Shooting Camera [popsci]
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techeblog
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notcot
Reader Comments
1. guate6 - February 26, 2008 2:17 PM
After reading on this product, I call gimmick. It essentially allows you to have a deep depth of field, a shallow depth of field, and then combine the two...ok, so why not just shoot with a small aperture, and have everything in focus, OR manually adjust the focus, take pictures, and do the same as this.
I wouldn't buy it, and I'd recommend to others interested in photography to not purchase it as well.
2. guate6 - February 26, 2008 2:18 PM
(proto-)
3. matt - February 26, 2008 2:39 PM
Guate6,
True you can achieve a shot that is all in focus by adjusting aperature. However you get a very flat looking shot. This lens will keep items in focus all while giving a good depth of field. Single lens cameras cannot do this.
Also its pretty neat hat you can take just one photo and choose what kind of focus you want later.
Matt
4. imd14u2b - February 26, 2008 3:52 PM
always wanted to capture a moment from a fly's bug-eyed perspective........ except when i am standing on dogshiite..
5. Adobe = Crap - February 26, 2008 4:39 PM
Adobe makes the worst products ever. Bloated, Slow, and expensive
6. guate6 - February 26, 2008 4:42 PM
Matt,
While I don't disagree with the technicality of what you said, it's not impossible to do using creative photography with a single lens. It's not impossible to do. Granted it becomes more so "digital art" than anything, but again, it's possible.
Either way, I wouldn't buy this, and I stand in my recommendation to others to do the same.
7. Daniel - February 26, 2008 5:13 PM
That is the silliest thing I have ever seen, and SO unnecessary
8. anonymous - February 26, 2008 11:12 PM
clearly you all don't appreciate the practical uses of this camera... this has some awesome potential applications... ie. a camera that doesn't need to autofocus as you can do that after the fact. Talk about instant autofocus!
9. Andrew - February 27, 2008 7:59 AM
How often have you taken a shot of a fast moving object, only to find out that the image was very slightly blurred, with something like this, those days would be over. I am personally very pro this idea...
10. guate6 - February 27, 2008 11:06 AM
#9: actually I have taken several pictures of fast-moving objects. Sometimes the blur is preferred (when it happens on occasion for the blur effect), but mostly you just need a shutter speed faster than 1/125.
I've shot wildlife, sports, vehicles, people, and dabbled in ornithology as well (all while moving fast of course). Spend enough money and you can get AF-IF type of lenses that are amazingly fast (and/or you can manually focus...if you know what you're doing that's not hard, if you don't know what you're doing, that takes 10 seconds to learn).
I understand what you mean about "slightly blurred," but again I say, get a better camera. Shooting 5FPS, 10.2Mp, with a Nikkor tele (or canon) that has amazing focus (like the "continuous focus") eliminates the blur and again, you can do what this lens does. I don't doubt people will buy it (people not serious about photography), but I was directing my anti-lens comment towards those of us who are real photographers (read: those of us who have the equipment, know how to use it, and do it well).
11. Maggie - February 28, 2008 4:10 PM
Otherwise known as pretentious.
I don't know how someone can't see the practical applications for being able to alter focus after the fact for anyone interested in design in general.
12. christian gehrke - February 29, 2008 8:49 AM
I personally like to see Adobe branch out from a software only world to now think about producing hardware. I also like the fact that Adobe is trying to make hardware that does not already exist and therefore not try and compete with other developers such as Canon or any other camera maker.
You do have to give Adobe some credit for trying to think bigger and do new things.
13. Popadopolis - June 20, 2008 3:12 PM
One of the only serious comments I will ever post:
Without disrespecting guate6, I think he is completely wrong. Aside from the fact that this could give you a lot more options when it comes to still photography, the implications for video are pretty significant as well. For example: could you imagine watching a blu-ray that was shot with a lens like this, and then being able to choose how you wish to see the movie? Imagine having the same movie look different each time you watch it!
Secondly, I'm kind of tired of hearing people talk about, "we don't need this because we're too good for it" crap. It makes you sound like an asshat when the only input you have is, "oh, I already know how to do this. With my incredibly expensive equipment and photoshop I can BLAH BLAH with my BLAH BLAH set to BLAH BLAH." Get real, guys. This type of invention could end up revolutionizing photography as we know it. And I bet you're the same type of dumb-fucks who said, "I'll take my darkroom (unusable bathroom) to digital photography any day." All I hear is, "oh no, they came up with an invention that will put my equipment to shame and cost half as much as what I paid. NOBODY BUY IT!!" When clear sensors are invented and these lenses are coupled with in-camera HDR photography, all your old pictures will look like shit. Get over it.
14. Pkzip - July 31, 2008 5:07 AM
You buy it and when you try to connect it to camera it will give you either "license expired" message or "You need to upgrade your camera to $$$$$$"....
15. Pkzip - July 31, 2008 5:21 AM
Will all respect to Popadopolis, there are many pros out there using good old Takumars, Flektogons, Distogons etc. produced something like 20-30 years ago and get the amazing results and hardly any of them would trade their stuff for a gadget.
It's does not always boil down to the equipment, but very often to how you use it.
Then again, people thought BetaMax, Laser Disc and HD-DVD would revolutionise the media world forever