05-06-2015, 09:53 AM
Initial impressions:
- An interview format has to be the worst way to describe the new system!
- This isn't exactly like telescope arrays. I believe those also make use of phase data. The Light does not appear to do such.
- While high MP counts are claimed (at shorter focal lengths), I believe these would still be "small sensor" quality MP in a resolving potential perspective. So a hypothetical 50MP Light output would still arguably perform much worse than a 50MP FF sensor.
- Light gathering potential will still be relative to used sensor area, even if they gain some efficiency from using selected panchromatic detectors.
- It still uses mirrors! Even if not in a SLR kind of way.
- Overall this isn't much different from what I proposed in a previous post as an early step in computational photography.
- I'm not clear on the "variable exposure" part. Does that might mean different exposure durations for a single output?
To sum up, yes, this could give you excellent image quality potential for a mobile device form factor. It may finally kill off the surviving niches of compact cameras, that is the "big" sensor compact, and maybe also the travelzoom compact if they can squeeze more zoom out of it. It could also kill off the low end of anything APS-C sensor and smaller. As it is currently described, I can't see it taking over FF sensor territory in a mobile phone format. The talk about tablet sized arrays opens more potential, but we're hardly talking about small devices there.
The quote was "in ten years' time I can tell you, there will be no more full-frame DSLR's". Depending on your level of optimism for mirrorless replacing DSLRs, that might be the case anyway even without the existence of the Light. Based on today's existing products, at least Sony and Leica can rest at ease
- An interview format has to be the worst way to describe the new system!
- This isn't exactly like telescope arrays. I believe those also make use of phase data. The Light does not appear to do such.
- While high MP counts are claimed (at shorter focal lengths), I believe these would still be "small sensor" quality MP in a resolving potential perspective. So a hypothetical 50MP Light output would still arguably perform much worse than a 50MP FF sensor.
- Light gathering potential will still be relative to used sensor area, even if they gain some efficiency from using selected panchromatic detectors.
- It still uses mirrors! Even if not in a SLR kind of way.
- Overall this isn't much different from what I proposed in a previous post as an early step in computational photography.
- I'm not clear on the "variable exposure" part. Does that might mean different exposure durations for a single output?
To sum up, yes, this could give you excellent image quality potential for a mobile device form factor. It may finally kill off the surviving niches of compact cameras, that is the "big" sensor compact, and maybe also the travelzoom compact if they can squeeze more zoom out of it. It could also kill off the low end of anything APS-C sensor and smaller. As it is currently described, I can't see it taking over FF sensor territory in a mobile phone format. The talk about tablet sized arrays opens more potential, but we're hardly talking about small devices there.
The quote was "in ten years' time I can tell you, there will be no more full-frame DSLR's". Depending on your level of optimism for mirrorless replacing DSLRs, that might be the case anyway even without the existence of the Light. Based on today's existing products, at least Sony and Leica can rest at ease
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