This 16 lens pocket camera, the Light L16, is designed to replace a DSLR. When you take a photo, the lenses fire at multiple fixed lengths at the same time, to fuse together a high resolution photo at up to 52 megapixels, and uses depth-mapping tech to allow you to adjust focus and depth of field even after a photograph is taken. Will it actually replace the DSLR? We can only wait and see. But it’s certainly a great idea! Some thoughts:
The L16 runs on Android and has built-in WiFi, allowing you to post pictures directly from the device. It comes with an integrated 35mm-150mm optical zoom and a five-inch touchscreen display. If you think you’ll be able to save money switching to this from an entry-level or mid-range DSLR, though, you’re sadly mistaken. It might not cost as much as high-end cameras, but it’ll still set you back $1,299 when you pre-order from today until November 6th from Light’s website. When it starts shipping in the summer of 2016, you’ll have to shell out $1,699 to get one.
(via Endgaget)
“The L16 is actually providing all the functionality of a $6,000 DSLR camera gear,” said Dave Grannan, cofounder and CEO of Light. “It’s like having a full-frame DSLR with a zooms lens and prime lens. […] What we’re really doing is repurposing technology found in cell phones,” said Grannan. “We’re taking multiple small, inexpensive camera modules and putting them into a high-quality camera that’s a fraction of the cost of traditional big glass optics.”
Light did a survey of 28,000 owners of DSLR cameras and found that half of them don’t even use them anymore, because they’re too big and inconvenient to lug them around. Instead, their phones have taken over that role.
(via Forbes)