So I bought a Lytro camera (the rectangle one, not the DSLR looking one) and took it with me to SDCC’14.
This will be mostly a photo gallery (please “click to refocus, click and drag to move” on the pictures!!!) but will have a bit of a review of the camera as well.
Click on the picture to refocus it!
https://pictures.lytro.com/lyt-26017926907719/albums/157316
Form: Designed to be as minimal as possible, there are two buttons and one slidepad for zooming, all built into the grip. The charge port is hidden under a flap there as well.
Fit: The camera fits snuggly in my hand, with a wrist strap securing it. The case seems to have absorbed the lens cap, and will take some prying to get out. This is fine, as I either have the camera in my hand ready to be used, or tucked away in the form-fitting case. The lens cap stays on with some magnets, which fits the minimalist design. If it wasn’t stuck in the case, I’d be worried it would come off and be lost (and this is a unique shape, so I doubt there are replacements).
Function: It turns on very fast, will take a picture nigh-instantly without the need to focus (you can later). The ability to see and delete your pictures from the automatically rotating LCD great. Easy to tell battery, memory, and other settings.
Failures: Anything at a Distance will not have the layered affect, which is just a limit of the design. I’ve noticed that outside sometimes images get whitewashed from the sun. Examples here and here.
Final judgement: Fantastic! People were coming up and asking me questions about the camera. Some people thought it was a vaporizer or cologne bottle! Everyone was amazed by its unique shape, they’d never seen anything like it before. I was actually stopped by cosplayers, boothpeople, and passerbys. Most hadn’t heard of it, but when I explained it takes pictures without the need of an exact focus (you can focus later) and the software allows a pseudo-3D people were more than intrigued. I think I sold half a dozen of these by being a billboard! (I wasn’t paid for this, I bought the camera myself and Lytro people had no idea I was using it).
Text list of cosplay in the gallery above:
Ratatouille/Remy/Linguine, Waluigi, Wario, Peter Pan genderbender (or how all PP’s were portrayed), Dead Alive animal with creepy ass doctor?, Lady Magneto, Rocket Racoon or a MOBA character (LOL or DOTA), Vanellope von Schweetz, Voltron, Bane, Grim Fandango, Sterling Archer, Pam, Malory Archer, April O’Neil, Barf from Spaceballs, Rick from Rick and Morty, Mr. Meeseeks, Thor, Nurse from Silent Hill, Zatanna, Batman, Batwoman/Batgirl, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Spy from TF2, Boba Fett, Mega Man, White Power Ranger, Assassin’s Creed Assassin (genderbend Ezio?), Mortal Kombat’s Sub Zero, Jade, Scorpion, I’m guessing Monster Hunter, Ruby Rhod from The 5th Element, Silver Surfer, Poison Ivy, Mad Max and Aunty Entity from Thunderdome, Genderbend Weasly Twins, a Goddamn dinosaur, Wizard/Mage Cartman from SouthPark, Poe from TLOZ, Link, ???, Ice King, Edward Scissorhands, Adidas/Street repping Storm trooper, The Rocketeer, Spike, Faye, Jet from Cowboy Bebop, Riddler, Batman, Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, Velma, Wayne and Garth.
If you are one of these, send a mail to admin ‘at’ tastywhale.com and I’ll attribute to your page if you like!
Preview/header image attribution to Brandon Bowlby (With a standard DSLR, not the Lytro).
attribution to Brandon Bowlby
