Innovative Lytro camera lets you shoot first, focus later

BARCELONA, Spain -- Do you feel compelled to craft the perfect photograph, where the mood and focus must be just right before you press the shutter?

Now picture the ability to shoot first and focus afterward. And to make it possible for the friends you share photos with to alter a picture's focal point after the fact. It sounds like techno hocus-pocus. But within limits, such is the real deal behind the Lytro Light Field Camera that I've tested here and in and around New York City.

Following months of hype, this very different kind of point-and-shoot camera finally ships. Lytro, made by the company of the same name, isn't cheap: An 8GB, 350-picture, graphite or "electric blue" model fetches $399; a 16GB, 750-picture "red hot" version goes for $100 more.

Based on light field technology research born out of Stanford University, Lytro captures light in every direction and point in space, a lot more data than a conventional digital camera takes in. The process once required a roomful of cameras tethered to a supercomputer, according to Lytro.

Lytro's technology isn't the only thing that's novel. The design reminds you of an oversized tube of lipstick. Inside are an 8x optical zoom and a fixed (F/2) lens. Press a button on top to take a picture. A slightly ridged zoom slider is controlled with your finger. At bottom are a power button and concealed micro USB connector. The camera weighs just over 7½ ounces and fits in your purse or jeans pocket.

In the rear is a 1.46-inch backlit display with a glass LCD touchscreen you can use to frame and review pictures. Once you've got some pictures, slide your finger to summon a 3-by-3 grid of them and swipe for the one you want. Tap an area of the photo to make it come into focus at the expense of another part of the picture.

In a shot taken at an open-air food market, I could focus on my wife's portrait or the lush fruits a few feet behind her.

The effects are easier to see on a computer than on the camera display. When you import these so-called "living pictures" to a computer or share them at Lytro.com or through Facebook, Twitter or Google+, viewers can similarly interact with the image by tapping to change the focus point — without special software.

Despite the bona fide technological breakthrough, Lytro is no miracle worker. The skill and creativity (or lack thereof) that a photographer brings still very much matters.

The LCD is tough to make out in sunlight, and there's a definite learning curve using the camera. There are two main ways to shoot, "everyday mode" and the more advanced "creative mode," which gives the shooter more control over the refocusing range but makes it harder, I found, to get it right. The quality of my own shots was uneven. Lytro cannot compensate for motion blur caused by the shakes when you shoot.

Fortunately, the camera powers on immediately, and there's no shutter lag. Battery life is good — up to some 600 shots between charges.

In many respects, Lytro feels like a classic version 1.0 product, fresh and promising but light on features. Lytro lacks a flash. There's no removable storage. And Lytro can't shoot video either, though video is in the cards long term.

For now, a Macintosh computer with OS X (version 10.6.6 or higher) is required, though a Windows version is coming. Lytro's desktop software installs automatically when you connect the camera to the Mac via USB.