Lytro cameras let you adjust the depth-of-field and focus after a photo has already been taken, but it comes with a hefty $500 price tag. If you already have an SLR, there’s a way to get the same effect right now without buying anything extra.
Photo by Lai Ryanne/Flickr.
The trick is to use your SLR to take a video of the space you want to capture, slowly changing the focus on your camera as you go. This allows your camera to collect data in the same way Lytro cameras do — just over time. The Lytro works because it actually takes lots of images at once thanks to its micro-lens array, and each of those images includes different focus and DOF data. The end result is that you can refocus the image whenever you want, long after you’ve taken the photo.
Chaos Collective notes that the best cameras for the job are SLRs and lenses with wide apertures. The site walks you through the process of collecting your video and uploading it to its special tool. If you have an SLR camera and tripod, you’re good to go. The process takes just a few seconds, and it’s a lot cheaper than dropping $500-$600 on a new camera. Hit the link below to try the tool out and see examples.
Camera HACK: DOF-Changeable Photos with an SLR [Chaos Collective via TechCrunch]
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