This week the internet has been buzzing with blogs and articles about the new L16 camera by a startup company called “Light”. (see http://light.co )
This essence of this device is that it’s about the size of a cell phone, and contains 16 different lenses within the package. Ten lenses shoot at the same time to provide the ability to alter the depth-of-the-field after the photograph is taken, but it also stitches together single images from each sensor to create a large image.
Almost every other article calls it a game-changer, a DSLR killer, the end of large lenses, and more, but I’m much more skeptical for several reasons.
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Stitching ten iphone 6 cameras together does not give you a ‘better image’, it only gives you a larger image.[/pullquote]
First, this camera uses off the shelf lenses and cameras, no new camera technology was invented in creating this device. The cameras used in most new phones are quite amazing, although rarely would be confused with a picture taken with a good DSLR and lens combination. Stitching ten iphone 6 cameras together does not give you a ‘better image’, it only gives you a larger image. This would allow you to print a good quality 20×30 poster from an iphone like image. While this is impressive and a nice feature to have, this is not worth a $1600 cell phone camera.
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The company could easily show off and ‘prove’ the DSLR comparison claims by offering full resolution, uncompressed downloads of their sample images.[/pullquote]
Second, this is a company that knows marketing really well! They have created an amazing buzz and have gotten the attention of every camera and tech journalist throughout the world. Any company that has this type of PR machine will want to show off the best of the best, which is why I was dismayed when their online gallery offered only small lightbox style images. The company could easily show off and ‘prove’ the DSLR comparison claims by offering full resolution, uncompressed downloads of their sample images. The fact full-size images are unavailable raise a huge red flag.
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]This is a limitation of the lens and sensor itself that cannot be overcome with today’s technology.[/pullquote]
Third, let’s assume my first two points are invalid, the small sensors in today’s cell phone cameras, while amazing in some lighting and color scenarios, are absolutely horrendous in low-light situations. While this may not affect every would-be photographer, it certainly affects many people! Anyone who has taken a photo with their phone in the dark knows how frustrating the results can be. This is a limitation of the lens and sensor itself that cannot be overcome with today’s technology.
There are two impressive low-light photos in the gallery, and I’m wondering about the long-exposure capabilities on this new camera. It led me to search for the possibility of taking long exposures with a cell phone, and I did find a few apps that claim to blend multiple frames to create virtual long exposures. I’m going to try some of these apps soon to see if I can achieve anything similar to the gallery photos presented by Light.
In the meantime, I’d bank that this is not the $1600 device that is going to turn the world upside down.