Apple has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (via AppleInsider) for a digital camera including a refocusable imaging mode adapter, with the document also discussing the potential use of a similar camera system in a device like the iPhone.
The patent details a camera that is able to be configured to operate in a lower-resolution mode that includes refocusing capability in addition to a high-resolution non-refocusable mode, with the camera's body containing an image mode adaptor to switch between the two.
Also cited in the patent is the plenoptic imaging system used in the Lytro light-field camera, which Apple draws inspiration from but points out that its own microlens array can produce higher-quality images because of a higher spatial resolution. Apple also cites the Lytro's camera system as prior art in the patent.
Microlens (440) inserted into light path for lower-resolution refocusable images
A digital camera system configurable to operate in a low-resolution refocusable mode and a high-resolution non-refocusable mode comprising: a camera body; an image sensor mounted in the camera body having a plurality of sensor pixels for capturing a digital image;
An imaging lens for forming an image of a scene onto an image plane, the imaging lens having an aperture; and an adaptor that can be inserted between the imaging lens and the image sensor to provide the low-resolution refocusable mode and can be removed to provide the high-resolution non-refocusable mode,
The adaptor including a microlens array with a plurality of microlenses; wherein when the adaptor is inserted to provide the low-resolution refocusable mode, the microlens array is positioned between the imaging lens and the image sensor.
Microlens (440) removed from light path for higher-resolution standard images
Apple's patent outlines how such a lens system could be integrated with a more complete camera solution incorporating image correction and other features, either in a standalone product or within a mobile device.
The Lytro-like technology naturally leads to speculation that it could be used in Apple's rumored standalone point-and-shoot digital camera, which was first rumored in 2012 after Steve Jobs was quoted his biography done by Walter Isaacson stating his desires for the future involved the reinvention of three industries, with one of them being photography. Isaacson's biography also noted that Jobs had met with the CEO of Lytro, although it has been unclear how much direct interest Apple had in Lytro's technology.
This is stupid. Nobody has ever had a need to refocus after the shot, because you can focus when you TAKE the shot in the first place. Also, smartphones small sensors have a huge depth-of-field anyways. You only have shallow/unfocused images in large sensors....
This is what I was getting at. A human user would not likely want to re-focus a shot but a computer might. The computer would do the re-focus in order to gain depth information. With such info it could create a wire frame and a texture map.
Combine this wire frame 3D image with the 3D sensor they reported yesterday can you can drop a real person into a video game.
Today if you tried that with a still image you'd have a "cardboard cut out" dropped into the game. It would look bad. But a real 3D character. People would by that.
You could turn it around backwards too. Take a re-focusable image of a room. Now you can drop a virtual camera into the scene and move the camera around. In a game you could place the chargers in your environment but for way a real-estate sales you can make better presentations because you have the 3D data to allow perspective changes with viewpoint changes.
So YES,I agree, who would want to refocus an image? Answer software would.
This is stupid. Nobody has ever had a need to refocus after the shot, because you can focus when you TAKE the shot in the first place. Also, smartphones small sensors have a huge depth-of-field anyways. You only have shallow/unfocused images in large sensors.
It's a dead end technology.
The most important and useful photography technology that Apple could implement would be to add optical image stabilization. The next would be larger sensors.
Other options would be to allow for interchangeable lenses, and to provide Aperture capability on a mobile device.
A professional photographer has a need to edit and publish photos as quickly as possible. The genius thing about smart phones is that they allow the editing/publishing part to happen in mobile devices in field. The next step would be to implement a higher-quality imaging system (35mm full-frame sensors, various lenses, flash/strobe mounts, other SLR features, etc..)
No need to get silly with light field tech. Just look at what's needed (high-end imaging and rapid publishing) and implement a solution for that.
Although this is very cool, I would much appreciate a megapixel update on the next iphone if possible apple... even just a little to keep up with the nokia lumia!!
It's not the number of pixels, but the size that counts.
Although this is very cool, I would much appreciate a megapixel update on the next iphone if possible apple... even just a little to keep up with the nokia lumia!!
good that you're not in charge of Apple. Megapixels are not everything.
Light field technology is the only way smart phone cameras can continue to shrink in size and increase in quality. Good news.
Quality? The lightfeild image has much lower resolution. That is why Apple's patent allows you use to switch from normal to light field. One way you get good images with one plane focused and the other mode allows refocusabl image but with much lower resolution.
If the sensor has only so many pixels you can use those pixels in two ways. A light field camera might use 100 sensor pixels per image pixel.
How could Apple use this? The technology makes for a good 3D camera too. I doubt many people will want to re-focus their images but they might want 3D and stereo images with one click. Light field can do that.
Apple earlier this week announced the discontinuation of the iPod touch, and because it was the last iPod still available for purchase, its sunsetting effectively marks the end of the entire iPod lineup.
To send the iPod on its way, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the most notable iPod releases over the last 21 years.
Original iPod (2001)
Introduced in October...
iOS 16 will include new ways of interacting with the system and some "fresh Apple apps," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said, offering some more detail on what Apple has in store for the upcoming release of iOS and iPadOS set to be announced in a few weeks at WWDC. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman wrote that while iOS 16 is not likely to introduce a major face-lift to...
Wednesday May 11, 2022 11:16 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
It's been over 200 days since Apple debuted its redesigned MacBook Pro lineup. Offered in 14-inch and 16-inch display sizes, the new-look MacBooks wowed Apple fans and creative pros alike with their powerful custom Apple silicon, mini-LED screen, and multiple connectivity options. But there are still some things you can't do with a MacBook Pro. Here are five features some Mac users are still...
While there are as yet no concrete rumors related to which devices iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will support, the discontinuation of the iPod touch earlier this week may be an indication that as many as nine devices could be about to lose support for Apple's upcoming operating systems.
iOS and iPadOS 13, 14, and 15 support all of the same devices, with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus,...
Apple has launched a special limited-time offer for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad trade-in that offers customers additional credit when trading in their only device for a new one.
The offer is being run in several countries including the US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, India, and France. In the UK, Apple is offering up to £50 of extra trade-in credit...
Sony's flagship WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones have been among the best on the market for some time, and today Sony announced its fifth-generation WH-1000XM5 headphones, boasting a new design and several improvements over the previous model.
The redesigned headphones replace the shrouded arms that swivel on the XM4's with an exposed arm that has a single contact point at the earcups,...
Apple plans to launch a new version of the Apple TV in the second half of 2022, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a tweet today, Kuo said the new Apple TV will have an improved cost structure, suggesting that the device could have a lower price that is more competitive with other streaming media players like Google's Chromecast line, Amazon's Fire TV line, and the Roku line. ...
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models will be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color, according to a recent rumor.
The claim comes from a post on Chinese social media site Weibo by an unverified source and purports to reveal the full range of color options for Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models. Compared to the selection of color...
Apple on March 14 released iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, bringing Universal Control across iPad and Mac, support for Face ID while wearing a mask, new emojis, anti-stalking changes for AirTags, and more.
Top Rated Comments
Combine this wire frame 3D image with the 3D sensor they reported yesterday can you can drop a real person into a video game.
Today if you tried that with a still image you'd have a "cardboard cut out" dropped into the game. It would look bad. But a real 3D character. People would by that.
You could turn it around backwards too. Take a re-focusable image of a room. Now you can drop a virtual camera into the scene and move the camera around. In a game you could place the chargers in your environment but for way a real-estate sales you can make better presentations because you have the 3D data to allow perspective changes with viewpoint changes.
So YES,I agree, who would want to refocus an image? Answer software would.
It's a dead end technology.
The most important and useful photography technology that Apple could implement would be to add optical image stabilization. The next would be larger sensors.
Other options would be to allow for interchangeable lenses, and to provide Aperture capability on a mobile device.
A professional photographer has a need to edit and publish photos as quickly as possible. The genius thing about smart phones is that they allow the editing/publishing part to happen in mobile devices in field. The next step would be to implement a higher-quality imaging system (35mm full-frame sensors, various lenses, flash/strobe mounts, other SLR features, etc..)
No need to get silly with light field tech. Just look at what's needed (high-end imaging and rapid publishing) and implement a solution for that.
It's not the number of pixels, but the size that counts.
Quality? The lightfeild image has much lower resolution. That is why Apple's patent allows you use to switch from normal to light field. One way you get good images with one plane focused and the other mode allows refocusabl image but with much lower resolution.
If the sensor has only so many pixels you can use those pixels in two ways. A light field camera might use 100 sensor pixels per image pixel.
How could Apple use this? The technology makes for a good 3D camera too. I doubt many people will want to re-focus their images but they might want 3D and stereo images with one click. Light field can do that.
read the article.....not necessarily a stand alone camera......