The first Lytro camera, announced in 2011, introduced consumers to a completely different style of photography, one that allows you to refocus after taking a shot. This is possible thanks to Light Field technology, which consists of several micro lenses placed over the image sensor. These microlenses can capture the entire light spectrum of a scene. Then, the camera software uses the data collected to determine the direction of the light rays.
Light Field cameras (or plenoptic cameras) aren’t really a new phenomenon, however. The first ever Light Field camera was actually invented in 1908 by Gabriel Lippmann. Several models have also been developed for industrial and scientific purposes, while others have remained prototypes (including one from Adobe).
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