Lytro Unveils Its Second-Generation Camera, the Illum

When Lytro first unveiled its light-field photography concept — whose most useful feature is the ability to refocus photographs around any object within them — there was a lot of excitement. But once the startup released its first camera in spring 2012, the criticism began. The product got mixed reviews, with some saying the expensive, low-res camera didn't quite live up to the vision.

Now Lytro is ready for its second act. It unveils Tuesday a camera aimed at "creative pioneers," which takes light-field photography to a new level. Called the Illum (i-LOOM), the camera overcomes many of the limitations of the first model: It's higher-resolution, doesn't just shoot square photos, and it gives the photographer much more flexibility in customizing exactly how the camera captures the "light field." Read more...