The Sony NEX-6 and the Future of Cameras

I rarely go anywhere without my Canon 7D* SLR camera. I take it to work, I take it to restaurants, I take it to conferences, I take it on vacations and I take it on hikes. My poor 7D has been washed by rain, fallen off a table, smacked into walls, showered in sauce, and showered with water off the back of a dog. It's a solid imaging device. The photos look great, the battery lasts forever, and it takes a beating without complaining.  I often have a handful of lenses with me too. I don't see the point of owning a nice camera and lens and then leaving them at home.

Look at that NEX-6 sky

So when it seemed time to upgrade, why wouldn't I want to replace it with a similar camera with improved specs? You can listen to my thinking on the Lean Decisions Podcast. The summary: I suspected that there were some new kinds of cameras out there which would improve my life and my shooting far more than some fundamental imaging improvements.

The Future of Cameras

At this moment, the best tools for photography are converging from two directions. On one side, smart phones and tablets featuring offering better and better small-sensor cameras, apps for editing the photos they take, and apps for uploading and sharing those photos quickly. The image quality doesn't compare technically with dSLRs or other devices with larger sensors, but they are incredibly convenient. The quality of photos from a nice smart phone is often more than good enough. I'm often caught taking photos with my third generation iPad, which produces impressive images for the tiny size of its camera.

Shooting the NEX-6 outdoors at night

On the other side, technology from dSLRs is getting crammed into smaller and smaller cameras. Even lenses are getting smaller without sacrificing quality. On-camera editing and wireless transmission are more and more common on new devices. Some dSLRs like the Canon 6D even now can be remotely controlled by smart phones and tablets.

I think the Sony NEX-6 lies very close to the convergence of the smart phone cameras and the old-school dSLR. The NEX-6 has a dSLR-class sensor, interchangeable lenses, a viewfinder, and enables critical professional functionality like aperture-priority, shutter priority, manual exposure, and manual focus. Like a smart phone, the NEX-6 has WiFi and runs apps that enhance or change its functionality. Note that only Sony can write the apps for the camera.

Handheld in candle light & difficult shadows?
Not hard to fix with the NEX-6 RAW files.

Cameras that makes it easier to get a photo from idea to published will make photographers significantly more productive. When a pro uses a dSLR, the camera works hard to minimize the difficulty of capturing an outstanding image. Expensive cameras are judged by how well they enable a user to capture the images they want in different situations.

Capturing the image is only half the job though. Photographers still generally need to review their photos, edit them, and get them published. In the future, I suspect that we'll judge expensive cameras by how easily and rapidly they enable photographers to get images through the entire pipeline. Photos that don't reach an audience don't help the photographer.

In my mind, the idea camera will cause folks to bug the photographer with questions about how they make so many beautiful photos so quickly. 

EVIL Cameras

There is a new class of cameras some have called EVIL: Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens. These are cameras which have no optical viewfinder, no mirror, and are typically much smaller than their SLR counterparts. Without a viewfinder prism and space for a swinging mirror, the size of a camera can be reduced significantly. Two of these EVIL cameras stood out to me as potential replacements and improvements on my Canon 7D.

Detail on a NEX-6 at ISO 3200

The first camera I considered was the Olympus OMD EM-5. This camera received lots of attention from prominent photographers I follow. +Scott Bourne has fallen in love with this Micro Four Thirds format camera. The OMD has an electronic viewfinder, an articulated touch-screen on the back, and is splash-proof when used with similarly weather-proofed lenses. It also has in-body image stabilization. I've leaned a lot by listening to Scott, so I listen to his opinion. 

The second camera that caught my eye was the Sony NEX-6, a camera which uses Sony's proprietary E-mount for lenses. The NEX-6 is a similar size to the Olympus OMD EM-5, but has a APS-C sized sensor that's actually just a tad bigger than the one in my Canon 7D. The NEX-6 is positioned in the Sony lineup just below the NEX-7 which +Trey Ratcliff has spoken highly of. The NEX-6 takes things one step further than the OMD by adding WiFi and support to download (Sony developed) apps which add capabilities to the camera. Unlike the OMD, the NEX-6 isn't ruggedized against water.

Comparing the NEX-6 and the OMD

Both the NEX-6 and OMD seem to be fine cameras. My friend +Peter Tsai has an OMD and loves it. I tried it for a few minutes and I was super-impressed with the low-light image quality and the image stabilization. The OMD is awesome.

The NEX-6 RAW file dynamic range - no HDR processing

The NEX-6 stacks up pretty poorly in some respects against the OMD. The OMD has several features that I covet:

• In-body image stabilization that works with many lenses
• A large library of lenses which are generally smaller in size than those for the NEX E-mount.
• Weather sealing
• A long-exposure bulb mode that lets you watch the image develop before the exposure completes
• Touch to focus and shoot on the rear touch screen

I purchased the NEX-6 instead for a few reasons:

• The functionality of the NEX-6 can be extended with apps
• Smart phones can control the NEX-6 and retrieve images off of the camera
• The NEX-6 offers focus peaking which helps with manually focusing a lens
• The NEX-6 offers a wider field of view given the same focal-length lens
• There are third-party adapters for the NEX that allow Canon and other third-party lenses to be used with it
• The NEX-6 looks a shade less conspicuous than the OMD, which some folks might still call a "professional" camera because of the SLR-like styling

Of all those items, three were important for my personal consideration. First, I often like capturing a wide-angle view. Given a particular focal length, the sensor size of the OMD offers a view with about a 2X zoom factor compared to a full frame sensor. The NEX-6 crop sensor has a wider 1.5X zoom factor compared to a full frame sensor. I'm not aware of lenses for Micro Four-Thirds cameras that offer as wide of view as those available for crop-sensor cameras.

Secondly, the more wide availability of third-party lens adapters for the NEX-6 make it more attractive since I can make use of my tiny library of Canon EOS glass. Lenses are the most expensive part of any camera system, so the ability to continue using my old lenses helps a lot on cost.

Finally, the ability to add functionality to the camera through apps really interests me. I'm a mobile app developer, so I definitely believe in the power of apps to make devices better.

First Impressions of the NEX-6

I developed a good solid two weeks of use from my NEX-6 when I started writing this review. I received it right before the winter holidays, and it accompanied me to Tampa, Orlando, and New Orleans. During that time, it went to two theme parks, many restaurants, a few bars, a steam-powered river boat, on a night-time ghost tour, and on the beach.

A few aspects of the camera immediately stood out to me. First, the thing does an amazing job of capturing detail in the sky while still exposing the rest of a scene well. The dynamic range in it's photos really impresses me. A single RAW file can make a pretty striking HDR image with minimal processing. I made this photo of the Haunted Mansion below with one RAW file. I purposefully darkened the exposure for a ominous atmosphere, but I could have easily made it look bright as day despite the back-lit scene. I kept the default noise reduction settings from Lightroom 4 and Nik Color Efex Pro 2.

Single-exposure HDR with a back-lit subject

My second impression was that the camera feels incredibly light compared to my Canon 7D. The feeling was odd. The NEX-6 is so light and tiny (and cheaper) compared to the Canon 7D, yet the images it produces are in many ways superior to the Canon. Sure, the kit lens isn't quite in the same class as my Canon Macro 100 mm L IS, but the camera body nails the exposure, does a fantastic job of controlling noise, and at night it hoovers up every available photon.

I recently took both my 7D and the NEX-6 on a hike. The 7D spent most of the time in my camera bag, while my NEX-6 took about 80 photos. When I did take out the 7D with the 8-15mm fisheye lens, it felt like a cannonball in my hands. The additional weight of the dSLR over the NEX-6 really adds up on a long hike.

While maybe not as fast as the Canon 7D, the focus speed of the NEX-6 when using phase detection is quite quick. Note though that not all lenses support phase detection. The Sigma 30 mm f 2.8 E-mount lens does not support it. Focusing using contrast detection on the NEX-6 feels quicker than that offered by the 7D in live-view mode, but not nearly as quick as phase detection enables.

The 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 Power Zoom Lens which ships with the camera is an unusual beast. He collapses like an old pirate telescope when switched off, and takes a second or two to extend before he is usable for taking a photo. Since the camera seems to require the same amount of time to get ready, maybe this isn't a big deal. The size of the lens when collapsed is quite reasonable.

The lens has both a zoom ring and a zoom switch. Since the zooming of the lens is actuated by motors inside the lens, either solution works. The ring seems too offer better control and speed, but the switch sometimes comes in handy when I'm holding something in my hand. I can just move the switch with my left thumb. I think some folks have complained about the speed of zooming with this lens, but I find it to be quick enough.

This lens has no focus ring. Instead, the same ring used for zooming can provide focus input when the shutter release is held half way down.

The image quality of this lens is unusual. The Sony NEX-6 has built-in correction of vignetting, distortion, and I believe chromatic aberration. If you shoot RAW, Adobe Lightroom 4 can correct the same defects automatically with the touch of a button. This feature has allowed Sony to ship this lens with what would otherwise be crippling vignetting. You can see it in the corners of the photo below.

Hill country without correcting for lens defects

Correcting the defects using Lightrooms profiles also means throwing a few pixels away along the edges. See the corrected photo below.

Hill Country correcting for lens defects

The corrected images look pretty good. I imagine that most folks will just use the corrected version and not worry about it. Note that the images above were edited with slightly different settings in Silver Efx Pro

On the User Experience of dSLRs

After spending a few days with the NEX-6, I've noticed some areas where it compares unfavorably to most dSLRs. For those unfamiliar with modern dSLRs, even when they're on, they pretty much do nothing until you push a button. You can put the view finder to your face, zoom the lens, and usually even manually focus without the camera even really noticing. As soon as you touch the shutter button, the device instantly springs to life. Image stabilization activates, the exposure is metered, and the lens focuses in a fraction of a second. Unless the lens cap is on, or the batteries run dry, a dSLR user is pretty much always ready to capture an image. 

Shooting the NEX-6 in a dark restaurant handheld

The Sony NEX-6, especially with the power zoom kit lens, takes time to turn on and to extend the lens. If a UFO lands in your back yard, counts to two-mississippi and flies away, you won't get any photos with your NEX-6 unless it was awake before the aliens taunted you. Even with a prime lens, like the E-Mount Sigma 30 mm f 2.8 lens I purchased with the camera, it still takes precious seconds for the camera to wake up.

This means that you may wish to keep the camera out of power-saving mode. Except, unlike a dSLR, the camera uses the battery to keep it ready to shoot. The battery level drops noticeably as you use the NEX-6 throughout a day. I have heard that the electronic viewfinder hogs more power than the rear display, so how you use the camera might impact the battery usage.

The batteries on a dSLR last an amazingly long time. Perhaps my perception is a bit inflated because the 7D displays the battery level in 25% increments while you feel the pain as the NEX-6 visibly sheds each percentage point of charge.

I haven't used the camera enough to know if a full battery charge is enough to get though a very active day or not. I can tell you that the battery got dangerously close to 0% in New Orleans, but I made 480 exposures and had not charged it much that trip.

One very convenient feature of the NEX-6 is that it charges with a micro USB cable. When I travel, my laptop becomes a charging hub for my phone and now it can do the same for my camera. Nice!

Unfortunately, the charging system has a major flaw. The camera won't charge if the camera is too warm. Despite the cold weather, I have noticed more than one occasion where I though the camera was charging, but instead the camera was flashing a tiny light to let me know that it was too warm to charge. Sadly, the camera doesn't seem to monitor the temperature situation to see if it improves. More than once I have plugged the camera in for an hour and then later discovered that the light was blinking. It didn't appear that the battery had charged at all. When I unplugged the camera in this state and immediately plugged it back in, the camera began charging. This behavior implies that it doesn't automatically take advantage of a drop in temperature after it was initially plugged in.

Another difference between the NEX-6 and SLRs is durability. In all my years of not-so-gently using Canon SLRs, I don't believe I've ever had a piece of the camera fall off in normal use. For the NEX-6, I lost the rubber eye cup for the viewfinder while walking around the Magic Kingdom. I think I owned the camera 3 or 4 days. Perhaps Sony hadn't designed the camera to be carried upside-down on a Black Rapid strap, but I still felt pretty disappointed. The eye cup for the NEX-6 snaps on, while the eye cups for Canon dSLRs slides onto a track and locks. It requires a decent squeeze to slide the eye cup off a 7D. The replacement NEX-6 eye cup cost me $9.99 on Amazon.

Not to dwell on the eyecup, but I find that it adds a significant amount of depth to the NEX-6's dimensions. It really sticks out, and it works with the lens to add another obstruction to slipping the camera into a case. I hope that Sony will improve the design to be a bit more rounded in future cameras. On the bright side, the smaller NEX-6 still is far easier to stow than any dSLR. 

I don't believe that the NEX-6 has any weather sealing like the Canon 7D does. I will avoid carrying the NEX-6 in the harsher environments my 7D joined me in. That said, the NEX-6 is far easier to stuff into a waterproof pocket than the bulky 7D. 

The physical buttons on the NEX-6 disappoint compared to my 7D. The shutter release button on the 7D has long travel and very distinct tactile feedback when the button goes from focus mode to shutter release. The shutter release on the NEX-6 feels like mush all the way. I sometimes take photos when I mean to start the autofocus. I wish I could make one of the rear buttons on the NEX act as a autofocus button, like I could for the 7D.

A photo of the NEX-6 viewfinder with focus peaking
visible as the red outline on the right side of the frog

The one major spot where the NEX-6 smashes my 7D is in the area of predicting the outcome of a shot. Looking through the optical viewfinder, you can't tell if parts of the image will be over or underexposed for a particular shot; they're really only good for framing and focusing. Similarly, you won't have a great idea of how the colors and contrast will convey. You can guess, but you won't know. The relatively high resolution electronic viewfinder of the NEX-6 offers an excellent preview of the image you'll see when you hit the shutter.

Even better, you can configure the NEX-6 to zoom in to a particular region of the viewfinder image when manually focusing. I love the focus zoom. As long as the focus spot is configured where you'd like it, the feature makes focusing quick and confidence-inspiring. If you need to move the focus spot for manual or automatic focus, the process seems a lot faster on the 7D: push one button, move to one of the limited focus spots, and shoot.

The NEX-6 also offers focus peaking. Focus peaking colors the borders of things which are in focus (see the red borders in the photo through the viewfinder above). I initially thought this was a huge selling point for the camera, but in practice, I'm not sure I use it very much. Perhaps I would if I used a manual focus lens or shot video. The peaking seems to rely on high-contrast image areas, so certain scenes might be in focus but show little or no peaking.

When you're shooting RAW, the image you see in the view finder matches the image you'll see when you review the photo, which matches what you see in Lightroom. And those images generally look good out of the camera. I still edit them, but they don't look flat and lifeless without editing like they do for some dSLRs.

As you can see in the photo of the NEX-6 viewfinder, there are lots of nice overlays you can add. Here you can see framing guides, the green auto-focus lock rectangles, and the digital level which helps me avoid unintentionally slanty photos.

One final note about the 7D, and dSLRs in general. Although the 7D has tons of menus and complicated configuration screens, in general touching the shutter button will return the camera instantly to shooting mode.  The intimidating number of buttons that cover the 7D act as dedicated controls to configure the exposure, the focus points, the iso, the white balance, the continuous shooting, and so on. The NEX-6 will sometimes have a corresponding button, but it will also sometimes disable the corresponding functionality depending on what mode the camera is in. For instance, I'm not sure why the "intelligent" modes won't let the user manually specify a focus point, if even for only one exposure. These sorts of issues and complexities can waste precious moments and might cost you a shot. 

My advice for professional shooters who live and die by capturing a moment with their photography is to keep shooting dSLRs. The NEX-6 is amazing, but the reliability, durability, and ready-to-shoot nature of dSLRs will help keep you from missing shots. That said, you might find a NEX-6 useful as a third camera for making social-media-ready photos with minimal editing.

Apps

The app side of the NEX-6 fascinates me. Sony runs an app store for the NEX-6 and NEX-5R cameras. Some of the apps are free, some of them are paid. The most expensive app is the $9.99 Time-lapse app.

The Illustration effect applied to Cinderella's Castle

One of the more interesting apps is the free Picture Effect+ app. Picture Effect+ lets the user choose an effect to be applied after a photo is taken (it doesn't seem to let you process an existing photo, which is a shame). Some of the Effects give a real-time view of the effect, like the Partial Color+ effect which lets you select one or two colors to keep while rendering the rest of the image in Black & White. Others, like the charming Illustration effect (click on the image above) are only applied after the image is captured.

The apps do change the functionality of the camera while they are active. While the Picture Effect+ app lets you change the mode (e.g., aperture priority, shutter priority), many other settings are not available. The use of the camera can also shift in unexpected ways. For instance, the DMF mode (which changes the zoom ring to a focus ring when the shutter is partially held down) no longer zooms into the focus area when that app is loaded. Also, the menu moves to the lower button next to the display rather than the upper button (which becomes an exit button).

The changes the apps make to the interface don't ruin the functionality, but they can slow you down. I wish Sony would standardize the uses of the soft buttons a bit more. As you might expect, RAW output is disabled for this app.

Some of the apps have questionable utility. The Bracket Pro app sounds like it would be useful for HDR, but it only seems to support the same three exposures that the camera has as built in capability. It does offer features which might not be built in, like focus bracketing (changing the focus for three exposures), and taking a photo with and without flash enabled. Perhaps it also allows more than there stops of bracketing? This app costs $4.99. 

I think Sony has lots of room to improve here. I would definitely like to see an SDK so that third parties could develop apps (what a shame the OS isn't Android based!). I would also like to see more clarity of exactly what the capabilities of the apps are and how they differ from the camera's built-in functionality. I would also like to see comments and reviews from users so I can get some idea of how useful an app is before I buy it.

Still, especially for quickly making an interesting image for social media, apps seem promising. I hope to see more apps in the future.

Smart Phone Integration

Sony offers PlayMemories Mobile apps for the Android and iOS which promise to allow the user to send photos from the NEX-6 to a smart phone or tablet. I really love this idea, but I hate the PlayMemories Mobile app.

To send a photo from the NEX-6 to an Android phone wouldn't be bad if the Android app worked. The user simply needs to find the photo of interest, hit the menu button, select Playback, and then select View on Smartphone. The camera will wait while you run the PlayMemories Mobile app on the Android device. The app will see the NEX-6 on WiFi, let you select it and (with some initial configuration for password and so on), and then you'll see a preview of the image you selected on the NEX-6.

Outdoors on a sunny afternoon with the NEX-6

From there, you can try to "Copy" or "Upload" the photo. If the author or translator of those descriptions was familiar with using Android in English, they probably would have labeled the buttons "Save to Gallery" and "Share". 

Unfortunately, you will feel frustrated if you try either of those button. Every time I've tried to transfer the photo, I see a progress bar that reaches the end but the process never finishes. The app just hangs indefinitely while the batteries of your phone and camera slowly drain. If you exit the sharing mode on the NEX-6 and are lucky, you may discover that the photo did transfer to your Gallery in a dedicated PlayMemories Mobile folder. The poor design and execution of the android app makes me want to tear my hair out.

The same android app can also act as a remote control if you run the Smart Remote Control app on the NEX-6. If you can get the Android app to connect (sometimes it takes a second or third try), it offers a live view of what the camera sees, a shutter release button, and in some camera modes (like aperture priority) it allows the user to change the exposure compensation by going through an inconvenient menu. Users can slowly adjust the exposure by moving in 1/3 stop increments and waiting while the camera updates. After the user hits OK, the shutter release button returns to the screen.

Sadly, the Smart Remote Control app doesn't seem to support certain shooting modes, like the i+ mode. The PlayMemories MobileAndroid app doesn't communicate what the problem is, but the back of the camera offers users a poorly worded clue. If the user rotates the mode dial to a supported mode, the remote app will start working. Hopefully you haven't mounted your camera to a hang glider and jumped from a cliff before you discover this problem.

10 FPS bursts help you capture the moment
this man jumps over six people

Hitting the shutter release button on the Android app will trigger the camera to shoot a photo about a second later. Sports photographers won't find the app very useful with such a long shutter lag.

It isn't clear to me if the remote control app allows the user to change the focus. Sometimes focus seemed to change in response to my taps, but I think that was just coincidence. The camera seems to be periodically auto-focusing itself. There are no controls to change zoom from the app.

I tried the iOS version of the PlayMemories Mobile app on my third generation iPad. In some ways it was better and others worse than the Android app. Unlike the Android app, even after setting up the WiFi password of the NEX-6, the iOS PlayMemories App won't automatically connect to the camera. Instead, the user is told (with nearly indecipherable instructions) to go to the iOS Settings app and connect the device manually to the NEX-6's WiFi network. Yes, the user has to disconnect from a WiFi network that might be providing internet access, and connect to the camera's ad-hoc wifi network. Once the connection completes (which takes several seconds), the user can return to the app and it will communicate with the camera. The interface looks very similar to the Android app: bare bones.

Unlike the Android app, an image sent from the NEX-6 will rapidly transfer off the device and it doesn't hang indefinitely. Like the Android app, the user can change the settings (from the iOS Settings app in this case) to download either 2 megapixel or full-resolution images to the iOS device. 

Using the Smart Remote Control app with iOS again requires that the user connects to the NEX-6's WiFi network. It's behavior otherwise is very similar to the Android app: the view updates fairly rapidly, but the lag from pushing the shutter button until the photo is taken is an unimpressive 1 second or so.

To sum up, the iOS and Android apps both pain me to use. I can hardly believe how frustrating and ugly the apps are on the two largest smartphone platforms! They provide useful functionality if you can persuade them to work and guess your way through the interface, but you probably won't like them. My dream of sending lots of NEX-6 photos to Instagram while I'm on the road has not come true.

Sony should be embarrassed, but I'm not sure they care. I know several mobile developers who could make a much better app from scratch in mere weeks, so I'm pretty sure that fixing the product is possible. It seems as if Sony doesn't believe that software or user experience matters. They must have put so much work into the camera's amazing image processing and scene detection software. How could they have given up when it came time to build a fantastic user experience around it?

Can you imagine if Ferrari shipped a high performance coupe with a plastic tiller for steering? Nobody would believe that even the most stripped-down economy car could ship with a steering system adopted from a small sailboat. And yet Sony expects me to use an app that feels like junk-ware from a 1990s PC to get photos on to my phone. A small child could tell you that you put steering wheels in cars. The same small child could probably tell you that the PlayMemories Mobile app needs to successfully download photos and quickly react  to touches.

I really hope that Sony puts some serious development and design effort into improving the Android and iOS experience. The vision behind the NEX-6 is fantastic, but the execution stinks. If Sony wants to take a leadership position in the camera market, it needs to hire some serious interface designers, user experience experts, and software developers. And then Sony needs to make a cultural shift to put user experience ahead of dorky feature checkboxes.

I bet some VP in the camera division of Sony must still be using a candy bar phone with a touch-tone keypad on it. If you're that guy, you better run to a store right now and buy a state-of-the-art smart phone. Take it home and install twenty or thirty of the top photography apps on it. Make flickr, Instagram, Facebook, and twitter accounts. Take photos, edit, and share them. Now try to do the same from a NEX-6. Do that a few times, and you'll see exactly why the NEX-6 experience doesn't even meet the most basic expectations of social media users. You can fix this; you just need to understand the problem and get help.

Conclusions

The NEX-6 makes beautiful photos, is incredibly portable compared to a dSLR, and has a wonderful intelligent shooting mode which usually does a great job recognizing a scene and picking good settings. The large sensor and focus peaking allows users to reasonably use third party lenses that have E-mount adapters. I love it! The photos from this camera look wonderful.

Unfortunately, there is a lot to improve in the realm of user interface on this camera, especially its native apps, and on the Android and iOS PlayMemories Mobile apps. Actually, the out-of-the-box software on the NEX-6 is OK to use. It doesn't quite match the user experience of a 7D, but it works. But the apps need to be a little more user friendly, and the smart phone integration needs a lot of work.

Right now, the camera market is still focused on the imaging side of the equation. Maybe Sony still has time to get to an experience that will satisfy the App Generation. Right now there probably isn't some competitor out there that is doing any of this software stuff right yet. But soon there will be.

I really hope that Sony puts in some effort to improving the software, because I think the potential for EVIL cameras with smart phone integration is huge. The first company to really do this well should dominate the market for high-end consumer cameras, and perhaps the professional market too.

Despite my disappointment with the current state of the software, I plan to use this camera a lot. Sometimes my Canon 7D will be my primary shooter because I'll want the speed and reliability and user experience. Frequently I expect that my Canon will stay at home and the NEX-6 will be my camera of choice on the road. Who wants to carry around the weight of the 7D unless they have to?

I'll be keeping my eyes out for a similar camera that has better integration with smart phones and better software. 

What I love about the NEX-6

• Captures blue skies while still exposing rest of image properly
• Intelligent mode detects the type of scene and does a great job picking settings more often than not
• Images from the kit lens look really nice after Lightroom automatically corrects distortion and vignetting 
• The body has an understated look that does not call attention to itself as a "professional" camera
• Zooming responds quickly on the kit lens even though it is electronic, and not a direct physical connection in this lens
• Manual focus is easy with the automatic 100% view
• Phase detect autofocus is generally fast, and works in fairly low light
• Articulated screen is quite useful for getting interesting camera angles
• There are third party lenses available, and adapters for lenses on other systems
• Even in low light, the camera still captures great detail and good dynamic range
• The bottom of the articulated rear screen is slightly recessed so it is possible to use it on a tripod

What I disliked about the NEX-6

• Eyecup may fall off if bumped
• Android and iOS apps disappoint
• On-camera apps are sometimes slow to load, and confusing to operate
• Some on-camera apps don't seem to allow you to apply effects to an existing photo
• Can't use some on-camera functions or apps and save RAW files
• Latency when turning the camera on and waking seems slow
• Battery life could be an issue for heavy shooting
• The camera won't charge the battery if it thinks it's too hot when you plug it in
• UI can be slow or confusing to use
• No secondary button can be assigned to autofocus
• Camera may not go to sleep if something (like your shirt) near the electronic view finder triggers the eye detection
• The phase-detection auto focus only works with certain lenses (my Sigma 30 mm does not seem to be one)
• The camera sometimes autofocuses even if the shutter button isn't held down. This is usually helpful, but it can also confound your ability to reframe a shot with the same focus
• The articulating screen isn't quite recessed enough to keep from rubbing against the pad on my +Peak Design ARCAplate (the screen still can be adjusted with a little force; I should probably get a MICROplate)

*Moving Average Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Buying items through this link is much appreciated!

Hotel Checkin Scam

My hotel room phone rang Friday night at 11:34pm. The man with the Texas accent on the other end patiently explained that he was the hotel manager, there had been a problem with my registration with the hotel, that he was sorry, and that they would give me a 25% discount on my stay. But first, for insurance reasons, they needed to put my check-in information back into the computer. I could do this over the phone, or down at the front desk.

Immediately, tiny alarm bells went off in my head. First, we had recently checked in, and I had made my initial reservation online.  How could it be that they lost my information?

Second, the man who checked me in at the front desk was of Indian decent. He spoke with a mild Indian accent. I stay at Best Westerns quite frequently (I like them), and they often seem to be run as family operations. A manager with a strong Texan accent seemed possible, but just different enough from my expectation that I was put on guard.

I asked what information was needed, and the Texan thief replied, "Oh, I need all the checkin information you would have given the front desk."

"Like what?"

"Oh, well, did you pay with cash or credit card?"

"Credit card. Why does that matter for insurance purposes?"

"Oh, well, we need that information to make the record complete. You can come down to the front desk and give us the information there if you prefer."

"Ok, I'll be right down."

"OK, bye."

I rode the elevator to the lobby where the (still Indian) manager at the front desk offered me this enthusiastic wisdom: "Oh, it's a scam that's going around. Never give out your personal information!"

I laughed, thanked him, and returned to my room.

Clearly the Texan thief was playing a couple of tricks to get my information. He called my room late at night (not long after checking in either), which might catch folks in a vulnerable frame of mind. Most guests would be in bed, sleepy, and not inclined to do much more than get rid of the man on the phone as quickly as possible.

The thief offered a dumb story about insurance, which fits with most people's idea of the industry: dumb and inconvenient. "Wow, gosh, it figures that those insurance guys want to ruin my vacation too! If there is one thing that this thief and I can agree on, it's that insurance companies make life difficult. I remember my second cousin Alfred, his house got flooded by a hurricane, but the insurance company said that the wind blew the water into the house, and he didn't have enough wind insurance!" And so on.

The identity thief also offered money (25% off my room), and he offered the less convenient (but useless to his scam) choice to visit the front desk. Why would a thief offer the option to go to the front desk? Plausibility. Except that a 25% discount sounded a bit too good to be true. Although $25 for a 5 minute conversation sounds like a OK consulting rate, it is rare that businesses value their customers time at even close to $300/hour.

I also felt like I was being railroaded into two courses of action by the thief. If you can pull it off, multiple choice has lovely negotiating results: "you can give us money this way, or you can give us money that way!" If you don't pull it off, then I might come up with imaginative alternatives to your railroad tracks:

• I could demand that you come up to my room, show an ID, and take my personal information through the little gap the security chain allows for
• I could hang up and dial the front desk and ask about the call
• I could pack up, throw the TV through the hotel window in a fit of anger, and drive to another hotel
• I could tell the caller that it's not my problem that they lost my information

Encounters like these are another reason why learning about negotiation has a lot of value. When I recognize gambits, I immediately go into a more problem-solving, cautious frame of mind. If you're interested in an entertaining and educational read on the subject, I suggest Secrets of Power Negotiating*, by Roger Dawson.

Like the Manager at the Best Western says: Never give out your personal information. Such wisdom. I'm glad I didn't defenestrate the television.

*Moving Average Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Buying items through this link is much appreciated!

The Spirit of BoS 2012: a Scholar's Account

When I returned to work after this year's Business of Software Conference, I was unable to give a very good summary of the proceedings. Yes, I had learned a lot, I had met hundreds of wonderful, generous, successful entrepreneurs and developers. I even had a notebook stuffed with ideas and insights. But when my co-worker asked me how the conference went, the word "awesome" was really the best I could do. My slow brain is still processing the events of last week.

Lucky for me, Andrei Pop has done a lovely job of summarizing the spirit of BoS2012. Andrei was one of three recipients of my 2012 Business of Software Student & Recent Grad Scholarships (through my company Moving Average Inc.)

Read what Andrei has to say. You'll understand why the Business of Software Conference is my favorite conference.

*Updated 2013 March 25 to fix broken links to Andrei's posts.

Business of Software 2012 Scholarship

Students who are serious about starting a real business need to attend the Business of Software Conference. A student might think that she already has everything she needs to build a business. She'll have a degree. She subscribes to Fast Company and Inc. magazine. She reads Hacker News religiously between classes, and follows the top VCs on Twitter and Google+. She even created an anonymous online social network to organize lock-picking field trips through the steam tunnels on campus. Pick/Up has matching iPhone and Android apps, natch.

But I bet she hasn't had the opportunity to meet and learn from founders who are quietly operating successful, sustainable, and profitable software businesses around the world. Until she's met that one Dane who sells image stitching and recovery software for a living, she has no idea how straightforward a software business can be. No subscriptions or viral marketing required. How can that be enough to pay the bills?

And then there is that guy that suggests that you talk to customers face to face like they did in 19th century France before the internet was invented. He also suggests that all those social media and business rules might be wrong because he has such great success ignoring them. Why doesn't he just find a business co-founder to tell him what to build? Why doesn't he just believe what he reads in articles with titles like "N Ways to Double Your ____"?

Oh, and what about that guy who sold his company for a fortune and then locked all his money into a charitable trust? He reduced all his belongings to two carry-on bags and one bike. Why would you do that? Doesn't he know that you can have two bags and still be rich?

Then there is this Business Professor, who sounds like a qualified conference speaker. But instead of talking about business plans and venture capital, he talks about what job a milkshake does! Where do they find these people? Everyone knows what a shake does. You put it in your mouth. You drink it. Why doesn't a restaurant just make the best shake and be done with it? You don't need an advanced degree for that, do you?

This other fellow has a strange idea: he wants you to try to start selling your product before you even build it. Literally. He picks a name, puts a web page up, invents prices, and lists the features. The entrepreneur only builds it if there is enough demand. Except he doesn't build it. He pays a contractor to build it. Is this even really a software business?

Delegates meet people who are like them, share experiences, and share knowledge. It helps knowing that there are other people out there who are like-minded, friendly, and are on the same path. And you also meet people that aren't like you, who have amazing crazy ideas, and completely different businesses than you do, and that's interesting and useful too.

Students are at a point in their life when they can most easily take a chance and try out a few of these different viewpoints and ideas. The one problem is that the conference is expensive by student standards. But I can help with that.

For the second year I'm sponsoring student / recent grad scholarships to the Business of Software conference through my business, Moving Average Inc. The scholarship gets you into the conference. You'll still be responsible for getting there and finding a place to stay, but you're resourceful. You'll get a ride and surf on a few couches. Then you'll have a wonderful experience making friends and learning.

If you're an interested student or recent grad and you can make it to Boston October 1-3, please visit the Business of Software Blog to learn how to apply for the scholarship.

I hope to see you in Boston!

The Lightest Camera Bag?

Most camera bags seem like they were designed so that wrestlers can take a few shots in between bouts of being hit with folding chairs. The bags are heavy, padded, and generally bulky.

If I'm hauling a lot of gear to work, or on an airplane, the wrestler-style bags are wonderful. I like that I can fit my entire office and almost all of my camera equipment into my Think Tank Urban Disguise 60 V2.0.

But if I'm walking around the city or attending a food event, the wrestler bags are just too much. The wrestler bags are too heavy, too bulky, and seem to universally make my shoulders sore and sweaty.

I've spent some time looking for the "perfect" camera bag. If you read many photography websites, you'll find that bags are a popular topic. There are tons of options out there.

With the possible exception of Gura Gear bags, they all seem to trend towards greater complexity and padding, and so on. Even the Gura Gear Chobe 19-24L weights "less than the 3 lb mark" without the padding, and "well below the 4 lb mark" with the padding. I'd expect a bag made from sail cloth to be a bit lighter.

My Canon 7D with the EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS lens only weighs 3.7 pounds combined (including lens hood). Does the container for the camera really need to weigh as much as the camera? These wrestler bags seem like the luggage equivalent of buying an over-priced extended warranty for a consumer item. In the unlikely event that I'm hit with a folding chair, I'll be glad for that bag. But while I'm waiting for that chair should I suffer through the shoulder pain?

The Patagonia Lightweight Travel Courier folded into a pouch.

My search for a better walk-about camera bag led me to the Patagonia Lightweight Travel Courier. The Travel Courier is a lightweight, simple bag that folds into a tiny pouch. It's made of ripstop nylon and mesh, and other bits. It looks very minimalist, maybe even a tad strange. But the concept and execution are brilliant.

The zippers are super-smooth with little grabbies added to make them easy to find. The strap is made of a squishy mesh which lets a little air through, and offers a little padding along the entire length of the strap.

Inside the main compartment, there is a smaller zippered compartment big enough to fit a cell phone or wallet. This pocket reverses,  and the entire bag stuffs inside for packing. The bag has a smaller zippered pocket in front, which is ideal for a lens cloth, sunglasses, or a phone. The zippers are all of the super-smooth YKK variety, which bag nerds seem to appreciate.

The Domke wrap next to the un-packed Travel Courier.

Remember, this bag has no padding at all. The material, while strong, is thin enough that you can see through it when the light is right. Without contents, the bag lies flat. When the bag actually contains stuff, the clever design works to give it some nice structure. There is a loop of elastic cord captured in the fabric at the top of the bag surrounding the opening to the main compartment. This cord gives the bag some structure and shape. It also seems to help prevent your stuff from dumping out of the bag when open. The design impresses me with it's clever minimalism. Unlike many bags, the shoulder strap attaches to the bag at the very top. There is little chance of the bag capsizing when held by the strap.

Do I trust this bag to carry my camera unpadded? Heck no. While I don't need my bag to take body blows, it will occasionally be jostled and set down on hard surfaces. I add padding to the bag in the form of the Domke F-34L 19-Inch Protective Wrap. The wrap is a large square of padded cloth. A strip of velcro-like fastener lives at each corner of the wrap, allowing the user to secure the padding as they see fit.

To use the wrap in the bag, I fold it into a simple trough shape with each corner attached to a neighbor as seen in the photos. This protective envelope fits perfectly into the bag, giving it shape, and a lightly padded cradle for my dSLR.

According to my kitchen scale, the combination of bag and wrap weighs 10.36 oz, which is about 0.6 pounds. That weight seems a lot more reasonable when compared to the weight of my camera.

This is the bag I've been using for a couple of weeks now. The dSLR goes into the now padded main compartment, my Lytro camera goes into one of the mesh water bottle pockets on the side, and my 4G iPad goes into the spot between the wrap and the back of the bag.

So far, this is the best camera bag I've ever owned. I find it lightweight, more comfortable to wear than a camera on a strap, and quite handy. I also think it makes me significantly less sweaty than a bag with traditional shoulder straps.

The Travel Courier full loaded with dSLR and lens, held by the strap.

Incidentally, since getting this bag I have not used my Black Rapid strap.

*Moving Average Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Lytro Longterm: Fun and Crazy

Wow, I've had my Lytro for almost a Month now. When I first got my Lytro, I admit that aspects of the Lytro felt like a bit of a letdown. Today, after shooting hundreds of photos with it, meeting CEO Ren Ng and Director of Photography Eric Cheng at the Lytro Photowalk, I've decided that using the Lytro is a lot of fun.



How is the Lytro fun? Well first of all, it looks different. Folks don't recognize the little aluminum tube as a camera. The way some folks give it worried glances, I wonder if they don't think it's a Geiger counter or some other measure of danger. "Daddy, why is that man checking his food for radiation?"

If you start pointing an electric-blue aluminium tube at things, folks will want to talk to you about it.

Speed makes the Lytro fun too. When the Lytro is in "Everyday mode," the photographer can just bang away on the shutter release if the exposure looks OK and the subjects are within the Refocus Range. The only editing you can perform to the photo is to set the initial focus point for the image when you share it -- vastly restricted editing saves time too.

But most of all, the unusual capabilities and limitations of the Lytro turns photography into a fun, thoughtful game. Sometimes that game drives me crazy and I pick up my SLR. Sometimes the Lytro game really encourages my creativity and I forget about my SLR. Besides "fun", I use the adjectives "challenging", "weird", and occasionally "maddening" for the Lytro. You'll see why as you read on.

Refocus Range

The term Refocus Range describes a certain Lytro behavior fairly well. Photos taken with the Lytro allow you change the focus of a photograph after it has been made, but only within certain bounds.




It is not possible to refocus a Lytro image from 0 inches to infinity after the fact -- not in one exposure. If you thought that unbounded refocusing was the promise of Lytro, I bet you're not alone. Until I received my Lytro, I didn't understand that the ability to refocus depended on the configuration of the camera when the image was taken.

When the Lytro is set to Everyday Mode, the Refocus Range seems to always extend to infinity, but the closest end of the Refocus Range varies depending on the zoom level. In Everyday Mode, the zoom is limited to 3.5X. I suspect this design decision was made because the minimum refocusable distance would start getting very far away if the further bound were still pinned to infinity.

As Ren explained to me at SXSW, at the widest focal length  (i.e. 1X zoom) and in Everyday Mode, the closest end of the Refocus Range is a bit less than the length of the camera's body away from the front of the Lytro. Setting the Lytro to Everyday Mode and setting the zoom to 1X seems like the easiest method to quickly grab close-up photos and to shoot street photography.

When fully zoomed in while in Everyday Mode, the closest end of the Refocus Range falls about six to eight feet from the end of the Lytro. Zoomed in, you lose the flexibility of close-up shots.

In Creative Mode, the user gets to select the center of the Refocus Range by tapping the screen. I think. I'm actually not sure if it sets the center of the range or if it sets the closer end. Like Everyday Mode, the Refocus Range gets smaller as you zoom in -- and you get a lot more zoom in Creative Mode.

To capture the most dramatic refocus range, you'll want at least one object at the closest edge of the Refocus Range. I find it quite easy to take a photo with no noticeable ability to refocus, so this rule is useful to keep in mind while shooting.

Shutter Speed

Photographers can't control the Lytro's shutter speed, and speeds higher than 1/250th of a second aren't possible. Of course, in many cases, this works out fine. However, stopping motion or resisting camera shake would be a lot easier if I could force a faster shutter speed. 1/250th of a second is great except when the Lytro is zoomed in close or the subject is moving.

Speaking of camera shake, the Lytro has no optical stabilization and no threaded tripod mount. I really hope the next generation of Lytro has some way to mount the device to a tripod. In case you're wondering, no, I don't feel like a tripod mount would be a replacement for a faster shutter.

Experienced photographers might wonder how the Lytro gets away with a fastest shutter speed of 1/250th of a second at f2.0. I'm fairly certain that the Lytro has an internal neutral density filter that automatically snaps into position when the amount of light exceeds the required shutter speed. I can hear it clicking when moving from indoors to outdoors. 

Exposure

The Lytro's exposure works similarly to that of the camera on the iPhone when in Everyday Mode. The user taps the screen to select the area to expose for. If you don't tap the screen, the device seems to slowly move towards an averaged exposure setting for the scene.

This brings up hint #1: if you want to expose somewhere between the average exposure and the spot exposure from tapping the screen, tap on the screen and then wait for the exposure you want. If you have a bright back light, but want to under-expose the foreground objects a little bit, tap on the foreground object. Once the exposure is set for the foreground object, wait a bit. The Lytro's exposure setting will slowly settle back to the average exposure. Take the photo when it looks good. Update: Hmm, this trick doesn't seem to work like I thought. It looks like the exposure set by tapping is held unless the camera detects that the scene has changed -- then it switches back to average exposure. Sorry!

All of this would be easier if you could set an exposure compensation. Perhaps a future firmware upgrade will add the feature.

In Creative Mode, the Lytro only performs an averaged exposure of the image. According to the manual, touching the screen will only change the focus, not the exposure.

Static Image Size

Lytro advertises their first camera as an 11 Megaray Light Field Camera. The files it produces weight in at about 16.1 MB each. However, exporting the files to JPEG from the Lytro Desktop Software produces a square image 1080 pixels on a side. This is about 1.2 Megapixels. Scott Bourne has indicated in his Lytro review that this will produce an acceptable 5 x 5 print, which seems about right.

The concept of 5 x 5 inch prints seems OK to me, but in reality the size and shape sound a bit inconvenient. Where do I print a 5 x 5 photo? How do I frame it?

Perhaps Lytro will go into the printing business, or partner up with a printing business to make this easier. Or perhaps Lytro will sell square digital picture frames with touch screens to hang on your wall -- that would be fun.

The Lytro image quality documentation implies that the resolution capabilities might be improved with future software updates. In fact, there are a lot of features and image quality areas which seem possible with future Lytro software updates and the same hardware. The notion of improving resolution with a software update boggles my mind. I'm really excited to watch new features roll in with software upgrades!

Desktop Software

The Lytro Desktop software manages the process of getting the photos off the Lytro, on to the computer, and then optionally sharing them to Facebook or the Lytro web page. The software also allows the user to "star" photos, caption them, and see standard information about each photo including: shutter speed, ISO (ranging from 80 to 3200, as far as I can tell), focal length, date, mode, and f-stop (always 2.0).

As I mentioned in my previous article, you can also "star" images from the camera itself. When you plug the camera in, the starred photos get downloaded and processed first, a brilliant idea. And speaking of processing, it takes some time for my 2nd generation MacBook Air to churn through processing the images.

The big Lytro User Manual indicates that an "All in focus" feature will be coming to the desktop software sometime in the future. This isn't quite the comprehensive focus control knobs I was asking for in my previous post, but I'm sure I would still occasionally use the feature.

Among the critical things that the software doesn't do (but maybe should) is allow the user to create multiple image libraries. My hard drive is rapidly filling up with hundreds of 16MB Lytro files.

You might expect that I could copy the library to a different volume and open it by double clicking. Unfortunately, if the library isn't in your Pictures folder, double clicking on it will cause the Lytro app to create a new library in the Pictures folder rather than actually open the library you double clicked. Frustrating!

I really hope that Lytro updates the software so that I can move some libraries on to my Drobo redundant storage. I probably can do some file juggling tricks to achieve this now, but I'd prefer a less annoying way to manage my photos.

Refocusing

When refocusing works, the effect can feel dramatic. When it fails, the effect can be annoying. I have taken several photos which just don't seem possible to focus. It doesn't matter what focal plane I'm clicking on, the result never seems sharp. This problem drives me bonkers.

At least some of these photos were shot in Everyday Mode, so I don't think that I have the Refocus Range set incorrectly. I'm not sure what causes the problem, but my current theory is that my hand was shaking too much when I took the photo. Unfortunately, looking for softness on the tiny Lytro screen makes me want to sigh in exasperation.

Refocusing can also seem futile if my composition doesn't result in a visible change of focus. Without nice refocusability, why didn't I just use a SLR so I could at least make a big print and do lots of editing?

Accessories

As I previously noted, the Lytro comes with a magnetic lens cap. I love the idea. In practice, the tiny rubberized square falls off way too easily. At the SXSW Lytro photowalk, one of the other owners had already lost their cap. I think the cap needs stronger magnets or a lanyard.

I'm also a bit concerned about packing the Lytro. The device seems strong, but I'd still like some padding for it and some protection for the lens other than the cap which frequently falls of. Right now I'm protecting the camera with a LensCoat BodyBag that I use for my SLR. The LensCoat is far too large, but I'd love a similar neoprene case form-fit for the Lytro. Maybe it could have a pocket for that pesky lens cap, and a clip or loop for attaching it to my bag or belt.

What about tripods? As I mentioned previously, I'd like to be able to use the Lytro on a tripod. A standard threaded hole or add-on mounting accessory would be appreciated.

And while I'm at it, I'd love somebody to make a ring light accessory for the Lytro. It could be as simple as a square of white LEDs that fits on the end of the camera for macro shots. That would rock.

Composition

The square shape of the Lytro photos offers photographers a nice creative challenge. Like traditional photography, you want to separate or juxtapose different objects in the frame. Unlike traditional photography, you also want to separate at least one object on a different focal plane. Lining up objects in different focal planes works OK, but often feels more cramped in the square format.

One composition idea: consider dividing the image into quadrants and putting different focal planes into at least one quadrant. An interesting foreground object against an interesting background also works well.

Another nice trick I've seen  really creative photographers use is to hide a surprise in details which will be hidden by focus blur until a viewer explores the image. These seem more difficult to pull off.

Imagine an expensive sports car parked on the street. Until you click on the parking meter, you don't realize that it's expired. Oh, and if I click on the background -- is that a meter maid on the way? These reveal shots will be fun.

Shooting reflections can be interesting too -- the reflecting surface will be on a different focal plane from the reflected object. I tried this with the scratched-up display of my phone, but it didn't quite turn out. A few more attempts would probably get this working. I recently saw a photography blog post titled "Photographing Cars Is Basically Like Photographing Mirrors". Does that give you any ideas?

What is it Good For?

The Lytro excels in a few fun areas of photography. Macro photography can look amazing in a Lytro photo. Typical macro photos have a very narrow depth of field unless the photographer had lots of light available or a still subject and tripod. In a Lytro macro photo, the viewer can explore the image even though only a narrow sliver of the photo is focused at a time. The Lytro benefits from lots of light too, but it seems far easier to take a casual macro photo with the Lytro than anything else.

The Lytro loves lots of light and bright colors. The Lytro can go up to 3200 ISO, and it looks OK there (not spectacular). It obviously looks best at lower ISOs, but if the subject is interesting enough the noise shouldn't matter. 

In everyday mode, the Lytro is fantastic for street photography. The Lytro is small and doesn't look like a camera, so it won't necessarily occur to your subjects that they should pose for the camera. The lack of focusing and relatively fast shot-to-shot time means that it is easy to fire off several different shots quickly.

The shape of the camera complements the speed. Because it is easy to see what the camera is pointing at, I can take photos without even looking at the screen. I don't care too much for the screen, so this feature is useful. You can also jam the Lytro into awkward to reach places to snap a few shots without having to focus or look at the screen.

For portraits you can hold the camera in unusual orientations and eyeball the framing with a decent success rate. Try holding the Lytro above your head or below your waist to tell a different story about your subject. Fun! They Lytro desktop software will automatically rotate images for you if you shot a photo upside down.

Final Thoughts

I enjoy taking photos with the Lytro because there is so little to do after taking the photo. The Lytro is like an old-fashioned Polaroid camera -- after you take the photo, you either keep it or toss it. The lack of editing responsibility allows me to generate a constant stream of photos to share. I don't have a Lytro editing queue, but I have a long editing queue for my SLR.

The lack of editing also encourages the photographer to look for a good story. Without funky filters to play with, a good story is the best way to keep a photo interesting. I enjoy the challenge.

I expect that in the future, a lot of this missing functionality will be added in software updates. Some Lytro folks at the SXSW photowalk mentioned the possibility of filters for the desktop software. I also got to see a tiny, but impressive demonstration of the upcoming 3d capabilities yet to be unlocked in the current Lytro. I'm super excited to see that released.

The design intent of the Lytro seems to aim at turning the fun and interesting knobs up to eleven. It isn't attempting to replace SLRs, or even high-end point and shoot cameras -- not in my opinion. Since getting the Lytro, I've kept it in my camera bag right next to my Canon 7D. When I'm looking to have some low-friction fun, I pull the Lytro out. If I see an opportunity where the Lytro would excel, it's in my hands taking photos in a heartbeat.

If you're a serious photographer looking for the one camera to carry everywhere, the Lytro probably is not the one. Not yet, at least. But if you're a photographer who enjoys a fun challenge and would like a tool to help create unique photo experiences, take a serious look at the Lytro. The Lytro has me taking photos when I wouldn't otherwise think to reach for a camera.

Resources

The Lytro manual pages

Photofocus: Ten Things People Don’t Know (Or Have Wrong) About The New Lytro Field Camera
My Personal Lytro Photos

*Moving Average Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Lytro First Impressions

Update: I got a few things wrong in this post. First of all, it is possible to export a JPEG image from the desktop software. Right-clicking on the photo will reveal the export option. Second, the Lytro does have an accelerometer inside, and the orientation of the photo is corrected in the desktop software. Sorry about that! 3/28/2012

I can finally scoot back off the edge of my chair. My blue Lytro camera arrived today. The camera is weird. Weird good? Weird bad? I'm not sure. These are some random thoughts I have after walking around to take a few photos. I'll try to avoid covering stuff other reviews noted (The Verge, Scoble) noted.



Although I have been reading up on the Lytro, there are a few things I didn't realize. First, the lens cap is a magnetic chunk of grey and black rubber. Pretty cool, but without a tether of some sort, it seems likely to get lost.



The second weird thing: off doesn't mean off. After the Lytro has been switched off for a few seconds, it reactivates and changes the zoom level. I can feel the vibrations when it happens. I bet the designers felt the wide angle was probably more useful when you switch the camera on.



I also didn't expect that you could use the shutter button to turn the camera on. Nice shortcut.

Without looking, just about the only feature I can feel on the Lytro is the shutter button. Traditional cameras might not look as cool as the Lytro, but finding the top is easy.

Other reviewers have noted it, but the display feels like looking through a screen door. The pixels are fat with distinct borders around them.

In viewfinder mode, the Lytro draws a little blue frame around the image. Is this color matched to each of the three colors? I don't know. It seems like a waste of the few pixels available though. Update: the blue frame around the image indicates that the camera is in Creative Mode rather than Everyday Mode. Reading the manual helps...

The touch screen works well for some gestures, and has a hard time with others. I like that you can "star" photos on the camera (and that those photos will be given priority in the intensive processing the software performs to make the photos usable). The starring feature is brilliant. But tapping the star can seem impossible. It takes me three tries on average. My fingers must be fat.

The Lytro makes a click when transitioning from dark surroundings to bright surroundings. So far I have not seen an aperture other than f2.0. Is there a Neutral Density filter popping in and out of there to regulate light?

The bottom of the Lytro reads "Designed in California Made in China". That sounds familiar.

Suggestions to Lytro (AKA John's wish list)

• Allow the zoom slider to optionally behave like a rocker switch, or make both ends of the slide continue the zoom direction until the finger is lifted. Scrubbing is boring.
• Put an accelerometer in the device, and let the user shoot upright in any of the four orientations. I think I might rather use my thumb for the shutter button. Update: I was wrong. The desktop software automatically fixes the orientation.
• Let users choose the focus point with a sliders (e.g. in feet or meters). Extra points for the ability to change the depth of field.
• Let me output jpeg files from the desktop software! Update: Again I was wrong. Right click on a photo in the desktop software to get to the export menu.
• Add some sort of clip or hole to the lens cap so that it won't be lost.
• Add a clip to the side of the Lytro so I can carry it on my belt.
• Add something to the design so I can feel which side is up, and feel where the zoom slider is better.
• A Lightroom or Aperture workflow would be nice!
• The lens cap is magnetic. Why not behave like the iPad and turn the camera on and off using the lens cap?