Friday, June 24, 2011

Extremely Cool Online Toy of the Day (Flagged for Photographers)

Via Andrew Sullivan, here is the coolest online toy I've seen in a while: pictures that you can focus after taking them -- changing the focus in various ways. Here, try one out:



Try clicking the flower in the far foreground (lower right); then click the flower in the medium foreground (the one sticking out in the upper left of the flower field); then click the background proper, the trees or the beach. Three different pictures.

Sadly, this isn't just a plug-in you can get for photoshop on a standard camera; it's a design for a camera, and one that's still in beta-testing, and not yet generally available. Still, something to look out for! (I wish I had one for my current project...)

Here's a NY Times story on it with more information (basically an extended press release, but hey, sometimes those are interesting (which is why I'm putting up an abbreviated one on my blog...). And if you click through to their web site, you can play with a couple dozen pictures like the one above. According to their faq, the camera isn't for sale yet (and they're not saying when or how much), but it sounds like they're working on it. Maybe later this year? Maybe someone wants to buy me a very expensive Christmas/Hanukkah present :)

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