What does the future of photography hold in terms of digital camera technology? Aside from improved dynamic range, focusing speed and high ISO performance, what new camera features will take picture quality to the next level and make photography easier and more fun? Here are some suggestions for the next generation of cameras…
The future of photography: 1. Light field recording
Light field or plenoptic camera technology isn’t new, but we anticipate it becoming more mainstream in coming years.
Light field cameras enables you to select which area of a photo you want to be in focus after you’ve taken the shot.
The first company to turn this futuristic photography principle into a commercial reality is Calfornia-based Lytro. The latest Lytro light field camera, the Lytro Illum, features an f/2.0 8x zoom lens and 4-inch touchscreen, as well as enabling you to adjust the focus, tilt, shift and depth of field of photos you’ve taken.
Established camera manufacturers are yet to announce if they’re developing light field cameras, although CanonRumors reports on a Canon patent filed in 2012 that appears to show a compact camera with light field photo capabilities.
Panasonic has also been granted a patent for a sensor that enables light field recording at the sensor’s full resolution, while it’s been noted that Olympus applied for a light field adapter for Micro Four-Thirds cameras back in 2011.
SEE MORE: 5 digital camera features no photographer should be without
The future of photography: 2. 8K video recording
As the first wave of digital stills cameras that record 4K video are being launched, the R&D teams at camera manufacturers will be looking to the next video standard: 8K.
Despite the TV industry being in a shambles and 4K televisions being overpriced rarities right now, 8K is inevitable.
It’s a long way off though. Some observers estimate that 8K video won’t be a mainstream prospect until the 2032 Olympics.
The evolution in resolution from 1080p video to 4K has already raised its own set of problems. The data rates associated with raw 4K video recording and distribution are significant, as are the storage demands, as discussed over on No Film School. The leap from 4K to 8K will be just as demanding.
SEE MORE: How to set up a camera for the first time – 11 things you need to do first
The future of photography: 3. Automatic AF Microadjustment
Not all lens and camera combinations focus where they should, and camera manufacturers recognise this. That’s why more advanced camera bodies come with Autofocus Microadjustment.
The problem with Autofocus Microadjustment – or AFMA – is that it’s a tedious process. Not only do you have to spend time taking a test shot, reviewing it, manually applying an adjustment in the camera menu, then repeating the process until the focus is correctly calibrated, but you have to do it for both the short and the long end of a zoom lens.
The next logical step is for camera manufacturers to make AF Microadjustment an automatic process. According to a report by CanonWatch, Canon has filed a patent for this feature, although there are no details of how the process would work.
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