Amazing Lytro Camera Automatically Captures 3-D Pictures

We reported on the groundbreaking Lytro camera last week, and we've been tracking the story ever since. Now, we've learned that the camera doesn't just create "living images" that you can focus later (and repeatedly). It also enables the user to place 3-D focus points on the photo itself--in essence, automatically creating 3-D images.

Because Lytro captures the entire light field--"all of the light traveling in every direction, in every dimension"--the camera records much more data within each photo than a normal camera.

For a taste of the results, check out this montage of Lytro photos that can be viewed in 3-D using colored (anaglyph) glasses, a 3-D display or by doing fancy tricks with your eyes. (Just pretend you're looking at one of those old "magic eye" posters!)

For now, the company is keeping their technological specifics under wraps. But the camera will be released in the next few months--and photography may never be the same again.