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Create your own Lytro-like depth of field effect using a DSLR

Create your own Lytro-like depth of field effect using a DSLR

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DSLR Lytro effect
DSLR Lytro effect

The hook of the Lytro light-field camera is being able to change the focus of pictures after they’ve been taken, but the small gadget is hobbled by its high price and low resolution photos. As it turns out, there is a way to recreate the effect with an ordinary DSLR. The Chaos Collective breaks down the exact methodology on its website, describing how people can record video and slowly adjust the focus over several seconds instead of shooting a series of images.

The team behind the project then managed to recreate the Lytro effect by writing a tool that detects the different focus areas in videos, breaking them down into a 20x20 grid that can be freely clicked. Anyone can create the embeds too: after uploading short videos using the tool found on Chaos Collective, users are presented with a shareable link. It might not be quite as easy as using a Lytro, but the end results are just as good.