The text and screenshots herein are copies of Lytro’s official support articles, provided here purely to help remaining Lytro Illum users experiencing problems. We have only included the most relevant support articles for this purpose.
- What are the specs on the Lytro Illum camera?
- How is the Lytro Illum lens different than traditional camera lenses?
- Lytro Illum lens specs: focal length, zoom, macro ratio, and more
- Lytro Illum frame rate
- Lytro Illum ISO Range
- Does the Lytro Illum have Image Stabilization?
- Lytro Illum – Spectral Sensitivity / Spectral Response
- Does the Lytro Illum support video?
- Illum – Charging and using the Battery
- What is the difference between XRAW and RAW files?
- Illum – How to update your camera software
- Illum Camera Software Release Notes
- Lytro Illum – Understanding Image Quality
- Is the Lytro Illum Weather Sealed?
- Illum – Condensation / Lens Fogging
- Lytro Illum – Finding Your Serial Number
- Can I print images from the Lytro Illum?
- What is the resolution of a 2D image exported from the Lytro Illum?
What are the specs on the Lytro Illum camera?
Currently Available Specs on the Lytro Illum:
General
Product: Lytro Illum
Dimensions: 3.4″x5.7″x6.5″ (86mm x 145 mm x 166 mm)
Weight: 940 grams / 33.15 oz / 2.07 lbs
Body: Magnesium and Aluminum
Grip and lens rings: Silicone
Lens
Focal Length (35 mm equivalent): 9.5 – 77.8 mm (30 – 250 mm equivalent)
Crop Factor: 3.19
Zoom: 8x
Lens Aperture: Constant f/2.0
Macro: Focus to 0 mm from lens front
Macro Ratio: 1 : 3
Image Sensor
Sensor Type: CMOS
Light Field Resolution: 40 Megaray
Processor: Snapdragon® processor by QUALCOMM® Incorporated
Sensor Format: 1/1.2″
Active Area: 10.82 x 7.52 mm
Image
Format: Light Field Picture
2D export resolution: 4MP peak output
Custom White Balance: Yes
File/Picture Storage: SD memory card slot (SD card not included)
Shutter
Shutter Type: Focal plane
Fastest Shutter Speed: 1/4000 sec
Slowest Shutter Speed: 32 Sec
Continuous Shooting Options: Single or Continuous
Self-Timer: Yes
Exposure
Exposure Metering System: Scene Evaluative
Exposure Histogram: In Live View and Playback
Exposure Modes: Program, ISO Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual
Exposure Compensation: Yes
Exposure Bracketing: Yes
Exposure Lock: Yes
Clipping Warning: Yes
Focus/Autofocus
Auto-focus Modes: Region AF
Screen
Touchscreen: Yes
Screen Size: 4″ LCD rear screen
Screen Resolution: 480 x 800
Screen Angle of View: Up to 80 degrees
Adjustable Brightness: Yes
Screen Type: back-lit LCD
Articulated Angles: -10 to +90
Articulated LCD: Dual hinge tilting
Live view: Yes
Playback
In Camera Picture Review: Yes
Light Field Playback function: Refocus
Menus/Interface
Customizable Buttons: Yes
Power
Battery: Removable Li-Ion battery
Battery Charging: Standalone wall charger and USB
External
Hot-shoe: ISO compatible hot shoe with center pin sync manual and Lytro-TTL
Tripod Socket: Standard 1/4″-20
Cable Shutter Release Compatible: Yes
USB: Micro USB 3.0
Miscellaneous
Technology: Lytro Light Field Sensor and Lytro Light Field Engine 2.0
Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac enabled
Software: Includes a free desktop application for importing, processing and interacting with living pictures from the camera. Software requires Mac OS 10.8.5 or higher or Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8.
E-Waste: RoHS certified
How is the Lytro Illum lens different than traditional camera lenses?
The Lytro Illum lens was designed to be smaller, lighter, and more affordable for end-users than traditional camera lenses. This is made possible by using our knowledge of the light field to correct aspects of the final image using software opposed to optics. This lens isn’t drastically different than a normal lens, but it was custom designed to work in tandem with our computational abilities to achieve the best light field images possible.
Lytro Illum lens specs: focal length, zoom, macro ratio, and more
Lytro Illum lens specifications:
30 – 250 mm Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
8x optical zoom
Constant f/2.0 lens aperture across the entire zoom range
Field of view:
Vertical FOV: ~62 degrees
Horizontal FOV: ~43.5 degrees
Diagonal FOV: ~72 degrees
3.19 crop factor
Extreme Macro Focus to 0 mm from lens front
Macro Ratio 1 : 3
72mm diameter threaded to work with standard 72mm filters
The Lytro Illum lens is not interchangeable.
More about the science behind our 30-250mm lens: http://petapixel.com/2014/06/16/a-look-into-what-makes-lytros-Illum-cameras-30-200mm-f2-0-lens-possible/
Lytro Illum frame rate
The Lytro Illum’s frame rate is 3fps in Continuous Drive.
NOTE: A memory card with slow write speed can limit performance. We recommend a memory card with the fastest read/write speed available to guarantee best performance.
Lytro Illum ISO Range
The Lytro Illum’s ISO range is 80- 3200.
Does the Lytro Illum have Image Stabilization?
The Lytro Illum does not support image stabilization.
Lytro Illum is equipped with a very fast F2 lens and therefore can take pictures at a faster shutter speed – something that substantially helps in reducing camera shake.
Lytro is always exploring how to improve image quality under all conditions. Image stabilization is one of many different techniques that we are looking to improve using light field and computational photography.
Lytro Illum – Spectral Sensitivity / Spectral Response
The CMOS image sensor in the Lytro Illum responds to light across the visible spectrum from 400nm to 700nm. The sensor package employs a special filter to remove unwanted effects from UV light shorter than 400nm and IR light higher than 700nm.
Note: This filter cannot be removed from the Lytro Illum.
Does the Lytro Illum support video?
Lytro Illum does not support video capture.
Illum – Charging and using the Battery
The Lytro Illum comes with a lithium-ion battery, USB3 cable, and quick charger.
To charge the battery:
Place the battery in the provided quick charger and plug it into a standard 110- or 220-volt, 50-60hz electrical outlet.
With the battery in the Illum, use the provided USB3 cable to connect the camera to a powered computers USB port or a USB wall charger.
A fully discharged battery may take four or more hours to charge completely.
When charging using the provided USB3 cable, the battery icon on the cameras LCD screen will animate to indicate charging.
When charging on the quick charger, the LED on the charger will Illuminate.
When charging is complete, the LED will turn off, indicating the battery is fully charged.
A blinking LED indicates a power or connection problem, such as the battery not being inserted properly.
The Lytro Illum’s battery is a custom, replaceable unit with the following specs:
3.7 Volts DC
3760mAh 13.9Wh
There isn’t a set number of pictures you can take on a full battery, nor time duration, as it will vary greatly on a number of factors including:
shot mode (continuous mode vs single shot, exposure or focus bracketing)
instant preview time, image review time, on camera refocus
use of the live preview and on screen depth assist tools (especially overlay)
In general, greater use of image review an live view especially at a higher brightness setting, will drain the battery more quickly
We have found the battery to last at least half a day of consistent shooting, and about 400 pictures.
To maximize battery life, reduce instant review time.
The battery compartment is on the underside of the camera.
Hold the camera upside down and slide the thumb-latch to one side to open the door.
Insert the charged battery, hold the door fully closed, and slide the latch back to the locked position.
What is the difference between XRAW and RAW files?
Your Illum camera has two image file format options in Settings > File Formats: RAW (default) and XRAW.
We’ll go over the differences and why you might and might not want to use them.
NOTE: You may also want to read about Desktop 4 and Pairing Data.
NOTE: With Desktop 4.1+, you can save as XRAW postcapture, in Lytro Desktop.
Lytro RAW
Lytro RAW is the default file format. It contains all the light field data your Illum captured, and all the information that Lytro Desktop needs to process the image.
It’s about 50Mb in size per picture.
This format results in the best performance on your camera, and unless you need XRAW (see below) you should stick with RAW.
Lytro XRAW
Lytro XRAW is identical to RAW, except your camera’s specific pairing & calibration data is added.
It’s about 110Mb in size.
WARNING: because this format is 2x the size of RAW, your camera must write 2X the data and thus post-capture write speeds will be 2x longer, negatively affecting frame rate performance. You will also fill up your SD card twice as fast.
We recommend you only use XRAW as needed, rather then as the default format.
So, when do you want to use it? If you want to provide someone else with a raw image that they can view in Lytro Desktop, you’ll want to give them an XRAW file, otherwise they will not be able to view your image in the highest image quality possible. They can still view it, but Desktop will have to display without having your specific camera’s calibration data, and therefore, image quality will suffer.
Illum – How to update your camera software
Step 1
Make sure you have at least 1 (one) picture on your SD card!
Step 2
Decide whether you’d prefer to update via USB3 cable, or directly from the SD Card.
USB Cable – Connect the Camera directly to your Computer via USB cable
We recommend the included USB3 cable, but you can also use a USB2
SD Card – Take out the SD Card of your Camera and plug it in your Card reader on your Computer.
Step 3
If you have any problems getting the Illum software as described in Step 3, you can also download it directly. [Since Lytro is offline, you can also find the Illum firmware here.]
If Desktop is already launched *and* you have your SD card connected (directly in your computer or via USB3 cable), please click on the Info Panel > ‘Update Firmware’
Otherwise, attach your camera via USB3 or insert your USB card into your computer to launch Lytro Desktop, and note the prompt that an update is available for your camera.
Step 4
Select ‘Update’ and wait for the firmware update to be copied to your SD Card.
Step 5
Once the firmware update is copied to your SD card:
Unplug the camera from the computer -OR-
Remove the SD Card from your computer and put it back in your Camera.
Step 6
On your camera, navigate to Settings > General > Update Firmware
Step 7
Confirm firmware update.
Step 8
Confirm firmware update was successful by navigating to Settings > General > About and check the new firmware version
Illum Camera Software Release Notes
Illum Camera Software 2.0
Final Version
July 9, 2015
New Stuff
New Illum Manual
User Interface – Complete redesign of the user interface
Re-Arrange menu icon – Added wrench icon to the menu bar to provide quick access to the rearrange menu (Additional Menu Features KB)
Full Screen Mode – Hides all extraneous data on-screen for a simple composition (Additional Menu Features KB)
Improved Autofocus – autofocus system is significantly faster
Viltrox TTL Flash for Lytro Illum – Flash settings can now be controlled in-camera (Illum settings menu KB)
Fixed and Improved Stuff
Improved Autofocus speed
Navigation of the camera menu has been improved
Info Bar UI has been improved
Optical Offset UI has been improved
Bracketing UI has been improved
To improve stability and overall reliability, reduced capture buffer from 10 to 8
General Notes
Fibonacci Grid Overlay options have been removed
Previous Versions:
Illum Camera Software 1.2.1
June 10, 2015
Fixed and Improved Stuff
Localization for Russian
Illum Camera Software 1.2.0
March 24, 2015
Fixed and Improved Stuff
Live View
Shutter lag time has been improved
Depth overlay performance greatly improved
Focus and zoom lock no longer disengage unexpectedly
Improved black levels
Playback Mode
Toggling from Capture to Playback will return user to last viewed image (rather than first image) until a new image is captured or the camera goes to sleep
Deleting image will load next image (rather than prior image)
Improved black levels
Settings
Flicker Reduction – New ‘Auto’ mode sets flicker reduction settings based on current lighting conditions.
Illum Camera Software 1.1.2
February 17, 2015
New Stuff
Localization for Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Italian, and Spanish
Illum Camera Software 1.1.1
January 26, 2015
New Stuff
Lytro TTL Flash (Viltrox JY680L) Support
Known Issues
Adjustments to the on-camera flash compensation menu have no effect on flash functionality when the flash is set to Manual or Repeat mode. These menu items will be grayed out next version.
First time users using unformatted or read-only SD cards will not be able to successfully pair their camera with Lytro Desktop
Known Bugs
Focus & Zoom Locks disengage after exiting Settings
Focus & Zoom Locks are disengaged by Depth Assist
Illum Camera Software 1.1.0
December 10, 2014
New
Capture Features
Spot and Region Metering Modes – area exposure options
Horizon level – Align and frame your shots
Custom White Balance – Set temperature (K) and tint, and store as a white balance preset
Front dial now controls Exposure Bias in Program (P) Mode
Playback Features
Depth Overlay and Depth Histogram
Focus control using focus ring and touch interaction on Depth Scale
Cycle pictures using dials
Select All/None in Playback Grid
Flag – flagged pictures are processed first in Lytro Desktop 4.1. Mark images on-camera for priority processing and easy sorting in Desktop 4’s Flag View.
Rotate Picture – Rotate pictures in 90 degree increments
Auto-orientation – Pictures maintain correct orientation when camera is rotated
Settings
Energy Saver Mode – configure how, when and if camera powers off and goes to sleep
Fixed & Improved
Capture orientation is now respected in Playback — if you captured a picture in Portrait, it will appear in Portrait in Playback
Wifi connection bug fix – improves Illum > iOS connection stability and performance
Numerous bug fixes, stability improvements, and performance enhancements
Illum Camera Firmware 1.0.2 & 1.0.3
October 27th, 2014
New Stuff
Japanese Support
Fixed Stuff
Bug fixes, stability improvements, and performance enhancements
Notes: 1.0.3 was a factory-only release with no customer facing changes relative to 1.0.2
Illum Camera Firmware 1.0.1
September 8th, 2014
New Stuff
Added configuration menu item for hyperfocal feature
Fixed Stuff
Numerous bug fixes, stability improvements, and performance enhancements
BCS-2741 – Alternate lens ring behavior now saved across power states
BCS-2457 – Camera no longer freezes in low light situations when autofocus engages
Known Issues
Desktop keeps prompting to update firmware after firmware updated
Workaround: Take a picture; this will prevent more update prompts
Illum Camera Firmware 1.0.0 (36)
July 31, 2014 (Initial Release)
Known Issues
BCS-2741 – Alternate lens ring behavior is not saved after a power cycle, though it still appears to be selected in the Settings > Controls > Lens Rings menu. This will be corrected in the next firmware update.
BCS-2457 – Camera freezes in low light and engaging autofocus
Lytro Illum – Understanding Image Quality
The Lytro Illum captures light in a unique way that is unlike other cameras in the market.
Since we are evolving a new imaging technology that involves 3D capture we must balance traditional 2D image quality that users have become familiar with, and access to the 3D light field, which makes Lytro Illum image files so desirable and unique.
Below you will find responses to some questions and comments you might have:
What is the megapixel specification of the Lytro Illum?
Light field imaging works differently then traditional photography and cannot be measured using the traditional megapixel specification users are familiar with in traditional digital cameras. The Lytro Illum has a 40 Megaray CMOS sensor, if a 2D image is extracted from a living picture captured on the Lytro Illum it would be about 4 Megapixel in size.
Some of my subjects are sharper then others, why isn’t everything sharp when I click on it?
The ability to change focus doesn’t mean that everything in a living picture can be focused on in every shot. The Lytro Illum works by capturing a refocusable range instead of a specific focus point. This means that composing your shots now involves additional attention and thought for how this range will effect your ability to refocus and adjust your images later.
By hitting the Lytro Button near the shutter release users will reveal a depth histogram on the LCD display that will assist them in determining the optimal focus range. Like traditional focus, the refocusable range is adjusted using the cameras focus ring on the lens. Adjusting the zoom ring will also change how subjects fill the focus histogram.
Some of my images have artifacts in them, can this be prevented? How can I remove them from my living pictures?
There are a few situations where the sensor can sometimes not determine depth of an object properly. This can result in artifacts that are distracting from the intended effect of a living picture. To avoid artifacts we recommend capturing several pictures (ideally with different angles and focal lengths). These issues are particularly problematic with very thin subjects such as a wire fence, and also with objects that are visually uniform at different viewing angles such as a blue sky. To reduce the chance of artifacts when taking living pictures of objects like this users should get physically closer to the object (if possible) in order to have enough information to determine depth in the image.
Click Here for instructions on removing depth map artifacts from your living pictures. [link: desktop 4…]
How large can I print images from a Lytro Illum?
Living pictures are meant to be viewed interactively in a digital format. When seen this way users get the full 3D functionality of living pictures which includes refocusing, perspective shift, and the ability to tell a story through animation effects. Users can export 2D .jpg or .tif format images at a specific focus for printing. Using these files we have found that users have produced professional quality prints at sizes up to around 8″x10″.
Is the Lytro Illum Weather Sealed?
No, the Lytro Illum does not have weather sealing. The optical path has been designed for everyday use and is nominally sealed against dust and particulate, but there is nothing in the way of water protection for the body.
We suggest that anyone shooting in adverse conditions or inclement weather use a weather-resistant bag designed for use with larger cameras, such as rain covers designed for SLRs.
Illum – Condensation / Lens Fogging
Condensation in the lens is a potential issue that is normal and expected if the camera is taken from a cool area (an air-conditioned room, for example) to a warm area (outside on a hot day). Virtually all DSLR lenses are subject to this issue.
A workaround to this issue is to enclose the camera in an airtight container (say, a ziplock bag) while in the cooler environment, and allow it to warm up before removal; this should take care of any lens fogging issues.
Lytro Illum – Finding Your Serial Number
The Illum Serial Number can be found behind the touch screen. Just tip your screen forward, and you’ll see it:
Can I print images from the Lytro Illum?
Absolutely, but: the primary purpose of the Lytro Illum is creating dynamic, interactive living pictures for digital display. The Lytro Illum offers much greater resolution, available pixel information, and creative control than the first generation Lytro camera, resulting in a greater range of print options and higher available print quality, but its primary purpose is still creating living pictures, not printing 2D images. It is not a replacement for your DSLR’s output.
That being said, of course, there are many reasons to want to print, and you can choose a focus point for your image and export a static 2D image.
The peak output of such a 2D export focus point is 4 MP, and its files have enough pixel information to create, in our opinion, great prints up to 8 x 10. Depending on your personal needs, printer types, sharpening settings, and DPI choices, larger prints can be made.
What is the resolution of a 2D image exported from the Lytro Illum?
You can choose a focus point and export a 2D image from your original light field picture. The resulting 2D image will be a peak output of 4 Megapixels.
Peak output depends on a number of factors including how you’ve composed your shot, and the focal point that you select for output in your image.
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