Is looking at the examples giving anyone else a headache? It's like the software blur falls into some kind of uncanny valley for reality.
Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
221–230 of 249 posts
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#222Regarding the technology (achieving shallow depth of field through an algorithm), not Google's specific implementation ... Up until now, a decently shallow depth of field was pretty much only achievable in DSLR cameras (and compacts with sufficiently large sensor sizes, which typically cost as much as a DSLR). You can simulate it in Photoshop, but generally it takes a lot of work and the results aren't great. The "sh…
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#223Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#224Regarding the technology (achieving shallow depth of field through an algorithm), not Google's specific implementation ... Up until now, a decently shallow depth of field was pretty much only achievable in DSLR cameras (and compacts with sufficiently large sensor sizes, which typically cost as much as a DSLR). You can simulate it in Photoshop, but generally it takes a lot of work and the results aren't great. The "sh…
One limitation of this that nobody has mentioned yet is that if you have to pan your cameraphone as you are taking the photos to generate the depth map you will have a harder time composing your photo than you would with a traditional photo. Usually I like to spend a few seconds getting into the best position and framing my photo carefully before taking it. Getting the photo I wanted would therefore be much harder if…
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#225Earlier quoted context omitted.
One limitation of this that nobody has mentioned yet is that if you have to pan your cameraphone as you are taking the photos to generate the depth map you will have a harder time composing your photo than you would with a traditional photo. Usually I like to spend a few seconds getting into the best position and framing my photo carefully before taking it. Getting the photo I wanted would therefore be much harder if…
You first take the picture normally. After taking the picture it asks you to slowly move the camera up to generate the depth of field, so there's no moving the camera as you're taking it
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#226Earlier quoted context omitted.
You first take the picture normally. After taking the picture it asks you to slowly move the camera up to generate the depth of field, so there's no moving the camera as you're taking it
Ah cool, so not a problem. Out of interest how long does the camera-moving step take?
Around 1 second. You only have to move the phone a tiny bit (maybe 3cm)
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#227Earlier quoted context omitted.
You first take the picture normally. After taking the picture it asks you to slowly move the camera up to generate the depth of field, so there's no moving the camera as you're taking it
Ah cool, so not a problem. Out of interest how long does the camera-moving step take?
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#228Earlier quoted context omitted.
You first take the picture normally. After taking the picture it asks you to slowly move the camera up to generate the depth of field, so there's no moving the camera as you're taking it
Ah cool, so not a problem. Out of interest how long does the camera-moving step take?
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#229Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hey, is there any chance we can download the RAW data alongside the JPG file?
You can extract the computed depthmap, all-in-focus image, and focus settings from the XMP data of the jpeg. See https://developers.google.com/depthmap-metadata/ for the depthmap format.
It made the news last year but I guess hasn't still landed? For post processing, the RAW is so much more useful than a jpg
http://connect.dpreview.com/post/2707133307/google-android-a...
Re: Lens Blur in the new Google Camera app
#230Wow.. this is missing the entire point on why lens blur occurs. Lens blur in normal photographs is the price you pay because you want to focus sharply on a subject. The reason photos with blur looks "cool" is not because the blur itself but its because the subject is so sharply focused that its details are order of magnitude better. If you take a random photo, calculate depth map somehow, blur our everything but the…
> Subtracting details from background without adding details to subject ... Not sure what you mean by this. Blur is only due to focus distances and aperture sizes. Making the depth of field narrower (making the OOF regions more blurry) does not add detail to the areas that are in focus. Usually, it's even the other way around. Example: Say we shoot a portrait of a person at 5m with a forest 30m away in the background…