Light Field Camera the Future Camcorders over Next Few Years

To predict the future of camcorders over next few years, we must first be familiar with all of the latest hardware and software technology available in consumer camcorders today.

Low light problems are becoming a thing of the past with a BSI CMOS image sensor, some consumer camcorders available today are capable of taking 16MP stills and also, any frame in a video recording can be selected as a still shot.

3D is fast becoming a regular feature in consumer camcorders, and some video camcorders have 240GB + 2 card ports each capable of taking 64GB cards, and Sony has a range of camcorders with a projection lens on the reverse side of the LCD screen to instantly show recordings onto the nearest wall for mass viewing.

If you are old enough you will remember when SVHS was regarded as a breakthrough from VHS 250 lines to 350 lines.  Now even the lowly pocket camcorder has FULL HD 1920x1080p, and if it’s from one of the BIG brands, it may even have AVCHD MPEG-4 compression.

Optical zoom, optical image stability and instant auto focus give us ultra-quick, accurate focus, a steady shot and long range clear video recordings.

A flip-out touch screen viewfinder can give us face recognition and many readings about the settings and aids in-camera editing with the right software on board, video light on the lens housing, external jacks, and on and on, isn’t that all wonderful.

So what about my headline: Light Field Camera the Future Camcorders over Next Few Years?

Could we see the lack of sufficient battery power being resolved by not solar panels, but with the camcorder body being moulded from solar panelling? I’ve only ever seen flat solar panels, but why can’t they be moulded into any chosen shape in the future to become the camcorder body?

EVF viewfinders are usually only available on semi-pro camcorders, with consumers struggling to frame a good shot by trying as best they can to exclude the light from diluting the picture in the LCD screen. Possibly this could be easily resolved with OLED screens as are presently being introduced on TV screens by Sony.

Taking technology from smart phones, can we expect to be able to record video of the future by recording either in portrait or landscape mode?

Smart phones also allow us to broadcast live pictures via Skype, Face Time or TinyChat where it’s now possible to have 12 friends on-line together. With internet access, a tuner and the rest of the innovations from the smart phone being built into the camcorder possible right now, the consumer camcorder of the future could be modular with optional stills camera and smart phone as optional extras for an all in one unit.

The iPhone 5 has 2 mini processors built into its tiny frame, so why not 3 in the camcorder of tomorrow, which could then become an all encompassing device for stills, movies, television and internet access.

But there’s more, much more. I hear all your collective gasps and reasons as to why various scenarios cannot happen just now, but the latest BSI CMOS image sensor will shortly be replaced by a light field sensor, yes LIGHT FIELD SENSOR.

These light field sensors will quickly replace much of the internal software of the camcorder, introducing new capabilities including a way to replace any movement of the lens.

A Light Field image sensor will unleash new ways to make and view movies. By using powerful new software, performance will be improved beyond imagination from increased speeds of movie and picture taking, capturing better pictures in low light and pushing resolution to heights we can only dream of today.

This will also innovate on camera lenses, controls and design with astonishing capabilities.

In a light field camera, light field sensors allow both the picture taker and the viewer to focus pictures after the event and switch seamlessly between 2D and 3D views. This will eventually apply to camcorders which incorporate this light field sensor technology.

Do you agree that the CMOS image sensor is soon to be heading in the same direction as the CCD image sensor by being replaced by a light field sensor, and will a light field camera rule the new camera market with light field photography becoming the norm?

I would love to hear your thoughts about my visions for the future of camcorders over the next few years, perhaps you can see beyond my vision, or you may think I’m hallucinating or just plain barmy, I would like to hear from you anyhow.

My final thoughts: will light field photography using the new light field camera and new camcorder using the light field sensor of tomorrow eventually make post production software as we know it to be obsolete?

Moving swiftly back to the present, if you cannot wait for all this new stuff to happen, visit the websites at either UK Camcorder Reviews or US Camcorder Reviews where you can read unbiased camcorder reviews of 200 of the latest models available today.

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Tagged as: camcorders, CMOS image sensor, CMOS image sensors, CMOS sensors, image sensor, image sensors, light field camera, light field photography, light field sensor, light field sensors, new camera, Smart phones