Whilst capturing light field data is an amazing step forward in technology, the next link in the chain is light field display. A light field display releases the same data set that a light field camera captures. That is, rather than just pixels that glow different colors and intensities making a flat image, a light field display reproduces the direction of the photons being released. This adds amazing new qualities to the image and is a paradigm shift in the way we view screens.
The only catalyst powerful enough to get light field camera technology into the mainstream is the smartphone. And not just any smartphone from some no-name brand, but smartphones from major brands like Apple or Samsung.
If in the future Apple decides to put light field camera technology into an iPhone or if Samsung did the same with one of its Galaxy smartphones then light field camera technology will definitely go mainstream. But that also means Apple or Samsung will have made the smartphone with a light field display. What’s the use of capturing light field images if you can’t fully see them?
Capturing light field images and being able to display them sounds really cool. But it might take a while.