Light-field processing and analysis, camera control, and user interfaces and interaction on light-field capture devices

Abstract

In various embodiments, the present invention relates to methods, systems, architectures, algorithms, designs, and user interfaces for capturing, processing, analyzing, displaying, annotating, modifying, and/or interacting with light-field data on a light-field capture device. In at least one embodiment, the light-field capture device communicates to the user information about the scene during live-view to aid him or her in capturing light-field images that provide increased refocusing ability, increased parallax and perspective shifting ability, increased stereo disparity, and/or more dramatic post-capture effects. Additional embodiments present a standard 2D camera interface to software running on the light-field capture device to enable such software to function normally even though the device is actually capturing light-field data. Additional embodiments provide the ability to control camera optical elements to facilitate ease of composition and capture of light-field data, and/or generating a plurality of 2D video streams derived from a stream of light-field data.