The lytro sellings has started..

Let's properly rephrase it.
They started shipping few first cameras to people who ordered very long time ago and expected shipping about two months ago.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/lytro/

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/29/2821763/lytro-review

@Vitaliy_Kiselev you see, sometimes you're too much skeptical :) the first time we spoke about this technology here (http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/269), you weren't very much confident that it will arrive any time soon. Now it's here, not perfect of course (and useless for most of us), but promising

Light field cameras are not going to become mainstream until sensors are 10x resolution then they are now... (or a completely different approach to sensor design).

And then other things come into play...

I would think resolution is a large issue for Lytro, as the tech is not really there yet...

Yes VK, however doesn't the resultant image (array->rendered image) look more like 300x300? It was very small in many examples... Unless something has changed?

They have said that they will in the future release an SDK, hopefully they do that sooner than later, so people can really start digging into the files and I think we'll see some very interesting things.

Imagine a video raw file with this technology, where you can pull focus after the fact? Sounds great! 3D conversions might also be possible from a single lens.

OK, please excuse me if I sound dumb. I am sure the technology is legit, and will shape the future, but with this specific product, other than the ability of shifting the angle which I will admit is cool, would't you be able to create a product that does similar things (to the eye) simply by having a very long depth of field and then using software to change what is in focus and what isn't? I am not saying it would be the same, and perhaps the biggest difference is that this lens having a larger F-stop would be brighter which is obviously worth something, but am I completely wrong in believing much of the effect could be achieved with a standard telephoto lens and software?

I believe at some point the same tech was being trailed with 'standard' DSLR's by simply placing a multi lens filter in front of the imaging chip. Thus one could use 'any' lens and create the Lytro effect. I believe its the same people as Lytro that were experimenting on this. Only thing is you need LOTS of spare resolution... I believe they used a Phase One or similar.

people rarely need anything more than 1080p fo real viewing. Most of the people I know stopped printing photos long time ago.

Good point! Maybe very soon 'still' photos will be 'old fashioned', more like Harry Potter moving photographs. Oh well, you can't use flash with video... yet.

@mee, @Vitaliy_Kiselev

but am I completely wrong in believing lephoto lens and software?

you are wrong. It'll take enormous time just for one photo. And result will be not really good.

Although not achievable at home, sounds like a perfectly valid place for somebody to start experimenting and lodge a patent for their own rival camera technology.

Progressive thinking, @mee !

[sorry, a late post here, done without refreshing the thread] I see some good related responses above.

@Roberto, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I am not very technologically inclined in the world of lenses.

The wait is over. The Lytro Desktop Application is now available for Windows too. The Lytro Team has been hard at work on behalf of PC owners and can’t wait to introduce you to this new way of taking and experiencing pictures. To celebrate the new software, we’re offering free shipping on all camera orders placed this week

Via: http://blog.lytro.com/news/windows-is-here/