Nokia to invest in next-gen Pelican Imaging tech, allowing “fly eye” cameras for your Lumia

Nokia to invest in next-gen Pelican Imaging tech, allowing “fly eye” cameras for your Lumia | Windows Phone Central Skip to main content Android BlackBerry iPhone / iPad Windows Phone webOS SIGN UP|LOG IN Windows Phone Central Windows Phone CentralForumsNewsReviewsHelp & How ToDevicesAppsGamesContestsDevelopersEditorials Search Shop online Cases Chargers Batteries Bluetooth & More New accessories FREE Shipping on orders over $50 Read in WPCentral App 46 Nokia to invest in next-gen Pelican Imaging tech, allowing “fly eye” cameras for your Lumia News By Daniel Rubino, Tuesday, Apr 30, 2013 at 1:28 pm

It looks like Nokia is continuing to concentrate on mobile photography as the venture-capital investment arm of the company, Nokia Growth Partners, is throwing some money behind Pelican Imaging (http://www.pelicanimaging.com). The technology is expected to creep into future Lumia phones as the hardware behind the Pelican Imagining gets commercialized.

So what does Pelican Imagining bring to the table? They make the software to handle multiple, tiny lenses that make up a meta-camera.

Think of flies eyes and you’ll have a better understanding. The idea is that with numerous, small cameras versus one large one, you can have more control over focal granularity and basically “do more stuff”.  So Pelican doesn’t make this hardware, they just make the software to process all of the images together (you can peep the video below to get an idea of how it all works).

If that sounds a lot like those new-fangled Lytro cameras that allow you to take a single photo but then tap to re-focus, you’d be right.  Of course, you don’t need numerous cameras to do a Lytro-like effect—in fact, tune in later today and we’ll show you how you can do it in April, 2013.

So when can we expect some multiple lens-cameras for our Lumias? Probably not in the immediate future (read: this year) but the good news here is that Nokia is once again ahead of the curve, investing where imaging will be in two or three years and not just working on today’s gear.

Combined with their purchase of Scalado, their over-sampling 41MP PureView (which will be instantiated later this as a Windows Phone ‘EOS’), optical-image stabilization in the Lumia 920 and Nokia is set to continue dominating mobile photography.

Source: Bloomberg; via Engadget; Thanks, everyone, for the tips

Daniel Rubino Editor-in-chief

"That's your moral compass but what good is it to me? "

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Tags: Pelican Imaging, Lytro, Focal points, imaging, nokia, Mobile Photography 3 79 56 0 Email this page Previous Story

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Comments There are 46 comments. Sign in to comment bilal soomro says:

Looks Nice

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:33 pm - 15 hours ago Reply R0NELL says:

Can't wait for this.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:34 pm - 15 hours ago Reply reynan santos says:

This is INNOVATION!!!

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:36 pm - 15 hours ago Reply aitt says:

+1

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:46 pm - 15 hours ago Reply reynan santos says:

did you already try REFOCUS APP? It's just like this!!!

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:01 pm - 15 hours ago Reply Prodigy11 says:

To be honest, that is like comparing software based image stabilisation to a full hardware based optics' stabilisation.

But a nice app it is, nontheless :)

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:24 pm - 14 hours ago Reply reynan santos says:

I couldn't agree more, but refocusing is what we need after the photo has been taken... It's just like tilt shift but deeper and clearer.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:58 pm - 14 hours ago Reply RyanAMG says:

That's cool.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:36 pm - 15 hours ago Reply camstreet1 says:

Cool. I wonder if this software could be used to link the cameras on multiple phones together, here in 2013?

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:36 pm - 15 hours ago Reply Daniel Rubino says:

http://www.wpcentral.com/french-project-ovid-looks-bring-video-recording-together-windows-phone

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:39 pm - 15 hours ago Reply Diimiilentzios says:

Cool

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:43 pm - 15 hours ago Reply WisebloodSA says:

An array of smaller lenses is thinner than a single larger lens.  Maybe this will pave the way for a proper oversampling Pureview camera in a slim form factor.
 

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:45 pm - 15 hours ago Reply WinFan1 says:

I read about this earlier today its awesome im really looking forward to this technology being implemented.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:47 pm - 15 hours ago Reply aitt says:

This is something that is truly new to the mobile structure.  Let's just hope somebody doesn't try to Samsung it...

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:48 pm - 15 hours ago Reply WinFan1 says:

Lol

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:50 pm - 15 hours ago Reply aitt says:

Thought I'd tickle some funny bones today.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:14 pm - 14 hours ago Reply Oxygen22 says:

yes I hope Nokia buys it befpr Apple or Samsung get it!!  
well there's a new verb: to samsung

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:14 pm - 14 hours ago Reply kiddj55 says:

There's an app in the store that allows you to do this. It's called Refocus.
http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=93dddc3e-e895-47bf-bcb2-ff19d7df6533

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:51 pm - 15 hours ago Reply George Ponder says:

Working on it.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:18 pm - 14 hours ago Reply expectafight says:

So....that "Of course, you don’t need numerous cameras to do a Lytro-like effect—in fact, tune in later today and we’ll show you how you can do it in April, 2013"  bit is related, eh?

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:25 pm - 14 hours ago Reply JayTBennett says:

So changing focal points after the shot? Interesting concept...

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:53 pm - 15 hours ago Reply argenys says:

I wish Nokia would just buy them and keep the technology exclusively to themselves. 

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 1:57 pm - 15 hours ago Reply aitt says:

I don't think Nokia has the right resources to invest in a buyout of them for technology that won't put money in their pockets by year end considering they still struggling to restructure the company.  They can however partner with the company and get exclusive rights for X amount of time like the did with the microphone. 

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:05 pm - 14 hours ago Reply ambroShuS says:

I'm not even sure why I read Lumia news...ya know, me being a Sprint customer and all.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:20 pm - 14 hours ago Reply Night Fire says:

Time for change?

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:34 pm - 14 hours ago Reply ambroShuS says:

yep, long over do. Waiting for the 920+ announcements, because Sprint & Nokia can't agree to terms

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:16 pm - 13 hours ago Reply WinFan1 says:

Are you with sprint due to coverage or price?

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:59 pm - 14 hours ago Reply ambroShuS says:

I've been with them since 01, so I guess that's the reason more than anything

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 6:22 pm - 10 hours ago Reply ymcpa says:

Well, that's not a good reason. Why be loyal to a company? They should provided a better price, better coverage, or much better service to earn that loyalty. Since your phone number can be transferred, switching providers is easy. 

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 8:20 pm - 8 hours ago Reply NIST says:

The first thing Nokia should do is replace that Android phone with a lumia on the front page of the pelicanimaging.com website.

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:58 pm - 14 hours ago Reply TheAsad_1 says:

Absolutely amazing, future looks focused :P

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:00 pm - 14 hours ago Reply jordanfernandes says:

Wow awesome.. What's more awesome is Dan's photo. Cheers Dan nice pic (y)

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:21 pm - 13 hours ago Reply cybermoose89 says:

Now this will nock the competition dead!

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:22 pm - 13 hours ago Reply Nakazul says:

Everytime you write something like, see video below, or link below, a dog dies.. save dogs and think about Mr Bennetts fine app :D

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:22 pm - 13 hours ago Reply pizzalovinhulk says:

Sorry HTC ultra pixels bull shit just got stomped lol

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:30 pm - 13 hours ago Reply dalydose says:

Nokia is going to make me get a second job just to keep buying thier phones. I don't think AT&T will be talked into giving me the subsidized price every year.  I mean, I had to have the 920 even though I had the 900, because of OIS.  Now I have to have the EOS because of the 41MP sensor and I'll definitely HAVE to have whatever device utilizes this new technology. 

FYI - the Refocus app doesn't measure up to this, at all.  It's a cool app that shows us what might be possible, but it's not there, in my opinion. 

 

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:34 pm - 13 hours ago Reply Mngotu says:

I am the same too!! I am going to be so poor. If the hype is good enough, I may have to sell my 808PV for a new EOS!

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:43 pm - 13 hours ago Reply glassadam says:

You have a pure view? Awesome. Are the photos worth the hype? And how do the photos compare with those from a 920, in your opinion?

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 6:29 pm - 10 hours ago Reply SleepyTheDon says:

I'm still trying to understand why my Lumia 900 takes clear better focused pictures than my Lumia 810, WTF

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:42 pm - 13 hours ago Reply typhon62_1 says:

Stupid question but what can't this be used to get the whole picture in focus?

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:50 pm - 13 hours ago Reply Nitaino says:

AWESOME!!!

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 4:03 pm - 12 hours ago Reply pr0phecy says:

Crap. I'm always afraid when (great) news like this get out early... Gives the competition time to investigate similar tech for their smartphones. And then they'll bring theirs out before Nokia does... I would hate for that to happen, cause I love Nokia too much :)

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 5:05 pm - 11 hours ago Reply sheldork says:

So true, If the then RIM had not shown off the camera features of the blackberry 10, Nokia wouldn't have had the opportunity to by scaldo!

Posted on May 1, 2013 at 4:35 am - 26 min ago Reply yetanotherguy says:

To reply to @pr0phecy, this is no secret project..... and Nokia is not the only investor here, they just made the first noise about this :)
See http://www.pelicanimaging.com/news/press-releases/pelican_seriesc.html

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 5:22 pm - 11 hours ago Reply Tamer81 says:

Awesome!

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 5:36 pm - 11 hours ago Reply glassadam says:

Love it, and love Nokia. So glad I bought into the Lumia ecosystem. :)

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 at 6:27 pm - 10 hours ago Reply */Tip Us On News!

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