Now for something completely different. About two years ago, I saw an article about a new kind of camera coming out. While it wasn't a Kickstarter exactly, one could sign up to be an early adopter, something I generally don't do. Still, the camera sounded really interesting; it uses 16 separate camera modules, just like the ones used in smart phones, to stitch together photos up to 52 megapixels in size. It uses the ten best modules of the sixteen and instantly puts the photo together. One of the things it can do, with the free app download, is to adjust depth of field -after the fact-, something that I don't think any camera can do right now. You might manage it with a tripod and some liberal use of Photoshop filters after the fact but this company promised this as a feature on nearly any photo. Plus, with greater low light capabilities, something I'm very keen on, the camera seemed really attractive. So I bit the bullet and put a downpayment on it.

And, as often happens with these kinds of things, there was a delay, then another. Things started to look a little dim and frustrating. Still, I hung in there as I was still keen on seeing this camera. After waiting for a very long time (as well as continuously checking UPS' website for updates on where the box was) I finally have the camera in my hot little hands.

I'd read some preview-reviews (there were strangely no REAL ones I could find online) which worried me. And a last minute email from the company telling me that they wanted me to 'hang in there as many of the problems that made the camera currently less than perfect will be fixed with a soon to be released software update' didn't make me feel any better. So this will be cautious.

I got to play with it and the software for about an hour before work (and yes, there was an update for both the app and the camera upon initial opening). I decided to take some quick photos of my orc mask as it has some good topography with both the L16 and my iPhone SE, a camera with which I've been pretty happy. Some early notes:

The camera is slow to snap photos. It's more reactive to the touch screen button than the physical one on top of the camera, which is more convenient.

The app is SLOW to process photos. VERY slow. It says it's a beta, but I'm going to judge it on what I have.

Its flash tends towards the yellow though that's easily corrected with a simple click in PS.

The camera is heavier than I thought it would be.

My SE is an even better camera than I thought it was.

My initial reaction to the photos the L16 takes was not utter amazement. This is an expensive camera and it's going to have to live up to its own hype, which was pretty heavy.

Perhaps I'm being overly critical but having to wait pretty much an extra year, getting something with a software update (two, really) right out of the box and email almost begging me to hang onto the camera for awhile is making me careful. I WILL say, on Light's behalf, that when I asked about the return policy, before the camera shipped, I was told that instead of the 90 days I was promised, I could have a full six months to try the camera out. That is more than fair. So while I plan to be rather critical, I also really want to give this machine a chance. Its potential is huge. Here's hoping.