Computational Photography: What does Its Future Hold?
Computational photography began as an attempt to transform the terrible photographs captured by early smartphone cameras into pictures that might be enjoyed. In low light, the tiny lenses and sensors in phones struggled to capture precise detail. We now have background-blurring portrait settings, night modes that produce stunning photographs in low light, “sweater mode,” which combines many images to improve detail, and magic tricks like blink detection, ensuring that half-closed eyes do not ruin group shots. Computational photography is sweeping the industry, but where is it headed? Those supporting computational (and AI-based) photography have promised for years that algorithms and technology can transform an ordinary shot into something a professional photographer would be proud of. The new Pixel 6 phones from Google: Google’s new Pixels, like the iPhone, feature normal and Pro tiers, as well as large, noticeable camera, bumps around the back. The hump on Google’s gadget is a ...