Lytro Light Field Camera Digital Camera Review

Noise Reduction

The Lytro doesn't offer manual ISO control, so we had to improvise. Basically, we adjusted the lighting in our lab to force the Lytro to adjust its ISO setting. We then ran the shots through the Lytro software and exported the images as JPEGs for testing.

Based on what we found, the Lytro earned a below average noise score, but within expectations for a cheap point-and-shoot. At the base ISO (80), noise made up about 0.84 percent of the shot. The signal-to-noise ratio dropped quickly as the ISO level rose. At ISO 3200, we measured over 3 percent noise, and heavy-handed noise reduction pretty much scrubbed the fine details out of the shot—not that the photos have much to begin with, since resolution is so low. More on how we test noise.

Detail Loss

Not that there's much detail to start with, but the Lytro's heavy noise reduction takes the texture out of just about any shot above ISO 200.

ISO Options

The Lytro's ISO range starts at 80 and ends at 3200, though there is no manual control over the ISO settings. Since we couldn't control the ISO level, we couldn't shoot our still life like we typically do—hence the mostly empty table below. Check out our Sample Photos page for more examples.