We’re living in an age of self-expression. Photography is no doubt the ultimate form of self-expression in 2019, and it’ll continue to be throughout the new roarin’ 20s. We take photos to capture the most meaningful moments of our life. We take photos to express our creativity and present how we view the world. We take photos to share our life with our Internet audience. This is all made possible by the ready availability of high-quality, affordable consumer cameras.
There are DSLR cameras. There are mirrorless cameras. There are tiny cameras. There are cameras inside our smart phones. There are sooo many cameras. Oh-so-many cameras. And, yet, there are a few that rise above the crowd.
Here are a few of those cameras. These cameras have features that are breathtaking, quirky, or simply fun. You can use them to take personal family photos, to dazzle your audience, or to create art, and you can buy them right this instant. Presenting to you 3 of the most unique consumer cameras on the market.
Light-field Camera
The vast majority of cameras require you to manually adjust the focal length. You point, you zoom in on your desired subject, you focus, and you shoot. If you make a mistake on the focal length, then you’re out of luck. You’ve got to make sure the camera is focused accurately before you shoot, less you capture an image where your subject is blurry.
A light-field camera completely reverses this process. You aim, you shoot, and then you change focal length. Say whaaaaa?
Here’s how it works. Most cameras only capture light intensity. But a light-field camera captures both light intensity and also the direction that the light rays are travelling. The result is that you’re able to capture images in full focus, and then adjust the focal length after the fact. You’ll never again miss a shot because you didn’t set the correct focal length.
Lytro once produced light-field cameras, but now that the company has gone out of business you’ll have to find used models online. But rumors have it that Adobe is producing a new light-field camera prototype, so be on the lookout (or, if you’re an entrepreneur, you can jump right into the business and develop your own models).
Kirlian Camera
Good ol’ Gwyneth Paltrow set the New Age community ablaze when she published her aura photos in Goop Magazine. “What’s an aura photo,” you may be wondering, “is it a Santa Monica thing?” The concept of the aura comes from a variety of Eastern religious beliefs. It’s believed to be an invisible energy field that surrounds your body. Your aura has a unique spectrum of colors, completely dependent upon what your personality is and also on what your state of mind is.
Enter Kirlian photography. Kirlian photography was developed by a guy named Kirlian. A Kirlian camera takes a photograph and simultaneously uses a sensor to capture this energy field.
You’ll find Kirlian cameras for sale at Inneractive. Whether you’re an aura believer or an aura skeptic, these cameras are a whole lot of fun. You can take trippy and colorful photographs of yourself or of small objects. The photos are colorful and quite eye-catching, so they’re great for displaying in your home (contemporary art, anyone?). It’s not a camera made for professional photography, but it’s enjoyable to use.
Full-Color Night Vision
Check out this full-color night vision camera from SiOnyx. Most night vision cameras give you that green-and-black image that’s not very pretty or discernable. But this night vision camera can record full color images in even the darkest conditions.
Okay, so there are other full color night vision cameras on the market—what makes this one unique? The main thing is that it’s small and portable. This is actually an action camera. Like a GoPro, you can mount it to your shoulder or headgear and record as-you-go. If you’re out night-hiking, or night-snowboarding or night-adventuring, this is the perfect camera to take with you to capture your night owl lifestyle. And your inner voyeur will be delighted, as this is sure to be a great camera to spy on your neighbors when the night affords you the shadows. Oops, did we just say that?
The compactness also makes this camera much more affordable than other night vision cameras, another big plus. A word of warning: full color night vision is draining on the battery. It can only record for 2 continuous hours in night vision, so be sure to bring a portable charging station with you if you plan on shooting all night long.
Are there any weird and funky cameras that you use? Tell us about them in the comments.
