Lytro Adds Manual Focus, New Accessories to Its Refocusable Camera

Start-up Lytro said Tuesday that it will release a free software update that offers advanced users finer control over the camera.

Lytro’s light-field technology eliminates the need to focus — since the key selling point of the camera is its ability to refocus pictures after the fact.

With the new controls, shutterbugs will be able to choose the shutter speed and ISO settings of the pictures they are taking. Photographers will also be able to lock an exposure setting by tapping on the screen — similar to how this is done on an iPhone.

“We introduced these features as a result of feedback from our most creative camera owners, who are capturing things like subjects in motion or experimenting with artistic styles like light painting,” Lytro director of photography Eric Cheng said in a statement. “With manual controls, they now have more flexibility as they push the boundaries of the light field.”

The company is also adding a handful of accessories, including a $29.95 sleeve and a $59.95 camera case. The camera will also be available in two new colors — Seaglass and Moxie Pink.

Lytro recently expanded distribution of the camera to the Web sites of Amazon, Best Buy and Target, as well as to a handful of urban CityTarget locations and a few other countries.