Pocket-sized, multi-lens camera that was first announced three years ago finally goes on sale in the UK
And now for something completely different. The Light L16 has gained a reputation for breaking away from camera-making orthodoxy. Eschewing the one-camera, one-lens approach, this pocket-sized model carries several small lenses and cameras lying at 45-degree angles across a flat plane, intelligently determining which of them to use for each shot.
It's just been launched into the UK market, so let’s take a closer look at what it offers.
A closer view of the L16's lens module
Light L16 key features
Measuring 165 x 84.5 x 24.05mm, the L16 is small enough to slip into your pocket. It’s controlled via a 5in touchscreen on the rear, and has a rubberised grip for steady handling.
The camera/lens modules on the L16 come in three flavours: 28mm, 70mm and 150mm. Each time the shutter is released, the camera chooses a specific combination of these to produce the final high-resolution image. These modules also give the user access to the full breadth of that 28-150mm focal range.
The final image the L16 captures has a resolution of 52MP, although the amount of data captured by the camera also allows it to create a 3D depth map of the scene. This opens up options for post-processing, allowing the user to alter depth of field and focal plane after the shot has been taken. According to Light, the ten-cameras-at-once approach also means much better noise reduction.
The L16 uses the Android operating system, which means it can download firmware updates for improved future performance. Light promises, for example, that the option to shoot 4K video will come to the camera shortly.
Under the bonnet it carries a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, with a Light ASIC chip and a 4120mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery which provides up to eight hours of power. It also offers GPS and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!
A sample image from the L16, captured by Kris Cheng
Light L16 price and release date
The Light L16 is available now with a UK RRP of £1,850, but if you snap yours up before 31 March you can bag a generous 30% discount, which takes the price down to £1,295. See light.co for details.
Jon spent years at IPC Media writing features, news, reviews and other photography content for publications such as Amateur Photographer and What Digital Camera in both print and digital form. With his additional experience for outlets like Photomonitor, this makes Jon one of our go-to specialists when it comes to all aspects of photography, from cameras and action cameras to lenses and memory cards, flash diffusers and triggers, batteries and memory cards, selfie sticks and gimbals, and much more besides.
An NCTJ-qualified journalist, he has also contributed to Shortlist, The Skinny, ThreeWeeks Edinburgh, The Guardian, Trusted Reviews, CreativeBLOQ, and probably quite a few others I’ve forgotten.
