New Camera: Without Lens!

Netherlands designer, Bjorn Karmann, introduced his passion art project ‘Paragraphica’ a AI ( artificial intelligence) Camera Without a Lens.

It has a analog type built having three dials at the top of the camera for function buttons.

In a groundbreaking leap for the world of photography, a futuristic camera called Paragraphica has emerged, challenging the traditional notion of capturing images through a lens.

This innovative camera utilises a combination of location data, time of day, and artificial intelligence AI  algorithms to compose text descriptions, which are then converted into stunning visual representations.

It has a lot of advantages like if we are photographing a building in a crowded city.

The camera will take the data , location of that particular place and create an image …as a creative part the same place  few years back…if we need it standing at that place you can instantly create an image few years back how the building was …or you can change climate and season also.

The camera harnesses the power of open APIs to collect location data, including information such as time of day, address, weather conditions, and nearby places. By combining these details, Paragraphica generates descriptive paragraphs, which serve as the foundation for its image creation process.

Through the use of text-to-image AI algorithms, the camera then transforms these paragraphs into captivating photos. According to the creators, these images represent a “complex and nuanced reflection” of the user’s location, offering unique perspectives that may differ from traditional representations.

Controlling image creation

Paragraphica provides users with three physical dials that enable them to shape the resulting images. The first dial operates similarly to the focal length of an optical lens, determining the radius in metres within which the camera searches for data and places it.

The second dial facilitates the creation of a noise seed, essential for AI image diffusion, with adjustable values between 0.1 and 1.

Lastly, the third dial manages the guidance scale, where increasing guidance allows for a more in-depth assessment of the paragraph, resulting in a more accurate and appropriate image.

The hardware and software behind Paragraphica

The camera’s hardware includes a system based on the Raspberry Pi 4, equipped with a large touchscreen, a 3D-printed housing, and custom electronics. On the software front, Paragraphica relies on the stable diffusion API, Python code, and Noodl to drive its powerful capabilities.

This combination of hardware and software ensures a seamless and immersive experience for users venturing into the realm of lensless photography.

A glimpse into the future

With the advent of Paragraphica, photography enthusiasts and social media aficionados are set to witness a paradigm shift in visual storytelling.

This camera challenges the notion that a lens is the sole medium through which images are captured, highlighting the limitless possibilities offered by AI and contextual data.

As Paragraphica’s popularity continues to rise, it promises to redefine our understanding of photography, ushering in a new era where technology shapes the way we perceive and share the world around us.

Article by

CJ Rajkumar

Author/ Cinematographer