What distinct advantage does the LiDAR scanner provide for advanced photography beyond basic autofocus?

The LiDAR scanner, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, provides a distinct advantage for advanced photography by fundamentally changing how a camera perceives its environment compared to basic autofocus. Basic autofocus, typically relying on contrast detection or phase detection, determines focus by analyzing the patterns and differences in light within a two-dimensional image. It functions best with adequate light and clear subject edges, and can struggle in low-light, low-contrast, or complex scenes. In contrast, a LiDAR scanner emits invisible laser pulses and measures the "time-of-flight"—the precise duration it takes for these laser pulses to travel to a subject and reflect back to the sensor. By calculating these travel times across numerous points in the scene, LiDAR directly and precisely determines the absolute distance to various objects, creating a highly accurate thre....