Light-field microcopy (LFM) supports single-shot volumetric recording and instant 3D excitation. It is an emerging technology for fast wide-field 3D imaging of neuronal activity, and has the potential to enable scanless 3D photostimulation for applications in optogenetics. This article introduces the basics of light-field technology, reviews the LFM principles and current implementations, summarizes first applications for optical imaging and photostimulation of neural activity, and outlines alternatives that go beyond LFM.