Canon Might Have A Video Camera With RF Mount On Their Agenda, Patent

RF Mount
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Is Canon working on a video camera with RF mount? A patent suggest they might.

Canon patent application 2019‑161567 (Japan) describes a compact video camera that looks like the Canon XC10, and we think it has the RF mount, introduced by Canon with EOS R full frame mirrorless camera system.

Don’t get too excited, however. Most patent applications never go into production. Never the less, it might be a hint that Canon is investing in the RF mount. In any case, an interesting Canon patent application. Please note that the patent application doesn’t explicitly mention the RF mount. We think it might be an RF mount because according to the patent pictures, the lens mount is too close to the sensor to be an EF mount.

  • XC10
    The Canon XC10

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

Here Is Another Canon Patent For IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation)

Canon Patent
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There might be no more doubt that Canon is actively working on IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation). Here is another Canon patent application.

Canon patent application 2019-152785 describes an IBIS unit and its working. An excerpt from the paten literature:

Problems of the stage device as the blur correction mechanism of such an image pickup device include high efficiency in driving force generation and linearity improvement of a magnetic circuit for position detection. In response to this problem, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which three magnets are arranged for each driving force generation unit to form a magnetic circuit using the concept of the Halbach array (hereinafter referred to as “Halbach magnetic circuit”).

it is possible to achieve high efficiency in generating driving force and to improve the linearity of the magnetic circuit for position detection

Some rumor outlets are presenting this patent application as the patent describing “the IBIS” Canon is going to feature on future cameras. We’d be a bit more cautious with such claims. There is nothing to proof it is “the IBIS”. More likely, it’s just one more IBIS patent in a long row.

We have no doubt IBIS is indeed coming to future Canon cameras. We would just be a bit more prudent and avoid saying it will be on board on Canon’s next EOS R model (which most likely it will not). Not on the next one, but maybe on the camera coming after.

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

Source: Canon News

Canon Patent For Various Small/Pancake Prime Lenses For EOS R

Prime Lenses
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Just small or pancake prime lenses? We are not sure. We are just sure they are small and for the Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless system.

Canon patent application 2019-152683 discusses optical formulas for the following (small) prime lenses:

  • Canon RF 20mm F/2.0
  • Canon RF 35mm F/2.8
  • Canon RF 45mm F/2.8
  • Canon RF 35mm F/2.0

and a 16-35mm f/4 lens, also discussed in the patent application. The lenses appear to be non-L lenses, i.e. less expensive lenses. Are these pancake lenses, in you opinion?

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

Source: Canon News

Canon Patent Application Seems To Confirm Our Rumor About High Resolution EOS R Model

Canon Patent Application
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Back in August we were tipped about what might be the sensor resolution of the upcoming high resolution Canon EOS R body.

Now a Canon patent application (2019-149607, Japan) surfaced. The patent application discusses an image sensor having a resolution of 83MP. To be more precise, the Canon patent discusses how you can improve focus accuracy based upon different subject colors. Two sensors ate discussed, one having a resolution of 20.75MP, the other of 83.06MP.

We think this Canon patent application could refer to the sensor of the yet not announced high resolution EOS R model (all rumors).

There is another aspect that captured our attention. The other discussed resolution, 20.75MP, is almost exactly 1/4 of 83.06. So is this patent application referring to the same technology, i.e. Quad Pixel AF, as this previously spotted patent application? We do not think, however, that Canon’s high resolution EOS R will have Quad Pixel AF.

An 83MP resolution is also what you get in a full frame sensor if you upscale the 32.5MP of the new APS-C sensor featured on the brand new Canon EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II. So, a full frame sensor with 83MP, as we leaked, is definitely a possibility. Add to this that the upcoming high resolution EOS R camera will also (most likely) replace the Canon EOS 5Ds/5Ds R and it appears even more likely.

Might this patent refer to the sensor in Canon’s upcoming high resolution EOS R camera?

Source: Canon News

Here Is A Bunch Of Canon Patent Applications For EOS R Prime Lenses

Canon Patent
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There is no doubt Canon is investing in their EOS R full frame mirrorless system. Canon patent after Canon patent confirms it.

The Canon patent applications for Canon RF lenses listed below have been published today, August 29, 2019.

  • Canon patent application US-2019-0265439 describes the optical formula for a 85mm f/1.2 lens
  • Canon patent application US-2019-0265441 discusses the optical formula for a 50mm f/1.2 lens
  • Canon patent application US-2019-0265450 discusses the optical formula for a 35mm f/1.8 lens and a 16mm f/1.4 lens

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

Source: NL

Canon Is Working Hard On IBIS, Yet Another Patent Suggests

Ibis
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It seems to be a no brainer that Canon will soon implement IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation) on their cameras. Another Canon patent shows the company is working hard on this technology.

Canon patent application 2019-0260938 (USA) discusses how to make IBIS and lens IS work together. It’s not the first Canon patent about IBIS/lens IS we spotted, another one is this one. All IBIS related Canon patent applications are listed here.

From the patent abstract:

An image capturing apparatus comprises: a shake detection sensor which detects shaking; a calculation circuit which calculates a first shake correction amount based on a shake signal output from the shake detection sensor; a transmitting circuit which transmits the first shake correction amount to a lens apparatus that comprises first image stabilization apparatus for correcting shaking by moving an optical system; and a lens characteristics correction circuit which performs correction regarding lens characteristics in an image signal obtained by image-capturing in a state in which the first image stabilization apparatus has corrected shaking, based on the first shake correction amount, wherein the lens characteristics correction circuit performs the correction regarding lens characteristics based on the first shake correction amount at a time prior to the image-capturing time by a predetermined time

According to the patent literature, it can be done in the following way:

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned problems, and realizes a technique in which, when correction regarding lens characteristics is performed in a camera main body while using a camera shake correction apparatus on an interchangeable lens side, at least the influence of delay in communication between the interchangeable lens and the camera main body is reduced. 

[0009] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, one aspect of the present invention provides an image capturing apparatus, comprising: a shake detection sensor which detects shaking; a calculation circuit which calculates a first shake correction amount based on a shake signal output from the shake detection sensor; a transmitting circuit which transmits the first shake correction amount to a lens apparatus that comprises first image stabilization apparatus for correcting shaking by moving an optical system; and a lens characteristics correction circuit which performs correction regarding lens characteristics in an image signal obtained by image-capturing in a state in which the first image stabilization apparatus has corrected shaking, based on the first shake correction amount, wherein the lens characteristics correction circuit performs the correction regarding lens characteristics based on the first shake correction amount at a time prior to the image-capturing time by a predetermined time. 

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention provides, a control method of an image capturing apparatus comprising: detecting shaking using a shake detection sensor; calculating a first shake correction amount based on a shake signal output from the shake detection sensor; transmitting the first shake correction amount to a lens apparatus that comprises a first image stabilization apparatus that corrects shaking by moving an optical system; and performing correction regarding lens characteristics in an image signal obtained by image-capturing in a state in which the first image stabilization apparatus has corrected shaking based on the first shake correction amount, based on the first shake correction amount at a time prior to the image-capturing time by a predetermined time. 

[0011] Still another aspect of the present invention provides, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method of an image capturing apparatus, the method comprising: detecting shaking using a shake detection sensor; calculating a first shake correction amount based on a shake signal output from the shake detection sensor; transmitting the first shake correction amount to a lens apparatus that comprises a first image stabilization apparatus that corrects shaking by moving an optical system; and performing correction regarding lens characteristics in an image signal obtained by image-capturing in a state in which the first image stabilization apparatus has corrected shaking based on the first shake correction amount, based on the first shake correction amount at a time prior to the image-capturing time by a predetermined time. 

[0012] According to the present invention, when correction regarding lens characteristics is performed in a camera main body while using a camera shake correction apparatus on an interchangeable lens side, at least the influence of delay in communication between the interchangeable lens and the camera main body can be reduced. 

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

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