Canon patent for 50-300mm F4.5-5.6 Diffractive Optics lens for APS-C sensors

Canon patent

Canon patent for a 50-300mm F4.5-5.6 lens with diffractive optical elements. The optic formula described in the patent appears to refer to APS-C sensor (not full-frame). Hence, the lens may come either for EF-S or EF-M mount. I guess this would be the first APC-S oriented lens with diffractive optics (anyone?).

  • Patent Publication No. 2016-57444
    • Published 2016.4.21
    • Filing date 2014.9.9
  • Example 1
    • Zoom ratio 5.59
    • Focal length 51.77 135.00 289.53
    • F-number 4.65 5.05 5.85
    • Half angle of view (degrees) 14.78 5.78 2.70
    • Image height 13.66 13.66 13.66
    • The total lens length 126.05 169.37 184.15
    • BF 35.50 35.50 35.50
  • Example 2
    • Zoom ratio 5.90
    • Focal length 49.13 135.00 290.00
    • F-number 4.65 4.95 5.85
    • Half angle of view (degrees) 15.54 5.78 2.70
    • Image height 13.66 13.66 13.66
    • The total lens length 108.00 152.12 168.00
    • BF 15.69 15.69 15.69
[via Egami]

Canon patent shows how to implement GPS and other radio devices in metal DSLR bodies

Canon patent
18 resin of the cover, 42 a GPS module

The more a DSLR is build to last, i.e. is made of metal instead of plastic, the more difficult it gets to add radio devices like GPS or WiFi. This is something Canon explained often.

This Canon patent appears to show a solution for the issue. The GPS module is placed on top of the camera body, where usually the pop-up flash is located. That’s where the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II has the GPS device. The patent does not explicitly mention WiFi but I think it is safe to assume the solution described in the patent would work for WiFi too.

It may be that the patent points to something that has to do with the upcoming EOS 5D Mark IV, which, as it was anticipated first on CW, will most likely have GPS and WiFi on board.

  • Patent Publication No. 2016-53665
    • Published 2016.4.14
    • Filing date 2014.9.4
  • Canon patent
    • Magnesium alloy
    • Providing a GPS module to the finder part
    • To protect the GPS module in the wireless communication lid made of a synthetic resin material
    • The GPS module and the warship portion connected by high thermal conduction efficiency copper foil tape, heat away
[via Egami]

Canon patent for EF-M 9-18mm f/3.5-4.5 STM lens

canon patent

Something is moving in Canon’s EOS M department. Here we have another Canon patent for an EF-M lens,, a EF-M 9-18mm f/3.5-4.5 STM.

We already have an ultra wide-angle lens for the EOS M system, the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. Will the optic formula described in the Canon patent ever hit the market? Hard to say.

  • Patent Publication No. 2016-54371
    • Published 2016.4.14
    • Filing date 2014.9.3
  • Example
    • Zoom ratio 1.90
    • Wide-angle intermediate telephoto
    • Focal length 9.22 14.05 17.50
    • F-number 3.39 4.04 4.63
    • Half angle of view (degrees) 53.07 44.12 37.91
    • Image height 12.27 13.63 13.63
    • Overall length of the lens 89.68 83.60 86.84
    • BF 14.22 15.78 16.00
  • Canon patent
    • Upon correction of the distortion, providing a constraint on stretching amount at each image height
    • Properly set the curve shape of the distortion aberration
[via Egami]

Canon patent for improved image stabilisation (using 2 vibration control groups)

canon patent

Canon patent for a new and improved image stabilisation system using two groups to keep the vibrations under control.

  • Patent Publication No. 2015-203862
    • Published 2015.11.16
    • Filing date 2014.4.16
  • Canon patent
    • Equipped with two vibration proof group
    • Shake detection, determine the amount of correction from the shooting information
    • Obtaining correction amounts of the two vibration proof group from the magnification ratio and the distance information of the lens
[via Egami]