Will this patent (spotted by Egami) ever hit the market? If it does it will probably yield a new Powershot camera with a wobbling 100x zoom. The patent refers to a 1/2.3″ sensor and an equivalent focal length of 24-2400mm.

• Patent Publication No. 2014-174524
  • Published 2014.9.22
  • Filing date 2013.3.13
• Example 4
  • Zoom ratio 98.52
  • The focal length f = 3.07 53.41 302.40mm
  • Fno. 1.85 8.14 9.00
  • Half angle ω = 36.2 2.40 0.50 °
  • Overall length of the lens 110.05mm
  • BF 12.67 27.40 5.19mm
  • 4-group zoom of positive and negative, positive
  • Inner zoom (the second group, the third group)
  • Rear focus (fourth group)
  • Anti-vibration (third group)

Do you think Canon will produce a Powershot with a 100x zoom anytime soon?

Egami (translated) spotted a patent for two Cinema lenses, a 12-32mm T3.5 and a 15-47mm T2.8 lens.

• Patent Publication No. 2015-34858
  • Published 2015.2.19
  • Filing date 2013.8.8
• Example 1
  • Zoom ratio 2.50
  • The focal length f = 12.50 18.75 31.25mm
  • Fno. 3.50
  • Half angle ω = 51.21 39.67 26.45 °
  • Image height Y = 15.5mm
  • Overall length of the lens 193.59
  • BF 42.84
• Example 2
  • Zoom ratio 2.81
  • Focal length 16.00 26.88 45.00
  • Fno. 2.80
  • Half angle of 44.18 30.05 19.06
  • Image height Y = 15.5mm
  • Overall length of the lens 247.38
  • BF 43.27
• Canon patent
  • Negative positive and negative positive 4-group zoom
  • Inner zoom (the second group)
  • Inner focus (rear group of the first group)

Egami (translated) spotted a patent for an EF-M 9-18mm f/3.5-4.5 STM lens for the EOS M system. A bit weird since there is already the excellent EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens. I guess this is just one of the many patents Canon is filing and not a lens that will hit the market anytime soon.

• Patent Publication No. 2015-34892
  • Published 2015.2.19
  • Filing date 2013.8.9
• Example 1
  • Zoom ratio 1.90
  • The focal length f = 9.22 14.67 17.50mm
  • Fno. 3.45 4.02 4.63
  • Half angle ω = 55.92 42.90 37.92 °
  • Image height Y = 13.63mm
  • Overall length of the lens 94.76 85.16 91.16mm
  • BF 13.06 15.35 13.60mm
  • Negative positive and negative positive 4-group zoom
  • Inner Focus (third group)
  • Video support

Egami (translated) spotted a patent for a new AF sensor. The patent describes a Foveon-like, multilayer sensor:

Patent Publication No. 2015-37217

• Published 2015.2.23
• Filing date 2013.8.12

Canon patent

• AF sensor
• In the depth direction, I comprises a first layer, the second layer, the photoelectric conversion portion of the third layer
• The second layer is for monitoring, detecting the amount of light that is received in real-time, to control the accumulation time
• The third layer in a bright environment, the dark environment so that the use of the first layer, sensitivity can be switched
• Furthermore, in a dark environment is used by adding the first and third layers

Egami (translated) spotted what could be Canon’s best move to push their mirrorless cameras. A new EF-EF-M adapter that should deliver better AF speed when using EF and EF-S lenses. While the AF performance of Canon’s new EOS M3 is excellent with the native EF-M lenses, AF performance is limited when using EF lenses via the currently available adapter. If Canon puts such an adapter on the market it would a huge selling point for the EOS M3. Access to Canon’s extended lens lune-up, and same AF performance as with native lenses!

Machine translated patent description:

• Patent Publication No. 2015-34903
  • Published 2015.2.19
  • Filing date 2013.8.9
• Master lens
  • Zoom ratio 2.69
  • Focal length 72.13 135.02 193.99mm
  • Fno. 2.90
  • Half angle ω = 10.72 5.78 4.03 °
  • Image height Y = 13.66mm
  • Overall length of the lens 237.36mm
  • BF 54.00mm
• Adapter installed
  • Zoom ratio 2.69
  • The focal length f = 72.12 135.00 193.96mm
  • Fno. 2.90
  • Half angle ω = 10.72 5.78 4.03 °
  • Image height Y = 13.66mm
  • Overall length of the lens 239.70mm
  • BF 16.77mm
• Canon patent
  • Fast AF adapter
  • Wobbling corresponding
  • 3-group configuration of positive and negative positive
  • 2 group also serves as a focus group and the anti-vibration group
  • And realize high-speed AF focus group was lighter

Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Canon that could point to the next iteration of the EF 300mm f/4L IS lens (announced 2004). A 50mm and 24mm lens are also mentioned. If I got it right these lenses are also featuring optimised refractive index distribution.

The lenses described in the patent feature an optical unit with an optimised refractive index distribution over the lens’ optics. The described optical system consists of a first lens unit with positive refracting power, a second lens unit with negative refracting power, and a third lens unit that has positive refracting power. The aforementioned refractive-index-distribution element is arranged at the first lens unit. Such an optical system should be able to reduce various optical aberrations like chromatic aberrations.

• Patent Publication No. 2015-28551
  • Published 2015.2.12
  • Filing date 2013.7.30
• Example
  

  embodiment

  Example	Focal distance	Fno.	Half angle	Image height	Overall length of the lens	BF
  One	294.00	4.14	4.21	21.64	239.07	83.42
  Two	24.48	2.86	41.47	21.64	92.00	38.00
  Three	51.70	1.30	22.71	21.64	94.01	37.50
  Four	294.00	4.14	4.21	21.64	240.00	82.95
  Five	6.15 20.45 71.28	2.88 3.71 3.69	30.34 9.98 2.89	3.60	84.11 86.12 90.41	11.74 15.68 8.50
  Six	293.97	4.14	4.21	21.64	239.98	85.34

• Canon patent
  • The use of refractive index distribution element

EF 300mm f/4L IS