Canon Patent: Macro Lens With Variable Soft Focus For FF Mirrorless Cameras

Soft Focus
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And yet another Canon patent for RF mount lenses: a macro lens with variable soft focus.

Canon patent application P2021-47297A (Japan) discusses optical designs for a macro lens with soft focus for a full frame mirrorless camera, hence we guess for the EOS R system. The patent was spotted by the guys who spot most of the Canon patents you hear of: Hi Lows Note.

Embodiment 1

  • Magnification: -1.00E-06 -0.5 -1.4
  • Focal length: 100.81 65.87 36.01 mm
  • Ｆ number: 2.92 4.49 6.64
  • Image height: 21.64 21.64 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 162.37 162.37 162.37 mm
  • BF: 14.66 14.66 14.66 mm

Embodiment 2

  • Magnification: -1.00E-06 -0.5 -1.4
  • Focal length: 103.01 67.67 37.04 mm
  • Ｆ number: 3.04 2.6 1.45
  • Image height: 21.64 21.64 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 141.34 141.34 141.34 mm
  • BF: 14.70 14.70 14.70 mm

Embodiment 3

  • Magnification: -1.00E-06 -0.5 -1.4
  • Focal length: 103.02 67.96 37.17 mm
  • Ｆ number: 2.92 4.49 6.64
  • Image height: 21.64 21.64 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 138.89 138.89 138.89 mm
  • BF: 14.70 14.70 14.70 mm

More Canon patents are listed here.

Canon Patent For A Stereo Lens For Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras (EOS R?)

Canon Patent
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What are Canon’s labs working on? We are surprised by a Canon patent application for a stereo lens for mirrorless cameras with a full frame sensor.

Canon patent application P2021-51282A (Japan) discusses optical formulas for a stereo lens for full frame mirrorless cameras. Does Canon have a full frame stereo camera in the works? For the EOS R system? The patent was spotted by the guys who spot most of the Canon patents you hear of: Hi Lows Note.

Drawing from the patent literature

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

Canon Patent: Optical Designs For Wide-Angle Primes For The EOS R System (12mm, 14mm, 20mm)

Canon Patent
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No doubt Canon is actively working to expand the RF mount lens ecosystem. Here is another Canon patent application for RF lenses.

Canon patent application P2021-47384A discusses optical formulas for three wide-angle prime lenses: 12mm, 14mm and 20mm, all f/2.8. The patent was spotted by Hi Lows Note.

Embodiment 1 – 12mm

  • Focal length: 12.35 mm
  • F number: 2.88
  • Half angle of view: 60.28
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 80.22 mm
  • BF 16.54 mm

Embodiment 2 – 14mm

  • Focal length: 14.42 mm
  • F number: 2.88
  • Half angle of view: 56.32
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 91.61 mm
  • BF 17.29 mm

Embodiment 3 – 20mm

  • Focal length: 19.48 mm
  • F number: 2.88
  • Half angle of view: 48.02
  • Image height: 21.65 mm
  • Lens length: 90.74 mm
  • BF 19.35 mm

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

Your Next Canon Lens Might Have A Touch Panel, Patent Suggests

Touch Panel
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A new Canon patent application discusses methods to feature a touch panel technology on a lens barrel.

Canon patent application 2021-043294 refers to a lens with a touchpad on its side. The touch panel might be used to control focus, but others settings could also be changed through it.

A technique described in Patent Document 1 is known as a technique in which a user-operable touch panel is provided on an interchangeable lens (lens device) that can be attached to a camera body. The interchangeable lens described in Patent Document 1 is provided with one or two rectangular touch panels extending in the circumferential direction, and focusing or the like is performed by the user operating the touch panels.

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

[via Canon News]

Canon Might Work On Curved Sensors, Lens Patent Suggests

Curved Sensors
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This is a very interesting Canon patent. A Canon patent application for a bunch of lenses gives reasons to think Canon is working on curved sensors technology.

Canon patent P2021-43385A (Japan) discusses various optical formulas and optical design for different lens for camera with curved sensors. The patent application was spotted by Hi Lows Note. Learn more about curved sensors here.

Embodiment 1

  • Focal length 51.50 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 22.79
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 75.01 mm
  • BF 9.10 mm

Embodiment 2

  • Focal length 51.50 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 22.79
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 74.56mm
  • BF 9.05 mm

Embodiment 3

  • Focal length 51.50 mm
  • F number 1.03
  • Half angle of view 22.79
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 76.30 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 4

  • Focal length 35.00 mm
  • F number 1.45
  • Half angle of view 31.72
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 116.13 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 5

  • Focal length 35.00 mm
  • F number 1.03
  • Half angle of view 31.72
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 116.35 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 6

  • Focal length 35.00 mm
  • F number 1.20
  • Half angle of view 31.72
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 117.93 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 7

  • Focal length 65.00 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 18.41
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 93.12 mm
  • BF 10.19 mm

Embodiment 8

  • Focal length 82.50 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 14.69
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 117.14 mm
  • BF 14.70 mm

Embodiment 9

  • Focal length 82.50 mm
  • F number 1.03
  • Half angle of view 14.69
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 118.58 mm
  • BF 14.33 mm

Embodiment 10

  • Focal length 97.10 mm
  • F number 1.25
  • Half angle of view 12.56
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 138.22 mm
  • BF 19.37 mm

Embodiment 11

  • Focal length 130.00 mm
  • F number 1.25
  • Half angle of view 9.45
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 177.93 mm
  • BF 39.31 mm

Embodiment 12

  • Focal length 31.95 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 22.78
  • Image height 13.42 mm
  • Lens length 47.62 mm
  • BF 6.10 mm

We think the technology discussed in the patent might get into production within the next years. More Canon patents are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

Canon Patent For A Bunch Of Fast Primes For The RF Mount (70mm, 80mm, 85mm, 100mm)

Canon Patent
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A new Canon patent application for a bunch of fast prime lenses for the Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless system.

Canon patent application P2021-39304A (Japan) discusses optical formulas for various prime lenses for the RF mount: 70mm f/2, 80mm f/1.8, 80mm f/2, 85mm f/2, 100mm f/22.

Embodiment 1 – 80mm f/2

  • FOCAL LENGTH: 82.45 mm
  • F NUMBER: 2.06
  • HALF ANGLE OF VIEW: 14.70
  • IMAGE HEIGHT: 21.64 mm
  • LENS LENGTH: 104.87 mm
  • BF: 17.60 mm

Embodiment 2 – 80mm f/1.8

  • FOCAL LENGTH: 82.48 mm
  • F NUMBER: 1.86
  • HALF ANGLE OF VIEW: 14.70
  • IMAGE HEIGHT: 21.64 mm
  • LENS LENGTH: 98.50 mm
  • BF: 16.84 mm

Embodiment 3 – 82mm f/2

  • FOCAL LENGTH: 82.50 mm
  • F NUMBER: 2.06
  • HALF ANGLE OF VIEW:14.69
  • IMAGE HEIGHT: 21.64 mm
  • LENS LENGTH: 102.08 mm
  • BF: 14.92 mm

Embodiment 4 – 100mm f/2

  • FOCAL LENGTH: 99.80 mm
  • F NUMBER: 2.06
  • HALF ANGLE OF VIEW: 12.23
  • IMAGE HEIGHT: 21.64 mm
  • LENS LENGTH: 118.38 mm
  • BF: 21.99 mm

Embodiment 5 – 70mm f/2

  • FOCAL LENGTH: 70.50 mm
  • F NUMBER: 2.06
  • HALF ANGLE OF VIEW: 17.06
  • IMAGE HEIGHT: 21.64 mm
  • LENS LENGTH: 94.86 mm
  • BF: 17.89 mm

Embodiment 6 – 85mm f/2

  • FOCAL LENGTH: 85.00 mm
  • F NUMBER: 2.06
  • HALF ANGLE OF VIEW: 14.28
  • IMAGE HEIGHT: 21.64 mm
  • LENS LENGTH: 100.82 mm
  • BF: 16.76 mm

We think the technology discussed in the patent might get into production within the next years. More Canon patents are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production are these:

[via Hi Lows Note]