Canon patent: 55mm F1.24 Lens With Double Gauss Element Arrangement

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Another Canon patent, although we doubt that this one will ever hit the market.

Canon patent application 2023127280 (Japan, published 9/13/2023) discusses optical formulas for a 55mm F1.24 lens with a double Gauss element arrangement.

From the patent literature:

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical system that has a bright F number, is compact, has high optical performance, and also suppresses fluctuations in various aberrations associated with focusing.

Background Art

In recent years, photographing optical systems with a standard angle of view, where the half angle of view is about 20 degrees to 30 degrees, used in imaging devices have a bright F number and have high optical performance despite the small size of the entire system. That is required. A so-called double Gauss type optical system is known as a standard angle of view photographing optical system. In a Gauss type optical system, the lenses are arranged symmetrically around the aperture, and with a small number of lenses, it is possible to obtain high optical performance despite being compact.

However, in the optical system described in Patent Document 1, the back focus tends to become long and the total length of the lens becomes long, so it is difficult to suppress the increase in size of the imaging device.

In order to achieve a compact lens with a high F-number, high optical performance, and suppression of fluctuations in various aberrations associated with focusing, it is important to appropriately set the structure and material of the lens.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical system that has a bright F number, is compact, has high optical performance, and also suppresses fluctuations in various aberrations associated with focusing.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 53.80
  • F value: 1.24
  • Half angle of view: 21.91
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 78.46
  • Back focus: 29.83

Example 2

  • Focal length: 55.98
  • F value: 1.24
  • Half angle of view: 21.13
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 84.99
  • Back focus: 30.07

Example 3

  • Focal length: 56.00
  • F value: 1.24
  • Half angle of view: 21.12
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 79.92
  • Back focus: 30.00

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]

Canon Patent: In Camera Built-in Neutral Density Filter

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That’s an interesting Canon patent that was spotted in japan: a built-in ND (Neutral density) filter.

Canon patent application 2023128236 (Japan, published 9/14/2023) discusses methods and technology for an ND filter that is built-in on the camera body.

Excerpts from the patent literature:

An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device in which an optical filter can be easily switched between a used state and a non-used state, and can appropriately control foreign matter removal from the surface of an imaging unit.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, imaging devices capable of capturing images using optical filters such as neutral density filters (ND filters) have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses an imaging device that includes a plurality of ND filters and can move up and down. Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration including a through hole for blowing gas to blow away dust attached to the ND filter.

In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to hermetically seal the ND filter and the imaging device, so there is a possibility that dust and the like may enter the interior of the imaging device. Although the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2 can remove dust etc. attached to the ND filter, it is not possible to properly control the function of removing dust etc. attached to the surface of the image sensor unit, so that the captured image may not be affected. Dust, etc. may be reflected.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging device in which it is possible to easily switch between a state in which an optical filter is used and a state in which it is not in use, and in which foreign matter removal from the surface of an imaging unit can be properly controlled. purpose.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, an image pickup device in which it is possible to easily switch between the use state and the non-use state of the optical filter, and it is possible to properly control foreign matter removal from the surface of the imaging unit. equipment can be provided.

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]

Canon EOS R7 vs EOS R8 Comparison Review, And 10 Main Differences

EOS R7 Vs EOS R8
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Here is a Canon EOS R7 vs EOS R8 comparison review, and a highlight of the 10 main differences.

Canon EOS R7 at a glance:

  • 32.5MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 4K60 10-Bit Video, HDR-PQ & C-Log 3
  • 30 fps E. Shutter, 15 fps Mech. Shutter
  • 2.36m-Dot OLED EVF
  • 1.6m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
  • Dual UHS-II Memory Card Slots
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Canon EOS R8 at a glance:

  • 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • 4K60p 10-Bit Internal Video, Canon Log 3
  • 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.0″ 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 40 fps Electronic Shutter
  • Movie Digital IS
  • Vertical Movie Mode
  • Microphone Input, Headphone Output
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth

Coming from our friends at Mirrorless Comparison, here is a neat Canon EOS R7 vs EOS R8 comparison review. The 10 main differences are:

  1. Sensor: The R7 offers higher resolution, but the larger sensor of the R8 delivers greater dynamic range and less noise at high ISO.
  2. Video: Sharpness and dynamic range are very similar, but the R8 provides better quality in 4K 50/60p due to oversampling, while the R7 employs line-skipping. The full-frame camera also exhibits less rolling shutter and noise at high ISO. On the other hand, the APS-C model excels in internal heat management.
  3. Stabilisation: The R8 lacks in-body stabilization, requiring reliance on lenses with optical stabilization. This gives the R7 and its IBIS mechanism an advantage in scenarios involving slow shutter speeds, or when walking during video sequences. Surprisingly, the R8 paired with an IS lens performs better when recording static shots.
  4. Shutter Mode: The R8 doesn’t feature a full mechanical shutter, utilizing only the EFCS (Electronic-First Curtain Shutter), which can introduce limitations under specific conditions and settings.
  5. Continuous Shooting Speed: With the electronic shutter, the R7 operates at up to 30fps, while the R8 achieves a faster 40fps. The full-frame camera exhibits less rolling shutter, a weak point in the R7. The buffer performance is more or less comparable.
  6. Autofocus: The R8 employs more advanced software, resulting in better detection of humans, animals, and vehicles. It also offers greater consistency in keeper rate and focus precision, especially in low-light conditions and when capturing birds in flight.
  7. Design: The R7 boasts a larger grip, an AF joystick, and additional buttons. The EVF and LCD screen remain the same.
  8. Battery Life: The R7 employs a larger battery and can last significantly longer, particularly in video mode.
  9. SD Cards: Only the R7 comes equipped with two card slots.
  10. Price and Lenses: The cost is relatively close in the U.S., but the R8 is pricier in Europe. Currently, there are only three native RF lenses designed for APS-C cameras. R7 users must rely on full-frame EOS R lenses or adapt Canon’s DSLR lenses. Support for third-party brands remains uncertain at the moment.

Read the full and exhaustive Canon EOS R7 vs EOS R8 review at Mirrorless Comparison, it comes with charts, ISO comparison and everything your pixel peeping heart might wish. Or you can watch the video below.

Canon Announces the Company’s First Set of RF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses

RF-Mount Cinema
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Canon press release:

MELVILLE, N.Y., September 12, 2023 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today the introduction of the company’s first RF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses for the Cinema EOS System. The new lenses combine high optical performance for 4K and 8K shooting, cinema-style operability, and RF mount communications. The first set of seven RF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses is only the beginning. Canon plans to swiftly expand the lineup of RF-mount-compatible video production equipment to meet the needs of professional video production of such content as movies, TV, and commercials.

The seven Canon CN-R lenses, with focal lengths and T stops of 14mm T3.1, 20mm T1.5, 24mm T1.5, 35mm T1.5, 50mm T1.3, 85mm T1.3, and 135mm T2.2, are compatible with the two existing RF-Mount Canon Cinema Cameras, the EOS C70 and EOS R5 C. These lenses will allow for RF mount protocol transmission, and just like the EF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses, operators can control magnification, chromatic aberration correction, peripheral light correction, and a dual-pixel focus guide via camera body operations. In addition, the new lenses also feature lens distortion correction. These features support efficient video production during on-location recording and post-production workflow.

The new lenses are able to achieve high optical performance suitable for use with 4K and 8K cameras by optimally positioning large-diameter aspherical lens elements and lens elements with anomalous dispersion glass. Their compatibility with the full-frame large-format sensor, bright T stop values1, and 11-blade iris helps produce a shallow depth of field for subjects, natural round blurring, and soft image expressions. In addition, unified Cinema EOS color balance throughout the series helps provide consistent color, even when changing lenses.

Designed with an ideal level of ring torque, the new lenses allow for the precise and smooth adjustments often needed during cinema productions. Thanks to a unified design across the series, including the gear position of the operation ring, the diameter of the lens, and the rotation angle (operation angle), lenses can be effortlessly swapped in and out without the need to adjust matte boxes or external focus accessories for each lens. A new coarse surface near the mount provides a comfortable and ergonomic fit in the user’s hand, allowing the lens to be held securely without gripping the operation ring when attaching and detaching different lenses.

Pricing and Availability

The seven new Canon RF-Mount Cinema Prime Lenses estimated retail pricing and scheduled availability* are as follows:
 

ProductPricing*Availability*
CN-R14mm T3.1 L F$4,220.00Late February 2024
CN-R20mm T1.5 L F$4,220.00Late March 2024
CN-R24mm T1.5 L F$4,220.00Late January 2024
CN-R35mm T1.5 L F$3,950.00Late January 2024
CN-R50mm T1.3 L F$3,950.00Late January 2024
CN-R85mm T1.3 L F$3,950.00Late January 2024
CN-R135mm T2.2 L F$3,950.00Late April 2024

Save Big On Topaz Photo AI 2 (new release)

Topaz Photo AI 2
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Until September 22, 2023, you can save $40 on the new Topaz Photo AI 2.

👉👉👉 Get Topaz Photo AI at $159 (reg. $199). Offer expires 9/22/2023 👈👈👈

Press release:

Topaz Photo AI 2 introduces generative AI features designed for professional-grade photo editing

Topaz Photo AI 2 has launched with all-new AI powered features, including a single-slider lighting adjustment filter, a color balance filter, and other best-in-class image enhancement features powered by generative AI.

Dallas, TX – Topaz Labs today announced the availability of Topaz Photo AI 2, the second major version of its flagship desktop app for image quality enhancement. With this upgrade, Topaz Photo AI uses generative AI to deliver on its promise of best-in-the-world image quality for professional and prosumer photographers.

Topaz Photo AI 2

With the new advancements in v2, photo editors can now:

  • Adjust Lighting improves lighting and addresses over/underexposure in a visually pleasing way. It can deal simultaneously with extreme highlights or shadows in the same image.
  • Balance Color attempts to remove color casts, then allows editors to adjust relative temperature based on the neutral baseline.
  • Maximize image quality on raw files with a heavily improved AI-based Raw Remove Noise engine that greatly outperforms alternatives in blind quality tests.

The new release also features improved blur reduction AI models and the ability to access Gigapixel generative upscaling directly from the Automate menu in Photoshop.

With Photo AI 2, Topaz Labs continues to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and magical results for photographers serious about image quality.

“Topaz Photo AI v2 shows the huge potential of generative AI to make editing real photos better,” said Eric Yang, CEO of Topaz Labs. “Photographers can focus entirely on achieving their artistic vision and let technology worry about the technical details.”

Topaz Photo AI 2 is a desktop software for Mac and Windows with integrations available for major image editors. It’s available on the Topaz Labs website for the introductory price of $159 for new users and $79 for existing users without an active upgrade license.

Canon EOS R6 vs EOS R8 Comparison Review, And 10 Differences

EOS R6 Vs EOS R8
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Here is a Canon EOS R6 vs EOS R8 comparison review, and a highlight of the 10 main differences.

Canon EOS R6 at a glance:

  • 20MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC X Image Processor
  • 4K60p and FHD 120p 10-Bit Internal Video
  • Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
  • 12 fps Mech. Shutter, 20 fps E. Shutter
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with 1053 Points
  • 0.5″ 3.69m-Dot OLED EVF
  • 3″ 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Subject Tracking with Deep Learning
  • Dual SD UHS-II Memory Card Slots

Canon EOS R8 at a glance:

  • 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • 4K60p 10-Bit Internal Video, Canon Log 3
  • 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.0″ 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 40 fps Electronic Shutter
  • Movie Digital IS
  • Vertical Movie Mode
  • Microphone Input, Headphone Output
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth

Coming from our friends at Mirrorless Comparison, here is a neat Canon EOS R6 vs EOS R8 review. The 10 main differences are:

  1. Image Quality: The dynamic range and high ISO performance are very similar between the two cameras. The primary distinctions lie in the R8’s additional 4MP and its skin tone rendering with in-camera JPGs.
  2. Movie Capabilities: Both cameras offer the same 10-bit internal recording quality (dynamic range, ISO), but the R8 has fewer overheating issues and doesn’t crop the sensor in 4K. (Although the 1.07x crop on the R6 is hardly a significant concern.)
  3. Image Stabilisation: The R6 features 5-axis in-body stabilization, which extends the usability of slow shutter speeds for still photos and produces steadier footage while walking. That said, pair the R8 with a quality IS lens, and you’ll get more out of it than you would initially think.
  4. Autofocus: The R8 boasts more advanced subject detection software and performs better in low light. Both cameras excel in bird photography.
  5. Shutter and Continous Shooting: the R8 is faster with the electronic shutter (40fps vs 20fps) but doesn’t have a full mechanical shutter, only the EFCS (Electronic-First Curtain Shutter).
  6. Extra Features: The R8 includes Dual Pixel RAW, Focus Stacking, Breathing Compensation, and a USB plug-and-play webcam function.
  7. Design: The R8 is lighter and more compact, whereas the larger R6 offers several advantages such as a bigger battery, additional buttons, a larger grip, and an improved viewfinder.
  8. Viewfinder and LCD: The R6 boasts a larger viewfinder with greater resolution, particularly convenient for those wearing glasses. Both cameras share the same touch-sensitive, vari-angle rear LCD.
  9. Cards and Battery: The R6 is equipped with two card slots and a larger battery, providing extended longevity for both stills and video.
  10. Price: The R6 carries a higher price tag when purchased new, though the discrepancy isn’t substantial in some regions. Considering second-hand prices, the R6 often becomes the more favorable choice.

Read the full and exhaustive Canon EOS R6 vs EOS R8 review at Mirrorless Comparison, it comes with charts, ISO comparison and everything your pixel peeping heart might wish. Or you can watch the video below.