A new Canon patent: electronic control for tilt-shift lenses.

Canon patent application 2022067506 (Japan) discusses how to implement electronic controls on tilt-shift lenses.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to intuitively and quickly perform an operation for tilting shooting.

By tilting or shifting a lens with respect to an image pickup surface, it is possible to obtain a tilting effect such as tilting a subject surface in focus with respect to the image pickup surface. Patent Document 1 has two operating rings on the outer periphery of the lens barrel, and the orientation (rotation position) of the tilt axis of the lens in the lens barrel around the optical axis can be changed by rotating the first operating ring. Disclosed is a lens device capable of changing the tilt direction around the tilt axis of a lens by rotating the second operating ring.

However, in the lens device disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the rotation operation direction of the second operation ring does not match the tilt direction of the actual lens, the user intuitively operates the second operation ring. May not be possible.

Moreover, since the orientation of the tilt axis changes due to the rotation of the first operating ring, the user confirms the orientation by visually observing the first operating ring before operating the second operating ring. Need to keep. Further, when adjusting the direction of the tilt axis to tilt the lens, the user needs to move his / her hand from the first operation ring to the second operation ring. For these reasons, it is difficult for the user to operate quickly.

The present invention provides a lens device that allows a user to intuitively and quickly perform an operation for tilting photography.

The drive unit 41 is fixed at a position on the outer periphery of the guide cylinder 31 at a position orthogonal to the tilt axis β from the optical axis α. The drive unit 41 is a motor (actuator) having a lead screw 411 that rotates around an axis parallel to the optical axis α, and generates a driving force that tilts the holding frame 22. The guide cylinder 31 is held by the fixed cylinder 51 so as to be rotatable around the optical axis α by bayonet coupling.

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

• Automatic shutter silencing based on subject and distance
• A bunch of prime lenses for the RF mount
• An improved Electronic Viewfinder
• Patent application for RF 50mm F1.4 and an RF 35mm f/1.4 lenses
• A zoom lens that might be for an EOS R with APS-C sensor
• A smaller IBIS unit.
• A cooling adapter for the RF mount (R5 overheating?)
• A bunch of macro lenses for the RF mount.
• A 8mm f/4 circular fisheye lens for the Canon EOS R system
• A battery grip that works with differently siszed cameras
• A 100-400mm f/5.5-7.1 lens for APS-C cameras. EOS M or DSLR?
• RF 17-70mm lens for EOS R system
• IBIS coming to the EOS M and PowerShot lineup?
• Patent Application: mirrorless camera with large display and virtual control wheel
• Patent Application: IBIS and Lens IS Working Together
• Patent application for high speed mirror movement and control
• Patent application for an RF 14-28mm f/2 lens
• Patent application for an RF 50mm f/1.8 lens
• Patent application for a smart lens cap
• Patent application for celestial auto-focus
• Patent application describing a Pop-Up Flash With LED
• Patent application describing the optical formula for a RF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS lens for EOS R systems
• Patent application describing how to improve burst rate by compressing raw files
• Patent application describing a new way to review photos from a sequential shot
• Patent application that describes technology to improve wireless communication while reducing power consumption
• Patent application to spot and reduce moire artefacts in image data
• Patent application for weather sealed lens adapter
• Patent application for AI powered predictive camera control system
• Patent application for 18-55mm kit lens with LCD display
• Patent application to reduce noise in image files

[via asobinet]