Canon Patent: Wearable Camera With Automatic Scene Recognition

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Here is an interesting Canon patent application: a wearable camera that automatically checks and adjusts the shooting position.

Canon patent application 2023152657 (Japan, published 10/17/2023) discusses methods and technology for a wearable camera that can recognize the scene to the degree to automatically adjust the framing of the picture (if I got it right).

From the patent literature:

  • An object of the present invention is to provide a wearable camera whose imaging direction can be adjusted by a user and whose imaging position can be easily specified.
  • BACKGROUND ART
    Wearable cameras have attracted attention in recent years. Various types of wearable cameras are known, such as glasses, neck type, wristwatch, and ring type.
  • Applications of wearable cameras include, for example, equipment maintenance and remote work support at manufacturing sites. A worker wearing a wearable camera can broadcast video and audio from the site in real time to a remote supporter, and the supporter can give instructions and information to the worker based on the video.
  • However, since the wearable camera described in Patent Document 1 is worn around the user’s neck, it is difficult for the user to specify the shooting position. In particular, when the angle of the lens is adjusted, it is considered difficult to specify the photographing position after the adjustment.
  • The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wearable camera in which the user can adjust the imaging direction, and in which the shooting position can be easily specified. .
  • Means for Solving the Problems
    The wearable camera of the present invention includes an imaging section, a fixed section worn by a user, and an irradiation section that irradiates light substantially parallel to the optical axis of the imaging section. A movable part that is movable with respect to the fixed part is provided, and the imaging part and the irradiation part are arranged in the movable part.

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]

Canon Patent: Keep High-precision Autofocus During Tilt-shift Operations

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Here is a new Canon patent application, another one that deals with tilt-shift lenses.

The Canon patent application, published on October 18, 2023, discusses methods and technology to make sure autofocus is kept during tilt-shift operations with the lens.

From the patent literature:

  • An object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can maintain focus with high accuracy even when obtaining a tilt effect or a shift effect.
  • Background Art
    Conventionally, a tilt effect that tilts the focusing surface and a shift effect that moves the shooting range have been used to achieve good overall focus on an object surface that is tilted with respect to the optical axis of an imaging optical system. A resulting optical system has been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses an optical system that can obtain a tilt effect and a shift effect by moving two optical elements in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
  • However, the optical system of Patent Document 1 does not take into account that the amount of defocus changes by moving the optical element in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, so it does not take into account that the tilt effect or shift effect is applied after focusing. If the optical element is moved in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis in order to obtain an image, the focus will shift.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can maintain focus with high precision even when obtaining a tilt effect or a shift effect.

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet.com]

Canon EOS R1 Undergoing Final Tests And Ready To Be Announced?

Nab 2023 Canon Eos R5 Mark Ii Canon Eos R8 CP+ 2024 Mark Ii Canon EOS Rf 24-50mm R6 Mark Ii Rf Mount Eos R6 Mark Ii Rf 300mm Rf 35mm Canon Eos R100 Rf 24mm F/1.8 Rf-s Canon Eos R7 Eos R100 Canon High Resolution Eos R R10 Eos C5 Canon Canon Eos R1 Eos R5c Canon Rf 16mm Rf 35mm F/1.2L EF Lenses Tilt-shift Lenses Rumor
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And here is the latest Canon EOS R1 rumor, one of the longest running rumors. A rumor that started the day after the first EOS R was announced. Will it eventually become real?

Latest has it that Canon has put the Canon EOS R1 into the hands of selected photographers for test purposes. Says the source of the rumor:

[…] expect “some kind” of announcement in Q1 of 2024. If you recall, Canon first gave a development announcement for the EOS R3 and put it in the hands of professional photographers for the Tokyo Olympics before an official announcement.

[…] prototypes of the EOS R1 are in the hands of the usual professional photographers as Canon readies the launch of the flagship.

[…] we have been told that Canon has “impressively” improved iris tracking AF point selection.

[…] Quad Pixel AF is not ready and will not be featured in the Canon EOS R1 image sensor.

Not much, to be honest. Not sure if the announcement in Q1 2024 is to be taken seriously. Until the usual few Japanese sites report about, it is better to take it with a grain of salt.

Stay tuned.

Source: Canon Rumors

Canon Patent: RF 70mm F2, RF 70mm F2.8, RF 75mm F2.4, and RF 85mm F2.8

Canon Patent
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A new Canon patent application for relatively fast prime lenses.

Canon patent application 2023149130 (Japan, published 10/12/2023) discusses optical formulas for prime lenses for the RF mount:

  • RF 70mm F2
  • RF 70mm F2.8
  • RF 75mm F2.4
  • RF 85mm F2.8

From the patent literature:

  • The present invention provides an optical system that is small and lightweight, yet can satisfactorily correct various aberrations including chromatic aberration and obtain high optical performance, and an imaging device having the same.
  • BACKGROUND ART
    In recent years, there has been a strong demand for optical systems used in imaging devices to have a compact overall lens system and high optical performance including chromatic aberration correction.
  • Generally, in a telephoto type optical system, as the focal length becomes longer, the entire lens system becomes larger and its mass increases. In order to miniaturize the optical system with a telephoto power arrangement, it is effective to strengthen the positive refractive power on the object side and the negative refractive power on the image side, but it is effective to increase the positive refractive power on the object side and the negative refractive power on the image side. Challenges arise in balancing both work and life.
  • Furthermore, in an optical system compatible with a large image sensor, it is important to perform focusing quickly using a small and lightweight lens group, and with less burden on the driving device. In a telephoto optical system, in order to easily perform focusing and to reduce aberration fluctuations during focusing, it is important to appropriately set the lens configuration of each lens group.
  • Patent Document 1 discloses that a first lens group with positive refractive power, a second lens group with negative refractive power, and a third lens group are arranged in order from the object side to the image side. An optical system is disclosed in which the distance between matching lens groups is varied.
  • However, in the optical system described in Patent Document 1, the number of lenses constituting the optical system is large, and the optical system cannot be sufficiently miniaturized.
  • The present invention provides an optical system that is small and lightweight, yet can satisfactorily correct various aberrations including chromatic aberration and obtain high optical performance, and an imaging device having the same.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 70.00
  • F value: 2.06
  • Half angle of view: 17.17
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 78.88
  • Back focus: 16.48

Example 2

  • Focal length: 70.00
  • F value: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 17.17
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 68.97
  • Back focus: 17.41

Example 3

  • Focal length: 85.00
  • F value: 2.83
  • Half angle of view: 14.28
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 83.01
  • Back focus: 17.55

Example 4

  • Focal length: 75.00
  • F value: 2.40
  • Half angle of view: 16.09
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Total length: 86.00
  • Back focus: 15.64

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]