Canon Patent: Electric Tilt-shift Lens Operation (take #2)

Canon Patent

Here is another Canon patent for electric tilt-shift lens operation. The other one was published last week.

Canon patent application 2023-140195A (Japan, published 10/4/2023) discusses technology and methods for a tilt-shift lens with electronic controls.

From the patent literature:

An object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can establish a desired focus plane for a desired subject or object plane using a desired tilt effect in hand-held photography.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, an optical system has been proposed that has a tilt effect that tilts a focusing surface so that an object surface tilted with respect to the optical axis of an imaging optical system is brought into good focus over the entire surface. . Patent Document 1 discloses a surveillance camera system that includes a lens unit and a camera device that have a tilt effect, determines the amount of tilt for each specific area set as a shooting range, and focuses on a subject using a desired focus plane.

However , in the camera system disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the position of the camera device changes, it is necessary to set the tilt amount for each specific area. Therefore, when hand-held photography is performed using the camera system of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the desired tilt effect may not be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can establish a desired focus plane for a desired subject or object plane using a desired tilt effect during hand-held photography .

Means for Solving the Problems

A control device as one aspect of the present invention includes an imaging device including an imaging device, and at least one optical member for tilting a focusing surface with respect to an imaging surface of the imaging device. A control device used in a camera system having a lens device having an optical system including an acquisition unit that acquires information about a designated subject, and a subject for constructing a focus plane based on information about the designated subject. and a control unit that acquires information regarding the position of the.

The lens barrel 2 has an optical system, a zoom operation ring 6, a guide barrel 7, a cam barrel 8, a lens-side CPU 9, and an aperture mechanism 11 . The optical system includes a first group lens 21, a second group lens 22, a third group lens 23, a fourth group lens 24, a fifth group lens 25, a sixth group lens 26, a seventh group lens 27, an eighth group lens 28, a ninth group lens 29, and A 10-group lens 30 is provided. In this embodiment, by moving at least one lens (optical member) included in the optical system, at least a tilt effect that tilts the focus plane with respect to the imaging surface of the image sensor 1106 and a shift effect that moves the imaging range are achieved. You can get one. Each lens is held by a lens barrel with a cam follower. The cam follower engages with a straight groove parallel to the optical axis O provided on the guide tube 7 and a cam groove inclined with respect to the optical axis O provided on the cam tube 8. When the zoom operation ring 6 rotates, the cam cylinder 8 rotates, and the positional relationship of each lens in the Z-axis direction changes. As a result, the focal length of the lens barrel 2 changes. The focal length of the lens barrel 2 can be detected by a zoom position detection section (not shown) that detects the amount of rotation of the zoom operation ring 6. The lens-side CPU 009 changes the aperture diameter of the optical system by controlling the aperture mechanism 11. In this embodiment, by moving the sixth group lens 26 and the eighth group lens 28 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis O, a tilt effect or a shift effect can be obtained. Specifically, by moving the sixth group lens 26 and the eighth group lens 28 in opposite directions, a tilt effect can be obtained, and by moving them in the same direction, a shift effect can be obtained. The lens-side CPU 9 controls the sixth lens group 26 via a drive section using a signal from a detection section (not shown) that detects the amount of movement of the sixth lens group 26 . Further, the lens side CPU 9 controls the 8th group lens 28 via a drive section using a signal from a detection section (not shown) that detects the amount of movement of the 8th group lens 28. The drive unit that moves the sixth group lens 26 and the eighth group lens 28 is, for example, a stepping motor or a voice coil motor (VCM). Note that it is also possible to obtain a tilt effect by tilting (rotating) the lens.

In the camera system 1 of this embodiment, if three points to be focused are specified, the subject plane 500 is constructed as described above, and photography can be performed with the desired subject in focus . However, for example, in so-called “reverse tilt photography (miniature photography)” in which cityscapes and people are photographed by blurring the top and bottom of the photograph, the photographer may decide where to focus and what to blur. In that case, the vector OB is defined by the spatial coordinate points O and B designated by the photographer. The photographer instructs the surface 501 to rotate by an angle θctrl using the vector OB as the rotation axis. For example, the photographer can instruct the surface 501 to rotate by an angle θctrl by performing a touch operation of sliding a finger back and forth on the display unit 1108. Further, instructions may be given using line-of-sight input using the EVF, rotating operation of the aperture operation ring 20, and buttons or dials (not shown). Alternatively, it may be determined automatically according to the set shooting mode of the camera 3. The photographer aligns the object surface 500 with the surface 501 that provides the desired degree of blur while maintaining the desired object (spatial coordinate points O, B) in focus.

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]

Canon EOS R5 Mark II Coming February 2024?

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

Again, a Canon EOS R5 Mark II rumor. Again, the alleged release date has changed.

Latest rumor has it that Canon might announce the Canon EOS R5 Mark II in February 2024. Says the source of the rumor:

Specific dealers have been told that February will bring a major camera announcement in February [sic], which is the same month as the CP+ show in Japan.

Dealer NDA’s have not been signed for the announcement, as it is still too early, but Canon is gearing up for a major high-end push in 2024 and they are getting dealers prepared.

This is also the time of year when dealers have finalised their holiday buys, especially ahead of Black Friday in November and Christmas season in December. So there are no more camera announcements coming in 2023.

So, there will be camera announcements in February, as every year before CP+, no NDAs have been signed, and Canon is gearing up for “a major high-end push in 2024”. Not sure where the rumor is. Sound more like wishful thinking to me.

All Canon EOS R5 Mark II rumors are listed here. Stay tuned.

[via TCI]

Canon Rules The Astrophotography Universe (pun intended)

Astrophotography

Yes they do: Canon is the most used camera gear in astrophotography (see image on top). That’s what came out from a recent research.

The folks at Skies & Scopes analyzed 828 images listed for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition in the past six years to learn what equipment was used:

  • 315 Landscape Astrophotography images (including aurora)
  • 284 Deep Sky images (galaxies, nebulae, etc)
  • 229 Planetary images (including solar and lunar)

Here is a short list of their findings:

  • The trend towards mirrorless camera use increases every year – 58% Mirrorless vs 42% DSLR in 2023
  • Full-frame sensor DSLR and mirrorless models are overwhelmingly favored – 87% full-frame vs 13% APS-C
  • The most successful models are:
    • Canon EOS 6D
    • Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
    • Nikon D850
    • Nikon D750
    • Nikon D810A
    • Nikon Z6 II
    • Sony A7 III
    • Sony A7R III
  • Camera Lenses
    • Sigma is the top lens maker
    • 14mm f/2.8 and 14mm f/1.8 lenses are the most used for landscape astrophotography

Get the story and more information at Skies & Scopes.

Is Canon Ready To Open The RF Mount To Third Parties? Didn’t We Already Know That?

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

I might have mixed up some things, but…didn’t we already knew that Canon would open the RF mount to other manufacturer? Maybe I did and forgot to post about it.

Digicame-Info reports a third-party rumor that Canon might be set to open the RF mount specifications to other manufacturers. I do not know how much in this rumor is wishful thinking and/or plain speculation. Indeed, Canon already opened the RF mount specifications to licensed manufacturers, as they said in this interview:

Although still limited to a few companies, Canon has already opened up the RF mount to third-party lens manufacturers through licensing. If we receive a request for an open mount from a third-party lens manufacturer, we will consider whether to license it according to Canon’s own business plan and strategy. In fact, we are in contact with several third-party lens companies in this regard. We separate whether or not to open the RF door to third parties and whether or not Canon’s own product line is complete.

So, I guess this was another click-bait rumor with the aim to waste your and my time and to get some more clicks. That’s how it is in this shitty industry based on lies and crap ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Spend your time with actual photography and not with bs.

[via Digicame Info]

DxO PhotoLab 7 Released (new color calibration and editing tools)

PhotoLab 7

DxO released a new version of their award winning photo editing software, i.e. PhotoLab 7 (click here for more information). PhotoLab 7 does not require a subscription and can be installed on up to three computers.

Press release:

DxO PhotoLab 7 introduces unique color calibration and editing tools, revamped local adjustments, and a powerful B&W workflow.

Paris (France): DxO Labs, creator of pioneering photo-editing software for over 20 years, is proud to present PhotoLab 7, its complete RAW image-processing and correction software.

“Our goal has always been to give photographers the ultimate in image quality, and PhotoLab 7 takes this another step further. Combined with our ultra-wide gamut and soft proofing functionality, the introduction of the color calibration tool and support for LUTs creates a whole new level of control.” (Fabrizio Dei Tos Navalesi DxO Product Director)

New for PhotoLab 7

Commitment To Color

PhotoLab 7 enables photographers to apply true-to-life, scientifically accurate color profiles to their images. PhotoLab 7 unique tool, working in concert with one of six industry-standard color checker charts from Calibrite and Datacolor.

Cinematic-Style Grading

We are excited to introduce Look Up Tables (LUTs) into PhotoLab 7: now available with 17 DxO starter presets. LUTs builds on our previous advances made in color management where we re-engineered our color processing algorithms, introduced DxO Wide Gamut our extended working color space and improved Soft Proofing mode. Using LUTs will enable our exacting photographers to speed up their workflow and apply their favorite style adjustments to their images.

HSL Editing Can Now Be Adjusted Locally

PhotoLab first began to set the standard in color control through its innovative HSL Color Wheel. The spectrum of color control tools now available in version 7 is the result of years of concerted effort to deliver lifelike and expressive colors demanded by serious photographers. Photographers can now enjoy the powerful easy-to-use HSL ColorWheel as part of their local adjustments, enabling them to adjust the color of a subject’s clothing, or subtly warming the highlights of a landscape scene, all with the highest quality and total creative freedom.

A Natural Black-and-White Workflow

PhotoLab 7 has new tools that help photographers create their definitive monochrome workflow. The interface introduces a new tab to switch between color and monochrome and a range of new film renderings – plus PhotoLab 7 includes introduces a six-channel mixer for complete tonal control across black-and-white photography.

Local Adjustments Revamped

The ability to make precise local adjustments is a vital part of creative photo editing. PhotoLab 7 makes this easy by organizing local adjustment tools into a new dedicated palette in the workspace. This evolution keeps the interface cleaner and makes photos more visible while they’re being worked on, allowing even greater precision from our popular U PointTM tool.

Price and Availability

New customers can download Windows and macOS versions exclusively from the DxO website (https:// shop.dxo.com/en) at the prices listed below, a 30-day free trial is also available.

● DxO PhotoLab 7: $ 229
Owners of PhotoLab 5 or 6 can take advantage of a special upgrade price:

● DxO PhotoLab 7 upgrade price: $109
To upgrade, customers should log into their customer account at https://shop.dxo.com/login_upgrade.php/

Excire Foto 2024 Released, More AI Tools (and discounted for limited time)

Excire 2024

A truly impressive software for photo management that I am actively using has been released in a new version with many improvements, Excire 2024 – click here to check it out (trail version available). Excire Foto 2024 is available for both Windows and macOS. The software’s MSRP is $189, but a limited-time launch discount reduces the price to $149. Additionally, existing Excire Foto 2022 users can upgrade to Excire Foto 2024 for $59.

There are many improvements in Excire 2024. Highlights include five separate AI engines and two groundbreaking new features:

  1. Prompt-search AI, so that photographers can instantly retrieve any image in their photo library simply by typing in a text description (e.g., “Grand Canyon sunset” or “person by the Eiffel Tower with a yellow umbrella”).
  1. X-tetics AI, which intelligently scores images based on their aesthetic qualities and has been trained on data from hundreds of thousands of photos and input from expert photographers.

To learn more about Excire Foto 2024’s groundbreaking new features, please visit www.excire.com/en.

Press release:

Step Into the Future: Excire Foto 2024 Is Redefining Image Management

PRC’s Revolutionary Photo-Organizing Software Offers Prompt Search, AI Image Evaluation, and More

Lübeck, Germany – September 27, 2023 – PRC, the AI company behind the award-winning Excire software, has today launched the latest iteration of its innovative photo-management program: Excire Foto 202

Powered by five state-of-the-art AI models, including a prompt-search AI that allows users to instantly retrieve images by inputting text descriptions and an X-tetics AI that intelligently rates each image based on its aesthetic qualities, Excire Foto 2024 propels photographers into a new era of image organization – one where keywording, image evaluation, culling, and retrieval are almost entirely automated, enabling photographers to spend less time behind the computer and more time on their craft.

“Our vision was to combine cutting-edge AI with intuitive design to provide an unparalleled photo-management experience,” said Erhardt Barth, CEO of PRC and a machine learning expert at the University of Lübeck. “Photos cataloged with Excire Foto 2024 aren’t just stored. They’re always at your fingertips, ready to be revisited any time you wish.”
An Image Workflow Like Never Before
Fast, effective, and essential for any photographer seeking a time-saving approach to image organization, Excire Foto 2024 boasts an array of features designed to shortcut traditional file-management bottlenecks and eliminate tedious workflow tasks for both hobbyists and professionals. With Excire, photographers can:

Instantly retrieve any image with X-prompt AI, a revolutionary new tool that puts entire photo catalogs at users’ fingertips. Thanks to X-prompt AI, photographers can find files in their Excire databases by inputting a text description, such as “fast red motorcycle on a country road at sunset.” Using the prompt tool is highly intuitive – just type a sentence into the provided search field and instantly view the results. Excire’s powerful AI engine is capable of understanding complex sentences, context, and even abstract concepts such as “happiness” and “sorrow.” Gone are the days of searching endlessly for lost files; instead, if the user can describe it, they can find it.

Evaluate photos with X-tetics AI, a newly designed feature designed to accurately judge image aesthetics. Trained using hundreds of thousands of photos as well as extensive input from expert photographers, the X-tetics AI feature independently evaluates each image uploaded to a user’s catalog, then outputs a unique Aesthetics Score for each file. Aesthetics ratings can then be used to swiftly identify the most shareable – and most deletable – images from photoshoots, as well as to uncover hidden gems from deep within an image database.

Automatically categorize files with X-tags AI, the innovative tool that analyzes each photo upon import and applies relevant keywords to aid in search and categorization. Thanks to X-tags AI’s unique capabilities, users can skip the tedium of manual keywording and can instead let Excire do the heavy lifting, making it easier than ever to categorize and retrieve images based on their content. While X-tags AI has appeared in previous versions of Excire software, the latest version boasts a revamped engine with enhanced content-detection capabilities for outstanding accuracy.

Manage photos with X-face AI and X-alike AI, two more powerful features for finding, organizing, and culling images. X-face AI’s advanced facial-recognition technology allows photographers to categorize and retrieve files containing specific individuals as well as certain facial characteristics, such as age, sex, and the presence of a smile. And X-alike AI’s image analysis enables users to search for similar files – based on an initial image prompt – or even identify near-duplicate images for deletion. Like X-tags AI, these features first appeared in previous iterations of Excire Foto, but the latest version boasts upgraded AI technology for improved results.

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