Canon Patent: 15-45mm f/4.6-8 For Fixed Lens Full Frame Mirrorless Camera

Fixed Lens
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Here is an interesting Canon patent for a lens featured on a fixed lens full frame mirrorless camera.

Canon might be set to release a camera with a full frame sensor and a fixed lens. Something other manufacturer already offer, like the Sony RX1 R. Canon patent application P2021-26196A (Japan) discusses the optical formulas for a lens to be featured on this kind of camera, a 15-45mm f/4.6-8.

  • Zoom ratio: 2.92
  • Focal length: 14.95 28.12 43.68 mm
  • F number: 4.62 6.22 8.00
  • Half angle of view: 55.35 37.57 26.35
  • Image height: 21.64 21.64 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 92.22 86.07 89.94 mm
  • Back focus: 4.95 17.00 30.06 mm

I wouldn’t be surprised if Canon brings the EOS R technology to a fixed lens full frame mirrorless camera. And I am pretty sure we will see some rumors pointing in that direction soon after this patent makes its rounds ;-)

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]

The Camera Industry 2010-2020 – A Big Decline And It Won’t Recover Any Time Soon

Camera Industry
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No secret that the camera industry is not going through a stellar moment. Now it seems it’s worse than expected.

LensVid is not new to camera market analysis, Now they published their extensive look at the camera industry in the last 10 years and how the big fall happened. They also make some predictions about the future, and it looks grim as the past.

We recommend you read LensVid’s extensive article to get the story. For those who want it quick, have a look at the infographic below. The used data comes from the Camera, and Image Products Association (CIPA).

Venus Optics Releases Laowa RF 11mm f/4.5 FF RL For Canon EOS R

Laowa RF 11mm
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Another third party lens joins the Canon EOS R party. Venus Optics released the Laowa RF 11mm f/4.5 FF RL lens for the RF mount.

The Laowa RF 11mm f/4.5 FF RL sells at $699 and is available at Venus Optics. Along with the 11mm, they also released the Nikon Z mount version of the Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO. There are a lot of interesting Laowa lenses for Canon cameras.

Specifications Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL

Focal Length11mm
Max. Aperturef/4.5
Min. Aperturef/22
Angle of View126°
Format CompatibilityFull Frame
Lens Structure14 elements in 10 groups
Aperture Blades5
Min. Focusing Distance7.4” (19cm)
Max. Magnification0.1x
Filter Thread62mm
Dimensions⌀ 63.5mm x 58mm
Weight254g (8.9 oz.)
MountsLeica M, L mount, Sony FE, Nikon Z, Canon RF

Press release:

Venus Optics announces the add of Canon RF mount for Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL lens
and Nikon Z mount for Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO

(FF = Full Frame, RL = Rectilinear)

Anhui China, 19 Feb, 2021 – Venus Optics, the manufacturer specialized in making unique camera lenses, now offers more variants to 2 popular Laowa lenses. Added Canon RF mount for the Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL lens (Full Frame) and Nikon Z mount for Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO (APS-C). Offering Canon Full-frame (R, RP, R5 & R6) users an exceptional ultra-wide experience and the high magnification power on Nikon APS-C body (Z50).

Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL

Laowa 11mm F4.5 FF RL is an extremely compact rectilinear(RL) wide-angle lens for full-frame (FF) mirrorless cameras. The remarkable 126° angle of view with 19cm minimum focus distance can be found in this 6.3cm(2.5 inches) long and 254g(8.9oz) lens. It allows you to capture the stunning landscape, precious travel moments and beautiful cityscape without any burden. The lens also includes 2 aspherical elements and 3 extra-low dispersion elements to guarantee the sharpness, suppress chromatic aberrations and distortion to the minimum.

Conveniently a 62mm filter can be screwed onto the lens directly, or a 100mm-wide filters can be used. The 5-bladed aperture able to create a clean and appealing stunning 10-point sunstars.

Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL is now available in Leica M, Sony FE, Nikon Z, Canon RF and L mount. MSRP in US is US$799(Leica M) and US$699(other mounts).

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Canon Patent For Eye-Controlled Focus For Mirrorless Cameras

Eye-controlled Focus
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A technology already seen on Canon film cameras might come to last generation mirrorless camera technology, sooner or later.

Canon patent application US20210051265 (USA) discusses how to implement eye-controlled focus on a mirrorless camera.

An image capture apparatus detects a subject in a captured image. The image capture apparatus further recognizes its user based on an eyeball image of the user. The image capture apparatus then selects a main subject area from among the detected subject areas, based on information regarding subjects captured in the past and stored being associated with the recognized user.

There is a significant difference if compared with the eye-controlled focus technology used inn the old days for film cameras. The patent discusses some sort of intelligent algorithm that not only recognizes the user but also remembers where the user looked and how frequently.

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:

Source: Canon Rumors

Deal: Datacolor SpyderCheckr Color Calibration for Digital Cameras – $99 (reg. $134, today only)

Datacolor SpyderCheckr
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Only today (2/18/21) Adorama has a 26% discount on the Datacolor SpyderCheckr Color Calibration for Digital Cameras.

At a glance:

  • Consistent Color Control for your RAW workflow made easy and fast with SpyderCheckr and its powerful software, giving you a color standard for any camera and decreasing your post production time
  • Neutral Gray target & Gray ramp for in-camera white balance and visual neutrality analysis
  • Extensive skintone samples for portrait & fashion photography
  • Durable, eco-friendly self casing construction for easy transport and field use, with replaceable targets, tripod mount and Fade strip indicator
  • Easy-to-use software interacts with Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop and Camera Raw to produce calibration presets, which fit directly into your digital workflow; No DNG processing required, multiple lightsource calibration option included

Get the Datacolor SpyderCheckr Color Calibration for Digital Cameras on sale at $99. Compare at $134.

The Datacolor SpyderCheckr Color Calibration Tool is a color target for use with digital cameras. It features 48 swatches, including various shades of gray and skintones. You can use the swatches to perform a custom white balance on your camera, ensuring that your camera settings correctly match the lighting conditions in which you are shooting. The SpyderCheckr ships with software for Mac and Windows. In order to use it, you’ll have to use an Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) post-production workflow. This allows you to use the calibration tool in conjunction with Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Photoshop Lightroom.

Hand-picked deals are listed here.

Deal pages:

Refurbished lenses and DSLRs at Canon Store (best deals to be found here)

Save $10 on Luminar 4 and/or Aurora HDR 2019 and/or Luminar AI using our code “WATCH” at checkout.

Canon EOS R6 Review – Top Of The Game Mirrorless Camera

Canon Firmware Canon EOS R6 Review Camera Sales
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Here is a new Canon EOS R6 review, one that gives the EOS R6 the praises it deserves.

Coming from Photography Life, a Canon EOS R6 review with sample pictures, test charts, image quality and dynamic range tests. From the reviewers conclusion:

[…] after I actually used the camera extensively for several months, I realized that I was dealing with a whole new level of performance – something I honestly did not expect to see in a second-generation body. While Sony has been tweaking and fine-tuning its cameras over four generations to get to where they are today, Canon was able to deliver such impressive results in less than half the time, instantly putting its EOS R5 and R6 cameras on the top of the game.

The reviewer is definitely fond of the Canon EOS R6:

The Canon EOS R6 does so many things right, while ticking all the main boxes. It is easy to use and it handles amazingly well with great ergonomics and customization options. Its autofocus system is vastly superior to the EOS R, matching the AF speed and accuracy of some of the best cameras on the market today, including the Sony A9 II. Heck, as a Nikon shooter, I have to be honest and say that Nikon’s AF has fallen significantly behind when compared to the EOS R6, even on its latest bodies with dual processors. The sensor performance of the EOS R6 is superb, both in terms of high ISO and dynamic range performance. And if you have never experienced in-body image stabilization before (especially coming from a Canon DSLR), you will be blown away by it on the EOS R6.

Check the full review at Photography Life. They already published the video review back in January.

The EOS R6 flies a bit under the radar and doesn’t get the attention it deserves. There are many features that the R6 shares with the EOS R5, a class leading autofocus system for instance, and the R6 has an imaging sensor derived not less than from the flagship EOS-1D X Mark III. For more Canon EOS R6 review stuff see here. User manuals are available for download for the EOS R5 and the EOS R6.

EOS R6 at a glance:

  • 20mp Full-frame CMOS sensor
  • Sensor-based image stabilisation (IBIS) – works with any lens
  • 3.69m dot electronic viewfinder (EVF), 0.76x magnification
  • 3.0inch vari-angle touch-screen, 1.62m dots
  • 12 / 20fps continuous shooting (mechanical / electronic)
  • ISO100 to ISO102400, Low ISO50, High ISO204800
  • 6072 autofocus points/positions
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • Face and Eye-AF tracking
  • Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  • Dual SD card slots
  • 4K UHD 60/30/25/24fps
  • FullHD High-speed 120/100fps
  • HDR FullHD Video

Canon EOS R6:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

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