Canon Patent For A Stereo Lens For Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras (EOS R?)

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What are Canon’s labs working on? We are surprised by a Canon patent application for a stereo lens for mirrorless cameras with a full frame sensor.

Canon patent application P2021-51282A (Japan) discusses optical formulas for a stereo lens for full frame mirrorless cameras. Does Canon have a full frame stereo camera in the works? For the EOS R system? The patent was spotted by the guys who spot most of the Canon patents you hear of: Hi Lows Note.

Drawing from the patent literature

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

New Canon Firmware Update For Canon EOS R6 (previous one had minor bug)

Canon firmware EOS R6 firmware
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Quickly after having release a Canon firmware update for the EOS R6, the firmware was pulled due to a bug. Here is a new firmware.

If you already installed Canon EOS R6 firmware 1.3.0 don’t worry. Most likely you did not even notice the bug. In any case please update to version 1.3.1 to be sure.

Canon firmware update for the Canon EOS R6 version 1.3.1 (download):

  1. Adds [IPB (Light)] to 4K to enable lower bit rate shooting.
  2. Adds [Electronic full-time MF] to the AF tab of the menu. When a lens is attached, manual focus adjustment is always possible with both One-shot AF and Servo AF.
  3. The transfer time (estimated value) now displays on the camera monitor during FTP transfer.
  4. Fixes a phenomenon, in which in rare instances, the camera cannot function normally when the drive mode is set to “High-speed continuous shooting” to shoot still images continuously.
  5. Fixes a phenomenon that may corrupt the image displayed in the viewfinder.
  6. Fixes a phenomenon in which the power may become suspended when the camera is powered via USB for an extended period of time.
  7. Fixes a phenomenon, in which the camera stops to operate normally when the movie cropping setting is set to [Enable] for performing movie shooting in Firmware Version 1.3.0.

It’s World Backup Day, And You Can Take Advantage Of These Deals

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Today it’s world backup day. As a former system administrator and DBA, I can’t stress enough the importance of a proper done backup. You shot that once in a year picture? Get sure you have some secured copies somewhere.

For world backup day, major retailers have deals on storage media (hard disks, memory ecc) on offer. See all world backup day offers at B&H Photo and Amazon US.

You.Shall.Do.Regular.Backups! If you want to take your backup strategy to the next level, start with this NY Times article.

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.

8K Video On Sony Alpha 1 And Canon EOS R5 – A Comparison

sony alpha 1 vs Canon EOS R5
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8K video seems to become an must-have feature even if few people needs it, and even fewer have the computing resources to edit it. It’s featured on the Sony Alpha 1 and the Canon EOS R5. So, let’s go.

However, Tony & Chelsea Northrup share their take on the 8K video performance of the brand new Sony Alpha 1 and the hot-selling Canon EOS R5. More Sony Alpha 1 vs Canon EOS R5 comparison reviews are listed here.

The video’s table of contents:

  • 0:00​ – Introduction
  • 0:20​ – Audio inputs
  • 1:28​ – Autofocus & image quality
  • 2:24​ – Croppability
  • 3:27​ – KEH plug
  • 4:17​ – Flip screen
  • 4:50​ – Reviewing footage
  • 5:26​ – Memory cards & redundancy
  • 6:13​ – Recording time limits & overheating
  • 7:01​ – Rolling shutter
  • 8:01​ – Stabilization & dynamic range
  • 10:10​ – Low-light & high ISO
  • 11:58​ – Price
  • 12:19​ – User interface & touchscreen
  • 12:58​ – Summary

More Canon EOS R5 review stuff is listed here, for EOS R6 review stuff see here. The EOS R5 is highly regarded as a stills camera. In particular, the EOS R5 autofocus system seems to be huge leap forwards. User manual are available for download for the EOS R5 and the EOS R6.

Canon EOS R5: [shoplist 62744]

More information about the Sony Alpha 1 can be found after the break.

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Canon Announces New Built-in AEC Assistance Technology For X-ray Image Sensor

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Canon press release:

TOKYO, March 25, 2021—Canon Inc. announced today that the company has developed the new “Built-in AEC1 assistance” technology for digital radiography (DR)2. With this technology, the device’s X-ray image sensor uses identical elements that are simultaneously capable of performing either image generation or real-time detection of the pixel value3 corresponding to emitted X-rays, notifying the X-ray generator when pixel value reaches a preset value.

In clinical environments, X-ray imaging is conducted with various precautions in accordance with the ALARA4 principle of radiation safety, which states that the use of radiation must, among other factors, “take into account benefits to the public health and safety, and other societal and socioeconomic considerations.” For example, when performing imaging using an X-ray imaging system, operators use an externally attached device for detecting electrical current corresponding to emitted X-rays in order to ensure that subjects are not exposed to excess radiation from the X-ray generator. However, with the digital radiography method, there are use cases in which external detection devices cannot be used, such as when the wireless X-ray imaging device is detached from the radiography stand or table.

In order to improve such conventional workflows, Canon has leveraged the X-ray sensor technologies and imaging technologies the company has cultivated over its long history to develop its new “Built-in AEC Assistance” technology. The new technology provides imaging devices with built-in functionality that conventionally requires external devices. This makes possible high-speed electric signal readout, as well as pixel value correction through various algorithms, within the X-ray image sensor, allowing the image sensor to simultaneously generate images and detect in real time the pixel value corresponding to emitted X-rays. What’s more, the technology enables operators to specify a pixel value and automatically send a notification to the X-ray generator. When that value is reached, eliminating the need for a dedicated external attachment and enabling the automatic stopping of X-ray emissions from the X-ray generator.

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More Canon Firmware Updates: RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS And RF 100-500 f/4.5-7.1L IS

Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS review
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Two more Canon firmware updates. After those for cameras, Canon today also released new firmware for the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS and RF 100-500 f/4.5-7.1L IS lenses for the EOS R system.

This is what comes with the new Canon firmware updates:

RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM – Firmware Version 1.1.0 (download)

  1. Electronic Full-time Manual Focus
  2. Improves a phenomenon where the background is not blurred when performing slow panning with the IS (Image Stabilisation) mode set to Mode 2 or Mode 3.


RF 100-500 f/4.5-7.1L IS USM – Firmware Version 1.0.9 (download)

  1. Electronic Full-time Manual Focus
  2. Improves a phenomenon where the background is not blurred when performing slow panning with the IS (Image Stabilisation) mode set to Mode 2 or Mode 3.