Canon Patent: Zoom Lens That Shrinks When Zooming To Telephoto

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A new Canon patent application. A lens that becomes shorter when you zoom to the telephoto end. Usually it is the opposite.

asobinet.com spotted this Canon patent application. The lens seems to have f2.8/f4 and covers the standard focal length. Interesting lens but I don’t think it will ever go into production.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY: A zoom lens and an image pickup device having the same.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a zoom lens having a large aperture ratio and a small size but having high optical performance, and an image pickup apparatus having the same.

In recent years, with the increasing functionality of image pickup devices, there is a demand for a compact and lightweight zoom lens having a large aperture ratio. As a zoom lens that satisfies this requirement, a negative lead type zoom lens in which a lens group having a negative refractive power is arranged on the most object side is known.

An object of the present invention is to provide a zoom lens having a large aperture ratio and a small size but having high optical performance, and an image pickup apparatus having the same.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 28.84-67.90
  • F value: 2.91
  • Half angle of view: 32.65-17.67
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Overall length: 149.46-115.94
  • Back focus: 13.48-27.78

Example 3

  • Focal length: 28.84-60.00
  • F value: 4.12
  • Half angle of view: 32.68-19.83
  • Image height: 18.50-21.64
  • Overall length: 141.33-104.61
  • Back focus: 19.70-35.51

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

Canon Patent: RF 70-200mm f/2.8L (not the already released lens)

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A new Canon patent application, once more for a lens for the RF mount. The patent application might appear to point to an already released lens but it is not.

Canon patent application 2021-173892 (Japan) discusses optical formulas for what seems to be a RF 70-200mm f/2.8L lens. However, as asobinet.com points out, the patent does not refer to the already released RF 70-200mm f/2.8L. The lens described in the patent seems to have an entirely different optical design.

Embodiment:

  • Focal length: 73.00-195.00
  • F value: 2.88
  • Half angle of view: 16.51-6.33
  • Image height: 21.64
  • Overall length: 178.20-216.21
  • Back focus: 19.12-33.67

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

Canon Patent: Different Color Temperatures Across Image

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A Canon patent application to have different color temperature in different areas of an image. Thanks Jeff for the tip.

Canon patent application 20210274102 (US) discusses methods and technology to obtain different color temperature in different areas of an image. In other words: different white balance in different areas of the picture. The patent abstract:

Guess some smart flash light might be of interest here.

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

Canon Patent: Focal Reducer For Mirrorless Camera With APS-C Sensor

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Well that’s a heck of a Canon patent application. A focal reducer that gives some exciting focal length and apertures on APS-C cameras

Spotted by Hi Lows Note, Canon patent application 2021-167921 (Japan) discusses optical formulas for a focal reducer that could transform a 50mm f/1.4 lens for full-frame cameras into a 33mm f/0.94 lens for APS-C sensor cameras. Not bad, eh? Hopefully Canon will release this thing for the EOS M system.


Master lens

  • Focal length (mm): 51.46
  • F number: 1.45
  • Half angle of view (degree): 22.80
  • Image height (mm): 21.64
  • Lens length (mm): 94.41
  • Back focus (mm): 39.81

With embodiment 4

  • Focal length (mm): 33.45
  • F number: 0.94
  • Half angle of view (degree): 22.42
  • Image height (mm): 13.80
  • Lens length (mm): 91.91
  • Back focus (mm): 9.73

Canon Patent: TS-E Macro Lens (might be the TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro)

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A new Canon patent was spotted by asobinet.com. It’s for a tilt-shift lens and it might apply to an already released Canon lens.

Canon patent application 2021-167982 (Japan) discusses optical formulas for a tilt shift macro lens. The patent literature hints at an already released lens, the Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8L Macro. From the patent literature:

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an imaging optical system which has less aberration fluctuation during focusing from infinity to a short distance, has high optical performance over the entire focus range, and can easily secure a sufficient amount of peripheral light.

In recent years, an imaging optical system used in an imaging device such as an interchangeable lens still camera has a large aperture ratio, little aberration fluctuation during focusing from infinity to a short distance, and has high optical performance over the entire focus range. Is required.

The double-Gauss type imaging optical system is characterized in that it is easy to make a large-diameter ratio and the aberration fluctuation with respect to the fluctuation of the object distance is relatively small. However, in a double Gauss type imaging optical system, if the entire system is moved during focusing from infinity to a short distance, the amount of movement of the pupil increases. As a result, when trying to secure the peripheral illumination over the entire focus range, the effective diameter of the lens increases and the entire system becomes large.

In order to have a large aperture ratio, high optical performance when focusing from infinity to a short distance, and to obtain a sufficient amount of peripheral light, it is important to appropriately set the lens configuration, the material used for each lens, and the like. Will become.

Thepresent invention is an imaging optical system having little aberration fluctuation due to focusing from infinity to a short distance, having high optical performance over the entire focus range, and easily securing a sufficient amount of peripheral light, and an imaging apparatus having the same. The purpose is to provide.

  • Focal length: 90.00
  • F value: 2.91
  • Image height: 34.00
  • Overall length: 132.06
  • Shooting magnification: 0.5

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

Canon Patent: Yet Another Take On The Vlogging Concept

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Not the first Canon patent regarding a video camera you might hold with one hand. Typical use case for run & gun vlogging.

Canon patent application 2021-165785 (Japan) discusses methods and technologies for such a handheld vlogging device. From the patent literature:

[Problem] To perform various operations by one hand.

[Means for solving] A display part 303 is provided on the fixing part 30. The touch operation member 301 c is capable of performing at least an operation of the display unit 303 and is provided so as to be able to be pressed. The touch operation member 301 c can reciprocate in parallel with the push-in direction (Z-axis direction) and can reciprocate in a 1 predetermined direction (Y-axis direction ; C direction) substantially orthogonal to the push-in direction.

More detailed:

[Detailed description of the invention]
The present invention relates to an imaging device having a push-in operation portion which can be pushed in, and a photographing lens.

[Background of the Invention]In recent years, there has been a demand for moving image taking in a free posture and moving image taking from various angles in various situations. In the imaging apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, while the lens unit is rotated about one axis relative to the main body, the display unit can be reversed according to the direction of the lens unit while switching the imaging direction. This imaging apparatus is capable of switching between the self-photographing direction and the other-photographing direction by rotating the lens unit, and corresponds to various photographing styles.

Drawing from the patent literature

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

[source JPO]