Your Next Canon Lens Might Have A Touch Panel, Patent Suggests

Touch Panel
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A new Canon patent application discusses methods to feature a touch panel technology on a lens barrel.

Canon patent application 2021-043294 refers to a lens with a touchpad on its side. The touch panel might be used to control focus, but others settings could also be changed through it.

A technique described in Patent Document 1 is known as a technique in which a user-operable touch panel is provided on an interchangeable lens (lens device) that can be attached to a camera body. The interchangeable lens described in Patent Document 1 is provided with one or two rectangular touch panels extending in the circumferential direction, and focusing or the like is performed by the user operating the touch panels.

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

[via Canon News]

Canon Might Work On Curved Sensors, Lens Patent Suggests

Curved Sensors
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This is a very interesting Canon patent. A Canon patent application for a bunch of lenses gives reasons to think Canon is working on curved sensors technology.

Canon patent P2021-43385A (Japan) discusses various optical formulas and optical design for different lens for camera with curved sensors. The patent application was spotted by Hi Lows Note. Learn more about curved sensors here.

Embodiment 1

  • Focal length 51.50 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 22.79
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 75.01 mm
  • BF 9.10 mm

Embodiment 2

  • Focal length 51.50 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 22.79
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 74.56mm
  • BF 9.05 mm

Embodiment 3

  • Focal length 51.50 mm
  • F number 1.03
  • Half angle of view 22.79
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 76.30 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 4

  • Focal length 35.00 mm
  • F number 1.45
  • Half angle of view 31.72
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 116.13 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 5

  • Focal length 35.00 mm
  • F number 1.03
  • Half angle of view 31.72
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 116.35 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 6

  • Focal length 35.00 mm
  • F number 1.20
  • Half angle of view 31.72
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 117.93 mm
  • BF 9.00 mm

Embodiment 7

  • Focal length 65.00 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 18.41
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 93.12 mm
  • BF 10.19 mm

Embodiment 8

  • Focal length 82.50 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 14.69
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 117.14 mm
  • BF 14.70 mm

Embodiment 9

  • Focal length 82.50 mm
  • F number 1.03
  • Half angle of view 14.69
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 118.58 mm
  • BF 14.33 mm

Embodiment 10

  • Focal length 97.10 mm
  • F number 1.25
  • Half angle of view 12.56
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 138.22 mm
  • BF 19.37 mm

Embodiment 11

  • Focal length 130.00 mm
  • F number 1.25
  • Half angle of view 9.45
  • Image height 21.64 mm
  • Lens length 177.93 mm
  • BF 39.31 mm

Embodiment 12

  • Focal length 31.95 mm
  • F number 1.24
  • Half angle of view 22.78
  • Image height 13.42 mm
  • Lens length 47.62 mm
  • BF 6.10 mm

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:

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]

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

Canon Patent For A Bunch Of RF Mount Prime Lenses (24mm, 35mm, 28mm, 50mm)

Canon Patent
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It’s not a secret that Canon is actively working on expanding the lens lineup for the EOS R full frame mirrorless system. A new Canon patent application adds to the long list.

Canon patent application 2021-18277A (Japan) discusses optical formulas for a bunch of prime lenses for the RF mount with f/1.8 and f/1.4.

RF 24mm f/1.4:

  • Focal length: 24.00 mm
  • F number: 1.40
  • Half angle of view: 42.03
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 120.00 mm
  • Back focus: 15.00 mm

RF 35mm f/1.8:

  • Focal length: 35.00 mm
  • F number: 1.80
  • Half angle of view: 31.72
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 100.00 mm
  • Back focus: 15.00 mm

RF 28mm f/1.8:

  • Focal length: 28.00 mm
  • F number: 1.80
  • Half angle of view: 37.69
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 100.00 mm
  • Back focus: 15.85 mm

RF 24mm f/1.8:

  • Focal length: 24.00 mm
  • F number: 1.80
  • Half angle of view: 42.03
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 110.00 mm
  • Back focus: 15.06 mm

RF 24mm f/1.4:

  • Focal length: 24.00 mm
  • F number: 1.40
  • Half angle of view: 42.03
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 120.00 mm
  • Back focus: 15.79 mm

RF 50mm f/1.4:

  • Focal length: 50.00 mm
  • F number: 1.40
  • Half angle of view: 23.40
  • Image height: 21.64 mm
  • Lens length: 100.00 mm
  • Back focus: 15.00 mm

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

[via Hi Lows Note]

Canon Working To Improve Electronic Viewfinder Optics, Patent Suggests

Electronic Viewfinder
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Since Canon’s commitment to mirrorless technology we can expect the company to improve the technology itself. For instance the Electronic Viewfinder.

An Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) is the only mean to give mirrorless camera users an experience that somewhat resembles the classic viewfinder, plus the added bonuses of information that can be shown in the EVF.

Canon patent application 2021-005111 (Japan) discusses how to improve the optical part of an EVF, in particular high magnification and long eye relief. This refers to the optical eyepiece (part of the EVF) used to look at the magnified image on the built-in display.Some people, me included, do not go along well with EVF. The technology discuses in the paper could make the experience better.

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

[via Canon News]