Latest Canon Patent Applications (Pop-UP EVF, Resin Mount, Hybrid EVF, Lenses and Sensor)

Canon Patent Applications

Here are the latest Canon patent applications.

Canon patent application 2019-023685 describes a pop-up EVF (Electronic ViewFinder). From the patent literature:

Since a display-device part and the eyepiece for magnifying it are needed EVF, when mounting on a compact camera, the place to arrange serves as problem. Since the large-sized external display device serves as a form which covers a camera back substantially, in order to look into EVF from the back face of a camera, an external display device must be avoided and arranged. A camera will enlarge only the part of EVF then. When it is going to avoid enlargement, an external display device must be made small and usability becomes less good. In order to correspond to these problems, there are some on which pop-up type EVF like the description to a Patent document 1 is mounted. 

EVF loading is realized without [ when using this inside a camera, being stored at the time of EVF non-use, without it functions as a finder by making it jump out to camera outside and miniaturizes an external display device, and ] enlarging a camera. 

Canon patent application 2019-023688 describes a resin (plastics) made lens mount:

Conventionally, although the camera mount of the camera with interchangeable lenses comprised a metallic material in consideration of durability, reliability and accuracy, etc., the camera mount which comprises a metallic material had the problem that things and component cost with heavy weight became high. 

The camera body which has the camera mount which comprised resin materials, such as a plastic, by improvement in the durability of engineering plastics or reliability and progress of forming technique is produced commercially these days. A weight saving and component cost reduction are attained because camera mount becomes a resin material.

Canon patent application 2019-020538 describes a hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder:

The present invention relates to the single-lens reflex camera which has an optical finder and an electronic finder, and relates to the change of the finder to which seeds responded as for the electronic device with which the especially single-lens reflex camera was equipped, or the optical element. 

In recent years, the single-lens reflex camera which has a finder which has arranged the optical-path dividing prism in the optical path of an optical finder in a single-lens reflex camera, and has arranged the display device which becomes the equivalent position from a liquid crystal panel etc. optically with a focus detecting plate is known. 

Canon patent application 2019-020679 describes the optical formula for a RF 100-400mm lens (for EOS R systems):

Focal distance 102.21 195.97 389.86 ​
F number 3.83 4.93 5.85 
Half angle of view (degree) 11.95 6.30 3.18 
Image height 21.64 21.64 21.64 
Lens total length 204.85 250.29 291.30 
BF 4.31 31.68 97.49

Canon patent application 2019-017065 describes a photon counting image sensor.

Canon patent application 2019-0052781 discusses how to improve the reliability of tilt-shift lenses.

That’s all for now; patent round-up source: Canon News

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production in the next few years are these:

Sigma Lenses Work Without Issues On The Canon EOS R, Company Assures

Sigma 14-24mm

Sigma lenses work without issues on the Canon EOS R when used with Canon’s EF-EOS R adapter. For more details see the press release below.

Sigma press release:

[Updated Information] Operating conditions of the Canon “EOS R” and SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses for Canon mount

Thank you for purchasing and using our products.

We would like to share the results of our further investigations regarding the operating conditions of the Canon “EOS R” and SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses for Canon mount.

When SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses in the current product lineup, listed below, are used in combination with the Canon “EOS R” and their “Mount Adapter EF-EOS R” or “Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R”, both AF and AE operate without any issues.
Furthermore, lenses which incorporate Optical Stabilizer (OS) will work with the OS function properly in effect.

Click here to open the rest of the article

Canon Dominates DSLR, Mirrorless and Lens Market In Japan

Mirrorless

BCN posted their annual “BCN Awards” and look who is ranked on top for the mirrorless and DSLR market. It appears to be true that there is life in the old dog.

Canon ranks first for DSLR and mirrorless market shares in 2018.

DSLR market shares:

  1. Canon – 57.4% share
  2. Nikon – 39.3% share
  3. Ricoh – 3.1% share

Mirrorless market share:

  1. Canon – 31.6% share
  2. Olympus – 23.5% share
  3. Sony – 22.7% share

Canon’s success in the mirrorless market is mostly because of the commercial success of the EOS M50, and also to some minor degree thanks to the new EOS R. It’s interesting to see that Nikon doesn’t show up among the first three players in the MILC market. Surprisingly the so much touted Sony mirrorless systems are not getting that much love in Japan.

Nikon still ranks first for compact cameras with 31.5%, followed by Canon with 29.8% and Sony with 11.9%.

Canon also ranks first for sold lenses with 20.7%, followed by Sigma with 15.7% and Nikon with 13.7%.

Below you see how Canon’s market share in the mirrorless market evolved since 2016.

Not bad for a company so heavily criticised. I’m curios to know how much market share Canon will gain this year because they are clearly headed to lead the market.

Nikon’s Updated Nikkor Z Lenses Roadmap (For FF MILCs)

Nikkor

Nikon released this new updated Nikon Z lens roadmap. And it contains quite some changes compared to the original Photokina roadmap

NikonEye sums it up:

1) First we now know that these lenses will come in 2020:

  • 20 mm f/1,8 S
  • 50 mm f/1,2 S
  • 14-24 mm f/2,8 S

2) The 24mm f/1.8 will be released in 2019 instead of the previously suggested 2020 release

3) In 2020 we will get additional four TBA (to be announced) lenses instead of the previous three

4) In 2021 we will Nikon will announce 7 lenses instead of the previous 8

We expect Canon to release at least three new lenses for the EOS R mirrorless camera system in 2019.

Irix Confirms Lenses Are Full Compatible With Canon EOS R

Irix

Swiss manufacturer Irix published a press release where they state that the company’s lenses are full compatible with Canon EOS R cameras when the lenses are used through Cabnon’s EF to EOS R adapter.

Press release:

Irix lenses now fully compatible on Canon EOS R mount

We would like to announce and confirm that there are no issues with Irix lenses, as regards their general operation for the Canon EF mount in their current line-up when used on the Canon EOS R camera, and as released by the Canon Corporation via their Canon EOS R Adapter (Canon EF to Canon EOS R mount).

Thanks to this, it is possible to control the aperture from the camera, information about the distance transmitted to which the lens is focused, and to save full information about the exposure parameters in the EXIF format.

Compatible Irix lenses:

  • Irix 11mm f/4
  • Irix 15mm f/2.4
  • Irix 150mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro