Canon patent for illuminated rear buttons on camera body

illuminated rear buttons
A drawing from the patent application

Interesting patent that already started speculations.

Patent JP2017-147019A (which can be seen here in its entirety) refers to illuminated buttons on the rear of a Canon camera body (a DSLR, typically).

This is something Nikon already has: illuminated rear buttons. This lead someone to the speculation that the EOS 7D Mark III may have these buttons. While possible, there are no hints it will. So far we have to deal with wishful thinking and not with a rumor.

The patent’s abstract:

To provide a light emission button mechanism that enables a letter or character on the surface of a button to emit light uniformly with a simple configuration without providing any dedicated separate member for light guiding and light shielding, and can prevent light leakage to the inside and outside of the device.
SOLUTION: A light emission button mechanism includes an operation portion having a light guide portion that transmits light, an exterior cover having a hole through which the operation portion is inserted, a switch unit having a movable unit which is elastically deformed by pressing the operation unit, and a contact unit which is to operate by further pressing the operation unit, light emitting mans which is arranged in a substantially sealed space formed by the operation unit and the switch unit and causes the light guide portion to emit light, and a conductive pattern connected to the light emitting means and formed in the switch unit, and at least the conductive pattern formed in the movable portion out of the conductive patterns is not linear.

Source

Nikon working on full-frame mirrorless camera, patents suggest (and where is Canon’s?)

mirrorless
Patent for 50mm f/0.9 lens

While the Canon community is eagerly waiting to know more (or at least something really reliable) about the long rumored (and much wished) Canon full-frame mirrorless camera (all rumors), we learn that Nikon is also working on such a camera.

Two Nikon patents for 50mm f/0.9 and 35mm f/1.2 lenses specifically designed to be featured on a full-frame mirrorless camera have been spotted. It is a hint that Nikon has such a camera on a blueprint at least.

We found similar patents filed by Canon in the past (1 | 2), and even a patent for an EF/EF-S adapter for a full-frame mirrorless camera. I just wish we would know something more. The latest rumor regarding Canon’s full-frame mirrorless camera is here, I sum it up:

  • Different sources and sites were reporting that early prototypes exist, at least to be tested inside Canon’s labs. This intel came in 2016 and early 2017.
  • Canon is possibly working on a full-frame mirrorless camera with EF mount. There have been rumors saying that Canon is delaying this camera because of issues in implementing the EF mount. There is a lot of talk about this. If Canon manages to engineer a full-frame mirrorless camera with EF mount, thus allowing us to use our beloved EF lenses on a smaller and hopefully performing body, it will be a winner. Imagine what you could do with a MILC that goes along with your EF lenses. There is serious a chance we may see this.
  • The latest bit of info I got suggests Canon will announce a full-frame mirrorless camera with a sensor having a resolution of 36-38MP.
  • A possible announcement date is around Photokina 2018, which happens in September.
  • And for all those 4K fans out there: we have been told that, yes!, most likely it will feature 4K video.

Do you think we will see a Canon full-frame mirrorless camera in 2018?

  • Yes (56%, 195 Votes)
  • No (44%, 156 Votes)

Total Voters: 351

Loading ... Loading ...

Does this Canon patent for a 15-43mm f/2-4 lens for APS-C sensors refer to the Powershot G1 X Mark III?


Very interesting patent for 15-43mm f/2-4 lens for APS-C sensors that may point to the upcoming Canon Powershot G1 X Mark III camera, rumored to have an APS-C sensor.

  • Zoom ratio: 2.74
  • Focal length: 15.65 29.18 42.90
  • F No.: 2.06 2.99 4.00
  • Half angle: 41.12 25.09 17.66
  • Image height: 13.66 13.66 13.66
  • Back focus: 8.52 8.01 7.20

Patent literature is hard to grasp. Any help is welcome.

In a zoom lens from which an interval of a lens group which comprises the 1st lens group of negative refracting power, the 2nd lens group of positive refracting power, the 3rd lens group of positive refracting power, the 4th lens group of negative refracting power, and the 5th lens group of positive refracting power, and is adjacent to on the occasion of zooming arranged in order from the object side to the image side changes, between said 2nd lens group and the 3rd lens group, have an aperture diaphragm and said 4th lens group moves on the occasion of focusing — said 4th lens group — most — a curvature radius of a lens surface on the object side — a time of setting a curvature radius of a lens surface on the image side to R4b most of R4a and said 4th lens group, 0.2<(R4b+R4a)/(R4b-R4a)<3.0 A zoom lens satisfying a becoming conditional expression.


[via Hi Lows Note]

Canon patent for EF 600mm f/4 IS DO lens

jpa_428200685_000002

That may become a killer lens if it ever goes to production. Canon files a patent for a n EF 600mm f/4 IS DO lens. “DO” stays for diffractive optics.

Will this lens eventually replace the existing EF 600mm f/4L IS II? Not necessarily. DO optics are usually of smaller size than their counterparts without DO, so the lens referred in the patent could well be an addition to the line-up.

  • Patent publication number 2016-200685
    • Release date 2016.12.1
    • Application date 2015.4.9
  • Example 1
    • Focal length 585.00
    • F number 4.12
    • Half angle of view (degree) 2.12
    • Image height 21.64
    • Lens total length 335.32
    • BF 66.92
[via Egami]

Canon patent for augmented Optical Viewfinder (OVF)

canon patent

Another Canon patent for an optical viewfinder able to display all sorts of information. This is not the first patent of this kind, or that refers to viewfinder technology: 1 | 2 | 3

  • Patent publication number 2016 – 191759
    • Release date 2016.11.10
    • Application date 2015.3.31
  • Canon patent
    • Provide the variable reflectance mirror in the optical path of the finder optical system
    • In-screen information display is superimposed and displayed via reflectance variable mirror

canon patent

Excerpt from the patent literature:

[Claim(s)] [Claim 1] In a finder internal display which displays an information display in a screen on an object image in a finder in piles via a variable reflectance mirror,
A camera, wherein the aforementioned variable reflectance mirror has a finder internal display which can change reflectance and transmissivity arbitrarily.
[Claim 2] The camera according to claim 1 provided with a finder which has an optical system which observes an image formed on a focusing plate with a taking lens via an image inversion optical system and an ocular optical system.
[Claim 3] The camera comprising according to claim 2:
A photometry optical system which measures a luminosity of an image formed on the aforementioned focusing plate.
A finder optical system setting up transmissivity and reflectance of the aforementioned variable reflectance mirror from an output of the aforementioned photometry optical system.

[Claim 4] It has an amount setting-out means of information display light in a screen to set a light volume ratio of the aforementioned information display in a screen to an object image in the aforementioned finder, The camera according to claim 3 provided with a finder optical system setting up transmissivity and reflectance of the aforementioned variable reflectance mirror from a preset value of the aforementioned amount setting-out means of information display light in a screen.
[Claim 5] The camera according to claim 2 providing the aforementioned camera with line of sight detection equipment which detects the direction of a look of an observer whom a finder observes, and setting up transmissivity and reflectance of the aforementioned variable reflectance mirror from a result of the aforementioned line of sight detection equipment.

Canon patent for curved sensor design (to suppress vignetting)

canon patent

Canon’s labs working on a curved sensor design? At least a new patent suggests it.

The patent refers to a curved sensor design with should suppress vignetting artefacts to a large degree.

  • Patent publication number 2016 – 197663
    • Release date 2016.11.24
    • Application date 2015.4.3
  • Canon patent
    • Make the central part flat in shape where light falloff is not noticeable
    • The surrounding portion where the drop in light quantity is conspicuous is defined as a curved shape

p

Excerpt from the patent literature:

[Claim(s)] [Claim 1] It has an imaging surface which carries out light reception of the light from an object imaged with a lens,
An image sensor, wherein the aforementioned imaging surface has a flat shape part and a curved shape section.
[Claim 2] The image sensor according to claim 1 having made a central part of the aforementioned imaging surface into a flat shape part, and making a periphery of the aforementioned imaging surface into the aforementioned curved shape section.
[Claim 3] The image sensor according to claim 2, wherein a position of a boundary between said flat shape part and the aforementioned curved shape section is set as the same distance to one reference point on the aforementioned imaging surface.
[Claim 4] The image sensor according to claim 3, wherein the aforementioned imaging surface has a picture element region where a unit pixel is arranged at matrix form.
[Claim 5] The image sensor according to claim 4 which is provided with the following and characterized by the aforementioned valid pixel area comprising said flat shape part and an aforementioned curved shape section.
A valid pixel area which outputs a signal [ picture element region / aforementioned ] according to light income.
A black reference picture element region which outputs a black reference signal.

[Claim 6] The image sensor according to claim 5, wherein the aforementioned reference point is placed at the center of the aforementioned valid pixel area.
[Claim 7] The aforementioned black reference picture element region adjoins the aforementioned valid pixel area, and is arranged, and, in the aforementioned black reference picture element region, the part or whole serves as a curved shape section, The image sensor according to claim 5 or 6, wherein curvature of a curved shape section of the aforementioned black reference picture element region differs from curvature of a curved shape section of the aforementioned valid pixel area.
[Claim 8] The image sensor according to claim 7, wherein curvature of a curved shape section of the aforementioned black reference picture element region is smaller than curvature of a curved shape section of the aforementioned valid pixel area.
[Claim 9] An image sensor of a description in any 1 item of Claims 5-8, wherein the aforementioned black reference picture element region comprises a shaded unit pixel provided with a photoelectric conversion part.
[Claim 10] An image sensor of a description in any 1 item of Claims 5-8, wherein the aforementioned black reference picture element region comprises a unit pixel without a photoelectric conversion part.
[Claim 11] An image sensor of a description in any 1 item of Claims 1-10,
The aforementioned lens,
An imaging device characterized by preparation ******.
[Claim 12] The imaging device according to claim 11, wherein the aforementioned reference point is placed on an optic axis of the aforementioned lens.

[via Egami]