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Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon Global Shutter Patent Application

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Camera-CMOS-Global-Shutter-Patent

One of the major criticisms of DSLRs, and specifically Canon DSLRs, is the use of a rolling shutter that produces motion artifacts. This rolling shutter effect is very prevalent in video with Canon DSLRs thanks to the readout method of the CMOS image sensors.

It has certainly improved with recent models (the 5D Mark II was a mess and the 5D Mark III is much better) but Canon is continuing to refine the process and reveals some of the methods it is seeking to use in a pair of recent patent applications. [Read more…]

 

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS II USM Lens Patent

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Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS II USM Lens Patent Diagram

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS II USM Lens Patent Diagram

In a recently published patent application, Canon details a new 35mm f/2 lens. You can see the optical formula in the above diagram.

The lens construction is 104.5mm long, so it is quite a bit longer than the current model at 62.6mm. The patent also covers a revised image stabilizing system to the current EF 35mm f/2 IS USM.

It was filed on March 31, 2015. You can read it for yourself below. As always, let me know if anything else jumps out. [Read more…]

New Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 & 35mm f/1.4 Lenses Revealed in Patent

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Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 Patent Diagram

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 Patent Diagram

A recently published patent application from Canon reveals the development of new 50mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4 lenses, which use similar optical formulas. We know the new EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens is due any day now but a 50mm f/1.4 lens hasn’t really been on the radar even though the current EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens is getting quite old. [Read more…]

Nikon 1 Updated 10mm f/2.8 and 10-100mm f/4-5.6 Lens Patents

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Nikon-1-10-100mm-and-10mm-Lens-Patents

A pair of recently published patent applications reveal updated versions of the Nikon 1 10mm f/2.8 lens and the Nikon 1 10-100mm f/4-5.6 VR lens.

The 10mm f/2.8 patent was filed back in March, while the 10-100mm f/4-5.6 VR lens patent was filed in late April. These are probably a couple of the more popular 1-Series lenses, so a replacement at some point makes sense.

As always, don’t take a patent filing as evidence of an impending announcement. It’s just something to keep on your radar.

You can check out the patents yourself by clicking links below.

Nikon 10mm f/2.8 Lens Patent Application 

Nikon 10-100mm f/4-5.6 VR Lens Patent Application

Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Lens Patent

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Canon 70-300mm Lens

Canon applied for a patent application on a 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens in March 2011.  Presumably, this is an update to the consumer grade line of 75-300mm non-IS lenses.  There’s no mention of image stabilization in the patent; however, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it couldn’t be an IS lens.

These are the current consumer zoom models in this range:

The other line of thought is that a new 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens with image stabilization could replace the existing mid-grade lens as a cheaper/lower model. [Read more…]

Canon Patent Shows Off DSLR Touchscreen & Built-in WiFi

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Canon Touchscreen and WiFi DSLR

A recently-published Canon patent application, which was filed in April 2011, elaborates on the DSLR touchscreen features in a similar application published in 2009.  The application focuses on the operation of the touchscreen [Read more…]

In-Camera Warnings and Suggestions: What Do Users Want?

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Nikon DSLR Patent

Many recent camera models feature “tips” or “suggestions” on shooting modes and camera operation.  Nikon filed a patent application in June 2011 that shows off more of these kind of helpful hints.

I don’t know that these new warnings and suggestions indicated in the patent offer much more than what we already see in the latest entry-level DSLRs.  However, it got me to thinking about what would be good ideas to implement in these tips or guide modes. [Read more…]