Camera and Lens Patents (Page 3)

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a CN-E 24-70mm f/2.8 L S lens.

The curious thing about this patent is that Canon already makes a CN-E 30-105 T2.8 L S lens. With so little to differentiate the lenses, one wonders whether the extra 5mm on the short end will be a huge selling point compared to the 30-105's extra 30mm of focal length range on the long end. [Sean]

Patent Details

Patent Publication No. 2016-14816

• Published 2016.1.28
• Filing date 2014.7.3
• Zoom ratio 3.00
• Focal length 24.00 48.00 72.00
• F-number 2.80 2.80 2.80
• Half angle of 32.94 17.95 12.19
• Image height 15.55 15.55 15.55
• The total lens length 241.06 241.06 241.06
• BF 49.16 49.16 49.16

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for an EF-S 18-100mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM optical design.

Description of Patent

Patent Publication No. 2016-1224

• Published 2016.1.7
• Filing date 2014.6.11
• Focal length 18.59 47.22 94.99
• F-number 3.60 4.92 5.88
• Half angle of view (degrees) 36.31 16.14 8.18
• Image height 13.66 13.66 13.66
• The total lens length 137.78 158.04 178.30
• BF 35.39 52.79 64.61

According to the Egami Blog, Sigma has filed a patent for a 20mm f/1.8 optical design earmarked for their Contemporary lineup.

If / when this lens is released, it will likely be the first prime lens in Sigma's Contemporary series of lenses.

Description of Patent

Patent Publication No. 2016-12034

• Published 2016.1.21
• Filing date 2014.6.30
• Focal length 20.70 21.01
• F-number 1.84 1.95
• Full angle of view 2? 93.42 90.34
• The image height Y 21.63 21.63
• Overall length of the lens 139.73 139.73

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a potential successor to the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II.

If I'm understanding the garbled Google Translation correctly, there seems to be an emphasis on reduced vignetting in the lens. [Sean]

Description of Patent

Patent Publication No. 2016-14800

• Published 2016.1.28
• Filing date 2014.7.3
• Zoom ratio 2.06
• Focal length 16.48 23.60 33.95
• F-number 2.90 2.91 2.91
• Angle of view 52.70 42.51 32.51
• Image height 21.64
• Overall length of the lens 175.98 164.19 160.08
• BF 37.99 44.61 56.87

According to the Egami Blog, Tamron has filed a patent for an 85mm f/1.4 VC optical design. This patent filing makes a lot of sense considering Tamron's newest trend of putting Vibration Control in high quality, wide-aperture primes.

Description of Patent

Patent Publication No. 2016-12082

• Published 2016.1.21
• Filing date 2014.6.30

Example 1

• f = 87.5187
• Fno = 1.4578
• ? = 13.8585 °

According to the Egami Blog, Sigma has filed a patent for a 120-600mm f/5-6.3 optical design which could indicate that the current 150-600mm Sports and/or Contemporary models may receive an even larger focal range when replaced.

Description of Patent

Patent Publication No. 2015-203827

• Published 2015.11.16
• Filing date 2014.4.16

Example:

• Zoom ratio 4.66
• Focal length 125.15 250.18 583.80
• F number 4.86 5.84 6.50
• Total angle of view 2? 19.47 9.76 4.18
• The image height Y 21.63
• Overall length of the lens 314.20 371.31 424.96

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for an EF-M 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 DO IS STM.

Patent Description

Patent Publication No. 2015-232674

• Published 2015.12.24
• Filing date 2014.6.11

Example 1

• Zoom ratio 5.27
• Focal length 55.04 135.00 290.01
• F-number 4.60 5.18 6.30
• Angle of view 13.94 5.78 2.70
• Image height 13.66 13.66 13.66
• Overall length of the lens 136.00 175.46 192.00
• BF 35.50 35.50 35.50

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a 24-300mm f/3.5-5.6 USM lens.

Description of Patent

• Patent Publication No. 2015-215438
• Published 2015.12.3
• Filing date 2014.5.9
• Example
• Focal length 24.70 101.33 292.01
• F number 3.50 4.59 5.87
• AOV (degrees) 41.22 12.05 4.24
• Image height 21.64 21.64 21.64
• Overall length of the lens 202.71 232.50 288.71
• BF 38.78 43.69 75.66

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a CN-E 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for APS-C and Super 35mm sensor format cameras. Note that the lens will likely be marketed as a T2.8 lens to match their CN-E 15.5-47mm and 30-105mm lenses with the same image circle.

Description of the patent literature

Patent Publication No. 2015-230449

• Published 2015.12.21
• Filing date 2014.6.6

Example 1

• Zoom ratio 2.86
• Focal length 70.00 118.30 200.00
• F-number 2.80 2.80 2.80
• Half angle (in degrees) 12.52 7.49 4.45
• Image height 15.55 15.55 15.55
• Overall length of the lens 277.01 277.01 277.01
• BF 44.72 44.72 44.72

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a 16-40mm f/4 lens design.

Might the EF 17-40mm f/4L USM's successor be in the works with an even wider focal length? Only time will tell.

From the Egami Blog (Google translated):

Description of the patent literature

Patent Publication No. 2015-206976

• Published 2015.11.19
• Filing date 2014.4.23

Example

• Zoom ratio 2.36
• Focal length 16.48 24.40 38.90
• F-number 4.12 4.12 4.12
• Half angle (in degrees) 52.70 41.56 29.08
• Image height 21.64
• Overall length of the lens 177.74 162.40 159.73
• BF 38.00 45.51 63.40

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a 600mm diffractive optics lens for mirrorless cameras.

Plans to release an EF-M 600mm f/5.6 DO IS may indicate that Canon is planning to take their mirrorless camera system to the next level by making it more attractive to high-end shooters as a primary imaging platform.

You can find more information regarding the patent on the Egami Blog.

According to the Egami Blog, Sigma has filed a patent for an 11-22mm f/4.5-5.6 DG HSM FLD Art lens. Below is a screenshot of the Google-translated patent presented on the blog.

Sigma clearly has the Canon 11-24L in its sights with this lens's development and, considering the Art line's heritage, it will likely be released with a much more attractive price compared to Canon's extreme ultra-wide.