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    Canon Patent Application: Improving Eye Control Autofocus

    By Updated:15 Comments2 Mins Read Canon Patents
    JPA 506003432 i 000007 1536x518 - Canon Patent Application: Improving Eye Control Autofocus

    Canon never fully completes something and is always looking at methods to improve the technology they have developed.

    In this patent application (2024-003432), Canon is looking to improve Eye Control AF's functions. This is currently available on the Canon EOS R3 and, most likely, on the R1 camera body. Hopefully, it will be an option on more, much like it was back in film days when the consumer-level Elan IIe had the functionality in 1995.

    eoselaniie 728x546 - Canon Patent Application: Improving Eye Control Autofocus

    As a side note, that's a nice-looking camera, I wish Canon would do that more these days instead of just all black.

    This patent application deals with increasing the precision of using eye control AF (in the patent it is referred to using translation as the photographer's “line of sight”). This is apparent when multiple possible AF targets are available for the camera to choose from. It goes into quite a bit of detail on how and what Canon is doing for eye control.

    JPA 506003432 i 000010 728x498 - Canon Patent Application: Improving Eye Control Autofocus

    I would imagine that Canon's expertise in ophthalmic equipment would be a great help in this as well. While Canon hasn't officially stated their long-term goals for eye control AF, if it gets better, it's more likely we'll see it on more cameras in the future.

    As with all patent applications, this is just a look into Canon's research. The patent application may never become an actual patent or be in an actual product.

    Japan Patent Application 2024-003432

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    15 comments

    1. Would be great if the eye control AF would trickle down to R5 and R6 level cameras soon. That and since it is now EVF, make the viewfinders bigger. That would be worth a camera upgrade.
    2. Would be great if the eye control AF would trickle down to R5 and R6 level cameras soon. That and since it is now EVF, make the viewfinders bigger. That would be worth a camera upgrade.
      Wait long enough, it would get to the R7, R8 level. At a guess, I imagine it could be a game-changer for fast-moving wildlife & sports photography.
    5. Would be great if the eye control AF would trickle down to R5 and R6 level cameras soon. That and since it is now EVF, make the viewfinders bigger. That would be worth a camera upgrade.
      Bigger, higher resolution, but more importantly better colors. It's pretty washed out IMHO.
    6. I always ask myself how well eye control works when you are wearing glasses... :unsure:
      Probably depends on the glasses and the amount of ambient light.
      I have tried the R3s eyetracking when I was at the photopia in Hamburg last year. Even though I am horribly far sighted, after calibration it worked like a charm through my quite heavily corrected glasses.
      That was indoors though. I think it would probably struggle a lot, when there was quite a lot of lightleaking and reflection in the glasses.
    7. What I know is that my next Canon will have eye AF. Since the R5 II is, according to rumors, to be announced later, it could benefit from some improvements.
      If the R5 II doesn't, I'll buy the R3. Period!
    8. I am very short sighted and wear spectacles. I have turned off the eye tracking on my R3, as it was just getting in the way. I perservered for a few months, but it was never reliable causing me to miss lots of shots and take ages getting the shots I did want. I've gone back to a large central focus point, and that works reliably well. On a positive note though, the dioptre adjustment on the eyepiece works like a charm to ensure that I can focus on the EVF.

      Other non-spectacle wearers viewpoints might be different 8)
    11. Probably depends on the glasses and the amount of ambient light.
      I have tried the R3s eyetracking when I was at the photopia in Hamburg last year. Even though I am horribly far sighted, after calibration it worked like a charm through my quite heavily corrected glasses.
      That was indoors though. I think it would probably struggle a lot, when there was quite a lot of lightleaking and reflection in the glasses.
      Thanks for that impression. If eye AF gets improvements, that'll turn out even better.
    13. Back when I had my Elan IIe, my experience was similar to tangerine_sedge, above. I'm a -5.25, and while hoping for a future improvement, I've read too many mixed reviews for the current state of eye controlled focus.
      But it's great to see the Elan IIe image on Canon Rumors! That the closest to a "retro" style camera that I could accept.
    14. I always ask myself how well eye control works when you are wearing glasses... :unsure:
      It works terribly.. I bought the r3 specifically for this feature and as someone who wears glasses its not great.. It doesn't detect movement very much
    15. It works terribly.. I bought the r3 specifically for this feature and as someone who wears glasses its not great.. It doesn't detect movement very much
      I would imagine that a larger viewfinder will make things more accurate for tracking the eye (more room to place sensors). Would be nice if we had the option to get eyecups big enough to fit around glasses so little to no stray light enters when looking through the EVF.

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