Canon patent shows new tilt mechanism and working process

A new patent shows a lens design with powered tilt and focus (along with sensors to feed back position info. Delve further and there are flowcharts showing how the tilted plane of focus can be matched to a subject surface.

Interesting info since I know from my teaching work that positioning the plane of focus along an arbitrary plane is something more photographers don't grasp with TS-E lenses the any other aspect.


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From http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-ef-lenses-rumours-and-news/

USPTO
 
With auto-focus?
Now THAT would be revolutionary!

However, this patent will make using a tilt-shift easier and faster.

In the patent, the AF is used to set the plane of focus, having entered arbitrary points on the desired 'surface' in combination with the right amount of tilt.
What's not directly shown here is the potential need to rotate the tilt axis to match the surface plane, so to fully automate it, the whole lens would need the setting of tilt axis motorised as well

Of course, with no tilt, the AF could be used as 'normal' AF, even with shift.

I have a printed focal plane card I use for setting the tilt axis and tilt for arbitrary planes at closer working distances

 
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