Canon Files a Patent for a Bunch of Lenses.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Canon Rumors

Who Dey
Canon Rumors Premium
Jul 20, 2010
12,649
5,449
279,596
Canada
www.canonrumors.com
HTML:
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; /*margin: 70px 0 0 0;*/ top:70px; right:120px; width:0;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2011/12/canon-files-a-patent-for-a-bunch-of-lenses/"></g:plusone></div><div id="fb_share_1" style="float: right; margin: 0 0px 0 10px;"><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" share_url="http://www.canonrumors.com/2011/12/canon-files-a-patent-for-a-bunch-of-lenses/" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a></div><div><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 70px;"><a class="tm_button" rel="&style=normal&b=2" href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2011/12/canon-files-a-patent-for-a-bunch-of-lenses/"></a></div>
<strong>All at once!

</strong>Canon has filed patents for a bunch of fast aperture telephoto lenses.</p>
<p>We’ve heard a number of times that Canon will update a lot of current lenses in 2012 and beyond. I think the 50 f/1.4 is the one that is in the most dire need of an update. An 85 1.2L III with a faster AF would also be welcomed. I hope they don’t update the 200 f/2L IS, I already love it and I would be forced to love the next one too at $6K+.</p>
<ul>
<li>50 f/1.4</li>
<li>85 f/1.8</li>
<li>85 f/1.2</li>
<li>100 f/2</li>
<li>135 f/2</li>
<li>200 f/2</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Patent literature, self-interpretation and summary</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Patent Publication No. 2011-253050</li>
<li>Published 2011.12.15</li>
<li>Filing date 2010.6.2</li>
</ul>
<table summary="実施例" frame="box" rules="all">
<caption><span><span>Example</span></span></caption>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><span><span>Example</span></span></th>
<th><span><span>Focal length</span></span></th>
<th><span><span>Fno</span></span></th>
<th><span><span>Length Lens</span></span></th>
<th><span><span>BF</span></span></th>
<th><span><span>Lens Construction</span></span></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span><span>One</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>85.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>1.24</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>126.06</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>39.13</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>Nine elements in 7 groups</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span><span>Two</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>85.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>1.80</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>113.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>42.34</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>Nine elements in 7 groups</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span><span>Three</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>100.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>2.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>120.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>42.27</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>Nine elements in 7 groups</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span><span>Four</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>133.30</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>2.06</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>158.90</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>51.86</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>10 sheets in 7 groups</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span><span>Five</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>196.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>2.05</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>223.50</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>50.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>15 pieces in 10 groups</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span><span>Six</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>51.70</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>1.41</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>89.92</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>39.00</span></span></td>
<td><span><span>Eight elements in 7 groups</span></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><span><span>Both the image height is 21.64mm (full size)</span></span></p>
<p>Read More at <a href="http://photorumors.com/2011/12/15/canon-files-patents-for-50mm-f1-4-85mm-f1-2-85mm-f1-8-100mm-f2-135mm-f2-and-200mm-f2-lenses/">Egami</a>(Japanese)</p>
<p><strong>Source:</strong> [<a href="http://photorumors.com/2011/12/15/canon-files-patents-for-50mm-f1-4-85mm-f1-2-85mm-f1-8-100mm-f2-135mm-f2-and-200mm-f2-lenses/">PR</a>] via [<a href="http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2011-12-16">EG</a>]</p>
 
If I'm reading this correctly, didn't Canon 'file' the patents back in June 2010? (but they're just published now?)

As I'm not up with the latest patent processes - is this an international patent? (or specific to a certain country, eg Japan, UK, NL, Aus, US, Canada, etc?)

Of the lenses listed, the 50mm f1.4 is the most interesting to me.... I would love to see Canon release a Canon 50mm f1.4 true USM which has great optical quality (sharp, contrasty, good bokeh) wide open. I'd be in the market for one. 8)

Does this post mean that we might expect to see some of these lenses actually released soonish? (or not)?

Thanks CR for the heads up. ;)

Paul
 
Upvote 0
pj1974 said:
If I'm reading this correctly, didn't Canon 'file' the patents back in June 2010? (but they're just published now?)

As I'm not up with the latest patent processes - is this an international patent? (or specific to a certain country, eg Japan, UK, NL, Aus, US, Canada, etc?)

Of the lenses listed, the 50mm f1.4 is the most interesting to me.... I would love to see Canon release a Canon 50mm f1.4 true USM which has great optical quality (sharp, contrasty, good bokeh) wide open. I'd be in the market for one. 8)

Does this post mean that we might expect to see some of these lenses actually released soonish? (or not)?

Thanks CR for the heads up. ;)

Paul

There is a delay between filing and when patents are approved/granted/published and of course Canon would not reveal the details until they actually were granted the patent.

Technically, there is no such thing as an international patent. Many countries are party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) under which the patent filer is granted time to file their patent claim in each country. Generally, companies only file patents in countries with large markets for their product or in strategic countries because it's costly and time consuming to file and maintain patents.
 
Upvote 0
For reference:

EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
Eight elements in 7 groups

EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
Nine elements in 7 groups

EF 100mm f/2 USM
Eight elements in 6 groups

EF 135mm f/2L USM
Ten elements in 8 groups

EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
Nine elements in 7 groups

EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Seven elements in 6 groups
 
Upvote 0
Often a patent is announced just as a new product comes to market.

I'm suspecting that the new Canon EF video lenses use this patent. Canon has not published a lot of detail about the new lenses, I assumed that they were repackaging the existing EF lenses with a 11 blade aperture and geared focus ring, but now I think this is whats inside.

We'll probably see the upgrades this year, starting with the 50mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.2 and 24mm f/1.4 just as the video lenses did.
 
Upvote 0
willhuff.net said:
I'm curious to see what changes in the 85L, but at the same time I dread it because that means I will probably want to sell mine and get the new one.

Is it possible these are for cine lenses?

It seems to be a upgrade for better control of abberations and CA. I'd sure expect that the new cine lenses are using the new formula, but I read the original patent, and the info available about the cine lenses, and there is just not enough data to determine it, at least that I could find, so its my guess based on the timing that it is in the cine lenses, and that all the primes will be upgraded in the next two years.
 
Upvote 0
I am not sure we can conclude much with this. Filling patent is normal course of business for a company like Canon. And as someone said already, we have seen many patents in the past nad have yet to see a new associated lens for them.

It would make sense that Canon updates a lot of its lens as CR mentionned with a few new body intorduction in 2012, but not sure the 85 1.2II would be first on the list. A new 50 1.4 and a new 135 f2 would be nice though!
 
Upvote 0
Mt Spokane Photography said:
Often a patent is announced just as a new product comes to market.

I'm suspecting that the new Canon EF video lenses use this patent. Canon has not published a lot of detail about the new lenses, I assumed that they were repackaging the existing EF lenses with a 11 blade aperture and geared focus ring, but now I think this is whats inside.

We'll probably see the upgrades this year, starting with the 50mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.2 and 24mm f/1.4 just as the video lenses did.

The 24mm f/1.4? That got updated in 2008. The 35mm f/1.4 is what really needs a refresh.
 
Upvote 0
The 24/1.4 II should be a top priority for Canon b/c it has -3 stops of vignetting at the corners/edges. 3 stops. That's like the edges of your image effectively being shot at ISO 6400 rather than ISO 800 by the time you've corrected for vignetting in software. In comparison, the Nikon 24/1.4 has only 1.5 stops of vignetting at the corners/edges. Just look at the comparison btwn the two:

http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Lens-Vignetting-Test-Results.aspx?FLI=0&API=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0&Lens=480&Camera=453&LensComp=690

Yeah a lot of the time for people photos I don't care about vignetting but the 24/1.4 has a specific use case: environmental portraits. And in such portraits where you want to separate the subject from the background (landscape), using 1.4 is beneficial. And in such cases (landscapes) one typically doesn't want vignetting.

The 35/1.4 needs an update? Why? Perhaps for weather sealing but I can't imagine any other possible reason... the lens is perfection minus my gripes about a 72mm filter ring & the lack of weather protection.

Rishi
 
Upvote 0
dilbert said:
Blaze said:
Mt Spokane Photography said:
Often a patent is announced just as a new product comes to market.

I'm suspecting that the new Canon EF video lenses use this patent. Canon has not published a lot of detail about the new lenses, I assumed that they were repackaging the existing EF lenses with a 11 blade aperture and geared focus ring, but now I think this is whats inside.

We'll probably see the upgrades this year, starting with the 50mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.2 and 24mm f/1.4 just as the video lenses did.

The 24mm f/1.4? That got updated in 2008. The 35mm f/1.4 is what really needs a refresh.

35/1.4 needs a refresh? What about the venerable 35/2?

Or the 28/1.8? Or..

Well, the only non-L EF prime that Canon has ever refreshed is the 50mm f/1.8 -- and they simply made it all plastic! >:(

I am really hoping these are EF lenses, as I want a 50mm f/1.4 II with Ring USM. A shorter MFD would be nice, too. :D
 
Upvote 0
Hey, some good stuff in there. I don't have too much cash tied up in the 50mm f/1.4 and the 135mm f/2L so I'll just hold onto those - plus, the 135mm f/2L would likely cost me more than the proceeds from selling both the other lenses combined, and that's without considering any potential for a price drop from the introduction of a new lens or the likely fact of these lenses being available only a ways into the future, if ever.
Mt Spokane Photography said:
Often a patent is announced just as a new product comes to market.
The last few patents announced at CR haven't turned into selling products yet.
KyleSTL said:
EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
Nine elements in 7 groups
Handy list, but the patent example is for a 200mm f/2, not an f/2.8.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks to those who answered my questions about patents and possible timing of any new lens releases. "Applauds all round" ;)

Hopefully we'll see some good new Canon primes in 2012, particularly those for which photographers have been waiting for worthy updates!

After all, buying lenses will help the global economy, right! 8)

Regards

Paul
 
Upvote 0
Status
Not open for further replies.