Patent: 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 With a Liquid Element

[Canon Rumors]

<p>A patent showing a 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 optical formula with a liquid element has shown up. I think it’s safe to say that this isn’t going to end up as a consumer product any time soon, but it’s still pretty interesting.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/liquidelementpatentn.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-17622" src="http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/liquidelementpatentn.png" alt="liquidelementpatent" width="292" height="242" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><span class="notranslate">Patent Publication No. 2014-145883 (Google Translated)</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><span class="notranslate">Published Date 2014.8.14</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">Filing date 2013.1.29</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><span class="notranslate">Example 4</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><span class="notranslate">Zoom ratio 2.07</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">Focal length f = 10.30-13.12-21.35mm</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">Fno. 3.23-3.62-4.63</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">Half angle ω = 52.86-46.03-32.50 °</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">Image height 13.60mm</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">The overall length of the lens 135.13-133.91-135.09mm</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">BF 0.15mm</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><span class="notranslate">Canon patents</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><span class="notranslate">And by varying the shape of the boundary surface, thereby changing the refractive power</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">Zooming, and has a refractive power element is positive, the element is negative</span></li>
<li><span class="notranslate">And reduce the variation of the curvature</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Source: [<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fegami.blog.so-net.ne.jp%2F2014-10-20&sandbox=1" target="_blank">EG</a>] via [<a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/Canon_new_lenses.html" target="_blank">NL</a>]</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>

 

[NancyP]

Well, this has been talked about in optics research, it is interesting to see an actual patent.

 

[Jim Saunders]

I saw eyeglasses with a flexible membrane and fluid volume managed with a syringe, a low-cost customizable solution to a common problem. Maybe Canon can take it up-market.

Jim

 

[dadgummit]

What advantage would there be to have a liquid element in a sealed camera lens? Does light pass through clear liquids in a differnet way than solids?

 

[AcutancePhotography]

I wonder if a lens with a liquid element would be weathersealed? 8)

 

[lintoni]

What advantage would there be to have a liquid element in a sealed camera lens? Does light pass through clear liquids in a differnet way than solids?

You can alter the shape of the lens, thus varying how the light's path is refracted by the lens.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Isn't this the 2nd Canon patent for a liquid element, or was the first one a April Fools joke? I'll search.

Yes, in 2013. Patent 2013-101227

There are lots of liquid lens patents, here is a bit more information about liquid lenses, which have been around since the 18th century.

http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/vsample/nsample/full/nphoton.2006.2.html

 

[9VIII]

I wonder if a lens with a liquid element would be weathersealed? 8)

Speaking of weather, I wonder how much of a problem thermal expansion would be?

 

[dadgummit]

What advantage would there be to have a liquid element in a sealed camera lens? Does light pass through clear liquids in a differnet way than solids?

You can alter the shape of the lens, thus varying how the light's path is refracted by the lens.

that is kind of cool. the lens equivlent of a CVT transmission in a car.

 

[jeffreyd00]

I remember reading about this about 15 years ago in a photo mag. At that time they spoke of it like it was going to revolutionize the industry in just a few years. A decade and a half later, still nothing.

If it were to ever come to pass the advantage would be amazing and profound.

 

[TexPhoto]

This will not end well.

 

[StudentOfLight]

I wonder if a lens with a liquid element would be weathersealed? 8)

Speaking of weather, I wonder how much of a problem thermal expansion would be?

I would think it depends entirely on what liquid is used and what other materials are adjacent to it. Metal, plastic and glass will also expand and contract in changing temperatures.

 

[jeffa4444]

Nothing really revolutionary in this others have tried liquid lenses in the past without any real success.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Nothing really revolutionary in this others have tried liquid lenses in the past without any real success.

If it is actually practical, that's a big difference. Since they received a patent, it has some unique feature. The fact that this is their 2nd patent in a year shows that they are spending time and money on developing something, but, it may never make it to production.