Patent: EF/EF-S Adaptor For Canon Full Frame Mirrorless

[Canon Rumors]

A patent showing an EF/EF-S adaptor for a full frame mirrorless from Canon has appeared. There is a switch on the adaptor to go between EF and EF-S lenses.</p>
<p>Patent Publication No. 2015-118208 (Google Translated)</p>
<ul>
<li>Published 2015.6.25</li>
<li>Filing date 2013.12.18</li>
</ul>
<p>Canon patents</p>
<ul>
<li>Flange back is shorter body</li>
<li>Flange back is long, a lens having the same image circle as the image pickup device body</li>
<li>Flange back is long, a lens with a smaller image circle than the image pickup device body</li>
<li>Mount adapter to change the diameter of the flare cut stop, depending on the image circle of mounting the lens</li>
</ul>

 

[Loswr]

As I stated previously, the EOS M was Canon dipping their toes into the tepid MILC waters. They're clearly getting ready in case the water warms up enough for a comfortable swim.

 

[rrcphoto]

that's a bizzare patent.

I've read the full patent more than once, and I"m not thinking this is for a canon mirrorless, but for canon to make an adapter that allows for lenses with even smaller image circles to be used on a full frame sensor.

for example - an ef-s lens could be used via this adapter to cover the entire image circle of a full frame camera.

or using this adapter, canon could make even smaller lenses as they would share this common adapter.

it's novel - but highly impractical.


https://www4.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/cgi-bin/tran_web_cgi_ejje?u=http://www4.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/eng/translation/201506260920265738977610407618955930EC8C3EA95EDA4F3E51CD2CC98C482

the full patent application (keep in mind this is simply an application, not a published patent).

 

[dolina]

So is the SLR dead?

My take it is their hedging for the future where SLRs are as relevant as RF.

I give it say 2-3 decades.

As more people's first camera will tend to be mirrorless and smartphones Canon has to keep relevant.

 

[Mr1Dx]

1. Wonder if this has to do with EF line working well on other camera companies?
2. Canon sees mirrorless will take bigger bite in near future?

Regardless, having more choices in FF mirrorless will be great for photographers.

 

[Macoose]

In general, what would be the approximate time frame for something like this to come to market?

Just curious.

 

[wsmith96]

Would it be funny if this adapter was to be for canon products to be mounted on other manufacturers mirrorless cameras. If they made a canon product that was supported to connect and operate say, on a sony camera - they could cut the legs right out from under sony's lens business. Glass is where the money is right?

 

[dcm]

In general, what would be the approximate time frame for something like this to come to market?

Just curious.

Sometime between now and never. ;D

It really depends on the situation. I've built products where we waited until the last minute before we announced to file to cloak what we were doing as long as possible and maximize the protection period. Filing early would give away product plans for the first product in a new line. In other cases we've filed defensive patents that we had no plans to build at the time, but wanted to stake out the territory before someone else did. You do this to keep your options open for the future on an existing product, otherwise a competitor can file a patent that shuts down an avenue you might wish to pursue later.

 

[KeithBreazeal]

Canon APS-C EF Converter by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr

 

[weixing]

Hi,

Canon APS-C EF Converter by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr

You forget to put the white dot for EF-S lens. ;D

Have a nice day.

 

[Haydn1971]

Had to happen at some point - although I'd expect the EF range of lenses to continue as they are - essentially just without the mirror - you don't have to have a small form factor for So I'd see this as another line for Canon, for large albeit niche small form factor FFML camera - a EOS-Mx for want of a better name.

 

[Maximilian]

So finally the FF MILC game has become interesting to Canon.

Had to happen at some point - although I'd expect the EF range of lenses to continue as they are - essentially just without the mirror - you don't have to have a small form factor for So I'd see this as another line for Canon, for large albeit niche small form factor FFML camera - a EOS-Mx for want of a better name.

I think you're quite right.
Only point against this might be, that there could be some things optimized in body to lens intercommunication.
Otherwise you wouldn't notice differences in AF between EF/-S and EF-M lenses on EOS M.
But this could be built into futur EF/-S lenses.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It is a adapter, and obviously adapts a EF-s or EF lens to a FF mirrorless camera. It has a adjustment to baffle the smaller image circle of a EF-s lens. As usual, the translation leaves you guessing at a few words.

From the Patent Document:

"In recent years, the mirror loess camera system which has an image sensor of 35-mm film size is proposed for the further high-definition-izing, and the intermediate adapter which can equip with the interchangeable lens for single-lens reflex cameras is called for. The size of the opening of the intermediate adapter in this case turns into a size which secures the light flux at the time of equipping with the interchangeable lens for 35-mm film sizes. Wearing of the interchangeable lens which secures the image circle of APS-C size to the camera which has an image sensor of 35-mm film size will be attained via an intermediate adapter."

 

[WorkonSunday]

filing date 2013 <-- surely this is not the only piece in development, they sure kept the whole FF mirrorless development programme quiet!

 

[mb66energy]

I think this is some research about "what is possible".

The adaptor length is roughly 120mm if I interpret the image correctly:
- lens is mounted on the lower end (large positive group)
- the camera is shown on the upper end (with sensor plane marked)
- the adaptable light blocker has an additional housing (upper end, right sided box)

The EF-S 60mm 2.8 is a very good lens but the EF 100mm beats it easily on full frame. So where is the point to mount EF-S lenses on a FF mirrorless? And the cost of such an adapter might be in the region of 500-1000 $/€ - more expensive than replacing e.g. the EF-S 60mm with the mentioned FF counterpart.

 

[meywd]

I think this is some research about "what is possible".

The adaptor length is roughly 120mm if I interpret the image correctly:
- lens is mounted on the lower end (large positive group)
- the camera is shown on the upper end (with sensor plane marked)
- the adaptable light blocker has an additional housing (upper end, right sided box)

The EF-S 60mm 2.8 is a very good lens but the EF 100mm beats it easily on full frame. So where is the point to mount EF-S lenses on a FF mirrorless? And the cost of such an adapter might be in the region of 500-1000 $/€ - more expensive than replacing e.g. the EF-S 60mm with the mentioned FF counterpart.

What if you have a bunch of EF-S lenses, then the cost will be less, and I doubt it to be in that price range, don't think it would be more expensive than the 2xTC III

 

[mistaspeedy]

Canon should make a speed booster for their EOS M mirrorless camera.
What else would be interesting is a speed booster for APS-C cameras. Putting a full frame lens on an APS-C body should gather more light.

 

[9VIII]

Adapting crop lenses to a full frame sensor doesn't make any sense. You'd end up with a maximum aperture darker than f8 on many lenses. I can't see anyone actually wanting to use it.

Converting full frame lenses to a crop sensor, however, is highly appealing. It has practical advantages you can't achieve any other way and gets crop shooters to buy more glass.

If Canon is making their own Speed Booster (Negative Teleconverter?) this could be very good, except that I've been saying for years that they should just be building EF-S lenses with the focal length reducer built in and undoubtedly that would give better results.

 

[infared]

LMAOROTF...HA...ha..ha...hee...hee...hee...
Oh..forgive me...oh...let me catch my breath....phew...the words "Canon" and Mirrorless" in the same sentence just...WOW...it JUST REALLY MAKES ME LAUGH...!!!!

 

[mistaspeedy]

Yeah... I haven't really seen any lenses exploit the fact that APS-C sensors are smaller and they could make the lenses faster by a stop.

For example... instead of the full frame 50mm F1.8 STM, they could make a APS-C 50mm F1.2 STM (one stop faster) - for the same $125 price - this is key!
40mm F2.8 full frame pancake? make it a F2.0 for APS-C for the same price.
Same thing goes for various other lenses.

However, it seems that Sigma have finally brought something to the table with the:
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Canon... a fixed F1.8 through the whole focal length.
However, at $800 it is wildly expensive.