Patent: Electronic Curved Sensor

[Canon Rumors]

Another patent showing a curved sensor design from Canon has appeared. A <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/patent-canon-curved-sensor-to-reduce-vignetting/">previous patent showed how a curved sensor</a> could help reduce vignetting.</p>
<p>This patent shows how to electronically bend the sensor.</p>
<p>We’ve now seen a few patents for curved sensor technology, so we expect we’re going to see some sort of implementation in the future.</p>
<p><strong>Patent publication number 2016-201425 (Google Translated)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Release date 2016.12.1</li>
<li>Application date 2015.4.8</li>
<li>Coupling the imaging element and the expansion / contraction section</li>
<li>As the stretchable portion expands, the amount of curvature of the imaging surface increases</li>
<li>The expansion and contraction section is electrically controlled</li>
</ul>
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[BeenThere]

Well, if the sensor can be bent on command, it would seem to be possible that it could be used in a camera that uses traditional flat field lenses and newly designed curved field lenses. That would be revolutionary.

 

[Loswr]

Well, if the sensor can be bent on command, it would seem to be possible that it could be used in a camera that uses traditional flat field lenses and newly designed curved field lenses. That would be revolutionary.

Nonsense. It's just another incremental non-improvement from non-innovative Canon.

 

[jeffa4444]

Well, if the sensor can be bent on command, it would seem to be possible that it could be used in a camera that uses traditional flat field lenses and newly designed curved field lenses. That would be revolutionary.

To a degree it could also help correct field curvature of flat field lenses.

 

[Don Haines]

A curved sensor doesn't really solve any problems and makes things worse..... but a bendable curved sensor, now that's different! leave it flat for traditional lenses, or bend it to the focal length curvature of a new lens design.

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

A curved sensor doesn't really solve any problems and makes things worse..... but a bendable curved sensor, now that's different! leave it flat for traditional lenses, or bend it to the focal length curvature of a new lens design.

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

From Canon's viewpoint, it would, of course, only be bent to match Canon lenses, so 3rd party lenses would lose out.

 

[Loswr]

A curved sensor doesn't really solve any problems and makes things worse..... but a bendable curved sensor, now that's different! leave it flat for traditional lenses, or bend it to the focal length curvature of a new lens design.

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

From Canon's viewpoint, it would, of course, only be bent to match Canon lenses, so 3rd party lenses would lose out.

Still a big win, since it allows both 'old' lenses (flat field, at least designed that way) and 'new' lenses (not corrected for field curvature) to be used on new bodies.

I expect 3rd parties would approximate which Canon lenses theirs most closely matched, and spoof that LensID, much like they do now for accessing the AF algorithms.

 

[the.unkle.george]

and spoof that LensID

I imagine it won't be long before Canon requires some form of encrypted handshake between lens and body to enable new features.

Old Canon and 3rd party lenses will still work, but won't support in camera lens correction features like sensor curving, IBIS, peripheral illumination correction, automatic focus micro-calibration etc.

 

[jolyonralph]

I imagine it won't be long before Canon requires some form of encrypted handshake between lens and body to enable new features.

You don't even need it encrypted. It can be as simple as needing the lens to transmit this string to initiate communications with the body:

This lens contains intellectual property (including this text) of Canon Inc and/or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved

If that EXACT string is not received, unencrypted, by the camera, then it refuses to communicate with it (or at least to use the new features.

If someone DOES copy it, then it's pretty easy for Canon to prove that they knew they shouldn't be doing that!


No need to worry about encryption being broken then!

 

[mnclayshooter]

A curved sensor doesn't really solve any problems and makes things worse..... but a bendable curved sensor, now that's different! leave it flat for traditional lenses, or bend it to the focal length curvature of a new lens design.

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

For security video - a curved sensor can help make the reality of a much wider and much less distorted view possible, particularly with a fixed lens. I'd welcome it in building design to minimize the number of cameras required (and data recorders).

 

[Don Haines]

A curved sensor doesn't really solve any problems and makes things worse..... but a bendable curved sensor, now that's different! leave it flat for traditional lenses, or bend it to the focal length curvature of a new lens design.

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

From Canon's viewpoint, it would, of course, only be bent to match Canon lenses, so 3rd party lenses would lose out.

The lens has to report back to the camera what it's current focal length is, and the camera warps the sensor to accommodate it.... Depending on how this is set up, it may work on third party lenses, of the third party lens can use a flat focus plane and have no curvature to the sensor.

If Canon (or Nikon) wanted to disable third party lenses it would be trivially easy. The fact that they have chosen not to means that they want third party lenses to work on thier cameras.....

 

[timmy_650]

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

Hopefully they put this into the 6Dm2 and with a new light weight wide angle. Something us hiker would love.

 

[midluk]

Hopefully they put this into the 6Dm2 and with a new light weight wide angle. Something us hiker would love.

Only if the 6Dmk2 is mirrorless. This will not work properly with a (plain) AF sensor and a (plain) focus screen.

 

[Larsskv]

I wonder how one can clean a sensor like that. If it bends, what material would be scratch resistant enough, to survive cleaning without damage?

 

[zim]

Is this curvature creating a 'dish' shape or is it only in one axis?
If so what shape of sensor would this best fit to?
I wonder if microadjustment plays any part (thinking hubble for some reason. ;D. )

.... if you're going to leap, may as well make it a long one! ;D

 

[timmy_650]

Hopefully they put this into the 6Dm2 and with a new light weight wide angle. Something us hiker would love.

Only if the 6Dmk2 is mirrorless. This will not work properly with a (plain) AF sensor and a (plain) focus screen.

I think I would be fine with the 6Dmk2 going mirrorless and wouldn't surprise me all that much and kinda of makes sense. They have to make a camera better than the 5Dm3 but not too good where it hurts 5Dm4 sales. Also enough changes enough to make 6D owner what to switch to the new version.

 

[David - Sydney]

Could a bendable sensor be able to reduce vignetting on current lens - especially for wide angle?
Would a body with a curveable sensor be limited by its resolvable resolution ie lower pixel count as getting a bendable sensor relax into a perfectly flat default position may be challenging.

 

[privatebydesign]

Could a bendable sensor be able to reduce vignetting on current lens - especially for wide angle?
Would a body with a curveable sensor be limited by its resolvable resolution ie lower pixel count as getting a bendable sensor relax into a perfectly flat default position may be challenging.

No. A bent sensor will not work with any EF lenses. The design will be for fixed lens cameras both fixed focal length and zooms (variable bend), things like the security cameras and industrial cameras that Canon have said they are keen to get in to.

 

[Berowne]

How many Bendings/Stretchings will such a sensor survive? How thin must a bendable sensor be to allow efficient curvature? What are the dimensions we are talking about: how many µm (?) will the Corners be moved foreward in relation to the Center of the sensor? Will a bendable sensor be permanently curved or only during exposure? Will curvature be individually adusted, just like AFMA? Can curvature of a sensor be used to adjust slight decentering?

 

[ExodistPhotography]

A curved sensor doesn't really solve any problems and makes things worse..... but a bendable curved sensor, now that's different! leave it flat for traditional lenses, or bend it to the focal length curvature of a new lens design.

This would allow the lens designer to NOT have to try to bend the light to approximate a flat plane, and that means fewer elements, which should translate into less lost light, sharper images, and lower cost. This is a really big thing!

My thoughts exactly..