Northlight Images has found a US patent showcasing a new way to design tilt-shift lenses.

Says Northlight Images:

When you tilt a lens there is often some unwanted shift introduced, by dint of the lens design and where the physical axis of tilt runs with respect to it.

It’s why I modified my original TS-E90mm) – the new version, as with the 17/24mm, has the ability to change the shift/tilt axis relationship. However, Canon has looked at correcting.

In the patent, the unwanted shift from tilt is referred to as composition shift (a useful term – I may be using it in future ;-)  )

The tilt function of the new lens designs is given by offsetting a lens element in front of the stop – the shift is offset by an opposite movement on the rear (camera) side of the stop.

We have had RF mount tilt-shift lenses on our roadmap for quite some time, and the rumors say these new TS-R lenses will have autofocus. This patent doesn't touch on that, but could give us an idea of what Canon is thinking with the new RF mount tilt-shift lenses.

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10 comments

  1. I'm probably never going to buy a tilt/shift lens (at least not the expensive pro kind from Canon), but with all those patents I'm getting very curious about what Canon have up their sleeve for next tilt/shift lens releases.
  2. If it's a 14/15mm lens
    It doesn't look so:
    "The patent includes example designs for quite a few longer lenses (number rounded to nearest ‘standard’)

    35mm f/2.8 | 85mm f/2.8 | | 135mm f/4 | 230mm f/4"
    Quote from the original Northlight article linked in the opening post.
    Imo this is the next patent for a tilt lens without shift.
  3. It is totally unsurprising that Keith would find this.
    Thanks :-) - In the original post there is also a Japanese Canon patent for a zoom tilt ;-)

    24-100 with tilt anyone

    zoom tilt lens.jpg
  4. It doesn't look so:
    "The patent includes example designs for quite a few longer lenses (number rounded to nearest ‘standard’)

    35mm f/2.8 | 85mm f/2.8 | | 135mm f/4 | 230mm f/4"
    Quote from the original Northlight article linked in the opening post.
    Imo this is the next patent for a tilt lens without shift.
    I was so excited, I didn't read cautiously!
  5. I was so excited, I didn't read cautiously!
    These patents often only cover specific design aspects.
    How they are fitted together in an actual product often won't appear until after the lens is launched.

    Tilt without any [normal] shift would be a mighty specialised lens.

    If you want to put all the current bits I've seen in patents together, we could get an RF 24-100 f/4 zoom AF tilt/shift lens with powered movements - operated with lens rings (as opposed to the current knobs) and providing full EXIF data. A 20-50 would perhaps appeal more to me

    As to price.? yes, well... if you need to ask...

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