Canon Patents

Patent: Canon shows off a new approach to the modern shutter button

Canon Rumors
Posted onDec 18, 2020 at 9:45 AM
Updated onUpdated on Dec 18, 2020 at 9:49 AM

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Canon News has uncovered a very interesting patent by Canon. This one looks at potentially replacing the modern shutter button as we know it.

… and no, Canon is not replacing the shutter button with a direct print button.

If you look at area 61 of patent image, there is no shutter button, just what looks to be a touchpad. The touchpad is would have multiple functions depending on what you’re doing with the camera.

Before you freak out, I’m sure Canon has learned a lot of about touchpads from the EOS R and how poorly it was generally received. While not a huge detriment to the EOS R, I think a more classical approach to ergonomics would have served the camera well.

If Canon is seriously considering this approach, hopefully, it’s thoroughly tested in the real world.

patentshutterbutton - Patent: Canon shows off a new approach to the modern shutter button

Canon Rumors

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E

ericblenman

I'm New Here
Oct 18, 2020
10
31
Seems kinda interesting. I imagine being able to move the focus points on it would be pretty intuitive.
 
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M

mbike999

EOS M6 Mark II
Jan 18, 2018
51
107
Bay Area
I'd be interested to know how you would initiate half-press/AF. Maybe it would have haptic feedback and pressure sensitivity like an iPhone home button.
 
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YuengLinger

YuengLinger

Long live the Oligarchy!
CR Pro
Dec 20, 2012
3,619
2,076
USA
Has the mechanical shutter button been a frequent repair problem for Canon?

Is the mechanical shutter button a difficult place to weather/dust proof?

I'm sure we will get some interesting brainstorming in this thread. Maybe the touch-sensitive shutter pad could involve many functions, freeing our thumbs to...
 
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jolyonralph

jolyonralph

Game Boy Camera
CR Pro
Aug 25, 2015
1,423
943
London, UK
www.everyothershot.com
There is only one part of the system that doesn't improve with different iterations of the technology - and that's the photographer. However fast your focus is, however good your object detection, you're relying on meat computing at the moment for the brain to decide "this is the right shot", and then send the nerve signals to your finger to press the button. By this time the opportunity may have gone.

As AI gets better at understanding composition it will likely be the job of the photographer to frame the image and set the creative direction for the shot, but it'll be the camera itself that decides when to take the photo.

Maybe in the future a shutter button isn't needed at all? :)

Is this real photography? Who cares, as long as it gives you the best shots :)
 
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A

amorse

EOS R
Jan 26, 2017
831
1,132
www.instagram.com
"Before you freak out.."

Too late!

I have a lot of questions on implementation, but then again, Canon patents a lot of stuff that never surface so maybe this falls into the "never to see the light of day" category. I don't think it's a bad thing for Canon to try weird things - sometimes they stick and become really useful.
 
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B

bbasiaga

Canon Shooter
Nov 15, 2011
556
693
USA
Just because its a touch screen, doesn't mean you can't press it. It could be like the touchpad on your pc, with swipe sensitivity and half and full press.

-Brian
 
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B

blackcoffee17

EOS RP
Sep 17, 2014
785
1,023
jolyonralph said:
There is only one part of the system that doesn't improve with different iterations of the technology - and that's the photographer. However fast your focus is, however good your object detection, you're relying on meat computing at the moment for the brain to decide "this is the right shot", and then send the nerve signals to your finger to press the button. By this time the opportunity may have gone.

As AI gets better at understanding composition it will likely be the job of the photographer to frame the image and set the creative direction for the shot, but it'll be the camera itself that decides when to take the photo.

Maybe in the future a shutter button isn't needed at all? :)

Is this real photography? Who cares, as long as it gives you the best shots :)
Click to expand...

But better AF and other features might help to capture something you could not before.
 
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goldenhusky

goldenhusky

EOS RP
CR Pro
Dec 2, 2016
440
257
A mechanical butoon tucked under a touch pad will be best of both worlds. The touch pad can be used to move AF point or area and half press and press all the way to shoot would still work well. May be.. a bit easy to weather seal as well?
 
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goldenhusky

goldenhusky

EOS RP
CR Pro
Dec 2, 2016
440
257
In addition to being a touch pad this can be used to navigate through (swipe left or right) photos while reviewing through the EVF of course this can be done even with LCD but it will be more useful when viewing through the EVF.
 
E

esglord

EOS RP
May 9, 2019
62
78
I'm freaking out. I don't know what it is, but I hate it. Hahaha, jk, but I do enjoy pushing the button. Nothing makes me sadder than having touchscreen for my car's radio and climate control in lieu of the tactile joy of dials, buttons, etc. Anyway, I'm sure if it isn't cool, they won't pursue it.
 
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D

djs263875

CR Pro
Dec 18, 2020
1
3
I'm thinking the focus point joystick on the 1DX MkIII makes sense here. That would be a game changer.
 
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YuengLinger

YuengLinger

Long live the Oligarchy!
CR Pro
Dec 20, 2012
3,619
2,076
USA
bbasiaga said:
Just because its a touch screen, doesn't mean you can't press it. It could be like the touchpad on your pc, with swipe sensitivity and half and full press.

-Brian
Click to expand...
You mean like buttons on a microwave oven?
 
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C

COBRASoft

EOS R5
CR Pro
Mar 21, 2014
67
31
44
Oudenburg, Belgium
Perhaps tap and drag for moving AF points around, tap single time to take picture, tap and hold for multishot. Would be very intuitive as well.
 
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S

snappy604

EOS RP
CR Pro
Jan 25, 2017
618
548
I'm game for trying things out and often defended tech changes that a lot of photographers were resistant to (very long list)... but not sure I'm keen on the idea.. some things are more tactile and I've found touchpads on laptops irritating, I've tried the steam controller (games) and its also a trackpad and again not a good experience.. and seen the reaction to the R's touchbar. I'm ok with it on phones and on the live view, because it gives additional feedback/info, but a strictly touch device generally hasn't been my cup of tea.
 
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D

Deleted member 68328

Guest
So funny, they illustrate this patent showing a DSLR and not a mirrorless camera.
 
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