Close Menu

    Patent: Internal liquid cooling of camera body

    By Updated:27 Comments1 Min Read Canon Patents
    patentmagcoolin - Patent: Internal liquid cooling of camera body

    Keith over at Northlight Images uncovered a pretty cool patent pertaining to cooling of camera bodies. A lot has been discussed about this topic over the last couple of years.

    This patent shows Canon using magnets to pump the liquid through the cooling tubes, which I would think, would make this type of active cooling silient, unlike internal cooling fans. This would also do a much better job of bringing the internal temperatures down that simply using copper heatsinks.

    Cooling of camera bodies is going to be an area a lot of resources are going to be poured into we think. Especially with consumer 8K, high-resolution and high-speed cameras becoming more common, and they're only going to get faster and more capable in the future.

    Some of our articles may include affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

    Go to discussion...

    Share.

    Related Posts

    27 comments

    4. Pun intended?
      Intended, and appropriate.

      Camera cooling is the future as the tech advances. A liquid cooled camera is a much more elegant solution than a fan. Some say the fan on the R5C doesn't add a lot. I can see what they mean as it does feel the same in hand, but the added bulk is noticeable. And it's a much tighter fit in some of my camera bags.

      More importantly, cooling is going to be critical for the higher resolution/higher framerate capturing modes. What I'm most hopeful for, are codecs with a much more aggressive form of compression, which adds more processing and heat, so we can get file sizes down. I've also noticed tests that show that the R5C's image is better than the R5 especially at higher ISO. I suspect the cooling has to do with that. Makes sense since heat adds noise.
    7. Hopefully in the R5 II in about two years. I was also looking at the patent image looking for a global shutter, again wishing.
      In which case you need to look at the patents covering aspects of sensor design and manufacture - these regulalry cover shutter, readout and related aspects
      Remeber anything not related to the primary idea of the patent is just padding to show examples of the main idea in use.
      There have been a steady stream of shutter/readout related ones over recent years, but the patents are too complex and specific for me to quickly summarise in posts.
    8. Hopefully in the R5 II in about two years. I was also looking at the patent image looking for a global shutter, again wishing.
      More likely in the R5C Mkiii or the R1 Mkii, in about 7 years methinks.
    9. More importantly, cooling is going to be critical for the higher resolution/higher framerate capturing modes. What I'm most hopeful for, are codecs with a much more aggressive form of compression, which adds more processing and heat, so we can get file sizes down. I've also noticed tests that show that the R5C's image is better than the R5 especially at higher ISO. I suspect the cooling has to do with that. Makes sense since heat adds noise.
      I think that processor efficiency/nm line width will also play a big part. Sony has shown that their high compression codecs for 8K can still be done in a smaller body than the R5/c and also have longer CIPA battery life even though the battery capacity isn't much different.
      In theory, more processor effort will produce more heat (apples to apples) but this could be offset by the non-use of the CFe card which is a big heat generator in itself
    10. I wonder how robust these active cooling systems will be. A copper heatsink is passive and in theory can last a decade. I am not so certain on an active cooling system. Personally, I hope the R1 does NOT have an active cooling system. Maybe this cooling system will be reserved for Cinema series?
    11. will this puta drain on battery, would we then need higher capacity battery?
      I don't think so. It states that magnets are used to move the liquid through the tubes. I'd imagine these to be permanent magnets, rather that an electromagnetic design. Neodymium magnets, maybe? It could be that the liquid viscosity changes in the hotter part of the loop too, which might influence the liquid in the magnetic field. *Just me making an uninformed guess. I've forgotten a large part of my physics and magnetism training.* Again, just my guess.
    13. I don't think so. It states that magnets are used to move the liquid through the tubes. I'd imagine these to be permanent magnets, rather that an electromagnetic design. Neodymium magnets, maybe? It could be that the liquid viscosity changes in the hotter part of the loop too, which might influence the liquid in the magnetic field. *Just me making an uninformed guess. I've forgotten a large part of my physics and magnetism training.* Again, just my guess.
      That sounds like the "Magneto-Hydrodynamic" drive from the Red October :)
    15. Honestly, I don't think liquid cooling is the best solution in an application like this.
      Vapor pipes might be more useful in this application, because these don't require moving parts and as far as I remember, they can actually transfer more heat than pumped liquid cooling.
      Vapor pipes are also a fully passive cooling solution, so they won't impact battery life.
    17. will this puta drain on battery, would we then need higher capacity battery?
      I guess even a water-cooled battery whose cooling system will be powered with a second (air-cooled?) battery ;)
      Unless Canon prefer to use a portable 2 Kw. Honda 4 stroke power generator.
    18. I dont think that is depicting liquid cooling, I think those are heat pipes. True liquid cooling wouldnt make any sense from a cost, reliability, and performance aspect. Small heatpipes and heatsink fins are already widely used in cameras.
    19. Hopefully in the R5 II in about two years. I was also looking at the patent image looking for a global shutter, again wishing.
      Me too but probably for different reasons as I’m not a videographer. I want a global shutter for flash photography, specifically balancing ambient light with flash at high shutter speeds without HSS, HS, or ND filters. A global shutter would also allow smaller flash units in location because you wouldn’t need to over compensate on flash power for HSS or ND filters. You could get away with speed lights or something like the A2’s where you would need 250/500w now.

    Leave a comment

    Please log in to your forum account to comment