Canon patent for improved phase-detection AF (for the next Mirrorless Camera?)

Egami (machine translated) found a Canon patent for an improved phase-detection AF. Higher accuracy is obtained by better propagation of light. The patent text also suggests, the method should improve accuracy when light is falling in with a low-angle incident. Another fact is very interesting: the patent refers to smaller pixel size, i.e. you can pack more pixel on the sensor. So, given that a phase-detection AF is particularly useful on a mirrorless camera, could that indicate that Canon is working on a higher resolutions sensor (with an improved AF) for its more pro-oriented mirrorless camera that we expect to be announced later this year? I think that’s plausible. If Canon is working on a mirrorless camera that is more pro-oriented than the EOS M, this cam will most probably have a higher resolution.

  • Patent Publication No. 2012-151215

    • 2012.8.9 Release Date

    • 2011.1.18 filing date

  • Existing techniques

    • JP 2002-314062

    • Conventional techniques beam separation is insufficient, Ranging Accuracy is poor

      • Scattering effects due to wiring

      • The smaller the angle of incidence, it is difficult to detect

      • Smaller pixel size, the value of F becomes larger microlenses (dark), they spread the light next to almost the same in the size of the image pixel size and pixel diffraction

  • And waveguide

    • The waveguide, depending on the angle of incidence of the light flux, there is a characteristic (waveguide mode) is different states of light propagation in the waveguide

  • Canon ‘s patented

    • Consisting of waveguide waveguide and vice

      • Guiding light of two different incident direction: waveguide

      • Vice waveguide: one for each waveguide comprises a waveguide two sub-

    • Can be detected by the photoelectric conversion unit specific, the incident light at a particular angle

    • Impact of wiring

      • The incident light to propagate the core portion of the waveguide, reducing the impact of wiring

    • Low-angle incident light, by using the corresponding waveguide mode depends on the incident direction

    • Small pixel size, support by limiting the distribution of the emitted light

      • Achieved by suppressing the spatial width confinement in the waveguide propagation of light sub-

Canon: The EOS-M is made for women. No plan to make FF mirrorless (for now)

Image courtesy: DC.watch.

DC.watch (Translation here) interviewed the Canon team that developed the EOS-M mirrorless camera. Here are some interesting bits from the interview:

1) From the beginning the goal was to make the EOS-M as good as other EOS DSLR cameras. And to make ir small and light.
2) First goal is to reach a 15% of the mirrorless market share in Japan (by October).
3) Shutter from the EOS DSLR series has been minaturzized to fit into the EOS-M
4) GX1 sales are still strong (production is 30.000 units per month).
5) A Four Thirds sensor would bring an even further advantage in miniaturization but Canon wanted to make it fully EOS compatible.
6) We chosed to have Phase detection pixel on sensor because that technology works better than COntrast AF on moving objects.
7) EOS-M mount can NOT accomodate a FULL FRAME sensor. And there is no plan for a FF mirrorless.
8) No plan for now to make an adpater for FD lenses.

Interesting. They also said the main target are women :)

Canon EOS-M preorder links:
Full presentation page on Amazon.
EOS-M Black at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto. In Europe at Amazon DE, Amazon UK.
EOS-M White at BHphoto. In Europe at Amazon DE, Amazon UK.
EOS-M 22mm pancake at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
EOS-M 15-55mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
EOS-M adapter at Amazon and BHphoto.
EOS-M Flash at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.

New Nikon J2 and 11-27.5mm lens officially announced.

It’s a bit strange to announce a new camera and lens in early August but this certainly means that Nikon has a lot of stuff to announce before Photokina :)
Here are the links to the new J2 and 11-27.5mm:

Preorders:
Nikon J2 at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Nikon 11-27.5mm at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here)

Press release:
Nikon J2 at Dpreview, Petapixel, CSCmagazine (spanish),
Nikon 11-27.5mm lens at Dpreview, CSCmagazine (spanish),

NEX-5R and NEX-6 both with a new 16 Megapixel sensor

According to rumors from top sources Sony developed a special and completely new 16 Megapixel APS-C sensor that will be first find his use in the new NEX-5R and NEX-6 cameras coming in September. As you already know those cameras will be announced along three new NEX lenses. The Sony NEX-5R should be priced around $699. The NEX-6 has an integrated viewfinder and should be priced at $950-1000. Both will include Wifi capability. Let’s see if those cameras cans top the momentum of the Canon EOS-M.

Meantime it’s good to hear (for Sony) that while they are facing a terrible crisis in the TV Business they are doing much better than expected in the Imaging Division. Their Q1 financial report (.pdf) says: “Sales increased 7.6% year-on-year (a 12% increase on a constant currency basis) to 193.8 billion yen (2,453 million U.S. dollars). This increase was primarily due to a significant increase in sales of interchangeable single lens cameras reflecting higher demand…“

Mirrorless rules :)

Nikon J2 specs leaked.

Digicaminfo now posted the full Nikon J2 specs. This is the google translation:

– 10.15 million pixel sensor, CX format (2.7 times the angle of view), built-in image plane phase difference AF
– The image processing engine EXPEED3
– ISO6400 ISO100-3200, in sensitizing
– Electronic shutter shutter, second 1/16000-30, Bulb, Time (when using the ML-L3)
– 10 seconds continuous shooting frame / s, 30 frames / s, 5 frames per second 60 frames /, in the high-speed continuous shooting
– Video is 1920×1080 60i, a compression method H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MOV file format
– The media SD / SDHC / SDXC
– 920,000 dot LCD monitor type 3
– The size is 106mm x 61mm x 29.8mm
– The weight (body only) 237g, (including battery, SD memory card) 280g
– Creative mode of the effect of eight (miniature effect, select color, soft, easy panorama, Backlight, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, four exposure modes to choose)

 

Canon EOS-M news roundup. Expected availability October 15th

A couple of weeks ago Ken Rockwell said that the Canon EOS-M is the first professional mirrorless camera. Now we will hear the exact opposite form another blogger :) Kirk Tuck says that “Canon missed the whole point”. He writes that the EOS-M “is basically a re-do of their boring G1X bloated compact camera but without the swivel screen, without the pop-up flash and without even the benefit of a creepy, point 85 plastic optical viewfinder.  So you actually get a lot less stuff but the same performance for the same basic price point?  And this makes sense to rational photographers? How?“

You can choose who is right. I think Canon released a nice camera, at least it’s a lot more competitive than the Nikon 1 if you consider the price-features balance. But I am sure Nikon is ready to answer them soon!

P.S.: Hands-on at ThePhoBlographer and  Trendy Nikkei (japanese). Mirrorless camera (pre-)order rankings at Amazon (Click here).

Canon EOS-M preorder links:
Full presentation page on Amazon (Click here).
EOS-M Black at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M White at BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 22mm pancake at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M 15-55mm kit lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M adapter at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
EOS-M Flash at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).