Does This Nikon Patent App Show a New and Upcoming Lens Mount?
This one is a little hard to interpret, but a recently published patent application from Nikon seems to pave the way for a new lens mount.
“In the case of the camera body and interchangeable lens,” reads the application, “there is the possibility that when communication is performed by two independent communication systems simultaneously, the communication performed by one communication system could give an adverse effect on the communication performed by the other communication system. ”
The patent goes on to talk a lot about drive mechanisms, drive voltage and the precise relation of one contact to another before getting slightly clearer that the main objective seems to better coordination among the mechanical systems in the lens: focus, aperture, power zoom, vibration reduction, etc.
The last time Nikon added a new lens mount to its inventory was in 2011, when the CX mount debuted with Nikon 1, the company’s still-looking-for-traction entry into the mirrorless market.
Image credit: Nikon/U.S. Patent & Trademark Office