patent

Thanks to improvements in sensor design, iPhone and Android smartphones are gaining traction with enthusiast and professional creators. However, one area that has lagged behind developments in imaging sensors is image stabilization. In a significant development, a recent patent granted to Apple hints at a potential game-changer in this field.

A patent Apple filed in September 2022 has just been approved today, and it showcases a system of shock limiters and dampers to improve camera reliability.

Patents are always a fun way to see what camera companies are up to and theorize about what might be coming next, even if they frequently don't find their way into actual products. A new Canon patent filed in Japan is particularly intriguing, as it outlines a triple-layer high-speed stacked image sensor.

Hong Kong-based inventor Chan Yuk Sum has patented a clever dual aperture mechanism that allows photographers to achieve the beautiful bokeh effects of a circular aperture mechanism and the superior Sunstars of a polygonal opening, all in one lens.

Canon has developed a method that allows smartphone users to control multiple cameras in an array simultaneously which would, for example, allow them to record a video with the wide-angle camera while shooting photos with the main camera at the same time.

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent under its Ford Global Technologies, LLC branch to turn future Ford automobiles into a photographer's assistant.

Sony appears interested in expanding how its cameras communicate with photographers by adding haptic feedback that can be felt through its cameras' shutter buttons.

During the DSLR era, Canon built a reputation for its quality tilt-shift lenses. It seems as though just porting over those designs to mirrorless isn't enough, however, as the company has an idea of making what was manual tilt and shift operation instead fully electronic.

While patents are not guaranteed to result in actual products for customers to buy, some new Canon lens patents are nonetheless sure to excite photographers, especially wildlife and sports photographers.

Canon has patented a compact, tilting electronic viewfinder that telescopes out from the body and then up and horizontal to the top plate of the camera, allowing a user to look down through it from above.

In March, PetaPixel reported that Canon intends to release seven or eight RF lenses per year, which is a pretty aggressive release schedule, helping Canon catch up to the more than 70 EF lenses that were available when the EOS R system launched in 2018. A pair of EF lenses that have yet to make their way to the RF system are Canon's EF 200mm f/1.8L USM and EF 200mm f/2L IS USM fast primes.

OM System has been granted a patent for an astronomy tracking function that combines a camera's in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system alongside optical image stabilization (OIS).

Customers have clamored for a camera on the Apple Watch since its launch in 2015. If a patent (US 11571048 B1) recently filed by Apple is any indication, a built-in camera may soon become a reality for Apple Watch owners.

In late 2021, ARRI launched legal proceedings to challenge the validity of multiple patents related to lighting effects, claiming that many were erroneously granted for technical solutions that weren't actually new. It has today withdrawn that complaint with regard to Rotolight.

Canon has designed a pair of RF-mount catadioptric telephoto lenses that it says successfully corrects for field curvature while still being small, lightweight, and have a large aperture: a 300mm f/2.3 and a 400mm f/5.

Canon is no stranger to trying out new things on cameras and its latest concept puts a haptic motor behind the shutter button to provide silent feedback from the camera in place of sounds.

Apple is interested in developing a way for its Pencil accessory to be able to sample both the color and texture of real-world surfaces via an optical sensor in its tip.

RED Cinema is close to releasing its V-Raptor Rhino 8K S35 which has a native, fully active, Canon RF mount. The fact this relationship exists basically proves Canon is dead-set on selling its lenses above all else.

A patent filed by Canon for a moving selfie stick that automatically composes photos could lead to a groundbreaking camera.

In late August, a Viltrox representative told a prospective customer that Canon had told it to stop producing all RF mount products, and while at the time Canon declined to comment, it now confirms that it did so for violations of its patents.

Canon has patented a design for a ferrous liquid-cooled mirrorless camera. The designs indicate that the liquid would be moved around the inside of the camera using a series of magnets.

According to a new report, Apple is ramping up its supply chain to introduce a periscope lens in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max phones before expanding to wider integration across the entire iPhone 16 line.

Apple has designed a way to hide a camera inside the digital crown of an Apple Watch which would presumably allow users to stealthily take photos directly with the popular smartwatch.

Canon has been awarded a patent for new artificial intelligence (AI) driven technology that will automatically zoom in to better frame a photo before capture.

Canon may have known cameras like its R5 have a tendency to overheat, and a new patent design shows that the company has created a unique external heat sink design to help keep them cool.

Tamron has filed a patent for a pair of zoom lenses designed for use on gimbals and drones: a 28-75mm f/4 and 28-80mm f/4.5. Both lenses are described as compact and with little change to their center of gravity across the zoom range.

Nikon has filed a patent for a new type of sensor that would allow it to perform both a rolling and global shutter operation. It's not the first time the company has proposed such a design, but it expands on the use case of a previous filing.

Canon may be interested in the consumer drone market as it has designed a gimbal system for a small camera for use on a small quadcopter.

Huawei has patented a triple-camera 3D smartphone system that can scan and analyze a user's face and skin. It can determine if enough sunscreen has been applied, if makeup has been properly removed, and provides advice on care with a "skin score."

Apple has patented a design for a MagSafe mount that can attach to its iPhones and be used on tripods or stabilizers. Apple has typically not ventured into the photo capture segment of the accessory market.

Canon has announced that it is developing a virtual reality (VR) software platform that it is calling Kokomo. It is designed with the intention of changing human communication by combining VR with "immersive" Canon camera-powered video calls.

While Oppo recently revealed a lot during its Inno Day event this past week, it didn't provide any details on the expected Find X4 Pro smartphone other than it would come early next year. Luckily, a new design patent shows in detail what is likely to come.

Canon has shared video captured with its unique virtual reality RF 5.2mm f/2.8 L Dual Fisheye lens. The 4K footage allows for inspection of quality as well as showcases the ability to "look around" and interact with the scene.

Canon will reportedly soon release a dual 5.2mm f/2.8 L fisheye lens designed for the creation of virtual reality content.

Vivo has designed a detachable pop-up camera system that consists of three total cameras and two flashes and runs on its own built-in battery.

Oppo appears to be looking into the possibilities and benefits of placing a camera on the side of a smartphone. The design describes the use of a mirror system rather than integrating a separate dedicated sensor.

Fujifilm appears interested in jumping into the mobile smartphone space and designed a folding smartphone that works with a stylus pen. The description appears to be very similar to Samsung's recently announced Fold 3.