Panasonic Patents Optical Viewfinder for Mirrorless Cameras that Could Communicate with Your Lens

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Panasonic might have found the last piece of the puzzle keeping many DSLR users from switching over to mirrorless cameras.

The above image is taken from a patent that diagrams the basics behind adding an optical viewfinder to mirrorless cameras. Even more interesting, the viewfinder would be able to change focal length when synced with any Micro Four Thirds lens.

This would effectively be the first universal and variable optical viewfinder on any digital mirrorless system, marking a defining moment in the market.

optical_viewfinder

The technical breakdown in the patent explains that the viewfinder would include a “Keplerian viewfinder optical system” that would use a stepping motor to change focal length depending on the lens attached. Even if you have a zoom lens attached, it would communicate with the viewfinder and “display at least a photographing frame on an EVF panel.”

You can dive into the nitty gritty details by reading the full patent text here.

As far as when – or even if – this will ever make it to market, it’s nothing but guesses at this point. But the idea of eliminating this major advantage that DSLRs have over mirrorless cameras is an interesting one that might just convince a few mirrorless holdouts to swap over if and when it becomes more than just an idea.

(via 43 Rumors)

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