Nikon Rumors » Nikon Patents

Nikon 100-300mm f/4 full frame lens patent

[NR] admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:11:49 +0000

Nikon filed patent 201293548 in Japan for a Nikon 100-300mm f/4 full frame lens:

Patent release date: May 17th, 2012
Patent filing date: October 27th, 2010
Focal length: 102 - 294mm
Aperture: 4.1
Angle of view: 8.2 - 24.1 deg
Lens length: 282.43mm
Image height: 21.6mm
Lens design: 22 elements in 16 groups, 4 ED elements

FYI: few months ago Sigma discontinued their 100-300mm f/4 EX DG APO HSM lens.

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Nikon patents for 17mm f/4 tilt and shift, 10mm f/4, 16-30mm f/4.5-5.6 and 28mm f/1.4 lenses

[NR] admin — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:14:37 +0000

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Nikon filed patent 201278550 in Japan and 20120081791 in the US for a 17mm f/4 tilt and shift and 10mm f/4 wide angle lenses:

Patent released date: April 19th, 2012
Patent filing date: October 1st, 2010
Focal length: 17.11mm
Aperture: 4.08
Angle of view (half): 63.03deg
Image height: 33.00mm
Lens length: 188.30mm
Back focus 53.036mm
Lens design: 18 elements in 11 groups, 2 aspherical elements, 3 ED glass elements

Focal length: 10.3mm
Aperture:. 4.17
Angle of view (half): 64.84deg
Image height: 21.6mm
Lens length: 132.78mm
Back focus: 38.10mm
Lens design: 17 elements in 10 groups, 2 aspherical elements, 2 ED glass elements

patent: 16-30mm f/4.5-5.6

Patent 2012008273 filed in Japan is for a 16-30mm f/4.5-5.6 full frame lens. This is another example of a "cheap" full frame lens that could be designed for the rumored Nikon D600 camera:

Problem to be solved: To provide a lens having a wide angle of view, which is compact, has a small number of lenses, satisfactorily corrects aberrations and has high imaging performance, an imaging device, and a method for manufacturing the zoom lens.

Patent 201283703 has three different calculations for 28mm f/1.4, 24mm f/1.4 and 30mm f/1.4 lenses:

Patent release date: April 26th, 2012
Patent filing date: September 17th, 2010
Focal length: 28.50mm
Aperture: 1.45
Angle of view: 75.6deg
Image height: 21.6mm
Lens length: 133.3mm

Focal length: 24.70mm
Aperture: 1.44
Angle of view: 83.7deg
Image height: 21.6mm
Lens length: 133.3mm

Focal length: 30.87mm
Aperture: 1.45
Angle of view: 71.3deg
Image height: 21.6mm
Lens length: 135.0mm

Nikon filed a patent for a 24-70mm f/3.5-4.5 full frame lens

[NR] admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:51:52 +0000

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Nikon filed patent application 2011-221421 in Japan for a 24-70mm f/3.5-4.5 full frame lens. This lens only makes sense as a part of a "cheap" full frame body kit. The patent contains several different calculations:

Example #1:

Focal length: 24.70-68.00
Aperture: 3.51-4.51
Omega (half field of view): 42.63-16.87
Image height: 21.6-21.6
Overall length: 112.599 - 138.896
Back focus: 38.818-54.481

Example #2

Focal length: 24.70-82.50
Aperture: 3.60-4.60
Omega (half field of view): 42.62-14.04
Image height: 21.6-21.6
Overall length: 121.098 - 158.098
Back focus: 38.818-58.586

Example #3

Focal length: 28.80-102.00
Aperture: 3.63-4.62
Omega (half field of view): 38.28-9.85
Image height: 21.6-21.6
Overall length: 123.531 - 157.844
Back focus: 38.818-54.339

Example #4

Focal length: 24.70-87.20
Aperture: 3.60-5.80
Omega (half field of view): 42.64-11.49
Image height: 21.6-21.6
Overall length: 124.699 - 156.696
Back focus: 38.819-56.191

Example #5

Focal length: 22.55-77.20
Aperture: 3.59-5.78
Omega (half field of view): 45.22-15.08
Image height: 21.6-21.6
Overall length: 126.365 - 166.395
Back focus: 38.819-68.503

The patent for the upcoming Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.8G full frame lens is now online

[NR] admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 05:42:03 +0000

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Patent application 20120069440 is for the upcoming Nikkor AF-S 28mm f/1.8G full frame lens. I have no exact announcement date yet, but I believe this lens will be introduced in 2012. The patent contains several different calculations and one of them is for 28mm f/1.8:

f = 28.08 (focal length)
FNO = 1.84 (aperture)
2ω = 76.4° (filed of view)
Y = 21.6 (image height)
TL = 124.5 (total lens length)

The next patent application 20120069441 is for a 16-35mm f/2.8 lens:

f = 16.48 - 24.00 - 33.95 (focal length)
FNO = 2.884 - 2.884 - 2.884 (aperture)
2ω = 108° - 84° - 63° (filed of view)
Y = 21.64 - 21.64 - 21.64 (image height)

Nikon 1 9-25mm f/2.8-5.0 lens patent

[NR] admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:49:17 +0000

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Nikon filed a patent (201253230) in Japan for a 9-25mm f/2.8-5.0 lens (24-68mm equivalent) for Nikon 1 mirrorless cameras:

Patent release date: March 15th, 2012
Patent filed on: August 31st, 2010
Focal length: 25.40001 - 9.05996mm
Aperture: 2.89342 - 5.08823
Lens length: 68.71681 - 72.43416mm
Zoom ratio: 2.8035
Lens design: 12 elements in 10 groups
1 ED glass element
3 aspherical elements

Nikon 135mm f/1.8 lens patent

[NR] admin — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:37:39 +0000

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Nikon filed a patent (201048125) in Japan for a 135mm f/1.8 lens:

Patent release date: March 8, 2012
Patent filing date: August 30, 2012
Focal length: 132.9mm
Aperture: 1.8
Angle of view: 18.3°
Lens design: 15 elements in 9 group, 2 ED elements
Internal focusing (IF)
Vibration reduction (VR)

Update: here is the US patent 20120050872 application for the same lens.

Nikon currently has the AF DC-Nikkor 135mm f/2D lens ($1,329.00) in their catalog (lens design: 7 elements in 6 groups).

It seems that Nikon is persistently releasing a whole line of full frame f/1.8 lenses - last year there was the Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens, this year the Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G and will probably see also a new Nikkor AF-S 28mm f/1.8G by the end of 2012.

Patent filed for the rumored new Nikon 16-85mm DX lens

[NR] admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:42:33 +0000

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New patented lens design

Design of the current Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

I already mentioned that Nikon will release a new 16-85mm DX lens in 2012 with a fixed f/4 aperture. A new patent (201042547) filed in Japan just became available online and shows the details of a Nikkor 16-85mm f/4 DX VR lens. Here is one of the shown examples (patents usually have several different variations/calculations of the same lens):

Patent release date: March 1, 2012
Patent filling date: August 26, 2010
Related patents: 201042548, 201042549
Focal length: 16.4-86.4mm
Aperture: f/4.3 - 4.7 (another example was shown with aperture f/4.1-4.9)
Angel of view: 20.4 - 85.5°
Lens length: 140.9 - 110.0mm
Design: 17 elements in 13 groups (the current model has 17 elements in 11 groups)
Three aspherical elements (same as in the current model)
Vibration reduction (VR)
Internal focusing (IF)

Currently the Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX lens is back-ordered at both B&H and Adorama.

Nikon patent for 18mm f/1.8, 20mm f/1.8 FX lenses

[NR] admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:03:10 +0000

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Nikon 18mm f/1.8 lens patent

Nikon filed a patent 2012-27450 in Japan for a 18mm f/1.8 and 20mm f/1.8 full frame lenses:

Focal length: 18.4mm
Aperture: 1.84
Angle of view: 100.3deg
Lens design: 14 elements in 11 groups
3 aspherical elements
3 ED elements

Nikon 20mm f/1.8 lens patent

Focal length: 20.4mm
Aperture: 1.84
Angle of view: 94.7deg
Lens design: 12 elements in 9 groups
3 aspherical elements
4 ED elements

It is typical for Nikon to patent several slightly different versions of each lens.

Nikon vs. Sigma patent infringement lawsuit could be finalized in the next few weeks

[NR] admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:11:45 +0000

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Back in May of 2011 Nikon filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Sigma over lenses with VR technology. I was told that the negotiations between the two companies should be finalized in the coming weeks and a press release will be issued. Nikon was initially looking for a compensation of 12.6 billion yen (around 150 million dollars) which I assume is a lot of money for Sigma. I am not sure of the final outcome, or least not confident enough to post it online.

Nikon’s patent for a 16-30mm f/4.5-5.6 FX lens

[NR] admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:45:11 +0000

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Patents 2012-8268, 2012-8271 and 2012-8273 filed in Japan are for a 16-30mm f/4.5-5.6 full frame lens:

Patent published on January 12th, 2012
Patent filed on June 23rd, 2010
Focal length: 16.48 - 29.10mm
Aperture: 4.41 - 5.88
Half angle of view 53.27 - 36.32°
Zoom ratio: 1.77x
14 elemetns in 9 groups
3 ED glass elements
2 aspherical elements
Internal focusing

Nikon files patent for a 35mm f/2.8 VR full frame lens

[NR] admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:52:48 +0000

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Nikon filed patent 2012-8264 in Japan for a 35mm f/2.8 VR full frame lens:

Focal length: 36.20mm
Aperture: 2.95
Angle of view: 62.67°
6 elements in 5 groups
2 aspherical lens elements

FYI: the latest AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G lens ($1,619.00) has 10 elements in 7 groups with one aspherical element.

Weekly Nikon news flash #142

[NR] admin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 01:29:48 +0000

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Ubertronix Strike Finder lets you take pictures of lightnings, popping balloons and even speeding bullets.

Phottix Aion wireless timer and shutter release is now shipping (compatible with Nikon cameras).

New book: David Busch's Nikon Coolpix P7100 Guide to Digital Photography.

Nikon D90 now sells for 814.99. My guess is that those are the last shipments. RIP Nikon D90!
Rare Nikon Rangefinder 3,5/3,5cm Stereo Nikkor outfit for sale on eBay for $42.630.

Nikon Netherlands now has its own online store.

New Nikon lens cap patent (2011-252988).
Nikon provides aid to the victims of the typhoon "Washi" in the Philippines.
NME Music Photography Awards with Nikon exhibition taking place in London next month.
The making of the Nikon vs. Canon video:

The Nikon Coolpix P300 replacement may have a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.6 lens

[NR] admin — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:28:36 +0000

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Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon filed patent 2011232502 in Japan for a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.6 lens which will probably be used in the Coolpix P300 replacement:

The current P300 model has a 24-100mm f/1.8-4.9 equivalent lens.

The Nikon P300 was announced on February 8th, 2011 and will probably be up for replacement in February 2012 (Coolpix cameras are usually refreshed in February and August)

The latest Nikon patents

[NR] admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 01:52:58 +0000

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Time for another update on the latest patent application filed by Nikon:

Patent application 20110273577 is for artificial blur enhancement - in other words simulating bokeh without using a fast lens:

Artificial blur enhancement: before and after

The blur detecting section detects degree of blur of an image of the second region of the image of the photographic image data. The blur enhancement section performs blur enhancement processing on the image of the second region to enlarge the degree of blur of the image after image processing in proportion to the magnitude of the detected degree of blur of the image.

Patent application 20110267707 is for a 10mm f/2.8 lens (f=10.30, FNO=2.91):

Nikon patent for 10mm f/2.8 lens

Patent applications 20110267710 and 20110274419 are for a retractable lens:

There is a lens barrel that drives a first lens and a lens barrier independently on an optical axis. This lens barrel alters relative positions of the lens barrier and the first lens between a retracted state and a shooting state. That is, in the retracted state, the first lens is withdrawn toward the image side in the optical axis direction such that the lens barrier can close, and in the shooting state, the first lens is moved closer to the lens barrier such that a larger angle of view may be provided without the overall external diameter of the lens barrel increasing.

In recent years, in order to further widen the angle of a lens, a mechanism has been employed that, in the shooting state, projects a first lens forward in the optical axis direction beyond a position at which the lens barrier is disposed. However, with this mechanism, when the lens barrel is switching to the shooting state, if, for example, the lens barrier is pushed against by an external force and the lens barrier does not open, the first lens (optical system) comes into contact with the lens barrier, and the lens barrier and the first lens may be damaged.

In addition to the one reported back in August, two more patents (2011-221421, 2011-221422) were filed in Japan for a 24-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. Several different designs were mentioned in the patents:

Nikon patent for a 24-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens

Focal length f	Aperture Fno	Lens design	Aspherical surface	ED glass
24-70mm	F3.5-4.5	18 sheets 12 groups	Three on three sides	Zero
24-85mm	F3.5-4.5	18 sheets 12 groups	Three on three sides	One
28-105mm	F3.5-4.5	18 sheets 12 groups	Three on three sides	One
24-90mm	F3.5-5.6	18 sheets in 11 groups	Three on three sides	One
22-80mm	F3.5-5.6	18 sheets in 11 groups	Three on three sides	One

Patent 2011-223469 is for some kind of a hybrid viewfinder that can automatically switch between EVF and OVF based on the photographed scene:

If the subject is bright: switch to EVF or rear LCD Live View
If the subject is dark: switch to OVF switch

This invention relates to the imaging device which changes an observation method according to the luminosity of a photographic subject - reducing the light volume which enters into a photography person's pupil as photographic subject luminosity becomes high so that a light strong against a photography person's pupil may not enter conventionally (Google translation)

The patent describes also an OVF and EVF indication in the viewfinder:

Nikon has filed several different hybrid viewfinder related patents in the past.

Nikon is being sued for alledgedly infringing four patents related to digital camera technology

[NR] admin — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 02:11:07 +0000

Bloomberg reports that Intellectual Ventures LLC has sued Nikon for patent infringement on four different digital camera technology patents:

"IV said it initially approached Nikon in 2008 about taking a license to the patents. Nikon declined to meet with the technology-licensing company at that time, according to court papers.

In 2011, IV said it made a second approach to Nikon and its “good-faith efforts to negotiate a license” with the camera company failed."

The four patents in question can be found here:

6,181,836: “Method and system for non-destructive image editing” by Delean and assigned to MGI Software Corporation. Prosecuted by Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman. Includes 16 claims (4 indep.). Was application 08/933,798. Filed 9/19/1997 & Granted 1/30/2001.
6,121,960: “Touch screen systems and methods” by Carroll et. al. and assigned to ViA, Inc.. Prosecuted by Patterson, Thuente & Skaar, P.A.. Includes 30 claims (3 indep.). Was application 08/919,527. Filed 8/28/1997 & Granted 9/19/2000.
6,979,587: “Image sensor and method for fabricating the same” by Lee and assigned to Hynix Semiconductor Inc.. Prosecuted by Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP. Includes 10 claims (4 indep.). Was application 10/330,287. Filed 12/30/2002 & Granted 12/27/2005.
6,221,686: “Method of making a semiconductor image sensor” by Drowley et. al. and assigned to Motorola, Inc.. Prosecuted by Huffman; A. Kate. Includes 34 claims (4 indep.). Was application 09/493,366. Filed 1/28/2000 & Granted 4/24/2001.
7,733,368: “Virtual reality camera” by Teo. Prosecuted by Perkins Coie LLP. Includes 22 claims (4 indep.). Was application 11/935,344. Filed 11/5/2007 & Granted 6/8/2010.

Nikon’s patent for a 800mm f/5.6 lens

[NR] admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 15:11:26 +0000

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Nikon filed a patent 2011197413 in Japan for a 800mm f/5.6 lens:

Patent publication: 2011-197413
Patent release date: October 6th, 2011
Patent filing date: March 19, 2010
Focal length: 800.00mm
Aperture: 5.61
Image height: 21.60mm
Lens design: 16 elements in 14 groups
Internal focus
Image stabilization

The longest telephoto in the current Nikon arsenal is the Nikkor 600mm f/4 ED VR lens ($10,300) while Canon already has a EF 800 f/5.6L IS USM lens ($14,000).

The latest Nikon patents

[NR] admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:43:09 +0000

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Sometimes patents provide valuable information about upcoming products. For example the first Nikon mirrorless patent was reported back in August of 2009 (incl. also a patent for the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4). Here are the most interesting Nikon patents filed since the last recap:

Nikon filed a patent application (#20110228407) for a 70-200mm f/4 VR II lens:

Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 lens patent 2011186159 with 15.7x zoom ratio and 3 aspherical surfaces:

Nikon filed a patent 2011175190 that will allow the lens to be detached from the back of the camera:

Nikon 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 mirrorless lens patent shows up in Japan

[NR] admin — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:53:02 +0000

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A patent for the 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 mirrorless lens showed also up in Japan (see US filing):

Patent publication: 2011-175098
Published on September 8, 2011
Filed on February 24, 2010
Focal length: 10.3-97.0mm
Aperture: 4.6-5.9
Image height: 8mm
Lens length: 128.784mm
9.42x zoom ratio
One aspherical element
Internal zoom
Inner focus
VR

The latest Nikon patents

[NR] admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:35:18 +0000

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Photogrpahybay found this US patent application 20110205636 from Nikon for a 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 VR lens (27-270mm equivalent) which is probably the super zoom that will be announced with the new mirrorless camera:

Patent 2011-085674 filed by Nikon in Japan is for GPS enabled battery grip (there were some rumors several months ago that the D700 replacement may have such GPS enabled grip):

Problem to be solved: To provide a device with a built-in positioning function capable of receiving a positioning signal from a positioning satellite with good sensitivity and having high accuracy of positioning.

Patent 2011-081076 filed in Japan is for another GPS implementation in a DSLR:

Problem to be solved: To provide a device with a built-in positioning function which is free from lowering of positioning accuracy by a positioning sensor, even when accessory is attached to the device.

Patet 2011-076005 filed in Japan is for a flash with bounce capability:

Problem to be solved: To provide an imaging apparatus capable of changing an illuminating light radiation direction, and including a light emitting part which is easily housed

Patent 2011-164314 (Japan) is for a an adjustable EVF:

The latest Nikon patents

[NR] admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:31:36 +0000

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Nikon patent 2011-138044 is for a biological detection system that will sense photographer's biorhythms (temperature, sweating, blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow) through a sensor on the zoom ring and change the camera setting or even trigger the shutter in certain situations:

Nikon filed a patent 2011-145435 in Japan for a 24-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens:

Patent 2011-150196 describes three different full frame 24mm lens designs:

Patent 2011-139280 is to prevent condensation inside the camera.