Category Archives: Nikon Patents

Catching up on the latest Nikon patents

By [NR] admin | Published: October 4, 2010

Japanese patent application 2010-128374 is for a new Speedlight with video illumination and specifically a way to cool off the flash efficiently by adding a “heat radiating member”: “Problem to be solved: To efficiently cool an illumination device including a flash light source and a continuous light source. Solution: The illumination device includes: a housing; a flash […]

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Nikon files patents for a new 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 lens and back-illuminated sensor, possibly for their EVIL camera

By [NR] admin | Published: September 1, 2010

US Patent Application 20100214667 from Nikon is for a new 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 lens. Some interesting specs: the lens has a constant length of ~260mm at all focal lengths and possibly 21 elements in 14 groups with 4 ED glass elements (@2, 3, 12 and 15): The current Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED model has 17 elements in […]

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Nikon patents update

By [NR] admin | Published: August 25, 2010

Japanese patent application 2010-117664 shows us few more drawings of the Nikon EVIL camera: and the new Nikon EVIL mount again: See previous Nikon EVIL camera drawings from older patent applications here, here and here.

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Patents for Nikon 24-120mm f/4 and 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 lenses

By [NR] admin | Published: August 18, 2010

Japanese Patent application 2010-175899 (release date: August 12, 2010 | filing date: January 30, 2009) seems to cover several different lens designs, two of them are for the lenses that will be announced tonight: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR: f = 24.70-116.39mm Fno = 4.12-4.14 Angle: 85.24-20.28 ° Image circle: 43.2mm Length: 146.351-190.957mm Back focus: […]

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Nikon patents update: new 24mm lens and more EVIL

By [NR] admin | Published: August 16, 2010

A quick update on the latest Nikon patents before the announcements start tomorrow. Patent application 20100195221 is for a 24mm FX wide angle lens. Two examples are shown – one with f/2.8 and one with f/3.5: First example (f/2.8) | Second example (f/3.5): f = 24.698     | 24.400 (focal length) FNO = 2.9 […]

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Another day, another Nikon EVIL patent

By [NR] admin | Published: August 2, 2010

Mirrorless camera with a mirror? This time the patent drawings are interesting because they reveal the full glory of the EVIL concept, incl. the electronic viewfinder, which appears to have a… mirror. My guess here is that the mirror is used to magnify the view from the finder: The mirror could explain also this drawing from […]

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Nikon’s EVIL camera may have DX size sensor

By [NR] admin | Published: July 30, 2010

Based on previous Nikon’s patent applications, the initial estimation of the sensor in the upcoming EVIL camera was 17mm in diagonal (image circle). For comparison the m4/3 sensor is 21.6 mm. This news was a bit disappointing, but now there is hope. Few weeks ago Thom Hogan and [NR] forum member JonnyApple suggested that the Nikon may be […]

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