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Posts Tagged ‘Curved’

Nikon patents 35mm F2.0 lens for camera with curved full frame sensor

23 Jul

Nikon’s never-released DL18-50. Did Nikon abandon this series of 1-inch sensor compacts in order to focus on creating a full-frame mirrorless camera?

A new Nikon lens patent is causing quite a stir in the photo world today, but it’s not because of the lens itself. Instead, the patent has people excited because it describes a lens that is made for a curved full-frame sensor, possibly inside a mirrorless camera.

The latter bit is pure speculation—as Nikon Rumors points out, “the patent does not provide sufficient technical information to determine if this is a mirrorless or a DSLR lens,” especially since Nikon has patented curved sensors in the past—but the 35mm F2.0 lens described is definitely made to work with a full-frame curved sensor.

It’s possible this camera could be a fixed-lens system, bypassing the need to design multiple lenses or figure out how to make zoom lenses work on a curved sensor. For that matter, it’s also possible this design never makes it to market. But the fact that Nikon is dabbling in patents here, spending R&D time and money on some real innovation, is at least mildly heartening.

With multiple curved sensor patents and prototypes out in the wild, the correct question now seems to be “when” rather than “if” this technology will make it to the general public. Well, “when” and “who will get there first?”

You can see more diagrams from this patent here: P2017-125904A. And, of course, feel free to speculate your heart out in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony patents 400mm F2.8 lens for a curved medium format sensor

21 Jul

It’s a great day for innovative patent news. Earlier today, we told you about a Nikon patent for a lens that was designed to work with a full-frame curved sensor camera. But that might not be the most innovative curved sensor patent you’ll hear about today. That title goes to Sony, and their 400mm F2.8 lens designed for a curved medium format sensor.

Sony Alpha Rumors first spotted the Japanese patent, which describes a lens designed for a curved 645 size sensor—that’s bigger than the sensors found in the Fuji GFX-50s and Hasselblad X1D-50c. The lens is “single focus” and “can be used as an interchangeable lens” reads the translated patent. It goes on to say that, thanks to the curved sensor design “High MTF can be obtained.”

Here’s are a couple of diagrams, in case you’re curious and know a thing or two about optical design. The lens seems exceptionally simple in design, possibly thanks to the benefits of a curved sensor:

As with all patents, there’s plenty of reason to doubt this exact diagram will materialize into a real product; however, it does mean Sony is thinking about medium format and curved sensors, and that should have anybody interested in digital camera innovations very excited.

Like we said earlier today, it’s not so much “will” someone bring this tech to photographers, but “when” and “who will get there first?” May the most innovative company win.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon patent shows curved sensor design

03 Dec

A new patent suggests Canon’s engineers might be working on a curved sensor design to reduce vignetting. Japanese blog Egami reports on a patent that was released on the 24th of November and describes an image sensor design with a flat central portion, where light fall-off from the lens is not much of an issue, and curved edges, where fall-off is generally more noticeable. This approach, rather than using a sensor that’s totally curved, would avoid making the whole unit much thicker.

Such a sensor design could potentially be applied in mirrorless camera models where, due to short flange-back distances, vignetting is generally more of a problem than on conventional DSLRs. Software processing can correct for the effect but only to a certain degree, so it would not be a surprise that manufacturers are looking for hardware solutions.

As with all patents, it’s impossible to know if the technology will ever make it into a production model but it’s good to know manufacturers are looking at innovative ways of improving image quality.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Tunnel of Books: Curved Shelves Wrap Bookstore Walls & Ceiling

25 Jul

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

book tunnel interior

Paired to fantastic effect, a series of arch-forming shelving units and a black-mirrored floor create a wraparound tunnel in a Chinese bookstore, punctuated by a fracture leading visitors through the resulting passageway.

book tunnel front view

book tunnel side view

Designed by Shanghai studio XL-Muse (images Shao Feng), these floor-to-ceiling shelves in the Yangzhou Zhongshuge bookshop drew inspiration from the winding and reflective Zhen Yuan river nearby, as well as the area’s arched bridges.

book cavernouse i interior

book curved reading room

book meeting space

“In the past, guided by water, many literati and poets visited and gathered here,” said XL-Muse, and these regional infrastructural icons were “used to be the guiding factor of culture and commerce, and they represent that the bookstore is the bond between humans and books at the same time.”

book wrapping volumes

book side view

book reader

The tunnel opens up into a vast library-worth realm of further reading in the cavernous interior, with architectural elements echoing the arches of the entry corridor. The rounded-and-arched theme is carried through in thin pillars and sloping displays.

book children reading

book kids space

Additional interior design dimensions come into play in themed reading spaces for children and adults, with starry ceilings and other humanizing elements. Here, furniture colors and shapes soften these spaces and make them more comfortable and inviting for longer-term occupation.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

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Apple patent describes use of curved image sensor to design small camera module

29 Jan

A patent was recently granted to Apple describing how a spherical image sensor can be used to design a very compact camera module. The sensor is spherically curved and eliminates the need to correct for curvature of field, meaning a simpler, brighter and ultimately smaller lens design can be used. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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UPDATED: Sony’s curved sensors may allow for simpler lenses and better images

08 Jul

UPDATE: Sony has released an image taken with its curved sensor, and provided more details on what we might expect from its curved sensor technology. We’ve updated our previous story with this image and details. Read more

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Sony’s Curved Sensors May Allow for Simpler Lenses and Better Images

18 Jun

The sensors inside digital cameras are – generally – flat. But curved sensors promise greater sensitivity, better image quality, and provide scope for simpler lenses. Recently, Sony showed off some examples of curved image sensors, including (tantalizingly) a full-frame chip. Device manager Kazuichiro Itonaga claims: “The team has made somewhere in the vicinity of 100 full-size sensors with their bending machine. We are ready.” Read on to learn more about this exciting new tech, how it imitates the human eye, and how it may find it’s way into consumer products.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Flowing Forms: Curved New Cultural Center by Zaha Hadid

19 Nov

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

Zaha Hadid Heyar Aliyev 1

Architect Zaha Hadid’s designs are graceful and sinuous, imbued with dance-like movement, and the new Heydar Aliyev Center in Azerbaijan is no exception. This landmark structure, which will host the former soviet nation’s cultural programs, swoops over itself in glossy white ribbons, looking as if it were stretched and pulled into place by human hands.

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 2

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 3

This malleability and the organic forms that inspired it forms a stark contrast to the traditional, historical Soviet architecture of the city of Baku. While not so well-known in the United States, this city stands at the forefront of architectural innovation as the Azerbaijan government spends an estimated $ 6 billion per year on new buildings. Other notable works of modern architecture in the city include the Flame Towers.

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 4

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 6

Hadid’s design is a modern interpretation of Islamic architecture as a composition of rows, grids, or sequences of columns that collectively form a non-hierarchal space. An architectural skin flows from the plaza up onto the roof of the first floor, and then rises several stories to form a shell-like canopy.

Zaha Hadid Heydar Aliyev 5

The clean, curving lines of the roof structure are already inviting passersby to ascend the roof, and it’s probably only a matter of time before skateboarders turn it into one big exhilarating playground.

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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Samsung unveils new curved smartphone, the ‘Galaxy Round’

09 Oct

Screen_Shot_2013-10-09_at_10.24.49_AM.png

After months of teasing and speculation, Samsung has finally announced its curved smartphone. The Galaxy Round is a 5.7-inch device with a curved 1080p, AMOLED display. Like its Galaxy S4 and Not 3 predecessors, the Galaxy Round features a 13-megapixel camera. The Galaxy Round’s unique shape allows for a different user experience. According to Samsung, the phone is more comfortable to hold than flat phones and users can take advantage of some features unique to the curved device. Click through for more details at connect.dpreview.com

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Curved Skyscraper Melts Cars, Starts Fires with Heat of Sun

06 Sep

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

reflected light london skyscraper

A nearly-complete London tower is being investigated thanks to reflected daylight that is dazzling (and sizzling) the neighborhood in extreme, surprising and undesirable ways. The structure is suspected as the source of myriad problems, from cooked car parts in adjacent vehicles (parked in its bright glare) to spontaneous fires in a nearby businesses (with carpets catching fire from the focused light).

reflective skyscraper daylight

On the vehicular front, per Mirror News in the UK (images via [Duncan]): warped side panels, melting mirror casings and a burning smell in some cars all point to the proverbial finger at glare caused by the uniquely-shaped, 37-story structure known as the Walkie Talkie building still under construction. While the matter is studied, usage of parking spots that fall under the building’s reflected spots of sunlight has been suspended.

reflective architecture under construction

Meanwhile, local businesses report peeling and puckered paint and other forms of heat damage to their exteriors and interiors, including a carpet that spontaneously ignited, presumably due to the light rays reflected from above and focused through the facade glass storefront.

reflective tower building

As a temporary measure, the building developers are apparently doling out cash for repairs and preventative measures to affected individuals and businesses until a lasting solution can be found.

reflecive building shape curved

This almost-finished work of urban architecture has a 300 million dollar price tags, yet it remains unclear how this fundamentally problematic design issues can be addressed now that the skin has been installed. Thankfully, the damage should be nearly done for this year. As the sun drops in the sky over the next few weeks of fall, the phenomena should disappear … at least until next summer, that is, but at least it buys the developers a bit more time.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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