Canon Patent Application: Further IBIS+IS Patent Applications

Canon has applied for a couple of patents in the US with respects to IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization) and optical image stabilization working together.

Both of these patents deal with reducing the image degradation when both the lens and the camera image stabilization systems are active.

Canon describes the overall system described in the patents as;

1. An image capturing apparatus, comprising: a shake detection sensor which detects shaking; a calculation circuit which calculates a first shake correction amount based on a shake signal output from the shake detection sensor; a transmitting circuit which transmits the first shake correction amount to a lens apparatus that comprises first image stabilization apparatus for correcting shaking by moving an optical system; and a lens characteristics correction circuit which performs correction regarding lens characteristics in an image signal obtained by image-capturing in a state in which the first image stabilization apparatus has corrected shaking, based on the first shake correction amount, wherein the lens characteristics correction circuit performs the correction regarding lens characteristics based on the first shake correction amount at a time prior to the image-capturing time by a predetermined time.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second image stabilization apparatus which corrects shaking by moving an image sensor by a second shake correction amount that the calculation circuit has calculated based on a shake signal from the shake detection sensor, wherein the lens characteristics correction circuit performs correction regarding lens characteristics in an image signal obtained by image-capturing in a state in which the first image stabilization apparatus and the second image stabilization apparatus have corrected shaking, based on the second shake correction amount and the first shake correction amount that was calculated at a time prior to the time at which the second shake correction amount is calculated by the predetermined time.

These patents are both dealing with the time delay between the lens and the camera stabilization systems, and that in some cases, this time delay will result in either over or under correction of shake.

In an image capturing apparatus that uses an interchangeable lens that includes a camera shake correction lens, it is difficult to perform correction regarding lens characteristics in real time according to the state of a camera shake correction apparatus while performing camera shake correction using the camera shake correction lens. That is, there are cases where an image is excessively or insufficiently corrected due to the communication delay when a correction amount is transmitted, depending on the timing, and an appropriate correction result cannot be obtained. 

Could it be that Canon is considering using IBIS in the Canon EF mount? That would certainly result in a significant communication delay, or it could simply be the communication delay that would even exist in the RF mount, as communication over serial communications is not without its own time delay regardless of communication speed.

US Patent Application 20190260933

US Patent Application 20190260938