Canon to Bring Back Eye-Controlled Autofocus Feature with New Mirrorless Line of Cameras

Sieeka Khan, Tech Times 20 February 2021, 10:02 am

Canon had released a very interesting feature years ago, back when film cameras were very popular. The said feature was the autofocus points that was controlled by the user's eye.

The feature unfortunately was never adapted when the cameras transition to the digital side, but that may change soon because a new patent showing Canon is researching the possibility of adding the future to its line of mirrorless cameras.

Canon eye-controlled autofocus feature

Northlight Images found a new patent that improves upon a previous patent for eye-controlled autofocus back in 2019 by adding the ability to identify the user and its subject memory, according to DPReview.

The feature was seen in the past on cameras just like the EOS 3. It followed the user's eye in the camera's viewfinder, determining where the frame they were looking at and using that to choose the closest autofocus point to the user's subject.

Also Read:Canon Mirrorless Cameras List for 2021: Specs, Price, Release Date and More

The feature worked very well and with three decades of improvements it may even work so much better today. It had many devoted users at the time too.

Of course, the feature was not made for everyone, but one could just turn it off it they wish to. The eye-focus feature can be useful for a wide variety of situations, like for sports shooters or for photojournalists covering quick action that moves about the frame rather fast.

Just like any patent, the eye-controlled autofocus patent does not mean that it will make it to a product, but there is a possibility that it will if all goes well during development, according to FTStoppers.

Canon's new features

Aside from the rumored comeback of the eye-controlled autofocus, Canon has been busy in developing new features for its current and future line of cameras.

Currently, Canon is focusing on EOS R Systems that enables more freedom in lens design. This is due to a wider lens mount diameter, high-speed system and short back focus for transmitting data from camera to lens. This results in an imaging system that delivers better image quality and better ease-of-use.

The new full-frame mirrorless camera that is now under development is said to fully leverage the advantages of the EOS R System to realize high-speed uninterrupted shooting and 8K video recording, as well as expanding the boundaries of visual expression.

Also, it can contribute to better workflows thanks to the improved transmission functionality, reliability and operability. These types of enhancements will help the new line of cameras elevate the EOS Series concept of comfort, speed and high-image-quality to improved level.

Canon's EOS R5 will have a newly developed CMOS sensor that makes advanced features possible like high-speed uninterrupted shooting up to 20 frames per second using an electronic shutter and up to 12 FPS using a mechanical shutter in order to facilitate shooting of athletes at sporting events and other fast-moving subjects.

The EOS R5 is the first next-generation full-frame mirrorless camera in Canon's EOS R System. Aside from the EOS R5, the company is also currently developing a total of 9 RF lenses that are scheduled for release later this year, including the RF 100 to 500mm F 4.5-7.1 L IS USM, Extender RF 2x and Extender RF 1.4x.