A brand new patent application published by Canon shows that the company wants to revolutionize the way camera is operated in one hand. The application demonstrates a camera with an integrated innovative grip design with touch sensors to facilitate one-handed operation.
A hollow design to enhance gripping
The pictures of the brand new Canon’s patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-9307) pretty speak for themselves. The patent titled “Image pick-up device and adjustment mechanism” (Google translated from Japanese) shows a camera very similar to the forthcoming EOS R3, but with a hollow design (“Grip of L-Shape Form”) which allows to firmly hold and operate the camera in one hand, and in a much more secured way. As described: “An imaging device that can change an imaging position without removing a device while a user confirms a composition with good visibility”. According to Canon, the design’s goal is: “To provide an imaging device capable of securing a good gripping property at both of a horizontal position and a vertical position and eliminating a possibility of removing a device when changing from a vertical position to a horizontal position or from a horizontal position to a vertical position”.
The patent titled “Image pick-up device and adjustment mechanism” shows a camera very similar to the forthcoming EOS R3, but with a hollow design (“Grip of L-Shape Form”) which allows to firmly hold and operate the camera in one hand, and in a much more secured way.
L-shape touch sensors
Apart from the hollow grip, there’re L-shape touch sensors (or one integrated sensor). As described (translated by Google): “In addition to the effect that the user can change the imaging position without the risk of removing the device, it is possible to more suitably perform the touch gesture operation on the GUI displayed which a user performs a touch gesture operation on a touch sensor”. Canon claims that this application was born to address grip facilitation. As stated in the application: “Some imaging devices such as a single-lens reflex camera and a video camera have been provided with a contrivance for facilitating gripping a grip in order to improve operability when changing an imaging angle”. By locating the sensor in strategic paces, and improving the grip, changing the shooting angle will be significantly improved. Anyway, the patent does not elaborate regarding the specific functionality of the L-shape sensors. However, we can assume that it’ll allow basic camera functions like aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Explore the images below:
In addition to the effect that the user can change the imaging position without the risk of removing the device, it is possible to more suitably perform the touch gesture operation on the GUI displayed which a user performs a touch gesture operation on a touch sensor.
Canon
Summary
The patent application above presets one of a kind camera design that is aimed for one-handed operation. The design is composed of two innovative concepts: The hollow grip and the L-shape sensor. Both of them are designed to complete each other and thus facilitate the camera operation in one hand.
