Canon EOS RF/EF hybrid will have a moving sensor to support both flange distances, rumor suggests
Dec 15, 2019
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Share:
If the rumors are correct, Canon is working on an EF/RF hybrid EOS mirrorless camera. Now, Canon Watch suggests that this camera will support a moving sensor. And when they say a moving sensor, they mean a sensor that sits on some kind of rails and can move to adjust between different flange distances.
While this is an interesting idea, there are a lot of “if”s in these rumors. The big “if”, of course, is the question of such a camera being developed. This is especially true with Canon re-committing to its Canon 1Dx line in recent Photoplus with a development announcement of the Canon 1Dx mk III. Unless, in some weird way, the 1Dx mk III is that hybrid. With EOS-R to EOS-EF adapters for as low as $99 such a camera is not necessarily the best solution to the dual mount issue. I mean, Sony users are using a similar adaptor for ages.
There is another big “if”. Is a moving sensor is the optimal technology to gap the variance in flange distances. Other solutions, engineering-wise, may include optical inserts and a moving bayonet.
Canon Watch does not share their source, and just say that they “were told”. Without even a reference to the validity of the source in the past, it’s hard to estimate if this is a high-probability rumor or just someone having some fun.
What do you think? Is a Canon EOS RF/EF a real option or just a wild dream?
[via Canon Watch]
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Related Posts
[Rumor] Sony To Release Game Changing Sensor Technology With An New APC Sensor
Kodak Alaris launches a high-quality IS0 800 single-use camera, rumor suggests
Leaked photo suggests Canon 1DX Mark III replacement is the EOS R3 not the EOS R1
Comparing the Canon EOS R, EOS RP, EOS R5 and EOS R6 head-to-head for portraits
Join the Discussion
DIYP Comment Policy
Be nice, be on-topic, no personal information or flames.
42 responses to “Canon EOS RF/EF hybrid will have a moving sensor to support both flange distances, rumor suggests”
Yeah so….canon finally has my attention now. Only took them 5 years ?
Who would be the target market for this (assuming it is true)? If you are coming from EF to RF, you can do some kind of adapter to make it work. Canon could do an official one that is included with an RF camera and call it a day. If you are moving from RF to EF, well, dont know what to tell you… I can’t imagine there being that many going that route.
Juan Camargo they come with an adapter on the box
Juan Camargo the adapter exist already, the drawback with that is that it adds bulk to the ef lens due to the flange distance. If the sensor could compensate for that it will make the ef glass more compact on RF mount bodys. And when the biggest cost of a photographers gear is in the lenses this would have been great.
doubtful.
Movement means more moving parts = more chances for something to get stuck or break = more reasons not to buy…
Frank van Hoof of course coz You are amateur Nikon funboy :). you haven’t seen it yet but you already rate it :).
Rafał Kusz wrong guess. But I’m in the game long enough to have seen a lot of bad ideas and this is nothing better.
Well. He is right. More moving part. More possibilities to have a problem.
I came here to say the same thing….but what about the mount itself which is different? And what about the electronic contacts….all different from EF to RF? ?
Dont want to be that guy but the Eos 1V also has it’s fair deal of moving parts, does that make it a bad camera?
from a engineering perspective, yes. moving parts do wear out over time and break or become less accurate thuss limiting the lifespan of such camera. this is not a problem for the manufactorer as their main purpose is make you buy a new camera every 5 years or so but if you’re looking for a futureproof system you should choose one with the least amount of moving parts.
Don’t see the point. They have an adapter, that should be good enough.
Kryn Sporry the adapter works great, but it add bulk to especially small lenses. Ie on the 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 it adds 3cm which is about half the actual lens.
Tom Kamín it really depends if the sensor is moving forward or backward, so maybe it will be created with more space behind the sensor. I guess we will see in the future, if it even is going to be reality. ?
And adapter protects sensor.
Peter Bjurström Even behind the sensor would make the camera much bigger. You’re not getting around that.
In the end, simpler is always better than more complex. It’s cheaper, easier to design and build, and less likely to break or have operating issues.
From an engineering reliability standpoint, makes absolutely no sense. Too many things to break in an overly-complex solution, especially when there’s a simple $99 adapter that does the same thing. I use both the basic $99 spacer with contacts and the $199 control ring adapter from Canon on an EOS R. Both work flawlessly with everything from TS-E 17/4L and TS-E 24/3.5L II to EF 400/4 DO IS and EF 500/4L IS. Both Sigma’s 14/1.8 Art and 24/1.4 Art work great adapted too.
Extra moving parts in Leica M rangefinders are bad enough. Moving a sensor back and forth is just asking for trouble. My suspicion is this is one of those rumors that has Canon execs snickering and shaking their heads. And that’s why they call ’em rumors. They’re vapor until product release.
The rumor is bullsh you know what. The mount is completely different. Its not just about sensor distance.
Don’t believe it.
Utter crap this would be the Betamax of cameras
If true, they could open up a juicy market by selling expensive and ground breaking RF lenses to die hard canon EF shooters, instead of making RF lenses for the 1%.
Another gimmick to break.
more point of failure?
This has been tried many times, the issue was the precision needed couldn’t be achieved even at low sensor resolutions.
Think about it, micron precision alignment on three axes to keep the sensor flat on the focal plane… and then moving that sensor, then adding on IBIS.
Keeping it flat is easy when you have IBIS, and the flange distance being 100% exact wouldn’t really matter anymore because of on-sensor autofocus.
I think the problem isn’t tiny differences in flange distance (as you’ve mentioned, the on-sensor AF solves that), but potentially the sensor not being completely parallel to the lens mount.
I’m guessing that would akin to using a de-centered lens, as the projected image isn’t being projected on a surface parallel to the plane of that projection. I don’t think that would make a camera unusable for most applications, given that probably the tolerances for lens mounts are greater that we may think, but for some high precision work it might be an issue and they certainly wouldn’t want to risk that.
Dustin Lawson no the IBIS fixed part needs to be flat to the mount, that’s the point of reference for the IBIS itself… there is little tolerance on that.
This is a manual step during manufacturing where they add the shims then fix it permanently.
For 5-10MP the solution would probably work… but anything above there’s no way, your compromising IQ for no reason.
For sure this would be a service center thing where the technician would make the mount swap…
IBT would be possible
In Body Tilt :-)
Just cut down the price of the adapter to $20 ea. Problem solved.
Just something else to go wrong!
Bullshit i think, it is easier to move the lens through an Adapter, wich in this case may be more like interchangeable mount.
Why?
There is a great adapter now….Why would anyone make or buy a camera prone to defect often….
Sounds $$$$$
sound s like the answer to a question nobody asked….
Just another risk of failure or issues… I’d just stick with the adapter
No way in hell
This ain’t happening…all crap
Really no one asked? OK I will… Dose it have two card slots?
canon is killing it… dammmmnnn