Canon’s Auto-Flip Gimbal Patent: A Smooth Shot Revolution
Imagine you’re filming a breathtaking cinematic roll with a handheld gimbal, and your camera effortlessly glides. But in a split second, you accidentally tip the rig too far. Most gimbals struggle with this, as the internal arm or motor housing might obstruct the lens view, ruining the shot. However, Canon’s newly filed US patent US 2025/0341762 A1 introduces a groundbreaking solution. It’s like having a secret weapon that ensures your shots remain seamless, even when things get a bit wonky.
The patent describes a system that detects when the roll axis approaches a predefined angle, preventing any mishaps. When the camera’s optical axis exceeds this threshold relative to the ‘second-axis orthogonal plane,’ the magic happens. The gimbal’s first drive unit rotates, causing the second drive unit to flip to the opposite side of the orthogonal plane. Simultaneously, the third drive unit resets the rotation angle to the threshold on the other side, all without you even noticing.
What’s truly impressive is that this system adapts to different lenses. A zoomed-in lens provides more ‘roll margin,’ while a wide-angle lens triggers the flip sooner. And that’s not all; the system also deletes the frames taken during the flip, seamlessly stitching the ‘before’ and ‘after’ frames to create a fluid clip. If your rig ends up upside down, the shake detector senses it and automatically flips the video output right-side up.
This patent showcases more than just a stabiliser; it’s a sophisticated system that orchestrates hardware, optics, control logic, and post-shot cleanup. It’s like having a smart assistant that ensures your shots are always perfect.
Advanced Gimbals vs. Canon’s Patent
Today’s advanced gimbals already offer smooth panning, tilting, and rolling, with some even featuring ‘Sport’ or ‘360’ modes. But Canon’s patent takes it a step further by anticipating and automatically resolving a common mechanical failure mode: the arm intruding into the frame. Here’s how it stands out:
- Dynamic Thresholding: The system adjusts the flip threshold based on the lens’s angle of view, providing more tolerance for telephoto lenses and less for wide-angle lenses.
- Continuous Recording: Unlike current technology, which stops recording, alerts the user, and requires manual correction, Canon’s system flips while you keep recording, ensuring uninterrupted footage.
- Frame Trimming and Stitching: The system removes messy transition frames, resulting in a smoother final output ready for editing.
- Upside-Down Correction: The shake detector automatically detects orientation inversion and outputs a correctly oriented video, eliminating the need for manual fixes.
Real-World Applications
This patent has the potential to revolutionize various filming scenarios:
– 360-Degree Sweeps: It allows for continuous camera rolls over your head, eliminating the motor arm’s limitations.
– Run-and-Gun B-roll: Handheld filming with fast movements and smartphones or mirrorless cameras on gimbals can now continue without interruptions.
– Vertical/Horizontal Shift-Shooting: Flipping the orientation during filming is now seamless, thanks to the system’s automatic correction.
Impact on Canon
This patent aligns with Canon’s previous focus on stabilisation technology. It suggests that Canon is not abandoning the gimbal space but rather developing more advanced solutions. Here are some potential implications:
– Canon-Branded Gimbal Body: Canon could introduce a dedicated handheld gimbal with full RF-mount support and built-in flip-logic.
– Lens-Body-Gimbal Integration: Future Canon lenses and cameras might communicate directly with gimbals, creating a seamless ecosystem.
– Firmware Update for Existing Rigs: Canon might offer firmware updates for current gimbals, incorporating the flip logic, although the specialised motor architecture suggests a dedicated solution.
– Delayed Product Launch: The earlier ‘forgotten gimbal camera’ concept may have been postponed due to the maturation of this control logic, explaining its absence.
In summary, Canon’s patent filing is a significant step towards making gimbals invisible, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted shots. Whether it becomes a Canon-branded device or an embedded system, it’s an exciting development for creators seeking seamless storytelling. Keep an eye out for this innovation, as it could transform the way we capture footage.