Taken with EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
The standard settings of the Optical Image
During normal shooting situa-
Stabilizer are set so that it is most effective
tions, sudden camera move-
when photographing stationary subjects.
ment in rotational camera angle can cause
However when panning with a moving subject is
significant image blur. During macro or close-up
attempted (tracking of the subject horizontally
photography however, the image blur caused by
or vertically), the shake-correction of the OIS may
linear camera shake—when the camera moves
inadvertently over-compensate and interfere with
parallel to the subject—is more pronounced.
framing. To help resolve this, Canon developed
Optical Image Stabilizer is optimized to counteract
Optical Image Stabilizer Mode 2. In this mode, if
rotational or angular camera shake and works
you move the lens to follow a subject for a pre-
well for most camera shooting situations. To
determined time, the Optical Image Stabilizer
help compensate for linear camera shake, a new
does not correct for the intentional panning
acceleration sensor determines the amount of
while continuing to correct any camera shake
shift-based camera movement. The new Canon
that's perpendicular to the panning motion. The
Hybrid Image Stabilizer technology employs a
result is a virtually smooth viewfinder image as
highly sophisticated algorithm that combines
you follow the moving subject.
the feedback of both the acceleration sensor
28
Linear Camera Shake
and angular velocity sensor (found in current
OIS technology) and moves the image stabilizer
lens elements, effectively compensating for both
rotational and linear camera shake. Hybrid IS
dramatically enhances the effects of Optical
Image Stabilizer especially during macro shooting,
which may be difficult for conventional image
stabilization technologies.
with virtually instantaneous stops and starts.
Canon's use of diffractive optics (DO) results in
USM lenses also draw minimal power from the
high-performance lenses that are much smaller and
camera, ensuring longer battery life. Canon makes
lighter than traditional designs. Canon's unique
two types of Ultrasonic Motor lenses. Ring-type
multilayer diffractive elements are constructed
USM lenses, found in
by bonding diffractive coatings to the surfaces of
large aperture and super-
two or more lens elements. These elements are
telephoto designs, permit
then combined to form a single multilayer DO
manual focusing without
element. Conventional glass lens elements disperse
first switching out of the
incoming light, causing chromatic aberration.
auto mode. Micro USM
The DO element's dispersion characteristics are
designs bring the perform-
designed to cancel chromatic aberrations at various
ance benefits of Canon's
wavelengths when combined with conventional
USM technology to a
glass optics. This technology results in smaller
wide assortment of
lenses with no compromise in image quality.
affordable EF lenses.
Canon has also developed a new triple-layer type
DO lens that uses an advanced diffractive grating
to deliver excellent performance, with superb
Most highly regarded among professional photog-
control of color fringing. This configuration is ideal
raphers, Canon L-series lenses are distinguished
for zoom lens optics and provides significant
by a bold red ring around the outer barrel. What
makes them truly distinctive, however, is their
remarkable optical performance — the result of
sophisticated Canon technologies, such as Ultra-
low Dispersion UD glass, Fluorite and Aspherical
elements and Super Spectra Coating.
Reducing color fringing, or chromatic aberration,
has been one of the great challenges in the design
of telephoto lenses. L-series telephoto lenses –
EF 400mm f/4 IS DO USM •f/4 • 1/1250 sec.
like the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM and EF
Refractive Optical Element
300mm f/4L IS USM – employ Canon's Ultra-low
Chromatic aberrations
Refractive Optical Element
and Multi-Layer Diffractive
Dispersion glass to minimize this effect, providing
Optical Element Combined
much improved contrast and sharpness. Even
Image formation in the blue, green
and red wavelength order
more effective at suppressing chromatic aberration
Multi-Layer Diffractive Optical Element
Chromatic aberrations reversed from
that of a refractive optical element
Chromatic aberration canceled out
Image formation in the red, green and
blue wavelength order
Red
Green
Blue
Correction of Chromatic Abberation by the Multi-Layer
Anomalous
dispersion
Diffractive Optical Element.
reductions in size. A good example is the
EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM lens, which
is 28 percent shorter than the EF 70-300mm
f/4-5.6 IS USM lens.
Comparison of optical characteristics between
Canon developed the world's first lens-based
are Fluorite elements, used in high-end super-tele-
Ultrasonic Motor (USM) to power the lens autofocus
photo L-series lenses. Composed of crystallized
mechanism. Instead of large noisy drive trains
calcium fluoride (CaF
powered by conventional motors, Canon USM
although costly, has roughly the corrective power
lenses employ the minute electronic vibrations
of two UD-glass elements, giving these L-series
created by piezoelectric ceramic elements. The
lenses their spectacular performance and relatively
focusing action of the lens is fast and quiet,
compact design.
EF LENSES
Wide-angle lenses and fast normal-focal-length
lenses often suffer from spherical aberration.
When the light rays coming through the center
of the lens do not converge at the same point as
light rays coming through the lens edge, the
Ring-type USM
Spherical aberration
Convergence of parallel light
of spherical lens.
rays by an Aspherical lens.
Micro USM
image appears blurred because there is no sharp
point of focus. Canon's Aspherical elements use
a varying curved surface to ensure that the entire
image plane appears focused. Aspherical optics
also help to correct curvilinear distortion as one
might find in ultra wide-angle lenses. Canon
designs aspherical elements with extremely
precise variable curvature of one or both sides,
making possible lighter, more compact lenses.
SWC is a new proprietary lens coating that helps
control ghost and flare to a far greater degree
than with earlier coating technologies. Utilizing
SWC technology on large-curvature lens elements
that are mainly found in wide-angle lenses,
will significantly minimize the occurrence of
ghosting and flare caused by reflected light in
environments that have posed problems. SWC
is used on the latest Canon wide angle lens,
EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM.
Red
Glass
Blue
Red
EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM •f/6.3 •13 sec.
Blue
Fluorite
Focus Preset enables you to program a focusing
optical glass and Fluorite
distance in the camera's memory. Normal picture
taking and focusing are unaffected by preset
distances. For example, at a soccer game, you
), a single Fluorite element,
Focus Preset the goal area. Shoot normally
2
elsewhere on the field, but once the action moves
toward the goal, the user can instantly return to
the preset distance by turning a ring on the lens.
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