In this patent application (2024-052503), Canon is looking at providing autofocus for dual lenses, such as the Canon RF5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye lens. The current dual fisheye lens is manual focus only, so this would be a step in the right direction. From Canon;
To provide a lens device that is equipped with an autofocus mode and a manual focus mode and can perform focus adjustment of two optical systems individually and with high precision.
Because a dual fisheye lens is comprised of two individual lenses that are projecting their image circles onto the sensor to the left and right side, this is more complicated than a normal lens.
Each lens assembly has to be focused, but our cameras don't know how to focus two individual lenses. Because of this, it becomes a little more difficult to achieve focus on both the right and left images.
For instance, assume that you are auto-focusing using the left image, the right image may not be perfectly aligned and may be out of focus. This would require the photographer to manually adjust the focus on the right lens so that both the right and left images are in focus.
It appears that Canon is looking at doing this by having two different lens focus motors and the ability to fine-tune the focus as one lens may be slightly off of calibration from the other.
As with all patent applications, this is a look into Canon's research. It may not end up in a product, or even an actual patent.
Source: Japan Patent Application 2024-052503
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