Liquid Lenses

[LeicaLens]

Seems that Sony has taken out a patent for “liquid lenses”. They use electric currents to change the curvature of the lenses.
The link below goes to a patent site, which is pretty technical (I was told there would be no maths).
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2010/0277923.html

This site has a brief summary of what it means:
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/a-look-into-the-future-sony-is-working-on-liquid-lenses/

Consensus is that the technology is only possible for small lenses, and is still someway off. Interesting idea, though.

[ravnostic]

If they use hufuf oil, they can be made much bigger.

[chupathingie]

INteresting that you should bring this up… I just stumbled on this myself a few days ago while doing some random reading on ferrofluids.

[caradoc]

If they use hufuf oil, they can be made much bigger.

+1 for the Dune reference.

Not sure they can patent it – prior art exists.

[orionid]

Interesting. I was reading a different article where the “big two” are experimenting with various optical fluids to sandwhich between lenses to reduce the overall amount of glass needed, and therfore reducing overall cost.

[chupathingie]

A lot of existing doublets and triplets are oil-spaced already. Several APO manufacturers have been using that arrangement for years.

[ennuipoet]

Interesting. I was reading a different article where the “big two” are experimenting with various optical fluids to sandwhich between lenses to reduce the overall amount of glass needed, and therfore reducing overall cost.

It will take a LOT to convince me that it will not reduce quality at the same time.

[orionid]

Likewise.

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