Nikon 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 AW lens patented

Nikon is developing a new underwater lens for 1-series CX-mount mirrorless cameras in the body of the 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 zoom optic which features inner zooming capabilities.

Sales of mirrorless cameras are increasing which is a sign that digital imaging manufacturers should focus on this market. While Canon and Nikon continue to dominate the DSLR market, the same thing cannot be said about the mirrorless segment. However, Nikon does have several products in development and we can add another one to the list: the 1 Nikkor 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 AW.

This is a CX-mount zoom lens designed for 1-series mirrorless cameras with 1-inch-type sensors. Moreover, it bears the AW designation, so it is a waterproof lens that you can take underwater along with a Nikon 1 AW1 camera.

The internal design of the Nikon 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, as portrayed in its patent application.

Patent for Nikon 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 AW lens discovered in Japan

Nikon officials have said that they are pleased with how things are going in the mirrorless segment, but this does not mean that the company cannot do better. Regardless of its results in this market, the manufacturer has patented a new CX-mount optic.

The latest CX-mount patent is referring to a Nikon 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 AW lens designed to cover 1-inch-type sensors. When mounted on such cameras, the optic will offer a 35mm focal length equivalent of approximately 27-122mm.

It could become a good travel lens as it covers wide-angle to telephoto focal lengths. Also, if you choose a sunny destination, then you can go diving using this product, but only in combination with the 1 AW1 camera, as this is the only waterproof CX-mount model.

Inner zoom and focusing systems confirmed in patent application

The patent for this 1-series CX-mount lens was filed on January 20, 2014. The approval was granted on July 30, 2015. Although a lot of time has passed since the filing and its approval, it is still considerably less time than usual.

Either way, the Nikon 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 AW lens is said to have a total length of about 158mm. The filing reveals that the optic comes with an inner zoom mechanism, which means that its length does not change when zooming. As a result, the lens will remain compact and will have a length of about 158mm at all times.

Furthermore, the 1 Nikkor 10-45mm f/4.5-5.6 AW comes with inner focusing system, so the front lens element does not rotate when focusing. Meanwhile, stay tuned to our website and we will let you know if this lens is coming to the market as soon as we find out!