Amazon Patents Shooting on White Seamless!

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

05/06/2014 12:22:34 AM · #4

What does it mean...????

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

05/06/2014 01:42:53 AM · #5

Wow, this is Onion worthy. Comedy just keeps getting harder when reality is this absurd.

jab119

05/06/2014 01:43:03 AM · #6

I'm glad I don't uses elevated platforms, and my rear lights that light up the background are actually in front of my object. Also I don't use an image capture position, its called camera location in relation to the subject being imaged.

left twix, right twix

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

05/06/2014 01:48:41 AM · #7

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

Wow, this is Onion worthy. Comedy just keeps getting harder when reality is this absurd.

While the patent is quite specific about the arrangement patented it ends with "Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims." So just about any backlighting situation may now belong to Amazon.

tnun

Ricoh GR III

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

05/06/2014 03:26:05 AM · #8

ah, it is a horrible joke?

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

05/06/2014 07:58:08 AM · #9

its a weird patent to apply for. its typically not the way most product photographers setup and shoot so there s no fear there. but how would one actually enforce this, unless its a protective patent.

this is a very specific lighting setup (10 lights???) backdrop platform, f-stop and ISO the focal lengths. i really don't think anyone has anything to fear.

Message edited by author 2014-05-06 08:13:43.

bohemka

Nikon D700

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM for Nikon

05/06/2014 08:25:45 AM · #10

I don't know enough about lighting or constructing a shot like this to be able to tell the difference, but is there a specific look that would be achieved? If it gets as detailed as aperture, ISO and focal length, perhaps there is a specific look they are trying to lock down (a Brenizer-like result was what sprung to mind, but obviously isn't what they are after).

pgirish007

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

05/06/2014 08:28:53 AM · #11

Now it seems like next patent would come and that would be that who is allowed to take cityscape/landscape/waterfalls photographs in a certain angle/light source :)

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

05/06/2014 09:35:32 AM · #12

What the heck!?!?! I was going to patent that back in February, but I never got around to it1 :(

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/06/2014 09:40:44 AM · #13

This is "patently" ridiculous. Another step down the slippery slope for the US patent office. What the heck are they thinking??

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

05/06/2014 09:42:37 AM · #14

I think I'm going to patent putting paint on canvas (using a brush). Think of the money I'll make!

jomari

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

05/06/2014 09:47:08 AM · #15

I'm going to patent shooting in natural light.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/06/2014 09:58:04 AM · #16

Not sure what the point is here. The patent is so narrow (which is the only way it could get through) that it's virtually unenforceable. To claim infringement, Amazon would have to prove a given photo was taken at 85mm, ISO 320, f/5.6 with a very specific set of lights at a 10:3 ratio, etc. Good luck with that.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

05/06/2014 10:06:27 AM · #17

Originally posted by scalvert:

As was pointed out earlier, it's not covering just that specific case:

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

05/06/2014 10:20:11 AM · #18

Originally posted by Spork99:

As was pointed out earlier, it's not covering just that specific case:

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

While the patent is quite specific about the arrangement patented it ends with "Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims." So just about any backlighting situation may now belong to Amazon.

Sorry, not buying it. The claims are extremely specific, and necessarily so or they wouldn't have been deemed novel and no patent would be granted.

05/06/2014 10:53:14 AM · #19

Originally posted by Mike:

I only see 4 lights, Mike. Where do you see 6 more? ETA - just saw the 2nd diagram, which for some reason did not show up the first time I looked...

This set-up seems more appropriate for green screen purposes than it does for white seemless. Either way, this is definitely a very ridiculous thing to patent. Do they really think they "invented" this set up??

Message edited by author 2014-05-06 11:17:29.

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

05/06/2014 11:20:20 AM · #20

This article interprets the patent as a pre-emptive move by Amazon to not be sued by someone else....

littlemav

Nikon D90

05/06/2014 11:27:14 AM · #21

I am going to patent shooting Squirrels and blowy fluffy thing in the air.... So Wendy and Johanna, BE for warned.... it will be ok because for a SMALL (choke) price, I will sell you a single use right on the patent... Soooo carry on girls, :-D

05/06/2014 11:28:27 AM · #22

Originally posted by littlemav:

I've got a patent in the work for photographing horses, so....

robs

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/06/2014 12:03:40 PM · #23

Just another example of the patent system been fundamentally broken.... If you take a pic of a kid singing happy birthday with this setup using "one click" of the shutter you've got several patents infringed in one hit :shrug:

Spork99

OM System OM-1

05/06/2014 01:11:50 PM · #24

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by Spork99:
As was pointed out earlier, it's not covering just that specific case:

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

While the patent is quite specific about the arrangement patented it ends with "Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims." So just about any backlighting situation may now belong to Amazon.

Sorry, not buying it. The claims are extremely specific, and necessarily so or they wouldn't have been deemed novel and no patent would be granted.

You aren't the one who needs to buy it. The claims, while in total are specific, are much broader when the text above is included and when you consider that ALL claims need not be directly violated for infringement to occur.

While the patent itself may be very specific about a certain light, call it "A", if a lighting setup uses light "B", it's not necessarily home free since infringement also occurs if "B" is determined to be "insubstantially different" when examined under the Doctrine of Equivalents. So, if I have a setup that achieves the same end image as Amazon's, I'm open to an infringement suit under this patent. It doesn't take a genius to see that the best attack would be to contest the patentability of this in the first place, since I didn't see anything unique about this lighting setup. It's kind of like a portrait studio deciding to patent Rembrandt lighting. Of course, anyone foolish enough to take on Amazon in court had better have deeeeep pockets

Message edited by author 2014-05-06 13:23:16.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III