The latest patents applications

Olympus filed a patent application in Japan for a new 26-100mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.8-2.4 lens:

Apple attempts to patent a smarter camera flash - the patent is about a flash redirector that will let the user select an area on the touchscreen that needs to be illuminated and the camera will make the necessary adjustments to flash only that area:

Canon filed a patent application for video camera lenses.

In the mean time Sony is being sued by L-3 Communications for infringement of  two image sensors patents.