Abstract: The present invention is in the photographic field, and is used to measure sensitometric characteristics of a photographic element. The present invention relates more particularly to a method that enables the production of a sensitometric control patch with exposure gradient, placed on a photographic element, and enables the measurement of the sensitometric characteristics of the photographic element. The sensitometric control patch is produced so as to obtain on the exposed photographic film strip, a single sensitometric control comprising a gradient of exposure areas, and enables all the sensitometric characteristics of the film to be obtained. The sensitometric control patch is produced from the nominal sensitometric characteristics of the film, and the instantaneous speed of relative movement of the film in front of the light energy source. The present invention has its application in the photography field and in particular the motion picture field.

Abstract: A method is described for scheduling a playlist from digital content supplied to a server in a multi-screen digital cinema theater, where the playlist includes components of the content stored in the server and represents a digital entity that is subsequently projected in the digital cinema theater.

Abstract: In a lens-interchangeable digital single-lens reflex camera having a focus detection device, an autofocus device corrects a focus detection result by storing, on the camera side, the detection result obtained by a focus detection means and the deviation of the best imaging position of an image formed on an image taking element due to a low-pass filter inserted in front of the image taking element.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a substantially invisible watermark or copy-deterrent pattern within a motion picture frame that utilizes spectral image data in order to apply a pattern that is not objectionable to a viewer, but that can be sensed and recorded by a video camera device. A digital watermark or copy deterrent pattern, message, animation, or obscuring effect can be formed to identify a legally distributed copy, degrade the quality of an illegally recorded copy, or expand the storage requirements for an illegally recorded copy using this technique. The pattern is applied using some combination of UV and IR light sources just outside the visible range, displayed on the movie screen. An illegally recorded copy may bear a visible watermark or copy-deterrent pattern which can be detected upon playback. A copy-deterrent pattern can also be used to make video compression techniques less effective, requiring that an illegally recorded copy require excessive amounts of storage media.

Abstract: A field flattener having a function of flattening a bent image surface on which an image is formed through an optical system, is composed of a material of which a refractive index is equal to or larger than 2. A sectional configuration of the field flattener cut in an optical-axis direction containing the optical axis is formed to take a stepped shape toward its peripheral edge from the optical axis. An axial height of the stepped portion configuring the surface in the optical-axis direction in this stepped shape is set so as to equal to or larger than twice a wavelength of beams to be used.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a moving picture using key frames by which the overall scenario of moving picture contents can be ascertained during a trick-play mode, and a method thereof. The recording apparatus includes a recording medium and recording apparatus for marking a representative picture position detected when there is a scene change among coded moving picture data streams, and recording the moving picture data streams on the recording medium. The scene change is determined based on distribution characteristics of macro blocks of frame units for the input coded moving picture data streams. The moving picture reproducing apparatus includes a recording medium having coded moving picture streams and a representative picture position detected when there is a scene change recorded thereon, and reproducing apparatus for searching for the representative picture position recorded on the recording medium and then reproducing a representative picture.

Abstract: In one aspect, an imaging system is provided. The imaging system has a taking lens unit adapted to focus light from a scene, and a beam splitter receiving light from the scene with a portion of the received light traveling from the beam splitter to a first imaging surface and a portion of the received light traveling from the beam splitter to a second imaging surface. A first image capture system is provided for capturing an image based upon the light traveling to the first imaging surface, and a second image capture system is provided for capturing a second image based upon the image formed at the second imaging surface. An array of micro-lenses is in optical association with the first imaging surface, with each micro-lens in the array concentrating a first fraction of the light from the beam splitter onto concentrated image areas of the first imaging surface. Wherein the first image capture system forms an image based upon the light concentrated onto the concentrated image areas.

Abstract: Modes of a camera are classified into groups according to their type. On an LCD panel, the different groups are displayed on different rows, and modes to be selected out of each group are displayed in different columns. Group selection is accomplished by vertically manipulating a selector button, and mode selection out of each group is accomplished by laterally manipulating the selector button. This makes possible displaying of selectable modes classified by group on the LCD panel in a way perceivable at a glance. Furthermore, the choice of a group and that of a mode within each group are matched in the mode display arrangement to facilitate the operation for mode selection.

Abstract: A digital imaging device that allows the user to mark multiple objects with UI markers is disclosed. The digital imaging device automatically adjusts the focus and aperture to include the marked objects in the depth of field of the digital imaging device.

Abstract: A flash control device comprises a distance input part, a calculating part, and an emission control part. When an electronic flash device is in an FP flash mode, the calculating part calculates a proper flash intensity according to an object distance, an f-number, and sensitivity, the f-number and the sensitivity of a camera. When the electronic flash device is in a discrete flash mode, the calculating part calculates a proper flash intensity according to an object distance, an f-number, and the sensitivity. The emission control part instructs the electronic flash device to flash with a proper flash intensity. The flash control device controls flashing so that the object is illuminated with a proper exposure amount.

Abstract: In the present invention, slave light emissions are controlled in such a manner that a flash light amount ratio between master and slave flash lights during pre-flash is caused to be approximately equal to a flash light amount ratio between master and slave flash lights during main flash. In another aspect of the present invention, the slave light emissions are controlled in such a manner that a flash time ratio between master and slave flash lights during pre-flash is caused to be approximately equal to a flash time ratio between master and slave flash lights during main flash. Such a control over the slave light emissions realizes a flash illumination having an appropriate amount of light.

Abstract: A device for holding a print with a multi-image and for holding viewing material. An alignment mechanism engages the viewing material for translational and rotational movement relative to the print to achieve correct alignment for a three dimensional effect. The alignment mechanism is held in place so that the viewing material may be lifted from the print and replaced thereon without disturbing correct alignment to facilitate bonding the viewing material to the print.

Abstract: An electronic shutter for a camera includes a first driving force generating mechanism for generating driving force for moving a lens barrel in a direction of an optical axis, a lens barrel moving mechanism for moving the lens barrel by use of driving force from the first driving force generating mechanism, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a focus adjusting to an initial position when electric power is applied or a shutter release operation is applied, a second driving force generating mechanism for generating driving force for driving three sectors, a sector opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the sectors by use of driving force from the second driving force generating mechanism, and an exposure position detecting mechanism for detecting an exposure position by cooperating with the sector opening/closing mechanism.

Abstract: In a moving picture coding control apparatus, optimum relationships between local features and local coding parameters that are necessary to optimize ranges of global coding parameters are stored, for each optimum range of global coding parameters capable of reproducing a moving picture that reflects characteristics of display units which display moving picture data and opinions from a plurality of users. Optimum local coding parameters are sequentially selected for global coding parameters and local features by using the store data. Moving picture data is coded based on the selected local coding parameters.

Abstract: The present invention provides a camera comprising such a function for self-photographing that a self-photographer cannot only determine whether or not he or she is within the angle of view but can also determine his or her position within the angle of view more accurately than in the prior art. The present invention provides a camera that photographs a subject present within a photographing angle of view, according to a photographing operation, the camera comprising an indicator, and an optical path regulating member that allows, during self-photographing, a photographer to view the indicator with information on the photographer's own position within the photographing angle of view.

Abstract: In multi-point distance measurement, the distance of a distance measurement object is three-way divided into a very short distance range, a short distance range and a moderate to long distance range, and if the distance of an object located at a very short distance is measured in any one of the endmost distance measurement areas of a plurality of distance measurement areas, and all the distances measured in other distance measurement areas belong to the moderate to long distance, the distance belonging to the very short distance range is not employed, and the shortest distance of distances belonging to the moderate to long distance range is employed as a measured distance. On the other hand, if any of the distances measured in other distance measurement areas belongs to the short distance range which is closer than the moderate to long distance range, the distance belonging to the very short distance range is employed, thereby reducing the frequency of erroneous distance measurement.

Abstract: A strobe charging device includes a light-emitting tube; a main capacitor for accumulating energy and for supplying the energy to the light-emitting tube; a transformer circuit which includes primary and secondary coils in order to accumulate the energy of a power supply in the main capacitor; a control circuit for controlling a current flowing from the power supply to the primary coil; a current detection circuit for detecting a current flowing through the secondary coil; a time measuring circuit for measuring the time from when the control circuit stops a current flowing through the primary coil until the current detection circuit detects that the current flowing through the secondary coil reaches a predetermined level or until the current flowing through the secondary coil stops; a voltage detecting circuit for detecting the voltage of the main capacitor; and a determination circuit for determining the operation state of the device based on the measurement result generated by the time measuring circuit and

Abstract: Provided is a distance measurement and photometry apparatus used in a camera or the like, which sets a distance between distance measurement sensors and distance measurement light receiving lenses and a distance between a plurality of photometry sensors and photometry light receiving lenses such that a position of a region within the observation field in which information is obtained by the distance measurement sensors is equal to a position of a region within the observation field in which information is obtained by the photometry sensors irrespective of a distance to the measurement object. With this construction, it can be prevented that a distance measurement region in which the measurement object is captured and a photometry region provided corresponding to the distance measurement region are shifted with respect to each other even when the set measurement object is located at any distance.

Abstract: There is provided a shake correcting device that can prevent white defects of an image pickup unit from moving around on a display screen, thereby eliminating unsightliness of displays in correcting shakes of subject images, according to image signals that are output by the image pickup unit that converts the subject images into video signals. When an image stabilizing ON/OFF switch of a microcomputer of an image pickup apparatus is set to ON, and the image pickup apparatus is not in a static mode, if a level signal with a higher level than a predetermined reference level signal from a detection signal generating section, is input from a camera signal processing section to a comparison circuit of a white defect detecting section, then the white defect detecting section detects white defects in a CCD as the image pickup unit, and the microcomputer controls an image stabilizing operation to be set in the OFF state.

Abstract: A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera comprises an area sensor, an integration circuit, and a switching circuit. The above-mentioned area sensor receives light of a picture image in the image plane. The integration circuit integrates output signals of this area sensor. The control circuit controls operations of starting and stopping the integration of the above-mentioned integration circuit, based on output signals corresponding to a specific block of the above-mentioned area sensor. The switching circuit switches the above-mentioned specific block according to using state of the camera.