Abstract: A focus control device includes a first focus-lens group, a second focus-lens group, a wobbling control unit that generates a first wobbling control signal used to control a wobbling motion of the first focus-lens group and generates a second wobbling control signal used to control a wobbling motion of the second focus-lens group, and a phase control unit that controls the phase of the first and second wobbling control signals, wherein the phase control unit corrects the phase of the first wobbling control signal to cause the first focus-lens group to make a first target wobbling motion and corrects the phase of the second wobbling control signal to cause the second focus-lens group to make a second target wobbling motion.

Abstract: A digital camera has a battery that supplies electric power, a battery level detector, a time detector, a remaining voltage calculator, and a boot controller. When the digital camera is turned off, the battery level detector detects a remaining voltage level of the battery. When the digital camera is turned on, the time detector detects an elapsed time from the last electric power OFF operation to the current electric power ON operation, namely, a time period in which the camera is in the OFF state. Further, when the digital camera is turned on, the remaining voltage calculator calculates a remaining voltage-level of the battery on the basis of the detected elapsed time, the last detected remaining voltage level, and the discharge characteristic of the battery. Then, the boot controller allows the digital camera to boot if the calculated remaining voltage level is larger than a limited voltage necessary to boot the digital camera.

Abstract: A digital camera has a battery that supplies electric power, a battery level detector, a time detector, a remaining voltage calculator, and a boot controller. When the digital camera is turned off, the battery level detector detects a remaining voltage level of the battery. When the digital camera is turned on, the time detector detects an elapsed time from the last electric power OFF operation to the current electric power ON operation, namely, a time period in which the camera is in the OFF state. Further, when the digital camera is turned on, the remaining voltage calculator calculates a remaining voltage-level of the battery on the basis of the detected elapsed time, the last detected remaining voltage level, and the discharge characteristic of the battery. Then, the boot controller allows the digital camera to boot if the calculated remaining voltage level is larger than a limited voltage necessary to boot the digital camera.

Abstract: A recording apparatus comprises a first recording medium and a second recording medium. The first recording medium stores compressed-selected resources among code data in a compressed state. The compressed-selected resources are used in relation to usage modes. The second recording medium temporarily stores an uncompressed-selected resource that is obtained from a compressed-selected resource among the compressed-selected resources in uncompressed state. The uncompressed-selected resource is used in relation to a usage mode that is selected from among the usage modes. The uncompressed-selected resource that is temporarily stored in the second recording medium is stored in the first recording medium in an uncompressed state. The code data are used for indication on a display unit.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a display device rotatable relative to a camera body of the digital camera, the display device including a display panel; an orientation detecting device which detects a rotation of the display device to determine an orientation of the display panel of the display device; a plurality of manual operating switches for controlling an image display indicated on the display panel of the display device; and a controller for controlling functions assigned to the manual operating switches. The controller changes assignments of the functions to the manual operating switches in accordance with the orientation of the display panel upon detecting a change in the orientation of the display panel from a result of detection of the orientation detecting device.

Abstract: A zoom flash includes a light emitter, a zoom driver which moves the light emitter along an axis to vary an illumination angle, a detecting device which detects a zoom position of the light emitter, a calculation device which calculates a pre-flash emission level according to the detected zoom position so that illuminance on an object at a predetermined distance is substantially constant regardless of a variation of the illumination angle, and a control device which activates the light emitter to emit a preliminary flash emission, before a main flash emission, by supplying a voltage corresponding to the pre-flash emission level for the light emitter. A flash photography system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A flash photography system includes a camera body, a main flash device and at least one sub-flash device, wherein the main flash device emits at least one low flash emission serving as a main-flash emission command signal to transmit the main-flash emission command signal to the sub-flash device, the sub-flash device emitting a flash emission in accordance with the main-flash emission command signal. The flash photography system includes a designating device for designating a flash emission mode of a main-flash emission, and a command device which activates the main flash device to emit the low flash emission serving as the main-flash emission command signal to transmit the main-flash emission command signal to the sub-flash device in a manner corresponding to the designated flash emission mode.

Abstract: A uniform flash-emission controller which controls an intensity of a light emission of a flashtube, the uniform flash-emission controller includes an IGBT which causes the flashtube to emit a rapid series of short flash pulses; an IGBT controller which switches the IGBT ON and OFF so as to maintain the intensity at a substantially constant level; and a latch for holding an ON state and an OFF state of the IGBT until a predetermined period of time elapses from a time the IGBT controller switches the IGBT ON and OFF, respectively.

Abstract: A flash photography system having a camera body and external flash devices includes a designating device for designating a sync flash mode for a main flash emission; a first pre-flash emission mode in which the external flash devices are activated to emit a preliminary flash emission at the same time; a second pre-flash emission mode in which the plurality of external flash devices are activated to emit the preliminary flash emission in a predetermined order; a pre-flash emission mode selecting device which selects the first or second pre-flash emission mode in accordance with the designated sync flash mode; and a pre-flash emission command device which transmits a command signal to the external flash devices to emit the preliminary flash emission in the first or second pre-flash emission mode.

Abstract: A flash photography system includes a first photometering device including a multi-segment photometering sensor having a plurality of zone sensors for measuring a pre-flash emission; a second photometering device including a single-segment direct photometering sensor for measuring a main flash emission; a weighting device which assigns a weighting factor to an output of each of the plurality of zone sensors; a calculation device which calculates a correction value based on each photometering value and the weighting factor of each zone sensor of the first photometering device, wherein an appropriate receiving light amount of the second photometering device is calculated in order to attain a compensation exposure for the main flash emission based on the correction value; and a controller which terminates the main flash emission after the light amount measured by the second photometering device reaches the appropriate receiving light amount.

Abstract: A flash photography system having a camera body and external flash devices includes a designating device for designating a sync flash mode for a main flash emission; a first pre-flash emission mode in which the external flash devices are activated to emit a preliminary flash emission at the same time; a second pre-flash emission mode in which the plurality of external flash devices are activated to emit the preliminary flash emission in a predetermined order; a pre-flash emission mode selecting device which selects the first or second pre-flash emission mode in accordance with the designated sync flash mode; and a pre-flash emission command device which transmits a command signal to the external flash devices to emit the preliminary flash emission in the first or second pre-flash emission mode.

Abstract: A flash photography system includes a first photometering device including a multi-segment photometering sensor having a plurality of zone sensors for measuring a pre-flash emission; a second photometering device including a single-segment direct photometering sensor for measuring a main flash emission; a weighting device which assigns a weighting factor to an output of each of the plurality of zone sensors; a calculation device which calculates a correction value based on each photometering value and the weighting factor of each zone sensor of the first photometering device, wherein an appropriate receiving light amount of the second photometering device is calculated in order to attain a compensation exposure for the main flash emission based on the correction value; and a controller which terminates the main flash emission after the light amount measured by the second photometering device reaches the appropriate receiving light amount.

Abstract: A zoom flash includes a light emitter, a zoom driver which moves the light emitter along an axis to vary an illumination angle, a detecting device which detects a zoom position of the light emitter, a calculation device which calculates a pre-flash emission level according to the detected zoom position so that illuminance on an object at a predetermined distance is substantially constant regardless of a variation of the illumination angle, and a control device which activates the light emitter to emit a preliminary flash emission, before a main flash emission, by supplying a voltage corresponding to the pre-flash emission level for the light emitter. A flash photography system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A flash photography system includes a camera body, a main flash device and at least one sub-flash device, wherein the main flash device emits at least one low flash emission serving as a main-flash emission command signal to transmit the main-flash emission command signal to the sub-flash device, the sub-flash device emitting a flash emission in accordance with the main-flash emission command signal. The flash photography system includes a designating device for designating a flash emission mode of a main-flash emission, and a command device which activates the main flash device to emit the low flash emission serving as the main-flash emission command signal to transmit the main-flash emission command signal to the sub-flash device in a manner corresponding to the designated flash emission mode.

Abstract: A uniform flash-emission controller which controls an intensity of a light emission of a flashtube, the uniform flash-emission controller includes an IGBT which causes the flashtube to emit a rapid series of short flash pulses; an IGBT controller which switches the IGBT ON and OFF so as to maintain the intensity at a substantially constant level; and a latch for holding an ON state and an OFF state of the IGBT until a predetermined period of time elapses from a time the IGBT controller switches the IGBT ON and OFF, respectively.