Abstract: An automatic focusing device for use in camera lens systems comprises lens means such as a zoom lens for forming the image of an object, detecting means for detecting the amount of defocus of the image of the object formed by the lens means from a predetermined plane such as a film surface, memory means for storing at least one value of conversion coefficient and at least one value of correction coefficient which is used in a calculation for correcting the conversion coefficient, calculating means for correcting the conversion coefficient in accordance with the amount of defocus and the correction coefficient and for calculating the driving amount of at least a portion of the lens means on the basis of the corrected conversion coefficient and the amount of defocus, and lens driving means for driving at least a portion of the lens means, e.g., the front lens group of a zoom lens, in accordance with the driving amount calculated by the calculating means.

Abstract: In an apparatus for detecting the in-focus state of a photo-taking lens of a camera, a defocus signal is produced responsive to a light intensity distribution signal and is indicative of deviation between an image of an object to be photographed and a predetermined surface. An information signal is produced indicative of the effectiveness of the defocus signal. A vignetting detection signal is produced indicative of the state of vegnetting by the photo-taking lens. The information signal is compared with a threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by the defocus signal, and the threshold value is changed in response to the vignetting detection signal. A photo-taking lens may include a memory that stores data indicating an inverse of a value indicative of a distance from a predetermined plane to an exit pupil of the photo-taking lens, and the data stored in the memory may be used for calculating vignetting.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus for a camera has a charge storage type image sensor for controlling focusing on the basis of output from the image sensor. In the apparatus, object information having comparatively high correlation with focus detection precision is detected and charge storage time of a photoelectric conversion element is controlled in accordance with the detected object, whereby charge storage time is optimally controlled irrespective of object luminance distribution even if an object luminance level varies in a wide range, thereby performing high-speed, stable focus detection.

Abstract: A control device for automatic focusing includes a low sharpness discriminating circuit for identifying a minimum contrast required for focus detecting function and a correlation zone discriminating circuit for determining whether an object is in or out of a correlation zone in the vicinity of the in-focus position. Output signals are supplied from the two discriminating circuits to a sequence control circuit for determining whether to continue or discontinue operation of a lens driving apparatus for driving the lens. A control device may further include a low brightness discriminating circuit the output signal of which is supplied to the sequence control circuit to immediately discontinue the operation of the lens driving apparatus when the low brightness discriminating circuit identifies a low brightness of the object, regardless of the results of other discriminations.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup apparatus can obtain a constant photoelectric transfer output even if an incident light intensity is very high, so that a signal processing circuit to be connected to an output of the apparatus can be simplified in configuration and only low voltage and low power are required. In the apparatus, an incident light intensity on a photoelectric transfer surface is detected, and a charge stored time is decreased in accordance with an increase in the incident light intensity. When the incident light intensity falls within a normal range, the transfer gate clock pulse is controlled to have a predetermined pulse width so as to allow transfer of the photoelectric transfer charge to the CCD shift register. Thus, a substantially constant photoelectric transfer output can be obtained. When the incident light intensity is high, the pulse width of the transfer gate clock is decreased.

Abstract: A camera capable of automatic focusing operation includes a picture-taking lens, photoelectric detector elements for photoelectrically detecting the light from an object to be photographed, a picture-taking lens driving device for driving the picture-taking lens to the in-focus position on the basis of the output of the photoelectric detector elements, a drive blocking device for detecting that the object is unsuitable for automatic focusing operation, thereby blocking the driving of the picture-taking lens by the picture-taking lens driving device, information detecting apparatus for detecting the information of the object, a memory for storing the output of the information detecting apparatus when the object is unsuitable for automatic focusing operation, and a releasing device for comparing the output of the information detecting apparatus with the output of the memory and releasing said blocking by the drive blocking device when the two outputs differ from each other.

Abstract: In a camera including a photoelectric converter device disposed in the substantial imaging plane of a phototaking lens, a device for detecting the in-focus or the out-of-focus of the phototaking lens with respect to an object to be photographed from an output of said photoelectric converter device, and a device responsive to the detecting device to drive and control the phototaking lens in a direction to be in focus with respect to the object, there is provided means responsive only to the detection of said in-focus by the detecting device to restrain the operation of the drive control device. The means includes timer means for enabling the continuance of said restraint during a predetermined time after the detection of the out-of-focus by the detecting device.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus comprises first means for forming phase outputs from said first and second photosensor arrays of phases respectively corresponding to the relative positions of said first and second photosensor arrays with respect to the light images thereon; second means for comparing the output corresponding to the amount of light entering said first photosensor array with the output corresponding to the amount of light entering said second photosensor array and forming a correlation output corresponding to said comparison; third means for forming outputs corresponding to the sharpness of light images on said photosensor arrays from the outputs from said arrays; and processing means for generating a synthesized output signal representing the focus state of said objective lens with respect to the object from the aforementioned phase outputs, correlation output and sharpness outputs.

Abstract: A display device for a camera uses at least two display elements to display visual information such as focus information. Signals are produced, the relative phases of which indicate in-focus or out of focus conditions.

Abstract: A device for extracting a plurality of space frequency components from an optical image formed by an image forming optical system comprises a photoelectric element array including at least N photoelectric elements disposed in or near the image formation plane of the image forming optical system, and means for generating, on the basis of the output of each of the photoelectric elements of the array, an electrical output varying in phase in accordance with the displacement of the optical image in the direction of arrangement of the photoelectric elements.

Abstract: In a focus detecting device having a first and second photoelectric element arrays each including a plurality of photo-electric elements disposed so as to mutually correspond in position and optical means for forming a first image and a second image of an object on the first and second arrays, respectively, there is provided first means for calculating the differences between electrical outputs related to the outputs of the mutually corresponding ones of the photoelectric elements of the first and second arrays and adding together the quantities based on said differences, second means for calculating the difference between each electrical output related to the output of each of the photoelectric elements and each electrical output related to the output of the photoelectric element spaced apart from each photoelectric element with a predetermined number of photoelectric elements interposed therebetween in the direction of arrangement of the elements of the arrays and adding together the quantities based on sai