Abstract: A digital camera comprises two photographing systems which are independent of and substantially identical to each other, and each of which includes a photographing optical system and an image pickup device. The photographing optical system is configured to include a photographing lens, a focusing lens and an aperture stop. The focusing lens of one of the photographing systems is driven stepwise from a first predetermined position at which it is to be located when a focusing position lies at an infinite distance, toward a second predetermined position at which it is to be located when the focusing position lies at the closest distance, while the focusing lens of the other photographing system is driven stepwise from the second predetermined position toward the first predetermined position every step width.

Abstract: A digital imaging system such as a camera, in which the ISO sensitivity of a digital imaging sensor is dynamically adjusted in response to factors such as zoom, focal distance, available light, color of the image, charge status of the flash device, and so forth.

Abstract: A new and improved digital camera includes a zoom in switch and a zoom out switch to effect respective zoom in operations and zoom out operations in both an optical zoom mode of operation and a digital zoom mode of operation. A zoom control arrangement responds to the zoom in switch to decrease a maximum optical zoom factor by one incremental setting when a current digital zoom factor is not equal to a maximum digital zoom factor of about Dn to facilitate developing a smooth transition to a next incremental optical digital zoom factor setting. The next incremental optical digital zoom factor setting is an individual optical digital zoom factor in a combined optical digital zoom factor range from a minimum optical digital zoom factor product of about Z1D1 to a maximum optical digital zoom factor product of about ZtDn.

Abstract: A personal hand-held video device that permits the user to view a scene in real time and then manipulate the scene as desired for replay is provided. A memory sequencing scheme permits the viewer to manipulate automatically stored live action video while continuously storing further live action.

Abstract: Provided are apparatus, a control method, and a control program which permit a first change operation of optically changing magnifications of a taken image and a second change operation of changing the magnifications by signal processing and in which a predetermined restriction that is not imposed on transition from the second change operation to the first change operation is imposed on transition from the first change operation to the second change operation.