Abstract: A device includes a flash unit to generate light, and an optical sensor to receive the light from the flash unit, and generate a light intensity signal based on the received light. The device also includes a controller to generate a modified error signal based on the light intensity signal. The device further includes a control circuit to receive the modified error signal from the controller, receive an output voltage from a power source associated with the device, control the output voltage based on the modified error signal, and provide the controlled output voltage to the flash unit.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image taking apparatus comprising a flash emission device, a flash control device which adjusts a flash emission amount at the time of image taking using flash, an automatic focusing device which automatically performs focusing of an image taking lens, a determination device which determines, based on data on focusing performed by the automatic focusing device, whether or not a shooting distance is shorter than a normal shooting distance range at the time of image taking using flash, and a sensitivity setting device which sets a camera sensitivity at the time of image taking using flash, the sensitivity setting device which sets a camera sensitivity lower than a standard camera sensitivity set in advance with respect to the normal shooting distance range if the determination device determines that the shooting distance is shorter.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus includes: an A/D conversion circuit having an amplifier that is capable of amplifying image signals per shooting frame; and a gain changer that changes the gain of the amplifier. The apparatus causes the gain changer to increase the gain of the amplifier up to a level that compensates for a gradual decrease in the amount of light emitted from LEDs that occurs during continuous shooting. As a result, the amplitude level of every image signal is made constant and thus, replayed images of the same brightness shot during the continuous shooting are obtained.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an emission device for illuminating a subject, a preliminary emission control device for controlling preliminary emission before photographing, a photometry device for measuring a reflected light volume from the subject in the preliminary emission so as to obtain a photometric result, and a main emission control device for controlling main emission when photographing, the main emission control device has a first emission control for conducting emission by adjusting emission volume by using the photometric result, and a second emission control for conducting emission until the reflected light volume from the subject reaches a predetermined volume, the main emission control device conducts an emission control by either the first emission control or the second emission control according to the photometric result.

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 high-performance image-forming optical system made compact and thin by folding an optical path using reflecting surfaces arranged to minimize the number of reflections. The image-forming optical system has a single prism. When image-side three surfaces of the prism are defined as a surface A, a surface B and a surface C in order from the image plane side thereof, at least one of the surfaces B and C has a rotationally asymmetric curved surface configuration that gives a power to a light beam and corrects aberrations due to decentration. The optical system leads light rays from an object to the image plane without forming an image in the prism and has a pupil in the prism. The surface A is a transmitting surface through which rays exit from the prism. The surfaces B and C are internally reflecting surfaces. Rays incident on the surface C and rays reflected from the surface B intersect each other in the prism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera system which is arranged to find the amount of emission of a main emission on the basis of a measured light value obtained during a preliminary emission, and perform control of the main emission. More specifically, the present invention provides a camera system which is arranged to inhibit processing, such as abnormal-reflection correction, during execution of a specific kind of photography, such as bounce flash photography, perform control processing suited to the specific kind of photography, and execute correct amount-of-light control.

Abstract: A flash photography system arranged to make preliminary emission and to control main emission according to a value of light measured at the time of the preliminary emission is capable of adequately performing main flat emission by making the preliminary emission in the mode of flat emission and controlling a peak value of the main flat emission according to data of light measured when the preliminary flat emission is made.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera system which is arranged to find the amount of emission of a main emission on the basis of a measured light value obtained during a preliminary emission, and perform control of the main emission. More specifically, the present invention provides a camera system which is arranged to inhibit processing, such as abnormal-reflection correction, during execution of a specific kind of photography, such as bounce flash photography, perform control processing suited to the specific kind of photography, and execute correct amount-of-light control.

Abstract: A time measurement device useful with laser range cameras and time-of-flight measuring methods includes a light transmitter responsive to start and stop signals for transmitting the light during a time interval to be measured, and a light receiver for receiving the light and for providing an output signal related to an exposure of the light during the time interval time between start and stop signals to the transmitter The output signal thus providing a measurement of the time between the start and the stop signals. The transmitter includes a light emitting diode to which an electrical current is provided for generating a constant output light source for the transmitter. The light receiver includes charged coupled devices (CCD) having a linear response to an amount of exposure to the light received from the light transmitter. As a result, the CCD provides the output signal in a linear relationship to the amount of exposure to the light, and thus a measurement of the time interval.

Abstract: A camera comprising an optical viewfinder with a pair of aligned front and rear lenses for viewing a subject to be photographed, and a multi-lamp flash wheel rotatable to move respective one-time-use flash lamps to a use position for illuminating the subject, is characterized in that the multi-lamp flash wheel has a lamp cover wheel which is transparent to transmit the illumination from each of the flash lamps in the use position, and the front lens is an integral centered portion of the lamp cover wheel.