Abstract: An apparatus for capturing an image includes a plurality of lens elements coaxially encompassed within a lens housing. One of the lens elements includes an aspheric lens element having a surface profile configured to enhance a desired region of a captured image. At least one glare-reducing element coaxial with the plurality of lens elements receives light subsequent to the light sequentially passing through each of the lens elements. An imaging chip receives the light subsequent to the light passing through the at least one glare-reducing element. The imaging chip includes a plurality of green, blue and red pixels.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a cam drive mechanism comprising a motor, a driven member having a cam follower, a rotatable cam which is rotated by the motor, and a cam surface on the cam, the cam surface including a pressing area which is inclined so as to press the cam follower against a load when the cam is rotated by the motor and a recessed area which is inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination direction of said pressing area. A controller rotates the cam by the motor in a single direction, and changes a rotational speed of the motor between when the cam is positioned at a first rotational position at which the recessed area and the cam follower face each other, and when the cam is positioned at a second rotational position at which the pressing area and the cam follower face each other.

Abstract: A lens device includes a base, a lens unit, a dividing plate, a cover plate, a shutter unit, and an actuator unit. The base has a front section with a front surface, a rear section with a rear surface, a lens hole, and a mounting space. The lens unit is disposed in the lens hole, and includes a lens. The dividing plate is mounted on the front section and has a first light hole. The cover plate is mounted on the front section and has a second light hole. The dividing plate and the cover plate define a working space therebetween. The shutter unit includes a first shutter piece pivotally disposed in the working space. The actuator unit is mounted in the mounting space, and includes a rotation portion, and an operating portion formed on the rotation portion and extending into the working space.

Abstract: In a single-lens reflex camera, the rotation center of a lever used for driving a shutter device is arranged rearward of a shutter device with respect to an optical axis, and the lever end (point of action) is arranged in front of the shutter device with respect to the optical axis. Thereby, compactness of the camera body can be realized.

Abstract: According to the present invention, light from a taking lens is reflected by a quick return mirror in a lateral direction of a body unit. Then, after passing through a screen, the light is reflected toward an upper side of the body unit by a second mirror except part of the light. The light reflected by the second mirror is reflected by a third mirror in a direction opposite to a direction in which the light is reflected by the quick return mirror, and is further reflected by a fourth mirror toward an eyepiece located on a back side of the body unit. Part of the light which passing though the screen is taken by an AF sensor unit provided in rear of the second mirror, and an image formation position of an optical image is detected.

Abstract: An optical element mounting and demounting device for bringing an optical element (26) into an optical path of an optical lens system and removing it from the optical path includes a holder frame (28) for holding the optical element (26) that is supported for pivotal movement on a stationary shaft (30) so as to move the optical element (26) between a rest position and a working position, an urging member (40, 50, 60) for applying urging force against the holder frame during pivotal movement of the holder frame (28) between the rest position and the working position, the urging member being secured to a stationary member so as to invert the direction of urging force against the holder frame between the rest position and the working position, and a manually operable member elements for causing pivotal movement of the holder frame between the rest position and the working position.

Abstract: A mirror box includes a mirror that is selectively set to one of a reflecting position, which is on an optical path between a photographing lens and an imaging device so that incident light passing through the photographing lens is reflected to a view-finder, and a retracted position, which is out of the optical path so that said incident light is led to the imaging device. A filter is selectively set to one of a non-functioning position, which is close to the mirror, when the mirror is set to the reflecting position, and a functioning position, which is on the optical path so that a predetermined light component contained in the incident light is blocked, when the mirror is set to the retracted position. The filter comprises an optical low-pass filter, and the mirror comprises a half-mirror which is integrally provided on an incident surface of the optical low-pass filter.

Abstract: A lens device in which a first movable lens holding frame and a second movable lens holding frame are moved along an optical axis by rotating a cam cylinder rotatably provided on a lens barrel, an escape channel for escapement of a portion of the second movable lens holding frame being formed in the first movable lens holding frame, the lens device comprising: a light shielding member moved along the optical axis by the rotation of the cam cylinder, the light shielding member being moved to a position at which the light shielding member closes the escape channel of the first movable lens holding frame.

Abstract: A digital still camera of the present invention has a photographing optical system, a body, an image sensor, a half mirror, a phase difference focus detector. The image sensor is arranged in the body and backward of the photographing optical system along an optical axis. The light-path space is formed between the photographing optical system and the image sensor along the optical axis, light from the photographing optical system passes through the light-path space and is received by the image sensor. The half mirror is provided along the optical axis in the light-path space and the phase difference focus detector is provided outside the light-path space. The half mirror is arranged in the light-path space such that all of the light directed from the photographing optical system to the image sensor substantially passes through the half mirror.

Abstract: A camera has a body having an exposure frame surrounding an exposure opening. The exposure frame has a window. A mask core is mounted in the body. The mask core has an axis of rotation extending transverse to the exposure frame. The mask core has a plurality of sectors arranged about the axis of rotation. Each sector has an active position adjoining the window. Each sector shades the window differently in the respective active position. A drive is coupled to the mask core. The drive selectively rotates the mask core between the active positions of each of the sectors.

Abstract: A filter mechanism (10) for a camera comprises two filter elements (12) angularly spaced on a moveable paddle (14). The paddle is rotated by a drive arrangement (13) which allows either filter element (12) to be brought into position within the focus mechanism of the camera.

Abstract: In a digital camera having a half mirror retractable out of the optical path and an optical viewfinder receiving light reflected from the half mirror, the sensitivity of an image-sensing device is set as specified by the user. When a relatively high sensitivity is specified, an image to be recorded is shot with the half mirror operated as a quick-return mirror, and, when a relatively low sensitivity is specified, an image to be recorded is shot with the half mirror kept in the optical path. A sensitivity that cannot be coped with simply by changing the position of the half mirror is set by adjusting, in conjunction therewith, the output gain of the image-sensing device.

Abstract: A film back exchangeable camera has a camera body and a film back that can be attached to and detached from the camera body.

Abstract: The invention enables users to adapt 35 mm SLR still cameras to function as 35 mm motion picture viewfinders and adapt 35 mm SLR still cameras to create photographs which correspond to what they see through its viewing system. By substituting an accurately marked focusing screen for the original and placing an identically marked insert within the camera we can accomplish both of these goals. The insert interrupts the image forming light path close enough to the film plane to precisely transfer its markings to the image exposed there. As the images are all formed in the same size as in 35 mm motion picture photography the optical characteristics they present are identical to those of 35 mm motion picture photography.

Abstract: A photographing lens of a camera comprises a non-circular lens and a light blocking mask. The non-circular lens receives an optical image from an object and forms an image on a photographing medium. The light blocking mask is fixed in front of the non-circular lens, and blocks noise light generated in relation to the non-circular lens.

Abstract: A camera has an objective lens for forming an image of a subject by focusing rays of light on a film plane, and a mirror for a viewfinder which is movable in the way of the light rays between the objective lens and the film plane to reflect the light rays to a viewing screen in the viewfinder and is movable out of the way of the light rays to allow the lens to focus the light rays on the film plane. The movable mirror is an electrostatic light valve that includes a transparent flat stationary electrode between the objective lens and the film plane, and a coilable mirrored resilient electrode having one end fixed with respect to the stationary electrode and a free end. The coilable electrode is biased to curl into a coil on the stationary electrode, beginning at the free end, to move out of the way of the light rays, and is electrostatically actuatable to uncurl from the coil along the stationary electrode to be in the way of the light rays to reflect them to the viewing screen.

Abstract: In a film back exchangeable camera provided with a camera body, an exchangeable film back is removably attached to the camera body. A light shielding member is removably attached to the film back so that the light shielding member prevents a film in the film back from being exposed when the light shielding member is attached to the film back, and so that the film is permitted to be exposed when the light shielding member is removed from the film back.

Abstract: In a film back exchangeable camera provided with a camera body, an exchangeable film back is removably attached to the camera body. A light shielding member is removably attached to the film back so that the light shielding member prevents a film in the film back from being exposed when the light shielding member is attached to the film back, and so that the film is permitted to be exposed when the light shielding member is removed from the film back.

Abstract: A movable filter device comprises a rotary plate for holding an optical filter, a holding plate for holding the rotary plate rotatably at a pivot point, stopper pins, and a torsion coil spring. The torsion coil spring has one end coupled to the holding plate and the other end coupled to the rotary plate, and generates a force for extending both ends thereof. The force generated by the torsion coil spring prevents the rotary plate from stopping at positions other than those defined by the stopper pins. The rotary plate has slender portions of low rigidity for absorbing the impact of collision between the rotary plate and stopper pins.

Abstract: A camera includes a fixed first mirror for both reflecting a light flux and transmitting the light flux therethrough, a second mirror for reflecting a part of the light flux transmitted through the first mirror toward a particular device, the second mirror being capable of moving between a non-exposure position and a mirror-retracted position, and a light blocking member movable in interlocked relationship to a movement of the second mirror in such a manner that, when the second mirror is located at the non-exposure position, the light blocking member is located at a light blocking position at which the light blocking member blocks at least a part of the light flux transmitted through the first mirror, and, when the second mirror is retracted to the mirror-retracted position, the light blocking member moves to a retracted position at which the light blocking member is retracted from the light blocking position.

Abstract: A shutter arrangement for a camera which includes a plurality of shutter blades each having a rotational center and an opening formed proximate to the rotational center, a supporting member which supports each of the plurality of shutter blades to be rotatable about the rotational center and a ring member driven to rotate about an optical axis of a photographic lens. The ring member includes a plurality of pins each engaging with a corresponding one of the openings. A light intercepting sheet is also provided which includes a plurality of holes in which the plurality of pins are respectively inserted, so that the ring member and the light intercepting sheet rotate together as a whole about the optical axis when the ring member is driven to rotate.

Abstract: In a single-lens reflex camera having a quick-return mirror and a built-in mechanism for change-over between different photographic image plane frames, a light blocking member is arranged to be movable into or out of a photo-taking optical path by swinging around the same or approximately the same rotation axis of the quick-return mirror and to block a part of a photographing light flux to prevent the part of the light flux from reaching the photographic image plane when it is within the photo-taking optical path, so that a photographic image plane frame which differs from a normal photographic image plane frame can be formed by this light blocking member.