Abstract: An imaging device includes: an image acquisition unit configured to receive light fluxes passing through different regions in a single imaging optical system and acquire two images; a ghost detection unit configured to detect a ghost from the two acquired images; a first determination unit configured to determine whether the ghost is detected from any of the two acquired images; and a control unit configured to perform at least one of an automatic focus control, an automatic exposure control and an automatic white balance control based on an image for which it is not determined that the ghost is caused out of the two images in a case where the first determination unit determines that the ghost is detected from any of the two images.

Abstract: A camera is provided which is adapted to receive a photographic lens having a diaphragm. The camera includes a detection unit configured to execute electric charge accumulation for detecting a defocus amount when the diaphragm is in a state having a first aperture value, and a controller configured to, when causing the diaphragm to perform an aperture reducing operation from the first aperture value to a second aperture value, cause the diaphragm to start the aperture reducing operation without waiting for completion of the electric charge accumulation for detecting the defocus amount by the detection unit.

Abstract: A light receiving device that receives light having passed through an image forming optical system and outputs a light reception signal includes: a light receiving element array formed by arraying a plurality of light receiving elements; a micro-lens array disposed between the image forming optical system and the light receiving element array, which includes a plurality of micro-lenses arrayed in correspondence to the plurality of light receiving elements; and a storage unit that stores position-related information pertaining to a relative positional relationship assumed by the micro-lens array and the light receiving element array with respect to a plane perpendicular to optical axes of the micro-lenses.

Abstract: A camera is provided which is adapted to receive a photographic lens having a diaphragm. The camera includes a detection unit configured to execute electric charge accumulation for detecting a defocus amount when the diaphragm is in a state having a first aperture value, and a controller configured to, when causing the diaphragm to perform an aperture reducing operation from the first aperture value to a second aperture value, cause the diaphragm to start the aperture reducing operation without waiting for completion of the electric charge accumulation for detecting the defocus amount by the detection unit.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed for accelerating the operation of the automatic functions of an imager, e.g. a camera system. The automatic functions may, for example, include one or more of auto-focus, auto-exposure and auto-white balance. A special “windowing mode” is implemented in which information is acquired from only a subset of defined windows from the full pixel array area in order to set image capture parameters of the imager in accordance with current scene conditions.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus including a drive mechanism, a signal processing section, an image pickup lens, an image pickup device and a focus control section is described. The drive mechanism changes a position of the image pickup lens relative to the image pickup device. The image pickup device outputs an electric signal of an image at each of a plurality of relative positions. The signal processing section processes the electric signal and generates a digital image signal corresponding to the plurality of relative positions. The focus control section extracts, from the digital image signal, high-frequency components for pixels selected from a focus area set in the image of the digital image signal, calculates a focus evaluation value corresponding to each relative position, identifies a maximum focus evaluation value among the calculated focus evaluation values, and moves the image pickup lens to the relative position that provides the maximum focus evaluation value.

Abstract: A focus detecting device includes a focus detecting optical system which forms a plurality of object images. A photoelectric conversion element array includes a plurality of pixels and subjects each of the plural object images formed by the focus detecting optical system to photoelectric conversion. An electric charge transfer path transfers an electric charge obtained by the photoelectric conversion subjected by the photoelectric conversion element array. A focus detecting section performs focus detection with respect to a plurality of focus areas on the basis of a signal associated with an electric charge transferred by the electric charge transfer path. A plurality of effective pixel regions corresponding to the plural focus areas are arranged in the arrangement direction of the pixels of the photoelectric conversion element array, and ineffective pixel regions are arranged between the plural effective pixel regions.

Abstract: A camera is provided which is adapted to receive a photographic lens having a diaphragm. The camera includes a detection unit configured to execute electric charge accumulation for detecting a defocus amount when the diaphragm is in a state having a first aperture value, and a controller configured to, when causing the diaphragm to perform an aperture reducing operation from the first aperture value to a second aperture value, cause the diaphragm to start the aperture reducing operation without waiting for completion of the electric charge accumulation for detecting the defocus amount by the detection unit.

Abstract: A camera system includes an interchangeable lens and a camera body. The camera body includes an imaging unit, a contrast detection unit, a defocusing amount detection unit, and a body microcomputer. The contrast detection unit is configured to detect a contrast value from an image signal of a subject acquired by the imaging unit, and is configured to detect the focal state of an optical image on the basis of the contrast value. The defocusing amount detection unit is configured to detect the focal state of the optical image by phase difference detection method. The body microcomputer is configured to select either the contrast detection unit or the defocusing amount detection unit on the basis of lens information on the interchangeable lens side.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging element that receives a subject light flux from an imaging lens that forms a subject image, and converts the subject light flux to an electrical signal; and a control device that selects one of first imaging preparatory processing for executing imaging preparatory processing based upon an output signal from the imaging element and second imaging preparatory processing for executing imaging preparatory processing based upon an output signal from a light receiving element other than the imaging element in correspondence to an extent of decentering of the imaging lens.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus, in which a light is projected toward a physical object by projection means, and based on the reflected light by the physical object of the light, a defocus amount is detected (steps S2003 to S2008) by the first focus detection means and the second focus detection means, respectively, and a correction value for matching the defocus amount detected by the first focus detection means with the defocus amount detected by the second focus detection means is calculated and kept stored (step S2009), and at the photographing time, based on the defocus amount detected by the first focus detection means and the correction value kept stored, a focus adjustment lens within a photographic lens is driven, thereby preventing an inappropriate correction of the defocus amount.

Abstract: Camera having a sensor for outputting subject image data to perform distance measuring or focusing of the camera, wherein in the event that a comparison is made between subject image data output from the sensor at predetermined intervals, and detection of blurring is performed based of the image offset from the subject image data, the usage range of the subject image data by sensor is made proper.

Abstract: A distance measuring device provided in a camera has: a pair of integration-type image sensor arrays; a plurality of brightness monitors being placed close to one of the image sensor arrays, each independently for measuring the brightness of the subject in a predetermined area and for outputting a signal corresponding to the brightness; a selector for selecting one of the brightness signals from the brightness monitors based on the taking condition; and a controller for controlling the termination of integration by the image sensor arrays based on the selected brightness signal. At least one of the brightness monitors has a measurement width area being large in the direction of the base line of the image sensor arrays compared to a second brightness monitor, and covers the measurement area of the second brightness monitor.

Abstract: A distance measuring device, or a focus detector, including a plurality of sensors provided in association with a plurality of different areas, and a respective plurality of processing circuits provided in association with the plurality of sensors, to process signals output from the plurality of sensors, where power selectively is supplied only to a sensor(s) and a processing circuit(s) associated with the sensor(s) that correspond to a predetermined area from among the plurality of different areas. The predetermined area may be determined on the basis of the state of a power source (e.g., detected voltage level), the focal length of a shooting optical system, the state of an auxiliary light for irradiating an object, and the like.

Abstract: A distance measuring sensor applied to the present distance measuring device has three pairs of line sensors and a control circuit arranged in the center thereof. In three pairs of line sensors, the central line sensors have a train of photodetector units and a train of processing units, to be divided into two, for processing output signals of the train of photodetector units. The upper line sensors and lower line sensors are arranged on the upper and lower sides of the train of photodetector units on the right and left of the center line sensors, opposed to the train of processing units. The upper and lower line sensors have the train of photodetector units corresponding to a length of two-divided line-sensor.

Abstract: This invention is an inexpensive distance measuring device having short lag time, configured so as to have a pair of light receiving regions at positions of focal points of a pair of image forming optical systems, comprising functions for dividing the light receiving regions and for monitoring the integration control for each divided light receiving region, also comprising an AF area sensor capable of performing pre-integration operations while causing strobe light to be emitted, and a microcomputer that, according to object field luminance distributions obtained from pre-integration results of the AF area sensor and to the focal length value of the photographic lens, divides the light receiving regions of the AF area sensor into respective pluralities, causes final integration operations to be performed while monitoring the integration control in each of the divided light receiving regions, and performs ranging computations based on data obtained for each light receiving region, capable of performing appropr

Abstract: A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera comprises an area sensor, an integration circuit, and a switching circuit. The above-mentioned area sensor receives light of a picture image in the image plane. The integration circuit integrates output signals of this area sensor. The control circuit controls operations of starting and stopping the integration of the above-mentioned integration circuit, based on output signals corresponding to a specific block of the above-mentioned area sensor. The switching circuit switches the above-mentioned specific block according to using state of the camera.

Abstract: An active-type multipoint automatic focusing apparatus is arranged to vary the number of distance measuring points according to focal length, and to vary, according to the number of distance measuring points varied, the number of times of light projection to be made by a light projecting part for a distance measuring action at each of the distance measuring points.

Abstract: There is provided a camera with an automatic focusing device having hybrid AF unit capable of always performing a reliable automatic focusing operation on a moving object to provide a more preferable photographic result. The camera includes first distance measuring unit 4 having at least a pair of light receiving sensors, for measuring the distance of an object by receiving a beam of light from the object, second distance measuring unit 3 having light projecting unit for projecting a beam of light upon the object and light receiving unit for receiving a beam of light reflected therefrom, for measuring the distance of the object by projecting a beam of light upon the object with the light projecting unit and by receiving a beam of light reflected therefrom with the light receiving unit and distance measuring method selecting unit 2 for selecting either the first distance measuring unit or the second distance measuring unit.

Abstract: There is provided a distance measuring apparatus in a lens-shutter type camera provided with a photographic lens, a focal length of the photographic lens being variable.

Abstract: A camera which uses exchangeable photographing lenses, and is capable of focus detection using a plurality of focus areas, includes a memory for storing information pertaining to the number of focus areas that can be used in focus detection in units of mountable photographing lenses, and a microprocessor for controlling focus detection on the basis of information corresponding to the photographing lens mounted, of the information stored in the memory.

Abstract: There is provided a distance measuring apparatus in a lens-shutter type camera provided with a photographic lens, a focal length of the photographic lens being variable.

Abstract: A distance measurement device has a taking lens, a viewfinder, distance measurement elements for performing distance measurement in a plurality of areas on an object, a memory for storing the positional relationship between the field of view of the viewfinder and the distance measurement areas of the distance measurement elements, a selector for selecting one of the distances measured in the plurality of areas in accordance with the positional relationship stored in the memory, and a controller for adjusting the focus of the taking lens in accordance with the distance selected by the selector.

Abstract: An improved auto-focus system for a digital camera has a lens designed to have the focus of two spectra offset from each other by a predetermined amount. The two offset spectra are used to calculate two focus signals. Once the two focus signals are calculated the correct direction to move the lens system to set the optimum focus can be determined.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus in a lens-shutter type camera is provided with a photographic lens having variable focal length. The device includes a pair of image forming lenses each forming a subject image, a pair of line sensors on which the subject images are respectively formed through the pair of image forming lenses, the pair of line sensors each having a plurality of light receiving elements. The unit also includes a plurality of light receiving areas formed correspondingly on each of the pair of line sensors, the plurality of light receiving areas each including a predetermined number of the plurality of light receiving elements. The plurality of light receiving areas respectively receive different areas of a corresponding one of the subject images formed by the pair of image forming lenses, and each adjacent pair of light receiving areas of the plurality of light receiving areas overlap each other.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes a pair of line sensors. An image of an object is projected on the line sensor through a lens. The distance up to an object is measured according to the object image in the line sensor. The line sensor includes a plurality of pixels (CCD). The time period for respective pixels to complete charge accumulation with the pixel first completing charge accumulation as the pixel of quantizing reference becomes the data for the respective pixels. In the present invention, the range of pixels used for quantizing reference is altered according to variation in the focal length of the lens. The operation of distance measurement is terminated when charge accumulation for all the pixels within the range of the integration completion determination ends. The range of integration completion determination is altered according to the focal length, the measured brightness value and the shooting mode.

Abstract: A TTL exposure control apparatus having a camera body to which different interchangeable lenses can be detachably attached is disclosed. At least one of the interchangeable lenses is an interchangeable wide-angle lens having a distortion. The wide-angle lens has a memory for storing an exposure correction value corresponding to the distortion. The camera body includes a photometering device which measures photometering data using light transmitted through the interchangeable lenses, and a photometering data correcting device for correcting the measurements by the photometering device in accordance with the exposure correction value read from the memory when the interchangeable wide-angle lens is attached to the camera body.

Abstract: A focus adjusting apparatus which includes a focus detection device for independently detecting focus states of N different regions in a scene. The apparatus includes a selection circuit and a focus adjustment circuit. The selection circuit simultaneously selects, among the N regions, an arbitrary number of regions, the arbitrary number being less than N, and the selection circuit setting, among the N regions which are all selectable, a first number and a second number, different from the first number, of regions as regions simultaneously selected. The focus adjustment circuit performs focus adjustment on the basis of the focus states independently detected in the regions set by the selection circuit.

Abstract: Subjects are detected in a captured image and a main subject is selected from the detected subjects. Focusing areas are set up that correspond to the detected subjects and focus detection is performed in the focusing areas that have been set up. When providing in-focus indication representing focus detection results, focus detection results associated with the particular focusing area among the focusing areas that corresponds to the main subject are displayed in a manner different from focus detection results associated with those focusing areas within the depth of field that correspond to subjects other than the main subject.

Abstract: Subjects are detected in a captured image and a main subject is selected from the detected subjects. Focusing areas are set up that correspond to the detected subjects and focus detection is performed in the focusing areas that have been set up. When providing in-focus indication representing focus detection results, focus detection results associated with the particular focusing area among the focusing areas that corresponds to the main subject are displayed in a manner different from focus detection results associated with those focusing areas within the depth of field that correspond to subjects other than the main subject.