Abstract: A dust-screening member is shaped like a plate as a whole, and has at least one side that is symmetric with respect to a virtual axis on a surface of the member. A vibrating member is adjacent to one side of the dust-screening member, arranged on the surface along the one side, and configured to produce, at the surface, vibration having a vibrational amplitude perpendicular to the surface. A drive unit is configured to drive the vibrating member to produce the vibration on the surface, such that peak ridges of the vibration form a closed loop and an area including a center of the closed loop is surrounded by a node area having almost no vibrational amplitude.

Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises an operation member provided on an outer periphery of a photographing lens of the camera, a mode determination section for determining an adjustment mode in accordance with a first operation of the operation member, a numerical adjustment section capable of numerical adjustment of shooting parameters in accordance with the determined mode, in accordance with a second operation of the operation member, and a switching section for switching the first operation and the second operation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for displaying a live view image obtained by implementing special effect processing on an image data on a monitor comprises an image processing unit that implements a plurality of types of special effect processing on the image data to generate a plurality of sets of special effect image data corresponding respectively to the plurality of types of special effect processing, and a control unit that displays the plurality of sets of special effect image data on the monitor while switching the plurality of sets of special effect image data automatically in time series.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit for capturing a subject and generating image data of the subject, an operation input unit for receiving inputs of operation signals containing a release signal for instructing the imaging unit to shoot, an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the imaging apparatus, a state detector for separately detecting a case in which the imaging apparatus is overland, a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and a photographer shoots while swimming, and a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and the photographer shoots while changing a water depth, and a control unit for performing operation control depending on an input into the operation input unit and/or into the acceleration detector according to a state detection result by the state detector.

Abstract: A camera according to the present invention, which is capable of continuous shooting before and after a still image shot according to photographer's operation, comprises: an imaging section converting an object image into image data; a still image shooting section obtaining image data of the still image according to release operation; a continuous shooting section obtaining the image data by continuous shooting before and after the obtaining of the still image in the still image shooting section; an image processing section performing image processing which is different from that of the image data obtained by the still image shooting section and changed sequentially, on the image data obtained by the continuous shooting section; and a recording section recording the image data image-processed by the image processing section.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit that includes a shooting lens for collecting an image of a subject to be shot; and an imaging element that forms the image collected by the shooting lens and generates image data through photoelectric conversion of formed image. The imaging apparatus also includes an inclination detector that detects an inclination of the imaging apparatus from a predetermined position, through a rotation around a shooting optical axis of the shooting lens. The apparatus also includes a control unit that changes an operating mode to a switchable state capable of switching between operating modes when a predetermined time has elapsed in a state in which the inclination detected by the inclination detector falls within a predetermined range in which the operating modes of the imaging apparatus are switched to each other.

Abstract: A camera comprises an imaging unit for imaging an object image; a first storage unit for storing plural still pictures and plural motion pictures, as images, and information other than the images; a display unit for displaying one or plural images, or an image output from the imaging unit; a search source specification unit for specifying a search source image; a search condition specification unit for specifying a search condition; and a search unit for searching an image similar to the search source image specified by the search source specification unit and in accordance with the search condition specified by the search condition specification unit.

Abstract: A vibrating device includes a dust-screening member and a vibrating member. The dust-screening member is disposed in front of an image surface of an image forming element having the image surface in which an optical image is generated. The dust-screening member has a box shape with about the same small plate thickness as a whole, and includes, in a bottom surface portion of the box shape, a transparent part which spreads from the center of the bottom surface portion. The vibrating member is disposed outside the transparent part of the dust-screening member. The vibrating member is configured to generate, in the bottom surface portion of the dust-screening member, vibration having a vibrational amplitude which is vertical to the bottom surface portion thereof.

Abstract: The zoom lens of the invention comprises, in order from an object side thereof, a first lens group having positive refracting power, a second lens group having negative refracting power, a third lens group having positive refracting power, a fourth lens group having positive refracting power, a fifth lens group having negative refracting power, and a sixth lens group having positive refracting power. The first lens group includes a reflective optical element, and the lens component in, and on the most image side of, the fourth lens group has negative refracting power.

Abstract: There is a need for an object recognition apparatus for identifying multiple objects separately or collectively and a method therefor. An object recognition apparatus is configured to include: an image output section acquiring multiple object images and outputting an image; a detection section detecting the multiple object images in the image; a first identification section identifying the detected multiple object images; and a second identification section identifying the detected multiple object images collectively.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a lens unit condensing light from a visual field region, an imaging unit including an imaging element which converts light condensed by the lens unit into an electric signal and continuously generating electronic image data based on the electric signal, a storage unit storing the image data generated by the imaging unit, a display unit displaying an image based on the image data generated by the imaging unit, an input unit receiving an input of a change instruction signal used to change a first capturing mode at a first vertical-to-horizontal ratio to a second capturing mode at a second vertical-to-horizontal ratio and an image trimming unit generating a captured image by trimming an image included in image data generated by the imaging unit at a vertical-to-horizontal ratio between the first and second vertical-to-horizontal ratios, when the change instruction signal is input during the first capturing mode.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus including an imaging unit that captures images of a photographic subject and continuously generates electronic image data; a display unit that displays, at a predetermined display frame rate, images corresponding to the image data generated by the imaging unit; an image processing unit that either performs a first-type special effect operation that can be displayed at the predetermined display frame rate or performs a second-type special effect operation that can be displayed at a faster display frame rate than the predetermined display frame rate; an operation input unit that receives input of a change instruction signal that provides an instruction for changing a combination of image processing operations during a special effect operation performed by the image processing unit; and a control unit that instructs the image processing unit to switch the special effect operation from the first-type special effect operation to the second-type special effect operation.

Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention has: an optical housing having a bending optical system for reflecting photographic object light entering along a first optical axis to a second optical axis direction perpendicular to the first optical axis to form an image on an image pickup device; a camera main body having a containing portion for containing the optical housing slidably only in the second optical axis direction and having support portions for supporting the optical housing provided on each of both sides surfaces of the containing portion across the second optical axis of the bending optical system; and a shock absorbing unit provided between an inner surface of the containing portion of the camera main body in which the support portions are not provided and an outer surface of the optical housing facing thereto.

Abstract: A teleconverter includes a master lens apparatus-side mount on which a master lens apparatus is mounted, a camera body-side mount on which a camera body is mounted, and a converter lens unit that has a negative refracting power for mounting the master lens apparatus thereon to obtain a lens system having a focal length longer than that of the master lens apparatus, the converter lens unit including a first lens group on the master lens apparatus side and a second lens group on the camera body side with an on longest air separation interposed between them, the first lens group has positive refracting power, and the second lens group has negative refracting power, with satisfaction of the following condition (1): ?1.53<f1/f<?0.66??(1) where f is the focal length of a whole system of the converter lens unit, and f1 is the focal length of the first lens group.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third lens unit including a lens. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end, and the distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit changes during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end. The first lens unit consists, in order from the object side, of a front sub lens unit having a negative refractive power, an optical path bending member, and a rear sub lens unit having a positive refractive power. The front sub lens unit includes a biconcave single lens, and the rear sub lens unit includes one or two single lenses.

Abstract: A lens frame drive apparatus for an image pickup apparatus includes: a first lens frame that moves along a plurality of guide shafts; a second lens frame that moves along the plurality of guide shafts; and a drive shaft with a cam portion for driving the first lens frame, a nut for driving the second lens frame, a feed screw portion threadably connected to the nut, and a driven portion that upon receipt of a driving force from a motor, simultaneously rotates the cam portion and the feed screw portion, formed thereon, wherein the cam portion and the feed screw portion are driven by the nut so that a total amount of movement of the second lens frame is extremely smaller than a total amount of movement of the first lens frame and the second lens frame corrects the amount of movement of the first lens frame.

Abstract: The invention provides a zoom lens, characterized by comprising, in order from an object side thereof, a first lens group of positive refracting power, a second lens group of negative refracting power, a third lens group of positive refracting power, and a fourth lens group of negative refracting power, upon zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of the zoom lens, a separation between the respective lens group changes, a separation between the first lens group and the second lens group becomes narrow, and a separation between the second lens group and the third lens group grows wide; upon focusing from a focusing-on-infinity state to a close-range focusing state, the fourth lens group moves in an optical axis direction; and Conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied at the wide-angle end.

Abstract: Image data obtained by photographing an object using a camera is stored in a storage medium that can be attached to and detached from the camera. The camera includes a device program storage unit and an information writing unit. A device program that can be executed by an information processing device, which is different to the camera, is stored in the device program storage unit. The information writing unit is constituted to be capable of writing the device program to the storage medium attached to the camera. While writing the device program to the storage medium, the information writing unit writes the device program in a format enabling the information processing device to read and execute the device program automatically when the storage medium is attached to the information processing device.

Abstract: Controlling a photographing apparatus that can play back an image on an external display device, to achieve energy savings when playing back the image on the external display device is provided. After a photographed image is transmitted to the external display device, if a control signal is sourced by a remote control power to a back-surface LCD 102a and/or the touch panel 102b is turned off.