Abstract: An imager is provided having an image-capturing device, a voice detector, a voice recognition device and a composer. The image-capturing device captures a subject image and outputs an image. The voice detector detects ambient sound. The voice recognition device converts the ambient sound to characters. The composer composes the characters into the image.

Abstract: A portable device has a display, a display processor displays a magnification image on a screen of the display, and an input device. The portable device further has a display-area shift processor that shifts the magnification-image-display area in accordance to an input operation administered to the input device, and a position sensor that detects an angle of inclination of the body. Then, The display processor changes the magnification-image-display area to an image area that is inclined by an angle corresponding to the angle of inclination, and the display-area shift processor changes shift directions of the magnification-image-display area from vertical and lateral directions of the original image to directions that are perpendicular to each other and correspond to inclined vertical and lateral directions rotated by the angle of inclination.

Abstract: A movable mirror shock-absorbing mechanism of a camera includes a mirror rotatable between a viewfinder light-guiding position and a retracted position, and a shock-absorbing member. The shock-absorbing member is held at a stand-by position with a pressure receiving portion thereof spaced from a contact portion provided on the mirror when the mirror is at the viewfinder light-guiding position or the retracted position. When the mirror rotates between the viewfinder light-guiding position and the retracted position, the contact portion presses the pressure receiving portion to move the shock-absorbing member against the biaser, the shock-absorbing member returns to the stand-by position after the pressing of the contact portion is released, and bouncing of the mirror is limited by a contact engagement between the contact portion and the pressure receiving portion.

Abstract: An imager is provided having an imaging sensor and a focusing detector. The imaging sensor outputs image signals that have charges stored in one line of pixels. The focusing detector detects whether a subject image is in focus on said imaging sensor based on contrast values of frame image data for one image frame formed by the image signals. The imaging sensor changes a charge-storing period that is a time period for storing charges in a pixel, and lengthens the charge-storing period in the case of taking pictures under photographing conditions in which movement of a subject is expected.

Abstract: A retrofocus wide-angle lens system is provided, wherein the entire the wide-angle lens system is divided at a position that satisfies the following condition (1) between a theoretical front lens group having a negative refractive power, and a theoretical rear lens group having a positive refractive power including the diaphragm, at a minimum focal length, and wherein a flat parallel plate is disposed at the position that satisfies the following condition (1): 1.2<|fF/f|<4.0 . . . (1), wherein fF designates the focal length of the theoretical front lens group having a negative refractive power, and f designates the focal length of the entire the wide-angle lens system.

Abstract: A focus detection device, which detects a defocus amount based on a phase difference between a pair of object images that are obtained by pupil division and projected onto a pair of areas on a line sensor, includes a parallel line sensor having two line sensor arrays arranged adjacently in parallel, and a correction calculator which corrects the defocus amount according to a phase difference between output signals of the two line sensor arrays of the parallel line sensor.

Abstract: A zoom adjustment system, comprising a touch panel, a course detector, and a first zoom adjuster, is provided. The touch panel has an input surface. The touch panel detects a certain location on the input surface when it is touched. The touch panel detects a touched location. The course detector detects a course traced on the input surface by the touched location when the touched location is moved about on the input surface while maintaining continuous contact with the input surface. The first zoom adjuster adjusts a magnification of a photographic optical system according to the traced course detected by the course detector.

Abstract: An imaging system including a frame rate setter and an exposure evaluator. The frame rate setter sets a frame rate used in a focusing operation. The frame rate is set faster than a normal frame rate. The exposure evaluator evaluates the exposure of a focusing image based on pixel signals read out from a focusing image area at the frame rate. The frame rate is reduced when the exposure is evaluated as an underexposure and the focusing operation is carried out at a reduced frame rate.

Abstract: An apparatus that detects an in-focus state has a plurality of line sensors and an image signal output processor. The plurality of line sensors is arranged on a projection area. The image signal output processor outputs image signals of an object on the basis of electric charges accumulated in the plurality of line sensors. Each line sensor is equipped with a plurality of pairs of photoelectric converters, which are arrayed along the longitudinal direction of the line sensor, and a plurality of image-pixel signal-reading circuits. Each image-pixel signal-reading circuit reads electric charges from a corresponding pair of photoelectric converters. Also, each image-pixel signal-reading circuit has a first circuit that reads electric charges accumulated in one photoelectric converter and a second circuit that reads electric charges accumulated in the other photoelectric converter.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus capable of capturing a moving image with an imaging device is equipped with a first image-processing device that uses hardware to process images captured by the imaging device and a second image-processing device that processes captured images with software. The imaging apparatus includes an image-processing switching device that selectively operates one of either the first image-processing device or the second image-processing device. The imaging apparatus includes a light-detection device that detects the amount of light received by the imaging device and a sensitivity adjustment device that increases the sensitivity of the imaging device as the amount of light decreases. The image-processing switching device operates the first image-processing device when the sensitivity is lower than a predetermined value and operates the second image-processing device when the sensitivity is higher than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided that includes an image blur evaluator, an imaging processor, a distance map generator and a filter. The image blur evaluator evaluates the amount of blurring due to a camera shake. The imaging processor captures a plurality of secondary images of the same object at different lens positions by driving a photographing lens. The distance map generator prepares a distance map including distance information of the objects captured in each area of an image based on the contrast in each of the areas. The filter reduces noise in the distance map. A relatively large filter area is selected for the filter when blurring is evaluated to be relatively small and a relatively small filter area is selected for the filter when the evaluated blurring is relatively large.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided that includes an imaging processor, a distance information detector, an outline-component maximum image detector, and a distance information correcting processor. The imaging processor captures a plurality of secondary images of the same object at different lens positions. The distance information detector detects distance information of the objects captured in each area of an image based on the sum of outline components in each of the areas in each of the secondary images. The outline-component maximum image detector calculates the sum of outline components for each of the secondary images and detects an image with the maximum sum. The distance information correcting processor replaces distance information of a target area, where the sum of outline components is less than a threshold value, with distance information of the image with the maximum sum.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided that includes an image blur evaluator, an imaging processor, an edge contour extraction processor, an image divider, and a distance information detector. The image blur evaluator evaluates the amount of blurring in an image. The imaging processor captures secondary images of the same object at different lens positions. The edge contour extraction processor extracts edge contour components of the secondary images and creates an edge-contour extracted image for each of the secondary images. The image divider divides each edge-contour extracted image into a plurality of relatively large blocks when blurring is evaluated to be relatively substantial, and into relatively small blocks when the blurring is evaluated to be moderate. The distance information detector detects distance information of the objects captured in each block based on the contrast.

Abstract: A superwide-angle lens system includes a negative first lens group, an aperture diaphragm, and a positive second lens group. The first lens group includes two negative meniscus lens elements, and a positive lens element. The second lens group includes a cemented lens having negative and positive lens elements; and a positive lens element. The following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: ?1.45<f12/f<?1.15??(1) 1.4<SF2<2.4??(2) f12: the combined focal length of the two the negative meniscus lens elements in the first lens group, f: the focal length of the lens system, SF2: the shaping factor of the negative meniscus lens element on the image side in the first lens group.

Abstract: A method of automatically tracking and photographing celestial objects which captures a still image of a celestial object(s) where each celestial object appears stationary simply by making an exposure with a camera directed toward an arbitrary-selected celestial object and fixed with respect to the ground and without using an equatorial, and also a camera that employs this method.

Abstract: A camera a has an image sensor; an exposure controller that conducts a main exposure and a dark exposure, in order, when a long-exposure shooting is carried out; an image signal processor that processes image-pixel signals that are generated by the main exposure and are read from the image sensor; and a noise reduction processor that reduces dark current components in the image-pixel signals on the basis of dark current components in the dark exposure. The exposure controller operates the image sensor for heating between the main exposure and the dark exposure.

Abstract: Optical equipment capable of stopping a lens in a position producing no image blur and requiring low power consumption is provided. The optical equipment includes a lens driving unit for driving a focusing lens. The equipment further includes a drive-setting unit configured to set an optimal drive amount for positioning the focusing lens at an appropriate focal depth while minimizing the amount of power consumed in the process. The optical equipment includes a lens position-control unit that controls the lens driving unit based on the drive amount set by the drive-setting unit controlling the movement of the focusing lens. The lens position-control unit can stop the lens in a position producing no image blur and requiring low power consumption.

Abstract: Optical equipment which can prevent image blurring and enable a lens to be stopped in a position requiring low power consumption is provided. The optical equipment includes a lens driving unit supplied with electric power from a camera body to drive a focusing lens. The equipment further includes an aperture driving unit for driving an aperture and a drive control unit that positions s the focusing lens to minimize low power consumption and controls the aperture driving unit during opening of the aperture so that the focal position of the focusing lens falls within a focal depth. In this way, a lens position-control unit for controlling an AF motor can stop the lens in a position that does not cause image blur and reduces power consumption.

Abstract: A macro lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, and a negative fourth lens group, in that order from the object. Upon focusing from an infinite photographic distance to a life-sized photographic distance, the first lens group remains stationary with respect to the imaging plane, and the second and third lens groups move along the optical axis direction. The macro lens system satisfies the following condition: ?4.6<f2/fi<?3.0 wherein f2 designates the focal length of the second lens group; and fi the focal length of the entire the macro lens system when an object at infinity is in an in-focus state.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided that includes a camera body, a lens barrel, a lens barrel information transmitter, and an image sensor driver. The image sensor is housed in the camera body. The lens barrel is attachable to and detachable from the camera body. The lens barrel information transmitter regularly transmits information of the lens barrel to the camera body. The image sensor driver drives the image sensor at one of at least two different frame rates where a second frame rate is higher than a first frame rate. The amount of data being transmitted is reduced by the lens barrel information transmitter when the image sensor is driven at the second frame rate, compared to the amount transmitted when the image sensor is driven at the first frame rate.