Abstract: A zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, in that order from the object side, and a positive nth lens group provided closest to the image side. During zooming from the short to long focal length extremities, the first lens group and the nth lens group remain stationary and the second lens group moves. A positive mth lens group is provided between the second and nth lens groups. The following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: 1.23<f1/fn<1.50??(1), and 1.20<fn/fm<1.60??(2), wherein f1, fn and fm designate the focal lengths of the first, nth and mth lens groups, respectively, wherein n is a positive integer of 4 or greater, and m is a positive integer of 3 or greater.

Abstract: A camera body includes a plurality of body-side bayonet lugs which are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening; and a protrusion which is positioned in a circular-arc opening formed between adjacent body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs, the distance between the protrusion and either of adjacent two body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs being shorter than each of the lens-side bayonet lugs; and a body-side mount surface with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact from the front side when the lens-side bayonet lugs are positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lugs.

Abstract: Automatically tracking and photographing celestial objects and a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing apparatus, in which the burden on the CPU can be reduced by eliminating unnecessary arithmetic processes and can clearly photograph an object(s) so as to appear stationary without using an equatorial, and without using an actuator, which must be precisely controlled. The method includes moving relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion, to photograph a trimming area that has been electronically trimmed from a part of an imaging area of an image sensor, moving while the celestial object is photographed, including obtaining movement information of an image on the imaging area; setting movement data for the trimming area based on the obtained movement information of the image; and carrying out a photographing operation while moving the trimming area based on the movement data of the set trimming area at each trimming area, upon being moved.

Abstract: In a photographing apparatus and a photographing control system, an image sensor drive controller drives an image sensor in a direction which is different from the direction of an optical axis of a photographing optical system via an electromagnetic drive system in accordance with a first drive signal, which is generated by a first drive signal generator, and a second drive signal, which is generated by a second drive signal, during a period of exposure of the image sensor, and drives the image sensor in the direction which is different from the direction of the optical axis of the photographing optical system via the electromagnetic drive system in accordance with the first drive signal, which is generated by the first drive signal generator, during the period of signal readout of the image sensor.

Abstract: An operation key assembly facilitates operation of a plurality of keys disposed in a mutually adjacent manner and facilitates operation by simultaneously operating the keys. The operation multi-direction key assembly includes a plurality of direction keys disposed in a mutually adjacent manner. In the operation key assembly, the plurality of keys can be singly operated or the mutually adjacent keys can be simultaneously operated. On an upper surface of an operation portion of the key, protrusions are formed in at least one part of a portion facing the adjacent key. By touching one key with the fingertip on the protrusion, the key can be singly operated on the basis of the touch of the finger. By simultaneously operating two mutually adjacent keys by simultaneously touching the protrusions of the two keys, the two mutually adjacent keys can be simultaneously operated on the basis of the touch of the finger.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate, magnetic force generators immovable relative to the stationary support plate, a stage member, an image sensor fixed to the stage member, a control circuit board connected to a side of the stage member, and coils which produce a driving force upon a supply of electric current thereto, the coils being fixed to the stage member at an opposite side of the center of the stage member with respect to the control circuit board, and a FPC board between the stationary support plate and the stage member. The stationary support plate is recessed, from a lateral edge of the stationary support plate at which the control circuit board is provided, in a direction toward the coils and includes an FPC board escape recess, in which said FPC board is partially positioned.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a control circuit board, a stationary support member facing the control circuit board, a stage member superposing the stationary support member and provided on the opposite side of the stationary support member to the control circuit board, the stage member being movable relative to the stationary support member in a plane; an electronic component fixed to the stage member; a flexible conductive member, one end thereof connected to the electronic component and the other end thereof connected to the control circuit board; and a driver generating a driving force for moving the stage plate. The stationary support member includes a conductive member escape recess, recessed from a peripheral edge toward a central portion thereof and extending through the stationary support member in the thickness direction. Part of the flexible conductive member is inside the conductive member escape recess.

Abstract: A variable-position operation device, provided on an electronic-device body, includes a variable-position operation member which shifts upon an operation thereof; a first electrical contact which shifts in accordance with the operation of the variable-position operation member; a second electrical contact which detects a shifted position of the first electrical contact, which is in sliding contact with the second electrical contact, in accordance with a shifted position of the variable-position operation member; and at least one light-emitting element, wherein a light-emitting state of the light-emitting element changes in accordance with the shifted position of the variable-position operation member. The second electrical contact is provided on a first board. The light-emitting element is provided on a second board, the second board being provided as a separate member from that of the first board.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens drive ring actuated to drive a lens group along an optical axis, a driving direction detector detecting a driving direction of the lens drive ring, an actuator actuating the lens drive ring, a power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force of the actuator to the lens drive ring, a manual operation member to manually move the lens drive ring, and a lens-driving controller controlling the actuator to drive the lens drive ring to move the movable lens group. When the lens drive ring is driven, the lens-driving controller controls a driving output of the actuator according to whether or not a first driving direction of the lens drive ring detected immediately before the lens drive ring is driven and a currently-detected second driving direction of the lens drive ring are mutually identical.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens drive ring which moves a movable lens group along an optical axis, a first inputter including an actuator and generating a first rotational input, a second inputter which generates a second rotational input, a power transmission clutch including a first input member, a second input member and an output member, wherein the first input member is rotatable and is associated with the first inputter, the second input member is rotatable and is associated with the second inputter, and the output member is rotatable and is associated with the lens drive ring; and a load controller. When the second rotational input, which is generated by the second inputter, is applied to the second input member to thereby cause the first input member to rotate, the load controller exerts a rotational load on the actuator.

Abstract: An image shake correction device, comprising: an image correction unit configured to correct image shake by moving with respect to an optical axis; and a locking ring provided rotatably about the optical axis. In this configuration, the image correction unit comprises at least one locked projection formed to protrude in an optical axis direction, the locking ring comprises at least one locking projection formed to protrude in the optical axis direction, and at a predetermined rotational position of the locking ring, the at least one locking projection contacts the at least one locked projection and thereby locks the image correction unit.

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 photographing apparatus comprises an imaging sensor, a power supply controller, and a moving-picture generator. The imaging sensor continuously performs imaging operations in a predetermined interval. The power supply control unit controls power supply to the imaging sensor during a waiting period that is defined as a period from the end of one imaging operation of the imaging operations to the beginning of the next imaging operation of the imaging operations. The moving-picture generator generates a moving-picture file by incorporating a plurality of still pictures, obtained by the imaging operations, into a frame composing a moving picture.

Abstract: An optimum low-pass filter effect according to various photographing condition parameters related to photographing conditions is obtained with flexibility without forcing the user to perform a troublesome manual operation in a photographing apparatus which drives an image sensor to obtain an optical low-pass filter effect. The photographing condition parameter setters set parameters related to photographing conditions. The image sensor drive controller changes the drive range of the image sensor and the optical low-pass filter effect, which are defined by the image sensor driver, based on the photographing condition parameters set by the photographing condition parameter setters.

Abstract: A variable-magnification image processing apparatus, comprising: a magnification setting group storing unit to store a magnification setting group; a display magnification obtaining unit to obtain a display magnification of an image displayed on a display screen at an equal pixel magnification; a magnification setting selection unit configured to select one of the magnification settings in one of decreasing order and increasing order; and a display control unit configured to display the image at the magnification setting, wherein the magnification setting selection unit is configured to execute at least one of: operation to select the obtained display magnification subsequently to a maximum one of the magnification settings smaller than the obtained display magnification when a magnifying operation is conducted; and operation to select the obtained displaying magnification subsequently to a minimum one of the magnification settings larger than the obtained display magnification when a reducing operation is co

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 voltage conversion circuit, comprising: a transformer that converts a voltage input to a primary side and outputs a converted voltage from a secondary side; a switching unit configured to switch on/off of electrification of the primary side of the transformer; and a bypass unit configured to transmit charges from the secondary side to the primary side of the transformer when the switching unit is off, so as to reduce a surge voltage caused on the switching unit.

Abstract: In a photographing apparatus and a photographing control system which drive an image sensor (moving member) to obtain an optical low-pass filter effect, an exposure time setter sets an exposure time; a drive cycle setter sets the drive cycle of the moving member so that the exposure time, which is set by the exposure time setter, becomes an integer multiple of the drive cycle; a moving member drive controller drives the moving member and controls the operation thereof via the moving member driver so that the moving member traces a predetermined path an integer number of times in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis within the exposure time, which is set by the exposure time setter, based on the drive cycle, which is set by the drive cycle setter.

Abstract: A zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group and a negative second lens group. The first lens group includes a cemented lens, a diffraction surface having a rotationally symmetric shape satisfying condition (1) formed on a cemented surface of the cemented lens, and condition (2) is satisfied: 130<|fD/RD|<10,000(fD>0)??(1), and 0.15<f1/fT<0.35??(2). fD designates the focal length of the diffraction surface; fD=?1/(2×P2×?0); P2 designates a secondary coefficient of an optical path difference function for calculating an optical path length addition amount of the diffraction surface, ?0 designates the d-line, RD designates the radius of curvature of the substrate surface having the diffraction surface and fT designates the focal lengths of the entire lens system at the long focal length extremity.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes a photographing optical system having a diaphragm and a photographing lens; an image sensor; a driver which drives a shake-correction member in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis-to make the object-emanating light rays incident on pixels of the image sensor that have different in detection colors to obtain an optical low-pass filter effect, wherein the image sensor and/or a lens element-constitutes the shake-correction member; a retriever which retrieves information on an aperture diameter of the diaphragm and on a resolving power of the photographing lens; and a drive controller which varies a range of the pixels, having different-in detection colors and on which the object-emanating light rays are incident, in accordance with the information on the aperture diameter of the diaphragm and/or on the resolving power of the photographing lens to vary the optical low-pass filter effect.