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: A gear mechanism having a smaller diameter and achieving an accurate automatic drive includes a central gear supported on a rotational shaft, first and second side gears coaxially positioned on both sides of the central gear, planetary bevel gears supported within side surfaces of the central gear, and sun bevel gears respectively formed on the inner side surfaces of the first and second side gears which are engaged with the planetary bevel gears. At least one of the first and second side gears is provided with a torque adjuster for adjusting the torque of the side gear(s).

Abstract: A blur correction apparatus is provided that includes a blur correction mechanism, a locking member, a shift drive processor and an unlocking driver. The blur correction mechanism compensates for camera shake by driving a movable portion provided with one of a correction lens and an imaging device. The locking member restricts movement of the movable portion within a locked range of motion. The shift drive processor moves the movable portion a predetermined distance toward a center of the locked range of motion when locking by the locking member is released and the predetermined distance is shorter than the distance from the movable portion to the center. The unlocking driver moves the locking member to an unlocked position after moving the movable portion the predetermined distance away from the locking member.

Abstract: An autofocus device is provided that includes a lens drive system, an imager, a contrast detector, first and second peak detectors, and a backlash detector. The lens drive system translates a lens. The imager captures an image through the lens. The contrast detector detects the contrast of an image captured by the imager. The first peak detector detects a first contrast peak of images captured at different lens positions when the lens is translated in a forward direction. The second peak detector detects a second contrast peak of images captured at different lens positions when the lens is translated in a backward direction. The detection of the second peak is carried out after detection of the first contrast peak. The backlash detector detects the backlash in the lens drive system according to the positions of the first and second contrast peaks.

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: 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: A method of automatically tracking and photographing a celestial object, is provided, which moves relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion so that the celestial object image formed on an image sensor becomes stationary during a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation.

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: 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 camera having a mirror drive mechanism, for rotating a movable mirror, includes a slider supported on a side of the movable mirror to be linearly movable in a vertical direction corresponding to an up-and-down rotation of the movable mirror, the slider including a cam follower; an end-face cam member positioned above a mirror up-and-down pivot, about which the movable mirror pivots, to be rotatable about a vertical rotational shaft, a cam follower provided on the slider is in contact with the end-face cam member so that the end-face cam member changes a vertical position of the slider via an end-face cam and the cam follower by rotating; and an end-face cam driver. A control apparatus for a cam drive mechanism and a method of controlling a cam drive mechanism are also provided.

Abstract: A zoom lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, a negative third lens group and a positive fourth lens group, in that order from the object side. Upon zooming from the short to long focal length extremities, at least the first lens group, the second lens group and the fourth lens group are moved in the optical axis direction. The third lens group includes a negative first sub-lens group and a negative second sub-lens group, in that order from the object side. The second sub-lens group is provided with a negative single lens element and a positive single lens element, wherein an air lens is formed between the negative single lens element and the positive single lens element.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided that includes a target detector, a readout area determiner and a readout processor. The target detector detects a target subject from an effective pixel area of an image sensor. The readout area determiner defines a readout area within the effective pixel area, the readout area corresponding to a detected target. The readout processor reads out only pixel signals within the readout area. A partial area within the readout area is redefined as the readout area when the size of the original readout area is greater than a predetermined size.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging an object has an image sensor that comprises a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels is matrix-arrayed along vertical and horizontal directions. The apparatus also has an image sensor driver that drives the image sensor, and the image sensor driver is capable of reading image-pixel signals of neighboring pixels among the plurality of pixels while mixing the image-pixel signals. The apparatus also has a pixel addition setting processor that sets the number of pixel addition with respect to at least one of at least one row and at least one column. The pixel addition setting processor sets different numbers of pixel addition to different pixel areas. The image sensor driver reads the image-pixel signals in response to the set number of pixel addition.

Abstract: An image-processing system including an image processor and a correction processor is provided. The imaging processor obtains a captured image. The correction processor produces a corrected image by correcting an aberration that emerges in the captured image. The correction processor produces: at least one or more processed images obtained by applying different processes to the captured image; a masking image by applying a predetermined process to one of the captured images or the at least one or more processed images; a composite image by synthesizing the masking image and either of the captured image or the at least one or more processed images, which are not used when producing the masking image; and the corrected image by synthesizing the composite image and the captured image.

Abstract: A wireless communication system, comprising: an imaging apparatus; a storage medium attached to the imaging apparatus; and a terminal device, wherein the imaging apparatus comprises: a controller to control operation of the imaging apparatus and to execute transmission/reception of data, wherein the storage medium comprises: a first wireless communication unit; and a control unit to execute transmission/reception of data, wherein the terminal device comprises: a command generating unit to generate a command for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus; and a second wireless communication unit, wherein: the controller executes a checking process in a predetermined cycle; and when the controller determines that the storage medium has received the command, the controller controls the operation of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the command and transmits an instruction to change operation of the control unit to the storage medium in accordance with the operation of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A finder optical system includes an image inverter optical member and an eyepiece lens system. The eyepiece lens system includes a negative first lens element, a positive biconvex second lens element, and a meniscus third lens element having a concave surface on the eyepoint side, in that order from the object side. A diopter adjustment operation is performed by moving the second lens element along the optical axis. Conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: ?0.2<f/f3<0.2??(1), and 2.15<f(L3n?1)/L3b<3.00??(2), wherein f designates the focal length of the entire the eyepiece lens system at a diopter of ?1, f3 designates the focal length of the third lens element, L3n designates the refractive index at the d-line of the third lens element, and L3b designates the radius of curvature of the surface on the eyepoint side of the third lens element.

Abstract: A macro lens system includes a positive first lens group, and a positive or negative second lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein at least the first lens group moves toward the object side when focusing on an object at infinity to an object at a close distance, wherein the second lens group includes a negative first sub-lens group and a positive second sub-lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein the following condition (1) is satisfied: ?5.0<f2A/fi<?0.8??(1), wherein f2A designates the focal length of the first sub-lens group, and fi designates the focal length of the entire the macro lens system when focusing on an object at infinity.

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 photographing information management method, which includes: judging whether there is equality between photographing position information added to an image file stored in an external storage medium which is detachably attachable to an imaging apparatus and photographing position information stored in an internal memory of the imaging apparatus; and when it is judged that the two pieces of photographing position information have the equality, displaying an image and the photographing position information of the image file on a display screen of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus comprises an imaging sensor, a power supply control unit, and a moving-picture generating unit. The imaging sensor continuously performs imaging operations in a predetermined interval. The power supply control unit controls a power-supply operation 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 generating unit generates a moving-picture file based on still pictures obtained by the imaging operations.