Abstract: A slide photograph data creation system includes a digital camera for making high-magnification photographs of samples, a sample transporter for holding and transporting samples, a controller for controlling the camera and the sample transporter so as to provide overlapping photographs, a pasting information generator for recognizing the margin by which the photographs overlap and for generating pasting-together information, and a photograph file generator for storing in a single file a plurality of high-magnification photographs and the pasting-together information. The system facilitates the examination and photography of large numbers of samples, and enables discrimination of the three-dimensional structure of a sample. Since the photographic data is managed with a database, virtual slide photographs and their attributes information can be browsed over a network or the Internet.

Abstract: A viewfinder system for a digital camera comprises a main optical path for projecting an outside scene image onto a light sensitive area facility, which facility determines a user field, and an optical extraction path for through mirror-operation extracting a fraction of the outside scene image onto a viewer optical path. The viewer optical path comprises a first mask for inserting a negative delineating outline into a viewer field and a second mask for inserting a positive delineating outline into the viewer field, both said first and second masks corresponding to the user field. In particular, at least one of the first and second masks is realized by an electronic device that has its mask size variably controlled by an electronic facility on the basis of pixel-wise driving. Advantageously, the electronic device is controlled by a sensor facility that is adapted for with respect to the other of the masks that has a fixed size sensing the latter size.

Abstract: For controlling exposure in a camera, first and second brightness levels of first and second areas of a captured image are determined. First and second weight values for the first and second brightness levels are determined with an increase of the first weight value for a higher difference between the first and second brightness levels. Exposure control data is generated from the first and second weight values and the first and second brightness levels.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an image sensor provided at an imaging position of a photographing optical system, at least one optical element provided in front of the image sensor, a hermetically-sealing holding member which hermetically seals and integrally holds the image sensor and the optical element, a support member which supports the hermetically-sealing holding member and is prevented from tilting relative to an optical axis of the photographing optical system, and an angle-adjusting device which allows the hermetically-sealing holding member to tilt relative to the support member so as to change the tilt angle of the image sensor and the optical element with respect to the optical axis of the photographing optical system upon assembly.

Abstract: A camera device is provided which has an optical system including a focus lens, focus control for focusing the optical system on a subject by driving the focus lens, and display control for causing a display to display numerals indicating a first distance of a close end and a second distance of a remote end of a subject distance range in which the focus control can focus the optical system.

Abstract: The camera support base of the invention is designed to meet the need for a stable, lightweight, compact, economical fixture that can be removably affixed to a photographic camera to safely support the camera when it is set down out-of-hand. A preferred basic design of the camera support base comprises a three legged device that assumes the overall general shape of a “T”, having a flat horizontal top portion or plate bisected by a flat perpendicular vertical portion in the same plane. The widths of the top portion and the vertical portion can be the same or different with a width wide enough at the juncture of the two portions to assure contact with the bottom part of a camera sufficient to support the camera and secure it to the base.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a radially-retractable optical element constituting a part of photographing optical system, and is movable between a photographing position and a radially-retracted position; a biasing device for biasing the radially-retractable optical element toward the photographing position; and a swing member which is rotatable about a rotation axis extending parallel to the optical axis, the swing member being rotated so as to push the radially-retractable optical element against a biasing force of the biasing device to move the radially-retractable optical element to the radially-retracted position. The radially-retractable optical element and the swing member are mutually positioned so that a moving amount of the radially-retractable optical element per unit of rotation angle of the swing member gradually decreases as the radially-retractable optical element moves from the photographing position to the radially-retracted position.

Abstract: A variable focal length light source is constructed using a tunable focus length lens which can be adjusted in synchronization to the focal length of a camera lens. In one embodiment, a deformable lens is used in conjunction with an LED light source to provide the tunable focal length required for a camera flash device.

Abstract: There is provided a light control apparatus that maintains the overall apparatus size small, increases the number of stop stages, and is suitable for both the shutter and stop actions. A light control apparatus includes a first actuator, a second actuator, a first light shielding member driven by the first actuator, and a second light shielding member driven by the second actuator, wherein in a stop adjusting action, the first and second actuators drive the first and second light shielding members and adjust an aperture formed by the first and second light shielding members, and wherein in a shutter action, the second actuator drives the second light-shielding member for a light shielding action.

Abstract: There is provided an intermediate adapter having a camera shake correction function, in which an exchange head provided with an image taking optical system and an imaging device is applicable to a camera system, and a camera system having the intermediate adapter. The exchange head is mounted on the intermediate adapter having a head driving section, and the exchange head mounted on the intermediate adapter is mounted on a camera main frame. The head driving section drives the exchange head in accordance with a detection signal detected by a camera shake detection section of the intermediate adapter.