Abstract: A photometry device for a camera is provided with a normal light sensor, an exposure amount determining system, a plurality of colorimetric sensors that detect a color of the object using light passed through a photographing lens of the camera. The calorimetric sensors have spectral sensitivity characteristics that are different from each other. The photometry device further includes an external light sensor, a light source color compensation amount determining system, a light source effect compensation system, a colorimetry compensation amount determining system, and an exposure amount compensation system. In such a device, the light source color compensation amount determining system changes the light source color compensation amount in accordance with an object distance, or the magnification of the photographing lens.

Abstract: A flash control device includes: a flash emission section that performs main light emission at photography and preliminary light emission before photography; a flash photometric section that divides reflected light from a photographic subject due to the preliminary light emission into a plurality of photometric areas and performs photometry thereupon; and a flash control section that performs control by, if an output from at least one photometric area of the plurality of photometric areas is outside a predetermined range, resetting a gain related to photometry for the at least one photometric area, and performing again a preliminary light emission by the flash emission section and a preliminary light emission photometry by the flash photometric section.

Abstract: A camera section photographs a camera test chart. A calibration controller of the camera section reads out image data of the camera test chart, and executes calibration of the camera section by use of characteristic values of obtained image data and standard data, which is stored in an internal memory. Next, a printer test chart, printed by a printer section, is photographed by the calibrated camera section. Image data of the printer test chart is sent to the printer section from the camera section. A calibration controller of the printer section performs calibration of the printer section by use of characteristic values of obtained image data and standard data, which is stored in an internal memory. By calibrating both the camera and the printer sections, it is possible to execute effective calibration of the apparatus.

Abstract: A spatial modulator, a luminous flux deflector, a focus detection apparatus and a imaging device, which are capable of changing the focal position. The focus detection device includes: a focus sensor; liquid crystal cells that are arranged between a lens and the focus sensor and deflect luminous flux guided from the lens to the focus sensor while enabling a deflection characteristic of the luminous flux guided from the lens to the focus sensor to be changed; and a microcomputer for controlling the liquid crystal cells according to the size, position and so on upon an exit pupil of the lens and changing the deflection characteristic of the luminous flux guided from the lens to the focus sensor.

Abstract: A camera adjusts its strobe energy to achieve proper exposure of a photograph. The adjustment method uses two trial exposures of the scene to be photographed. One trial exposure is taken without the camera strobe using only ambient illumination. The other trial exposure is taken using the camera strobe at a pre-set energy level. Pixels that appear as saturated in the ambient-only trial exposure are discounted in the determination of the strobe energy for the final photograph. This method properly exposes scenes which themselves contain bright light sources such as lamps or light fixtures.

Abstract: The lens interlock mechanism includes the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the third driving unit. The first driving unit moves the zoom lens along the optical axis direction of the zoom lens while giving a first driving force corresponding to the movement of the zoom lens to the third driving unit. The second driving unit gives a second driving force corresponding to a distance between the subject to the third drive unit. The third driving unit receives the first and second driving force given from the first and second drive units, and thereby, moves the focus lens in its the optical axis direction while keeping a predetermined relation to the zoom lens based on the distance to the subject.

Abstract: In a camera to which the finder drive mechanism of the invention is applied, a lens barrel is driven by a drive motor through a zoom drive gear train and a lens frame drive gear train, and the finder variable power of a finder optical system is moved forward and backward in association with the lens barrel through the zoom drive gear train, finder drive gear train, a friction clutch mechanism and a finder cam mechanism. The finder cam assembly of the finder cam mechanism rotates an angle of a predetermined operation range of at least one rotation, thereby moving forward and backward the zoom finder lens system. According to the camera having the finder drive mechanism, a finder optical system having high variable power can be assembled thereto, and moreover the finder optical system can be moved forward and backward with a pinpoint accuracy by the finder drive mechanism.

Abstract: A camera includes a light emission unit having a light emitting part, an operation member provided for changing over the camera between an operative state and an inoperative state, a moving member coupled to the operation member and arranged to move in an operating direction in which the operation member is operated, the moving member having a cam groove formed therein, and a rotary member having an engaging part engaging the cam groove and arranged to be rotated around an axis parallel with the operating direction by the engaging part sliding along the cam groove, wherein the light emission unit is rotated around the axis in association with rotation of the rotary member, so that the light emission unit is changed over between a state in which the light emission unit is stowed in the camera and a state in which the light emission unit is protruded from the camera.

Abstract: A light image shift correcting device is provided with a planar member having a reference surface perpendicular to an optical axis of a focusing optical system, a shift correcting optical member having a flange portion at its periphery, an urger for movably pressing the shift correcting optical member against the reference surface of the planar member at a plurality of parts of the flange portion, a torus type piezoelectric actuator pressed against the flange portion by a part of the urger, and a controller for controlling the torus type piezoelectric actuator. The device can highly precisely control a light image shift correcting optical member despite its simple construction and can be made smaller.

Abstract: A camera with a built-in electronic flash device, includes: a photographing lens; an aperture stop; an electronic flash emitting portion; a light receiving element for receiving light reflected on a photographic object which has been emitted by the flash emitting portion; and an electronic flash circuit for making the flash emitting portion emit light, the flash circuit having an automatic emission control circuit which stops emission of the flash emitting portion when an amount of the reflected light received by the light receiving element reaches a specified value. With respect to the automatic emission control circuit, A min satisfies the following conditional expression, (A−1) EV≦A min≦(A+0.

Abstract: A pack case includes a case body, a bottom cover and a pressure plate, which are formed from plastic material. On lateral walls of the case body is provided ribs that are fit into engaging grooves formed in spaces surrounded by a bottom plate and both lateral walls of the bottom cover. The lateral walls have projections, bottom surfaces of which are inclined to fit the inclination of top surfaces of the ribs. Lateral walls of the case body are inclined such that inclination angle in an upper portion is larger than that in a lower portion. A sponge sheet for preventing deviation of an instant photo film unit is attached to the bottom cover. After inserting projections on the bottom cover into holes of the sponge sheet, the projections are deformed by pressure and heat, so that the projections are cut into the sponge sheet.

Abstract: A photometry device for a camera, includes a normal light sensor having spectral sensitivity characteristics close to visual sensitivity characteristics, a plurality of colorimetric sensors having spectral sensitivity characteristics that are different from each other, an exposure amount determining system that determines an exposure amount of an object in accordance with an output of the normal light sensor, a colorimetry system that judges a color of the object in accordance with the outputs of the plurality of colorimetric sensors, and a compensation amount determining system that determines an exposure compensation amount in accordance with the color judged by the colorimetry system. The compensation amount determining system compensates for the exposure compensation amount determined by the compensation amount determining system in accordance with differences among the outputs of the plurality of colorimetric sensors.

Abstract: A method of cutting fibrous material having a semi-rigid base and a fibrous pile in which the fibers in the immediate vicinity of the cut are removed prior to the cut being made. The fibers are removed by the application of heat at a temperature hot enough to vaporize the fibers.

Abstract: A camera is provided which commences exposure at a timing at which a shake amount is reduced. An exposure operation commencement instruction section gives an instruction to commence an exposure operation. A focusing lens drive device drives a focusing lens responsive to the instruction. An exposure operation commencement decision section determines a required delay time based on the shake state of the camera body after the instruction to commence the exposure operation has been given. An exposure device commences the exposure operation according to the determined delay time. And an operating state of one of the focusing lens drive device, the exposure operation commencement decision section and the exposure device which is being operated is displayed in a discernible form. The focusing lens drive device, the exposure operation commencement decision section and the exposure section are successively operated in response to the instruction.

Abstract: A lens control unit is provided in which a position of an operating member for operating a zoom position or a focus position of a lens unit is moved by following the actual zoom position or the focus position of the lens unit in the case where a shot function for instantly reproducing the zoom position and the focus position of the lens unit that are stored beforehand is executed, thereby the operating member can control the zoom or focus of the lens unit with the zoom position or focus position that is moved by the shot function as the origins. A lens operation screen is displayed on a monitor of a personal computer, which is connected to the lens unit. A manual operation screen and a shot operation screen are displayed on the lens operation screen. Zoom, focus, iris and extender of the lens unit are manually operated in the manual operation screen. In the shot operation screen, the shot function is executed to move the zoom and focus of the lens unit to positions that are registered beforehand.

Abstract: A lens barrier opening/closing device of a movable lens barrel includes a barrier blade which is driven to open and close a photographic aperture; a barrier drive ring driven to rotate about an optical axis; a first biasing device which biases the barrier drive ring in a rotational direction; a rotational barrel which rotates about the optical axis; a receiving surface formed on the barrier drive ring to extend parallel to the optical axis; and a transmission surface, formed on the rotational barrel, extending parallel to the optical axis. The receiving surface and the transmission surface are engaged with each other to rotate the barrier drive ring together with the rotational barrel about the optical axis in a direction against a biasing force of the first biasing device when the movable lens barrel moves from either the photographing position to the accommodation position or vise versa.

Abstract: An optical apparatus has an operation member for permitting a first operation and a second operation; a position detector for detecting a position of an optical element; a target position setting device for permitting arbitrary setting of a target position in driving of the optical element; and a control for controlling the driving of the optical element. The control stores the position of the optical element detected by the position detector and drives the optical element to the target position set by the target position setting device, in response to the first operation of the operation member, and the control drives the optical element to the stored position of the optical element detected by the position detector, in response to the second operation of the operation member.

Abstract: A camera includes a lens barrel having a cam part in which a plurality of magnification varying cam areas for varying magnification and a plurality of focusing cam areas for focusing are alternately formed in a continuous manner, a flash light emitting part arranged to be capable of varying a luminous intensity distribution angle, a driving part for causing the lens barrel to move along an optical axis while rotating around the optical axis, the lens barrel having a lens thereof driven along the cam part to perform a magnification varying action or a focusing action, and a control mechanism for controlling the luminous intensity distribution angle of the flash light emitting part in association with the rotation of the lens barrel in such a way as to cause the luminous intensity distribution angle of the flash light emitting part to vary when the lens is driven to move along one of the plurality of magnification varying cam areas and to cause the luminous intensity distribution angle of the flash light emitti

Abstract: Disclosed is a viewfinder apparatus for a camera, comprising: a curvilinear image-forming surface in a viewfinder optical system independent of a photographic optical system; a field frame disposed adjacent to the image-forming surface for defining a reference field of view, the field frame being formed into a curvilinear shape such as to match in profile with the image-forming surface; a field-correcting frame for correcting the field of view defined by the field frame, the field-correcting frame being supported on an arm portion that is pivoted about a revolving shaft in a direction normal to an optical axis of the viewfinder optical system, the field-correcting frame being formed into a curvilinear shape such as to correspond in profile with the image-forming surface; and a motor for driving the field-correcting frame into movement along the image-forming surface, whereby the field-correcting frame of the viewfinder optical system is invariably viewed.

Abstract: A selection point selecting apparatus is provided with a first selection point group including an upper side selection part composed of a plurality of selection points, a lower side selection part composed of a plurality of selection points, a right side selection part including at least one selection point and a left side selection part including at least one selection point. A first selecting device is arranged to select, in accordance with a direction of an operation on a first operation member, a selection point from among the first selection point group in a circular manner in a direction corresponding to the direction of the operation. A second selecting device is arranged to select, in response to an operation on a second operation member, a selection point other than the selection points of the first selection point group.