Abstract: An optical element retracting mechanism includes a linearly movable ring; a swingable holder mounted supported inside the linearly movable ring; a position-controller holding the swingable holder; a support plate including first and second elongated holes; a support plate fixing device fixing the support plate to the linearly movable ring; first and second rotatable shafts extending substantially parallel to the optical axis having first and second eccentric pins engaged in the first and second elongated holes, wherein when the first or second rotatable shaft is rotated, a movement force is applied on the support plate in a direction generally orthogonal to the elongation direction of the elongated hole thereof; and a movement direction setting device which sets the movement direction of the support plate when the movement force is applied on the support plate by the rotation of the first or second rotatable shaft.

Abstract: A guide mechanism for a lens barrel includes a support frame supporting an imaging component, and a linear guide configured to guide the support frame along an axis. The linear guide can include a ring portion defining an opening through which the support frame can pass, and further includes at least one linear guide key extending along the axis from the ring portion and positioned substantially radially inwardly of the opening. The support frame has at least one linear guide groove located at the outer peripheral surface thereof and configured to slidably engage with a respective the at least one linear guide key, and each of the opposite ends of the at least one linear guide groove are open such that the support frame is movable to extend from either of the sides of the ring portion.

Abstract: A projection television has a unit for reflecting OFF light not advancing toward a screen of light emitted by a reflection type light modulating element and a unit for controlling the amount of the reflecting OFF light and returns the OFF light which has not been used in a conventional device to the light source to reuse the OFF light. This configuration increases the utilization efficiency of the light and, as a result, can realize a powerful projection television having a bright projection image.

Abstract: A light-projecting device comprises an ocular optical system facing an emergent opening of a hollow pentagonal mirror. A light source is provided outside the emergent opening, to output an illumination light beam, by which a superimpose-plate is illuminated so that a focusing mark formed on the superimpose-plate is radiated. A light-projecting prism is provided beside the ocular optical system, to reflect the illumination light beam output from the light source, toward the emergent opening. The optical axis, extending between the light source and the light-projecting prism, is approximately parallel to the plane of the emergent opening.

Abstract: A field flattener having a function of flattening a bent image surface on which an image is formed through an optical system, is composed of a material of which a refractive index is equal to or larger than 2. A sectional configuration of the field flattener cut in an optical-axis direction containing the optical axis is formed to take a stepped shape toward its peripheral edge from the optical axis. An axial height of the stepped portion configuring the surface in the optical-axis direction in this stepped shape is set so as to equal to or larger than twice a wavelength of beams to be used.

Abstract: In multi-point distance measurement, the distance of a distance measurement object is three-way divided into a very short distance range, a short distance range and a moderate to long distance range, and if the distance of an object located at a very short distance is measured in any one of the endmost distance measurement areas of a plurality of distance measurement areas, and all the distances measured in other distance measurement areas belong to the moderate to long distance, the distance belonging to the very short distance range is not employed, and the shortest distance of distances belonging to the moderate to long distance range is employed as a measured distance. On the other hand, if any of the distances measured in other distance measurement areas belongs to the short distance range which is closer than the moderate to long distance range, the distance belonging to the very short distance range is employed, thereby reducing the frequency of erroneous distance measurement.

Abstract: A camera crane having a carriage, a crane post which is arranged above the carriage, and a boom which is attached in such a manner that the boom can be tilted about a crane pivot axis, with sections of the boom extending on either side of the crane pivot axis. At an end of one section of the boom, a camera can be attached, and on the other section, a moment compensating counterweight can be attached. The section of the boom which carries the counterweight has a smaller length than the length of the crane post between carriage and crane pivot axis, and the boom has a pivot range about the crane pivot axis of more than 180°.

Abstract: A microprocessor based strobe controller provides an interface between a digital camera and one or more strobe units. The strobe controller provides interoperability and enhanced user control by enabling the user to vary separately the light output of a variety of strobes of different manufacturers. The strobe controller enables a user to take pictures using digital TTL manual bracketing based on TTL feedback and full manual operation with the ability to adjust light output over a plurality of power levels with any TTL strobe. The strobe controller may be incorporated in a housing for operatively enclosing a digital camera for use underwater or in harsh environments. The housing provides a communication link between the camera and one or more strobes, and includes an intuitive user interface that accesses camera functions, strobe controller functions and gives visual strobe control feedback.

Abstract: A viewing apparatus having a photographing function includes a viewing system including a viewing optical system, the viewing optical system having a positive objective optical system and an eyepiece optical system, an image of an object formed through the positive objective optical system being viewed through the eyepiece optical system; and a photographing system including a photographing optical system for photographing the object image viewed through the eyepiece optical system, the photographing optical system being provided independently of the viewing optical system. The photographing optical system includes a first lens group and a second lens group. The photographing system includes two focusing mechanisms, which operate independently from each other, for changing both absolute positions of the first lens group and the second lens group and a relative position of the first lens group and the second lens group on an optical axis of the photographing optical system.

Abstract: An electric power control device for a camera is provided. The electric power control device includes an electric power source, a monitoring processor, a detecting processor and a control processor in a camera body. The electric power source provides power to an accessory, such as a photographing lens that can be attached to the camera body. The monitoring processor monitors the electric power and the detecting processor detects whether the electric power is abnormal based on a signal from the monitoring processor.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a variable power lens barrel including a first lens unit that is positioned nearest to the subject side, and a cam barrel having the first cam, wherein the first cam alternately and continuously has a plurality of variable power cam portions that drive the first lens unit for varying power thereof in the optical axis direction and a plurality of focus cam portions that drive the first lens unit driven by the respective variable power cam portions for focusing in the optical axis, and an amount of lift of the focus cam portion of the first cam, which drives the first lens unit, in the optical axis direction at the telephoto end is smaller than an amount of lift of the focus cam portion of the first cam, which drives the first lens unit, in the optical axis direction at other variable power positions.

Abstract: A focus detecting device having an auxiliary light mode, in which, when a focus is not appropriately first detected, a focus detecting operation for detecting the focus is executed with auxiliary light being projected. The focus detecting device includes a plurality of focus detecting areas, a detecting device for detecting a focus in each of the plurality of focus detecting areas, and a determination circuit for determining whether or not the focus detecting operation is to be executed in the auxiliary light mode based on the detected focus and a determination criterion, wherein the determination criterion is set to a predetermined value according to at least one of the plurality of focus detecting areas. Further, the focus detecting areas may be divided into groups each having at least two focus detecting areas, and the determination criterion can be set to a different predetermined value for each of the groups.

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: An exposure start determining section executes exposure start determination to reduce shaking during exposure, on the basis of the output of the shake detecting/computing section. At this time, an exposure start method used in the exposure start determining section is changed in accordance with a change condition set in a condition setting section. For example, in accordance with an exposure start instructing operation (a releasing operation), preparatory operations (such as a mirror-raising operation, a lens stop down operation, etc.) for exposure are executed. When the preparatory operations have finished, the shake detecting/computing section and the exposure start determining section start to operate. An exposure-start-determining-method changing section changes an exposure start determination method used in the exposure start determining means before and after a predetermined period elapses from the start of the shake detecting/computing section and the exposure start determining section.

Abstract: A capacitor is connected to an angular speed sensor through a first switch. A first resistance is connected to the sensor through a second switch and a second resistance is connected to the sensor through a third switch. The first switch; the first resistance and the second switch; and the second resistance and the third switch are connected in parallel. The capacitor is also connected to a non-inversion-input-terminal of a buffer amplifier. An output-terminal of the buffer amplifier is connected to a non-inversion-input-terminal of a difference amplifier. The sensor is connected to an inversion-input-terminal of the difference amplifier. An output-terminal of the difference amplifier is connected to an A/D conversion port of a CPU of a camera. Immediately after an electric power is supplied to the camera, the first switch is closed, and the second and third switches are opened.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera with a built-in flash, an external flash unit therefor and system in which the camera and external flash unit have mating mounting structures enabling the external flash unit to be mounted on the camera in manner that blocks direct flash emission from camera flash unit onto a subject being photographed and the flash emission device of the external flash unit is positioned farther away from the camera taking lens than the built-in flash thereby substantially eliminating red-eye effect on the subject being photographed. The external flash unit includes a flash re-directing channel which directs built-in flash emission generally upwards to provide indirect illumination of the photographed subject.

Abstract: A signal level determining block determines whether a solid-state imaging device is under-exposed in accordance with image data captured at an electronic flash shooting. The electronic flash output determining circuit determines whether an output of an electronic flash at the electronic flash shooting is at its maximum. A CPU judges that a finger of the user obstructs the electronic flash when it is determined that the solid-state imaging device is under-exposed at the electronic flash shooting and it is determined that the output of the electronic flash is not at its maximum. Then, a warning displaying part displays a warning that the finger of the user obstructs the electronic flash.