Abstract: An image observing apparatus according to the present invention includes: an optical element including a first face inclined relative to an observer, a second face composed of a reflective concave side, and a third face which the light from the image enters so as to have overall a positive refractive power; a line-of-sight detecting device for detecting a line of sight of the observer including a light source to illuminate a fore eye portion of the observer and a light receiving device for receiving an image of the fore eye portion; and a light reflecting device, provided in an observing side of the first face, for reflecting the light emanating from the light source. In this image observing apparatus, the light from the image entering the third face is reflected by the first face, is condenser-reflected at a first face side by the second face, and is irradiated from the first face.

Abstract: A camera having an autofocus function, independent of a photographing optical system, includes a photographing optical system including synthetic resin lenses and an autofocus optical system, provided independent of the photographing optical system, having at least one synthetic resin lens and a stop decentered in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the synthetic resin lens. Thus, in the camera, the shift of the imaging position of the photographing optical system which is caused by an ambient temperature or humidity change is favorably corrected, and good photography can be performed.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a first non-volatile memory for storing a control program for controlling an operation of the electronic device, and a second non-volatile memory for storing at least one modifying program for modifying the control program. The second non-volatile memory also stores modification information related to a modification of the control program. At least one predetermined portion of the control program can call a software modification management routine. The modification information is then read and the electronic device determines whether a modifying program to be executed is present in accordance with the modification information and address information, which indicates a current operating position of the control program, in response to the calling of the software modification management routine. The control program and the modifying program are then executed if the electronic device determines that the modifying program is present.

Abstract: A camera having a focus detecting optical system includes a quick-return mirror having the function of splitting the optical path of a light beam coming from a photographic lens into two so that one is reflected and the other is transmitted, a submirror attached to the quick-return mirror, and an imaging plane disposed at a position of an imaging surface of the photographic lens. The focus detecting optical system including a field mask, a condenser lens placed close to a preset imaging plane equivalent to the imaging plane of the photographic lens, a photoelectric converting element array, and a reimaging optical system for re-forming an image formed by the photographic lens on the photoelectric converting element array. An aspect ratio AR of the imaging plane satisfies the following condition: 0.4<AR<0.63.

Abstract: A camera has a variable focal length lens and a viewfinder system whose magnification is variable in accordance with the focal length of the lens. A line array sensor generates an electrical signal in accordance with the intensity of the received light. A distance measuring optical system, which transmits light from a photographic object to the sensing elements of the sensor, has an optical axis which is different from the optical axis to the viewfinder system. A designator designates a particular sensing area, corresponding to the focal length of the lens, over the sensing elements of the sensor. A first distance data generator generates first distance data based on electrical signals generated by the sensing elements within the designated sensing area, and a second distance data generator generates second distance data based on electrical signals generated by the sensing elements outside of the designated sensing area. A discriminator discriminates whether the first distance data generator is operable.

Abstract: The position of a rear lens group at the time power is turned off is stored in a memory as a relative value on the basis of the positions of the rear lens group focusing on a subject at a near point and at an infinity point, respectively, with respect to the position of a zoom lens group at power off. When power is turned on, the rear lens group is moved to the reference position by a pulse motor, and the position of the zoom lens group is detected by an encoder. After the position detection operation, the rear lens group is moved to a position calculated according to the current position of the zoom lens group and the relative value stored in the memory.

Abstract: A battery check device which assesses a state of exhaustion of a battery installed in a camera, and which can accurately assess at any time the state of exhaustion of the battery according to the drive state of a camera mechanism, such as a mirror. The battery check device includes a voltage detection device to detect the voltage of the camera battery, a drive detection device to detect the required time needed to drive the camera mechanism, a memory in which is stored the required time detected by the drive detection device, and a calculating device which inputs the battery voltage detected by the voltage detection device and the required time which has been recorded in the memory, and calculates a degree of exhaustion of the battery corresponding to these values. A display then displays the degree of exhaustion of the battery which has been found by the calculating device.

Abstract: A camera that has the ability to direct the object light simultaneously to the imaging position and a first light receiving device and a second light receiving device that are arranged in places other than the imaging position (for example, an optical focus detection system and a monitor device of the object image) is disclosed. A first light dividing device is positioned in the light optical path of the light that is transmitted through the optical image forming system and reflects a portion of the light received and transmits another portion. A second light dividing device reflects a portion of the light that is reflected at the first light dividing device and transmits another portion. The light that is transmitted through the first light dividing device is directed to a primary imaging position. One of either the reflected light or the transmitted light of the second light dividing device is directed to the optical focus detection system, while the other one is directed to the monitor device.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of and an apparatus for cleaning a plurality of nozzles of an ink jet head. This cleaning method comprises a step of covering a nozzle surface formed with the plurality of nozzles with a cap; a step of depressurizing an air space formed between the nozzle surface and the cap by use of a depressurizing element to suck the inks from the nozzles; a step of stopping the depressurization by the depressurizing element; a step of keeping the nozzle surface covered with the cap so that the inks jetted from the nozzles due to the depressurization wet-spread over the entire nozzle surface by a capillary force; and a step of retracting the cap from the nozzle surface. Further, in this cleaning apparatus, a contact angle .theta.1 between the ink and the cap internal surface and a contact angle .theta.2 between the ink and the nozzle surface are set to 90.degree. or smaller and also set such that .theta.2 is not greater than .theta.1.

Abstract: A shake correcting apparatus for a camera includes a shake detector for detecting a shake state of a camera, a shake correcting section for executing shake correction based on a detection result from the shake detector, and a shake correction driving section for driving the shake correcting section. A relative position detector detects a relative position state of the shake correcting section, and an end position detector detects an end position state of the shake correction section. A discriminator discriminates at least one of an operational status of a camera and history data of shake correction driving. An initial position of shake correction for initialization of the shake correcting section is set based on the detection result from the relative position detector. A driving mode of driving of the shake correcting section to the set initial position is changed based on a discrimination result from the discriminator.

Abstract: In a zoom finder incorporated into a camera with a zooming function, the power of a motor, which also serves as a motor for driving a lens barrel of a taking lens, is transmitted to a lens barrel driving gear, and it is transmitted via a gear train to a cam shaft, where a cam face for regulating positions of movable lenses in a finder variable magnification optical system is formed. The gear train is held by a gear holding plate, and is directly attached to the bottom of an AF/finder body frame, in which the cam shaft is mounted, with the gear holding plate. As a result, the backlash of the gear train can be small, and a hysteresis of a magnification and a visual field rate, hysteresis which is caused by the back and forth movement of the movable lenses, can be prevented.

Abstract: A camera includes a photographic recording device which records an image of an object on a photosensitive recording medium; an image pick-up device which picks up an image of the object to generate an image signal; a display device which displays a monitor image based on the image signal generated by the image pick-up device; a photographing information setting device which sets photographing information for an image to be recorded on the photosensitive recording medium; and a display controller which controls the display device to display a monitor image in accordance with the set photographing information.

Abstract: A device and a method for focus detection that increases the amount of light projected on an object to capture the object without fail. Light rays are projected onto an object by a projection optical system using a projection pattern film that contains transparent and non-transparent parts, or semi-transparent parts with different light transmission rates. A pair of light rays from the object pass through the shooting lens and are guided onto a photo-electric converter by a focus detection optical system to compose a pair of object images. The focus adjustment state of the shooting lens is detected based on the image defocus amount of the pair of the object images.

Abstract: A photometry device includes a light-receiving element that photoelectrically converts light from the subject field and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the light. The light-receiving element is provided with at least one light-receiving pixel that is optically shielded from the light A photometry value input unit inputs the photometric output from the light-receiving element. An accumulation time setting unit sets the accumulation time of the light-receiving element on the basis of the output of the photometry value input unit, and computes the setting value of the accumulation time on the basis of the output of the light-receiving pixel.

Abstract: A diaphragm control device for a camera comprises a diaphragm driving mechanism that drives the diaphragm, a diaphragm position detection device which calculates the opening diameter of the diaphragm from the standard opening diameter and transmits the opening diameter as a pulse, a diaphragm connection mechanism that fixes the opening diameter of the diaphragm, a recording device that records information concerning a change in the generation cycle, which has been measured in advance, and a control that controls the driving of the diaphragm driving mechanism and of the diaphragm connection mechanism, based on the output of the diaphragm position detection device. The control determines the change in the generation cycle from the total number of pulses generated up until the generation of the current pulse by referring to information in the recording device, and determines the time that indicates the connecting action in the diaphragm connection mechanism.

Abstract: A focus detection device and method permits the shooting lens to follow the movement of the photographic object without a focussing delay due to the calculation time and the movement of the object. The system includes a camera, a shooting lens, a focus detection device for detecting a desired focussing position of the shooting lens for an object, and a communications circuit. The lens includes a shooting lens driving circuit moving the shooting lens to focus, a shooting lens driving control circuit that controls the shooting lens driving circuit, a monitoring circuit that monitors the shooting lens movement by the shooting lens driving circuit, and a shooting lens data memory circuit that stores camera data.

Abstract: A zoom optical system (25) is associated with an image sensor (46), which is disposed behind the zoom optical system for picking up an object (6). The zoom optical system is focussed by use of a photoelectric signal from the image sensor. In a setup mode, the zoom optical system is zoomed from a first magnification to a preset magnification. The zoom optical system has been set at the first magnification. The preset magnification is adapted to focussing. The zoom optical system is focussed in accordance with the photoelectric signal generated while the zoom optical system has the preset magnification. The zoom optical system is zoomed back from the preset magnification to the first magnification, while keeping the zoom optical system in-focus. The zoom optical system becomes in-focus at the first magnification in a manner in which the zoom optical system is in-focus at the preset magnification.

Abstract: A camera (10) includes a camera body (12), an objective lens (14) that receives light from a scene (34) and focuses the light on a focal plane (36) in the camera body. An emitter (18) receives power and produces a beam (66) oriented generally along an optical axis (20) of the objective lens such that the beam reflects from an object (32) in the scene. A sensor (22) measures an intensity level of a portion of the beam reflected back from the object to the sensor. An emitter controller (42) adjusts the output power of the emitter when the intensity level measured by the sensor for the reflected visible beam differs from a predetermined level. The beam may be visible or invisible. Corresponding methods of operating such a camera also are disclosed.

Abstract: A laser diode current drive control circuit including a drive circuit supplying a modulated laser diode current drive signal, a laser diode drive current source having a switch responsive to the drive circuit for controlling flow of drive current to the laser diode. The control circuit is further provided with one or more fault sensing circuits coupled to the diode current switch and responsive to a fault condition in the operation of the diode that would cause the diode power output to exceed a predetermined maximum safety limit to open the switch thereby terminating the flow of diode drive current. A feedback sensing circuit operating synchronously with the current drive signal is effective to open the switch when a normal feedback control signal is lost. A drive signal sensing circuit is effective to open the switch when integrated power output of the laser diode exceeds a safety related limit value.

Abstract: An option setting device for use with a camera includes a power supply unit supplying power to the option setting device, a microcomputer controlling the operations of the camera. A RAM stores option settings set by the microcomputer, while a non-volatile memory unit also stores the option settings set by the microcomputer. A normal reset generation unit generates a normal reset signal to reset the microcomputer after the introduction of power by the power supply unit, and an emergency reset generation unit generates an emergency reset signal to reset the microcomputer after an interruption of power from the power supply unit.