Abstract: A distance measuring device has a first projecting unit for projecting a first light beam in a direction substantially parallel to a distance measurement axis that connects a distance measuring portion in the angle of view of photograph of a camera, and the object-side principal point of a photograph optical system, a second projecting unit for projecting a second light beam in a direction crossing the distance measurement axis within a predetermined object distance range, a receiving unit arranged to be separated from the first and second projecting units by a given interval to receive light reflected by an object, and a distance detecting circuit for detecting the distance to the object on the basis of the receiving angle or receiving position of the reflected light received by the receiving unit, and the light beam cross section of the second light beam is smaller than that of the first light beam within the object distance range.

Abstract: In a device, an angular velocity detector detects the angular velocity of a camera body and produces a signal conforming thereto. Whether the camera is performing pan shot is discriminated on the basis of the produced signal. Preferably, the discrimination is effected on the basis of a signal from which the high frequency component of the signal has been eliminated. Also, in one mode, the device sets an appropriate shutter speed when it is detected that the mode is pan shot.

Abstract: A zoom lens camera having a built-in strobe includes a light source, a strobe unit which is provided with a reflector to reflect flash light emitted from the light source in front of the camera, and a zoom lens which is driven by a motor. The motor is located behind the strobe unit and has a drive shaft whose axis extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the zoom lens.

Abstract: A camera having a line of sight detecting device, includes a line of sight detection portion for detecting the line of sight position of a photographer, a portion of selection of a line of sight mode for selecting one of a single mode for locking a line of sight position obtained when a plurality of previous detection results of the line of sight detection portion satisfy a predetermined eye-gazing condition and a continuous mode for renewing the line of sight position on the basis of the latest line of sight position from the line of sight detection portion, a control mode setting portion for selecting a control mode for setting a camera phototaking condition, and a phototaking control for setting the camera phototaking condition in accordance with the line of sight position of the photographer when the control mode is selected, wherein when the control mode is selected by the control mode setting portion, the continuous mode is selected by the portion of selection of a line of sight mode, and the camera pho

Abstract: A lens barrel constructed of a cam slot, a lens cylinder, a memory means, a detecting means, a motor driving means and a control means. The cam slot has a discontinuous area formed in a portion corresponding to a parting line of a molding die used for molding. The lens cylinder ass a cam follower engaging with this cam slot. The memory means stores information indicating where the discontinuous area exists in the cam slot. The detecting means detects where the cam follower is positioned in the cam slot. The motor driving means makes the lens cylinder progress and retreat in the optical-axis direction by relatively driving the cam slot and the lens cylinder. The control means controls the motor driving means to drive the lens cylinder up to a position deviating from the discontinuous area when the cam follower is in the discontinuous area by comparing memory information of the memory mens with detection information of the detecting means.

Abstract: A camera includes a CCD line sensor divided into a plurality of blocks and a plurality of monitors provided near each of the divided blocks and sensing the amount of received light corresponding to each block. The storage of charge in each block of the CCD is controlled based on the amount of the light received by the monitor. Each block corresponds to each part of an object in a finder of the camera.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical camera having a zoom function in which a focal length can be varied or the variation is actuated by a focal length changing member, and in particular to a camera in which a focal length is varied through a motor.The optical camera has a zoom lens operable by a rotatable zoom ring for changing the focal length thereof. An automatic focusing operation is effected by a control means when the focal length is changed so that an image of an object viewed through a viewfinder remains in focus. The zoom lens can include a motor and an in-exposure zoom control means can be provided for controlling zooming movement of the lens during an exposure operation.

Abstract: The camera system comprises a camera and an external device. The camera includes a microcomputer, a write control circuit for receiving replacement data from the external device and writing the replacement data into a replacement program memory of the microcomputer, and an interface circuit for controlling a camera element in accordance with the decoded value output from an instruction decoder (ID) of the microcomputer. The external device includes a memory for storing address data to be changed in the microcomputer in the camera and replacement program data, and a transmission circuit for reading out the replacement data from the memory and transmitting the read-out data to the camera.

Abstract: An electronic flashing device includes a booster circuit for boosting a power supply voltage to a predetermined voltage, a main capacitor charged via the booster circuit, a light emission tube for emitting light according to a charge charged on the main capacitor, a semiconductor element connected in series with the light emission tube, and including a thyristor element and a MOSFET which are cascade-connected to each other, and are formed on a single chip, a trigger circuit for applying a trigger voltage to the light emission tube in response to a light emission start signal for causing the light emission tube to start light emission, a gate voltage applying circuit for applying a voltage to the gate of the semiconductor element in response to the light emission start signal, and a gate voltage disappearing circuit for causing the voltage at the gate of the semiconductor element to disappear in response to a light emission stop signal for causing the light emission tube to stop light emission.

Abstract: An electronic flash device for use with a camera having a shutter with an aperture that opens gradually. The electronic flash device includes a flash tube having a discharge path; a switching element arranged in the discharge path; and a light emission controller for controlling a light emission of the flash tube during an opening operation of the shutter by repeatedly turning on and off the switching element in accordance with the opening operation of the shutter. Thus, the electronic flash device can reliably maintain an expected photographic effect even in an unstable area of the shutter aperture.

Abstract: A device and a method for sensing brightness, by which a sensing area for measuring the brightness of an object is varied. The variation of the brightness sensing unit is in response to the variation of an image angle that varies according to the zoom position of the lens of a zoom camera. In this manner, photographs with optimum exposure can be obtained. The device comprises a zoom position sensing unit, a brightness sensing unit, and a control unit.

Abstract: In an image stabilizing device or system of the kind having a shake detecting sensor which detects a shake of the device or system and is arranged to require a lapse of time before the sensor becomes capable of stably detecting the shake after the start of the sensor, and an image shake correcting member which performs an image shake correcting action according to the output of the shake detecting sensor, a control circuit is arranged to allow the image shake correcting member to commence its image shake correcting action according to the output of the shake detecting sensor after the lapse of a given period of time from the start of the operation of the shake detecting sensor, and a varying circuit is arranged to vary the given period of time.

Abstract: An eyepiece for use in a viewfinder optical system has a wide dioptric power adjustment range. The eyepiece is provided with, from a side of a secondary-image plane formed by a first, a second, and a third relay lens, a first, a second, and a third eyepiece lens having a positive, a negative, and a positive refractive power, respectively. For dioptric power adjustment, the positive first eyepiece lens or the negative second eyepiece lens is moved in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A control method of a zoom lens camera comprising a lens system having a movable front lens group and a movable rear lens group, a first motor for moving the front lens group, a second motor for moving the rear lens group, a first pulse encoder which is adapted to control the angular position of the first motor and a second pulse encoder which is adapted to control the angular position of the second motor. In such a zoom lens camera. the difference in the image plane position between the wide-angle position and the telephoto position is measured to obtain the necessary number of drive pulses for the motors, so that the zoom adjustment and the fB adjustment can be carried out without need of a mechanical zoom adjustment or a mechanical fB adjustment.

Abstract: A video camera has a normal operation control mode in which a normal operation is allowed to be performed and a demonstration mode in which each of a plurality of functions of the video camera is sequentially executed for a predetermined period of time, and is arranged to permit switching between the normal operation control mode and the demonstration mode. When a visual-line detecting circuit, a switch mounted on an eyecup, a sensor composed of a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, or the like, detects that the operator is viewing an electronic viewfinder during the demonstration mode, the demonstration mode is switched over to the normal operation control mode. The demonstration mode is resumed upon detection of detachment of the eye of the operator from the electronic viewfinder.

Abstract: An image blur prevention system includes a blur detecting circuit for detecting the blurring of an image and outputting a blurring signal corresponding thereto. A determination circuit is also provided in the system for determining, in response to the blurring signal output by the blur detecting circuit, that an image plane movement is taking place when the image blurring signal does not cross a central point of an output range of the blurring signal within a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A focus detecting device includes a photographic lens, a condenser lens disposed adjacent to a preset imaging plane of the photographic lens, an aperture stop having a pair of apertures arranged with sufficient space for ensuring focus accuracy, a reimaging lens having a pair of lens elements arranged to correspond to individual apertures, and a photoelectric converter. Two light beams passing through different areas of the photographic lens are received by the photoelectric converter and the phase difference between the two light beams is detected from the intensity distribution of light on the light-receiving surface of the photoelectric converter so that a focusing state of the photographic lens can be recognized. Further, the focus detecting device satisfies the condition:0.67.ltoreq.h.sub.2 /.delta..ltoreq.0.87where h.sub.2 is the distance from the optical axis of the condenser lens to the centroidal position of an aperture of the aperture stop and .delta.

Abstract: A lens drive mechanism is disclosed that includes: a shutter block which supports a lens shutter including a plurality of shutter blades; a lens group guided along an optical axis thereof relative to the shutter block; a first motor secured to the shutter block for opening or closing the lens shutter; a second motor secured to the shutter block for moving the lens group along the optical axis; a first encoder for detecting a size of a diaphragm formed by the lens shutter; a second encoder for detecting an axial position of the lens group; a shutter driving gear train which connects the lens shutter with the first motor; a first encoder gear train which connects the first encoder with the first motor, the shutter driving gear train and the first encoder gear train being supported on the shutter block and arranged along a circumferential direction of the shutter block with a driving pinion of the first motor being positioned between the shutter driving gear train and the first encoder gear train; a lens driving

Abstract: An exposure calculation device for use in a camera is, provided with a light metering device for effecting light metering in each of plural areas divided in the object field and generating a light metering signal, containing information relating to the color of the object in each area. A first judgment device judges, whether the object in each area is colored or uncolored based on the light metering signal, and determines colored areas in which the object is colored and uncolored areas in which the object is uncolored. A second judgment device judges whether a predetermined uncolored area contains a white or black object, based on the light metering signals from the colored areas and those from the uncolored areas. An exposure value determining device determines the exposure value according to the light metering signals, based on the results of judgment by the first and second judgment devices.

Abstract: A vibration reduction device is applied to a system including a body apparatus which has an image taking function and a lens apparatus which is detachably mounted on the body apparatus and includes an image taking optical system. The device has a vibration detector for detecting a vibration generated in the body apparatus or the lens apparatus, an image vibration reduction optical system for reducing an image vibration generated by the vibration, a driving device for moving the image vibration reduction optical system for vibration reduction. The driving device starts image vibration reduction control a predetermined period of time after it receives a signal synchronous with the start of an image taking sequence from the body apparatus. In a device of another mode of this invention, the driving device stops image vibration reduction control after it receives a signal synchronous with completion of an image taking sequence from the body apparatus.