Abstract: The oscillating switching element of step-up transformer comprises a dedicated high-frequency FET and is placed between center tap of the primary coil and the ground of the primary circuit. Terminal of the primary coil on the side of the ground is connected to the connection point between xenon tube and the light emission controlling switching element, i.e., an IGBT, via diode. Charge voltage of main capacitor is detected by voltage detection circuit, and when charge voltage is below threshold voltage, controller drives the IGBT at a low frequency, while when charge voltage has exceeded threshold voltage, it drives the FET at a high frequency to charge main capacitor. The charging of main capacitor is made faster and more efficient by changing the switching frequency and by switching the switching element between the IGBT and the FET as charge voltage increases.

Abstract: A controller uses image processing to detect any abnormalities in the shape and distance of the perforations of a motion picture film by means of image data obtained upon imaging the perforations of the running motion picture film by a video camera in a sensor unit arranged in the film running path. If any abnormalities are detected in the perforations in the motion picture film running in the film running path, an error output specifying such abnormalities is fed to a system controller that operates to stop the film drive system including stopping the intermittent film feed at the optical film gate and extinguishing the light source illuminating the film.

Abstract: A fixed lens camera comprises a fixed focus lens, an infrared filter, and an optical low pass filter, all disposed in succession within a housing, coaxial with an optical axis. Light from a target passes through an aperture in the housing, and then through the lenses and filters. An image sensor receives the filtered light, and outputs a two-dimensional array signal of corresponding voltages proportional to the incident light striking each sensing element. The voltage signal from the image sensor is filtered using a high pass filter, and the high frequency components of the signal are measured to determine the relative focus of the light from the target. The signal measurement is displayed on a bar LCD to enable focusing of the lens by moving the camera along the optical axis while observing the LCD output.

Abstract: A lens cap in a camera is shaped so as to cover a distance measuring optical system when it is mounted on a taking lens. A photodiode array as a light receiving element for measurement of distance is utilized to obtain a luminance level of the light incident thereto, and it is compared with a luminance level obtained through a light receiving element for photometry. If a difference between the two luminance levels is large, a predetermined cap alarm process is carried out as determining that the lens cap is mounted on the taking lens. Thus, photography is surely prevented in a mounting state of the lens cap.

Abstract: An automatic focusing system comprises a focus detecting circuit arranged to detect the state of focus on the basis of a signal component which is extracted from an image signal and varies with the state of focus, a speed control circuit arranged to collate detected information on the signal component with preset conditions and to set a focus adjusting speed on the basis of a degree to which the detected information conforms with the conditions, and a circuit arranged to vary the setting of the conditions according to the level of the signal component of the image signal.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjustment device includes a photoelectric conversion device, a focus state detection device and a photoelectric conversion timing control device. The photoelectric conversion device has a plurality of areas that receive light signals from a photographic optical system and that convert the light signals into electrical signals by accumulating electric charge over accumulation time intervals. The focus state detection device, which is connected to the photoelectric conversion device, receives and detects a focus adjustment state in accordance with the electrical signals. The photoelectric conversion timing control device controls the photoelectric conversion device to match a first accumulation time interval to a second accumulation time interval. As a result, midpoint times of the accumulation time intervals need not be recorded, and memory capacity can thus be reduced.

Abstract: A camera system that includes a zoom lens having a zooming lens unit and a zoom mechanism which supports the zooming lens unit to move in the optical axis directions, and a camera body to which the zoom lens is detachably mounted. The zoom lens has a motor drive mechanism for driving the zoom mechanism to move the zooming lens unit in the optical axis direction, a lens controller for controlling the drive of the motor drive mechanism, a switching mechanism for performing a predetermined control operation on the lens controller, and a lens input and output device for effecting data communication with the camera body. The camera body has a body controller for controlling operations of the entire camera system, and a body input and output device for effecting data communication with the zoom lens through the lens input and output device.

Abstract: An automatic exposure device in a camera divides an object field into a plurality of areas and photometers them by the use of a divisional photometry element, and calculates optimum exposure from the result of the photometry. The divisional photometry element includes a photometric converting portion for photoelectrically converting incident light in each of the areas and putting out an output, and a reading portion for reading out the plurality of outputs of the photoelectric converting portion. When the number of successive outputs of a row of the areas in the readout direction which exceed a predetermined value is greater than a predetermined number, the output of that row is completely omitted in the calculation of the optimum exposure.

Abstract: A camera includes a manually operable member having a plurality of distance measuring areas and for switching between exposure correction and AF area and between single photographing and continuous photographing. A viewfinder of the camera displays not only an object but also the above-described respective functions displayed on a LCD and switchable by the manually operable member. As a result, a photographer is allowed to perform photographing while looking at not only the object but also the state of the various functions displayed on the LCD in the finder.

Abstract: A detection apparatus for locating a film position detects the position with a simple structure. The apparatus uses a plurality of position detection holes for each picture frame in a film. The holes are repeatedly formed in the film in a certain arrangement and correspond to detection bodies located in the camera. The device includes a signal output circuit generating signals indicative of the proper or improper positioning of the film based on alignment between the holes and the detection bodies.

Abstract: A camera in which a photographic data is recorded on a photographic film, includes a plurality of light emitting sections aligned in a direction perpendicular to a film advancing direction. The light emitting sections conducting exposure on a photographic image plane, have a plurality of light emitting elements, the wavelengths of light emitted by the light emitting elements are different. The camera further includes a memory for storing photographic information to be recorded on the film surface and a controller for selectively turning on and off the light emitting sections in the process of advancing the film in accordance with the information stored in the memory.

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: A blurring motion detection device and method to determine an improved blurring motion zero reference value. The device includes a storage unit to store averaged blurring motion data based on an average of successive blurring motion data, with new blurring motion data being more recent in time than old blurring motion data. A selection unit filters out anomalous blurring motion data by selecting the blurring motion data within a deviation range from an average of the stored blurring motion data. The deviation range may include a first deviation range for the old blurring data which is set to be smaller than a second deviation range for the new blurring motion data. The deviation range may also be defined by a decision function which gradually widens the deviation range for the new blurring motion data. A calculation unit calculates the blurring motion zero reference value based on the blurring motion data within the deviation range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photometric device for a camera in which the relative positions of the photometric sensor and a secondary image formed on the sensor can be adjusted with high resolution and which also facilitates adjustment in a plurality of directions.A photometric device for a camera according to the present invention comprises a photometric sensor that internally provided in the camera body and that can perform photometry on the photographing field, a photometric lens which re-forms the image of the field originally formed as the primary image on the viewfinder screen of the camera as a secondary image on the photometric sensor, and a tilt adjusting mechanism that integrally adjusts the inclination of the photometric lens and the photometric sensor against incident light rays entering the photometric lens.

Abstract: The invention has the object of obtaining an image output of the appropriate size, even in cases in which the saturation level changes when the amplifier gain is switched, so that high precision focus detection can be carried out continually.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens driving device, such as an automatic focusing device, which is arranged to detect a difference (the amount of overrun) between a given target amount of driving of a lens and an amount in which the lens is actually driven in a lens driving cycle, correct the next target amount of driving of the lens according to data formed by the accumulation of difference information on the detected difference, and drive the lens by the target amount corrected in this manner, thereby effecting lens driving which takes the past amount of overrun into account.

Abstract: An autofocus adjustment device capable of computing the confidence level of focus detection accurately is disclosed. The autofocus adjustment device includes a focus detection device to determine focus detection results of the phototaking lens and a confidence value calculation device to calculate a confidence value to determine whether the results of said focus detection means have a sufficient level of confidence. The confidence value calculation device includes a plurality of confidence value calculation units with each calculation unit executing a different calculation process.

Abstract: A photometric device that makes improved accuracy of screen photometry possible is disclosed. The photometric device includes a screen component that transmits a luminous flux from a subject field, a light emitting indicating device that is placed in the vicinity of the screen component and that indicates light emitting photographic information, and a photometry component that receives the transmitted luminous flux and outputs the received luminous flux as a first photometric value of the subject field. The photometric device is equipped with an adjustment device that determines a second photometric value based on a higher order or non-linear function of the first photometric value that differs from the first photometric value by a photometric value adjustment amount to compensate for the emitted light of the light emitting indicating device.

Abstract: An event detection circuit and method of operation thereof in a calibration mode and in a normal operating mode particularly for use in photographic cameras in relation to the calibration of sensors and the detection of output signals therefrom for use in controlling camera operations. An event detection circuit comparator is used in the calibration mode with a successive approximation A/D converter register which generates test analog signals applied to a second input terminal of the comparator while the sensor test output signal generated under the calibration test conditions is applied to the first input terminal to measure and digitize the sensor test analog output signal level as a digital threshold. Then, in the normal operating mode, the digital threshold is retrieved and substituted for the successive approximation A/D converter register to generate a threshold analog signal applied to the second input terminal while the sensor analog output signal is applied to the first input terminal.

Abstract: A camera having a built-in first flash light emitting unit located directly above a photographic lens on the front surface of the camera body, and a second flash light emitting unit located at an upper corner of the front face of the camera body. The camera has autofocus capabilities, and reduces shadows created during close-up photography and reduces the "red eye" phenomenon created during far away photography through the control of each of the two flash light emitting units.