Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of an image acquisition apparatus with an extendable arm on which an image sensor is located and is easily manipulated to reach hard-to-reach places and transmit captured images to the user. In one embodiment, the combination of a telescopic sensor mount and an image sensor can be an integral part of or an add-on accessory for cell phones, cameras, iPads, iPods, etc. In another embodiment the apparatus may replace car radio antennas to serve as observation beacons in crowded and congested traffic. In different embodiments the orientation of the image sensor on its mount may be manually or remotely adjustable, while the image data gathered by the image sensor may be transmitted to the user by wire, wirelessly, or optically. In various embodiments a microphone and/or a flash may also be installed on the extendable mount.

Abstract: An imaging device moves a zoom lens, so as to change the magnification of an image of a subject, and obtains a near limit position of a focusing lens to the subject at a zoom lens position. When a target position of the focusing lens, which is required to keep the image in focus after the zoom lens is moved, is located on a near side, i.e., on an imaging plane side, of a threshold position determined based on the obtained near limit position, focus control is performed to move the focusing lens and thereby focus. When the target position of the focusing lens is not located on the near side but is located on a subject side of the threshold position, on the other hand, focus control is performed to move the zoom lens to a wider position and subsequently move the focusing lens to focus the image.

Abstract: An image capturing module according to the present invention includes a holder member, which accommodates therein a focusing lens for forming an image of a subject light on an image capturing chip attached on a substrate and is attached to the substrate to cover the image capturing chip, where the holder member is directly supported on a surface of the image capturing chip.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter includes: a board including an opening; blades capable of opening and closing the opening; a drive member movable between a start position and a terminal position, biased toward the terminal position, and driving the blades; a brake member supported to abut and move away from the drive member positioned at the terminal position, and biased to abut the drive member positioned at the terminal position; and a set member rotatable in only one direction, and moving the drive member from the terminal position to the start position; wherein the set member includes a drive portion abutting the brake member to move the brake member away from the drive member and then abutting the drive member to move the drive member toward the start position.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter includes: an electromagnet; a board including an opening; blades capable of opening and closing the opening; a drive member holding an iron piece adsorbed to the electromagnet and driving the blades, the drive member being movable such that the iron piece moves toward and away from the electromagnet and being biased by a spring such that the iron piece moves away from the electromagnet; and a holding board facing the board and including a pair of sandwiching portions elastically deformable and holding and sandwiching the electromagnet. The electromagnet includes a restriction portion engaging the board and restricting a movement of the electromagnet in a direction where the iron piece moves away from the electromagnet.

Abstract: An autofocus system includes: a focus operating device which performs focusing in a shooting screen of a camera; a best focus range detecting device which detects a range of a best focus state from the shooting screen representing the result of the focusing performed by the focus operating device; a face detecting device which detects a range of a human face from the shooting screen; an AF frame automatic setting device by which, when a human face exists in the range being in the best focus state in the shooting screen, the position of an AF frame representing the range of an AF area that is the range to be focused by autofocus in the shooting screen, is automatically set to a face frame representing the range of the human face; and an AF frame automatic tracking device which automatically tracks a subject in the set AF frame.

Abstract: An image blur correction device includes: a movable frame which is equipped with a lens or an imaging element and has a guide part; a fixed frame having a guide supporting part which movably supports the movable frame by coming into contact with the guide part; and a drive mechanism which drives the movable frame for correcting image blur by moving the movable frame relative to the fixed frame. The fixed frame has magnetic bodies, and the movable frame has urging magnets at positions corresponding to the magnetic bodies. Specifically, the urging magnets use attractive force between the magnets and the magnetic bodies, so as to urge the movable frame in a direction in which the guide part and the guide supporting part come into contact with each other.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a group of photoelectric conversion cells that output distance-measurement signals for phase difference detection. Each photoelectric conversion cell includes a photodetector and a pupil restricting unit. The photodetector generates the distance-measurement signal. The pupil restricting unit restricts a size of a pupil area, from which arrival light has exited, to a predetermined size in an exit pupil of a taking optical system, object light exiting from the exit pupil of the taking optical system, the arrival light arriving at the photodetector. The predetermined size is less than half a size of an entire area of the exit pupil.

Abstract: A housing assembly for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The portable electronic device includes a camera assembled therein. The housing assembly includes a base housing and a cover. The base housing has an aperture defined therethrough for exposing the camera to light and facilitating picture taking. The cover is made of transparent material and is mounted on the base housing to cover the aperture.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a movable aperture-control lens group, and a variable aperture-stop mechanism provided in front or behind the aperture-control lens group. The variable aperture-stop mechanism includes an aperture blade opening/closing mechanism including at least one movable aperture blade and varies the size of an adjustable aperture. The variable aperture-stop mechanism includes a fixed circular aperture which is smaller than a large-sized adjustable aperture and greater than a small-sized adjustable aperture. The movable aperture blade and the fixed circular aperture are positioned in that order from the aperture-control lens group side. When the zoom lens retracts to the accommodated position thereof, the adjustable aperture enlarges in size while the variable aperture-stop mechanism moves to a close position to the aperture-control lens group, so that at least part of the aperture-control lens group enters the large-size adjustable aperture.

Abstract: A target (10, 20) is disclosed suitable for setting the exposure and white balance of a photographic digital camera. The target (10, 20) comprises a target surface (12) that has a reflectance of 18% for all wavelengths of visible light. The target surface (12) is provided with a feature (16) upon which the camera is able to focus.

Abstract: An image stabilizer that stabilizes images by moving a correcting lens for stabilizing images formed by a lens system in a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular to an optical axis of said lens system and which are perpendicular to each other, includes a driver which is provided at one side of the correcting lens and which moves the correcting lens in the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging device having a shake correction device which corrects image shake by moving a portion of a photographic lens or by moving an imaging element, which is capable of displaying images obtained from the imaging element as a live view on a monitor prior to photography, the imaging device comprising: a detection device which detects deactivation of the shake correction device; and a display control device which turns off a display of a live view on the monitor for a predetermined period of time upon detection of deactivation of the shake correction device by the detection device.

Abstract: An exemplary camera mechanism (8) includes a lens module (10), an image sensor module (20), an electronic module (30), and a transmission module (40). The image sensor module is mounted under the lens module. The electronic module is mounted to at least one of the lens module and the image sensor module. The transmission module has a main body (41), a first electronic connection end (43) and a second electronic connection end (45). The lens module and the image sensor module are mounted on the main body. The first electronic connection end is formed at a top end of the main body. The second electronic connection end is formed at a bottom end of the main body. The first electronic connection end is electrically connected to the electronic module and to the second electronic connection end, and the second electronic connection end is capable of being electrically connected to a mother board (50).

Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.

Abstract: An optical image stabilizer for use in a camera lens assembly includes: a main frame including a main circuit board; a driving frame installed so as to move on the main frame in at least one direction; a camera device including a sub-circuit board, the camera device being mounted on the driving frame; and a circuit connection for electrically connecting the main circuit board to the sub-circuit board, wherein the circuit connection includes both of its ends coupled to the main circuit board and the sub-circuit board, respectively, and a plurality of lead wires constructed so as to be moved separately with respect to the main circuit board and the sub-circuit board.

Abstract: A camera viewer device including an assembling sheet member developed and changed in shape between a box-shaped angle finder and a direct viewing finder. The sheet member includes first and second mirror wall portions with first and second inner mirrors, an attachment wall portion attached to a back face of a camera body, and an upper wall portion. In the box-shaped angle finder, the first mirror reflects an image of a subject in a display panel on the back face of the camera body and downwardly projects the image of the subject, the second mirror upwardly projects the projected image, a window portion of the attachment wall portion is opposed to the display panel, and a window portion of the upper wall portion is opposed to the second mirror wall portion to look into the interior of the assembled sheet member through the window portion of the upper wall portion.

Abstract: A camera apparatus comprising a disc compartment portion in which a DVD-R is accommodated so as to be loaded and unloaded, a disc rotating apparatus provided within the disc compartment portion and rotating the DVD-R which can be detachably loaded thereon, a lens apparatus for passing light from an object, a CCD for forming an image from light passed through the lens apparatus and outputting an image signal corresponding to the image, an optical pickup apparatus capable of recording image information on the DVD-R based on the image signal outputted from the CCD and a radiation plate provided within the disc compartment portion. The radiation plate and the CCD are constructed so as to transmit heat therebetween so that heat can be radiated from the CCD through the radiation plate to the disc compartment portion.

Abstract: An automatic focusing mechanism (100) is suitable for a digital camera in a portable electronic device. A preferred embodiment of automatic focusing mechanism includes a barrel (1), a holder (2), an optical module (3), and an image sensor structure (4). The barrel receives at least one lens (10) therein. The holder receives the barrel and the image sensor structure therein, and the thickness of the optical module can be changed for focusing. The optical module is located between the barrel and the image sensor structure. As the thickness of the optical module can be changed for achieving the purpose of focusing, the thickness and weight of the digital camera can be decreased.

Abstract: Feature points are extracted from an image of a plurality of frames. A blurring direction component of a previous frame image is judged from motion vectors of the next frame image acquired with reference to feature points of the extracted previous frame image. Images of the same blurring direction are selected and grouped from the image of a plurality of frames based on that judgment result. After performing position compensation, an additive composite of a grouped composite image is created for each group so that feature points conform to grouped images. Subsequently, inverse transform filter processing is applied to the grouped composite image data and hand shake compensation by group is accomplished which compensates the blurring direction component matched to a group. Upon position compensation, an additive composite is generated of a hand shake compensated image so that feature points of each grouped composite image conform to hand shake compensation.