Abstract: An optical apparatus with a visual axis detecting device for converting the light reflected from the eyeball into an electrical signal and calculating the direction of visual axis from the electrical signal.Plural pairs of illuminating light sources are provided around the view finder, and one of the pairs is turned on to illuminate the eyeball, according to the output of a position detector detecting whether the optical apparatus is in a vertical or horizontal position, or of a distance detecting circuit for detecting the distance between the view finder and the eyeball, or of a judging circuit for judging whether the photographer wears spectacles or not, thereby enabling precise detection of the direction of visual axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-point distance measuring camera. The present invention provides a camera in which target marks representative of distance measuring points are indicated in an image field in a finder to thereby indicate for which object focus detection can be effected and the indication of the marks representative of those of the distance measuring points which are in a state incapable of distance measurement is prohibited to thereby enable a photographer to appropriately know a position in which distance measurement is possible.

Abstract: A camera in which focus is detected for a plurality of viewfields within a selected observation block includes observation structure for observing an object therethrough, and visual axis detecting structure for detecting the position of the visual axis of an observer's eye. A plurality of observation blocks are defined, each block having a plurality of detection viewfields. Structure is provided for selecting one of the blocks in accordance with a result of the detection of the visual axis detecting structure. Focus detection circuitry is provided for performing a focus detection operation with respect to the detection viewfields which are included within the selected observation block. Circuitry is also provided for forming a focus adjustment signal for an objective lens on the basis of the detection information of the focus detection circuitry regarding the detection viewfields of the selected observation block.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a viewer for viewing an object therethrough, a light receiving device for receiving a reflected light beam from an eyeball of an observer looking into the viewer, and a device for obtaining at least one optical constant of the eyeball from the electrical signal of the light receiving device, effecting correction during the calculation of the direction of the visual axis by the use of the optical constant, and producing a signal indicative of the direction of the visual axis.

Abstract: A visual axis detector includes an illumination device for illuminating an eye; an optical device for guiding light from the eye; the light being in a form of a light intensity distribution having first and second portions; a photo-sensing device, having an array of photo-cells, for receiving the light guided by the optical device, and for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the light intensity distribution; an arithmetic operation device for calculating a visual axis of the eye in accordance with the electrical signal generated by the photo-sensing device; and a control device for controlling the photo-sensing device to have different sensitivities for sensing the first and second portions of the light intensity distribution.

Abstract: A visual axis detection apparatus in which an eye of an observer is illuminated by a light source, and the corneal reflection image of the eye and the reflected image of the iris are detected by a light sensor. By the utilization of the position information of each reflected image from the sensor, the visual axis of the eye is calculated by a calculator. The light sensor has a plurality of photoelectric elements, and the calculator utilizes the position information of one of a plurality of photoelectric elements which produces the smallest output signal to detect the reflected image of iris on the basis of the signal from the light sensor.

Abstract: A camera comprising a gazing line detection device for obtaining the gazing point by detecting the movement of the gazing line of a user so that a proper photometry range is automatically set by selecting a specific method from a plurality of photometry methods in accordance with the distribution of the gazing points thus obtained.

Abstract: A camera is provided with observation means for observing a scene therethrough, a visual axis detecting device for detecting the visual axis direction of the eye of an operator looking into the observation means, an information receiving device for receiving the information of an objective lens, and a control device for making the control of the visual axis detecting device differ on the basis of a signal from the information receiving device.

Abstract: An optical apparatus which detects a visual axis using plural reflected images of a light source includes an observation device with which an observer observes an object. An image sensor is provided for generating a signal and response to an image. Optical structure is provided for forming a plurality of reflected light source images on the image sensor by reflection of light from the eye of the observer. The optical structure includes (1) an illumination assembly for projecting a light beam from at least one light source to the eye of the observer, and (2) a convergence component having at least one convergent lens for converging the light beam reflected from the eye of the observer, to produce the plurality of reflected light source images. The optical structure includes at least two light sources and/or two convergent lenses.

Abstract: A camera having a line of sight detecting apparatus to detect a line of sight of an eyeball of an observer comprises: a lens device having a movable lens; a detector to detect a moving state of the movable lens in the lens device; and a controller for making the line of sight detecting operation by the visual axis detecting apparatus different from that in the case where the movable lens is not moved when it is detected by the detector that the movable lens has been moved. When a focusing lens as a movable lens is being driven, the controller stops the line of sight detecting operation by the visual axis detecting apparatus or doesn't use the line of sight detection information for the camera control.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a view finder through which a subject is observed, a visual axis detection device for detecting a direction of a visual axis of an observer who is looking into the view finder, and a determination device for determining whether or not the observer is wearing eyeglasses.

Abstract: An optical modulation element characterized in that a two-dimensional phase type diffraction gratings, whose refractive index changes for each predetermined period along two different directions in a predetermined plane, is adopted, and a changing state of the refractive index is controlled to change characteristics of the diffraction grating, so that a diffraction phenomenon of light incident on the element is controlled.

Abstract: In an apparatus for detecting the relative positional relation between light intensity distributions relating to an object image and detecting the focus-adjusted state of an objective lens, a pair of stop openings for limiting an off-axis light flux forming light intensity distributions entering a pair of secondary imaging lenses are provided so as to be symmetrical with respect to a meridian centered at the optic axis of the objective lens so that the influence of the residual aberrations of the objective lens becomes uniform.

Abstract: A focus adjusting control device for adjusting the focal point of an optical system for an object captured at a sighting part of a picture plane specified by the optical system is provided with a selecting circuit for selecting the position of the sighting part on the picture plane, and a focus adjustment part arranged to begin, in response to a selecting action of the selecting circuit, a focus adjusting action corresponding to the position of the sighting part selected by the selecting circuit.

Abstract: A visual line detecting device is arranged to detect the Purkinje image position of an illuminated eye of an observer through light reflected by the eye and to detect the direction of the visual line of the observer from the Purkinje image position and the position of the pupil center of the eye. The device estimates the pupil diameter of the eye from the luminance of external light and determines the position of the center of the pupil by determining the position of a boundary between the pupil and the iris of the eye on the basis of the pupil diameter estimated.

Abstract: An optical modulation device for effecting optical modulation by controlling the diffraction phenomenon of light, which not only consumes a small amouhnt of the driving energy employed, such as a electric power, but which is also capable of improvements in reliability.

Abstract: A camera for making photographs with special effects comprising a photographic optical system having a path of light for forming an object image on an image receiver, a finder optical system having an optical path for observing a special effect filter arranged in the photographic optical path to bring about a special portrayal effect on the image of the object, and an auxiliary filter having a different characteristic from that of the special effect filter and arranged in the observing optical path to bring about a special effect on the object image to be observed.