Abstract: A photoelectric sensor device has a two-dimensional arrangement of a multiplicity of unit structures each including a pixel. The sensor device includes a circuit for simultaneously designating a plurality of pixel blocks of any desired sizes at any desired positions on the two dimensional arrangement of unit structures, each pixel block being composed of pixels which are to be actually used. The sensor device also includes a monitor output circuit for outputting, for each of the pixel blocks, at least one monitor output as the representative of the amounts of charges accumulated in the pixels in each of the pixel blocks. The sensor device further includes a circuit which executes the control of accumulation of charges and the control of outputting of the image signals on each of the pixel blocks independently of other pixel blocks. Disclosed also is a focus detection system using the sensor device.

Abstract: A camera having a camera-shake detecting device is arranged to make a display indicating that a shake of the camera is undetectable only in cases where the camera shake is consecutively found to be undetectable for a given number of times while a camera-shake detecting action is repeatedly performed. This arrangement effectively prevents the display from being flickered by alternate displays of an undetectable state and a detectable state if the undetectable state is displayed every time the undetectable state of camera shake takes place.

Abstract: A camera with focus detecting and hand trembling detecting apparatus includes a focus detecting device for automatic focusing and a hand trembling detection circuit for detecting the hand trembling state of the camera. At the hand trembling detection by the hand trembling detection circuit, the automatic focusing is automatically switched from the servo mode to the one-shot mode, thus enabling exact hand trembling detection.

Abstract: Focus detecting apparatus detecting focus to a plurality of areas has (1) a first auto-focusing mode in which, regardless of an in-focus or out-of-focus state, an auto-focusing operation (including focus detection and driving of an optical system) are repeatedly performed, and (2) a second auto-focusing mode in which the auto-focusing operation is performed until an in-focus state is obtained and the auto-focusing operation is terminated after the in-focus state is detected. A sensor unit is provided for receiving light beams from a plurality of different areas in a photographic scene. A focus processing circuit is provided for, in the first auto-focusing mode, causing the auto-focusing operation to be performed on the basis of an output of a sensor unit representing a particular area of the plurality of areas as long as the output of said sensor unit which represents the particular area is appropriate.

Abstract: A focus adjustment device arranged to measure distances at a plurality of points on a picture plane specified by an optical means to be focus-adjusted and to adjust focus of the optical means on the basis of the results of distance measurement includes: selecting circuitry for selecting information on the nearest of measured distances obtained at the plurality of points, and restricting circuitry for restricting a selecting action of the selecting circuitry according to the nearness degree of the nearest distance in relation to the focal length of the optical means, the position of the distance measuring point on the picture plane, etc.

Abstract: An automatic focussing apparatus having a plurality of sensors of the signal accumulation type includes a plurality of accumulation-type sensor sections for respectively receiving light from different object areas. Each sensor section produces, in response to a first signal, a signal which is variable in accordance with an amount of light received thereby. The signal produced by each sensor section is independently output to a signal processing circuit through an output terminal portion in response to a second signal. A control circuit supplies the first signal to each sensor section substantially at the same time, and monitors a signal producing state of each sensor section independently. The control circuit then supplies the second signal to the sensor section which reaches a predetermined monitoring state.

Abstract: An auto focusing device for foreseeing-calculating lens driving data for making a lens focus on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of the past focus adjusting operation data and the latest focus detection data. A plurality of distance measuring points are read to effect distance measurements at a time. Data suitable for foreseeing calculation is found from the respective distance measuring points, and the data suitable for foreseeing calculation is specified as the latest focus detection data used for the foreseeing calculation.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus for a camera for performing focus detection on the basis of image signals accumulated by an accumulation type sensor unit. At the time of image signal reading, the sensor signals are amplified with different gains in a continuous photographing state and in a single-shot state, thereby improving continuous photographing characteristics.

Abstract: An auto focus device for predicting the position of a moving objerct after a predetermined time on the basis of past autofocus operations and driving the lens to focus on the predicted position. The predetermined time being calculated based on the discrimination of the direction of movement of the object. The predicting calculations place the lens in a closer near state rather than making the lens in focus to the moving object.

Abstract: This invention relates to an automatic focusing device, particular capable of foreseeing the position of an object after a predetermined future time based on the results of a plurality of past focusing operations, thus enabling the focusing to the object. An automatic focusing device is provided which executes calculations for the abovementioned foreseeing after the execution of a predetermined number of focusing operations. However, if a focused state is identified in a focusing operation in the course of the execution of the predetermined number of focusing operations, the device is adapted to disregard the first-mentioned focusing operation as if it had not been conducted and to exclude the first-mentioned focusing operation from the counting of the predetermined number of focusing operations.

Abstract: A automatic focus detecting apparatus in which a focal point position corresponding to a change in position of an object after the elapse of a predetermined time is foreseen and calculated on the basis of the result of a past focal point adjustment. In accordance with the aperture value and lens characteristic at the time of photographing, a selection is made with respect to whether the calculation is executed in a normal mode to calculate the focal point position on the basis of only the result of the detection of the focal point at the present time independently of the result of the past focal point adjustment, or the calculation is executed in the foreseeing mode. Upon photographing, if there is no need to execute the foreseeing calculation, the focal point position is calculated in the normal mode.

Abstract: A focus adjusting apparatus in which a lens position in focus to an object at a predetermined time is foreseen with the result of the distance measurement at a plurality of times in the past taken into account, and a lens is driven to the foreseen position to thereby make the lens always in focus to a moving object. Whether the distance measurement is being continuously effected for the same object is discriminated based on the continuity of movement of the moving object and when the distance measurement for the same object is not effected, the foreseeing operation is inhibited and proper foreseeing operations are executed.

Abstract: An auto focus device which foreseeing-calculates a change in the focal plane based on the movement of an object after a predetermined time on the basis of focus detection result in the past and a latest focus detection result, and moves a lens to the foreseeing-calculated position. Whether the data used for the foreseeing calculation are data suitable for the foreseeing calculation is judged each time focus detection is effected, and when it is continuously judged that the data are data unsuitable for the foreseeing calculation, lens driving based on the foreseeing calculation is inhibited.

Abstract: A focus adjusting device which finds the lens driving amount for the position of the image plane in the future based on focus adjustment data obtained in past focus adjustment cycles includes a calculation circuit for calculating the lens driving amount or the position of the image plane in accordance with predetermined functional equations which use the data obtained in the past. The functional equation or equations used may be changed depending upon the number of times in the past over which the focus adjusting cycle was executed, or the reliability, e.g., contrast, of the auto focus signal.

Abstract: A camera having an auto-focussing device. When the camera is operated for continuous shooting, in order to shorten the time required for a focussing operation performed during each pause between shots to be less than that required in the repeated cycles of focussing operations performed in single-frame shooting, the focussing operation is restricted to a limited number of cycles, such as once, even if an in-focus state has not been obtained as a result of focus adjustment, thereby shortening the pauses between shots during continuous shooting.

Abstract: A color proof formation method includes the steps of bringing a first color separated film original mounted upon an original mounting table into tight contact with a photosensitive material fixed upon a mounting table, and exposing the film original; separating the photosensitive material mounting table from the original mounting table; replacing or exchanging the first film original upon the original mounting table with a second color separated film original; and bringing the second film original into tight contact with the photosensitive material. The steps are repeatedly performed a predetermined number of times so as to form a color proof.

Abstract: Apparatus for use with an autofocus adjusting device which has a focus detecting circuit for detecting a focus state of an imaging optical system, and a driving circuit for driving the imaging optical system in accordance with the detected focus has a calculation circuit for performing a first calculation in which imaging plane positions at a plurality of points of time in the past and in the present time are determined on the basis of a signal representing a focusing state in the past and a signal representing a focusing state at the latest time to determine coefficients of a predetermined higher order function. The calculation circuit also performs a second calculation in which an imaging plane position at a time after a predetermined period of time has past is determined on the basis of the higher order function.

Abstract: A focus detecting device of the type in which the amount of focus adjustment is found from the amount of image deviation between object images formed on first and second sensor arrays. The magnitude of the regularity of the image pattern or the magnitude of the brightness/darkness deviation rate or the shape similarity is discriminated and light projection means is operated when the regularity is great or when the brightness/darkness deviation rate or the shape similarity is small.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device which takes into account a change in the position of the image plane of an object caused by movement of the object during the focus adjusting operation time and makes a lens in focus to the moving object. The position of the image plane of the object after the focus adjusting operation time is foreseeing-calculated with the result of a past focus adjusting operation as a factor, and the current focus adjusting operation time is foreseen in conformity with the foreseeing-calculated value, and the position of the image plane of the object is again foreseeing-calculated with the foreseen time as a factor.

Abstract: In a camera having an autofocus device, when performing a continuous shooting, an autofocus operation by the autofocus device is repeatedly performed during a time from the termination of the shooting operation to the completion of a preparation for the next shooting operation, and if the performance of the autofocus operation has been at least once completed before the completion of the preparation for the next shooting operation, the completion of the aforesaid preparation for the next shooting operation is, even though the autofocus operation is in progress, immediately followed by the start of the next shooting operation, while if the autofocus operation has not been at least once completed before the completion of the aforesaid preparation for the next shooting operation, the next shooting operation is started depending on the completion of the autofocus operation.