Abstract: In a camera having an automatic opening/closing mechanism of an iris, there is a problem that the iris cannot be operated in a case where the iris has not been operated for a long period of time. A monitoring camera includes: a light receiving unit; an iris for adjusting an amount of light passing through the light receiving unit; an iris opening/closing unit; an imaging element for converting light having passed through the light receiving unit into a video signal; a light amount feedback opening/closing controlling unit for controlling the iris opening/closing unit so that the iris is opened or closed on the basis of a luminance of the video signal; and an opening/closing controlling unit for controlling the iris opening/closing unit so that the iris is opened or closed not on the basis of the luminance of the video signal but in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: An image collating center has a communication unit, a processing unit, and a memory unit. The processing unit accesses a geographic information database through a communication network, extracts appropriate geographic information from the geographic information database based on a picked-up image and additional information transmitted from an image provider, and generates a simulated image assumed to be viewed from the image provider. Further, the image collating center estimates the image pickup position and the image pickup attitude of the image provider through collating the simulated image with the picked-up image and returns the estimated image pickup position and image pickup attitude of the image provider to the image provider through the communication network.

Abstract: An image collating center has a communication unit, a processing unit, and a memory unit. The processing unit accesses a geographic information database through a communication network, extracts appropriate geographic information from the geographic information database based on a picked-up image and additional information transmitted from an image provider, and simulatively generates a simulated image assumed to be viewed from the image provider. Further, the image collating center estimates the image pickup position and the image pickup attitude of the image provider through collating the simulated image with the picked-up image and returns the estimated image pickup position and image pickup attitude of the image provider to the image provider through the communication network.

Abstract: In a reflection type angle of view transforming optical apparatus for transforming an angle of view in an image apparatus and so forth, sufficient strength can be provided and process is facilitated by using reflecting mirrors in a wide angle optical system. The reflection type angle of view transforming optical apparatus includes a primary mirror 8 having a reflecting surface provided in an axisymmetric form to reflect incident light 12 as primary reflected light 13, a secondary mirror 10 having a reflecting surface provided in an axisymmetric form about the same axis of rotational symmetry 9 as that of the primary mirror 8, opposed to the primary mirror 8 so as to reflect the primary reflected light 13 and to get secondary reflected light 14 for focusing on a view point, and a transparent case 11 to support the primary mirror 8 and the secondary mirror 10, and transmit the incident light 12.