Abstract: A switching mechanism for optical component includes: an optical component; a holder member holding the optical component; a drive mechanism having a drive motor that drives the optical component held by the holder member to rotate on a plane orthogonal to an optical axis from an optical axis position at which the optical component is on the optical axis to an evacuation position at which the optical component is off the optical axis; and a restriction member restricting a rotation of the holder member, by which at least a rotation of the optical component held by the holder member is restricted at the optical axis position. The drive mechanism includes the drive motor, a worm attached to a rotation shaft of the drive motor, and a worm wheel meshed with the worm and provided to the holder member.

Abstract: A light quantity adjuster includes: a blade member forming an aperture; a stepping motor that moves the blade member to open/close the aperture; and a control section that controls driving of the stepping motor, and increases a rotational speed of the stepping motor after a resistance acting on the stepping motor changes from static friction to dynamical friction in case of closing the aperture.

Abstract: A light amount adjuster for adjusting a size of a diaphragm aperture on an optical axis of an optical system, includes: a pair of straight moving diaphragm blades so provided at a portion to which the diaphragm aperture is opposed as to slide along a plane orthogonal to the optical axis in a direction of getting close to or separated from the optical axis; a pair of swing diaphragm blades so provided at a portion to which the diaphragm aperture is opposed as to swing about a center axis in parallel to the optical axis in a direction of getting close to or separated from the optical axis; and a drive mechanism for adjusting the size of the diaphragm aperture by sliding the pair of straight moving diaphragm blades and by allowing the pair of swing diaphragm blades to swing.

Abstract: A switching mechanism for optical component includes: an optical component; a holder member holding the optical component; a drive mechanism having a drive motor that drives the optical component held by the holder member to rotate on a plane orthogonal to an optical axis from an optical axis position at which the optical component is on the optical axis to an evacuation position at which the optical component is off the optical axis; and a restriction member restricting a rotation of the holder member, by which at least a rotation of the optical component held by the holder member is restricted at the optical axis position. The drive mechanism includes the drive motor, a worm attached to a rotation shaft of the drive motor, and a worm wheel meshed with the worm and provided to the holder member.

Abstract: A light quantity adjuster includes: a blade member forming an aperture; a stepping motor that moves the blade member to open/close the aperture; and a control section that controls driving of the stepping motor, and increases a rotational speed of the stepping motor after a resistance acting on the stepping motor changes from static friction to dynamical friction in case of closing the aperture.

Abstract: An image blur correction apparatus includes a correction lens, a first guide section, a second guide section, a first driving section, a second driving section, and a position detection section. In the image blur correction apparatus, the first and second driving section has first and second coils, a magnet to apply magnetic force to the first and second coils, and a yoke to support the magnet. The two coils are disposed in an intersecting and overlapping relationship with each other such that the direction of propelling force generated by the first coil and the direction of propelling force generated by the second coil are directed to the first direction and the second direction, respectively. The position detection section detects the magnetic force of the magnet to detect the position of the correction lens.

Abstract: A light amount adjuster for adjusting a size of a diaphragm aperture on an optical axis of an optical system, includes: a pair of straight moving diaphragm blades so provided at a portion to which the diaphragm aperture is opposed as to slide along a plane orthogonal to the optical axis in a direction of getting close to or separated from the optical axis; a pair of swing diaphragm blades so provided at a portion to which the diaphragm aperture is opposed as to swing about a center axis in parallel to the optical axis in a direction of getting close to or separated from the optical axis; and a drive mechanism for adjusting the size of the diaphragm aperture by sliding the pair of straight moving diaphragm blades and by allowing the pair of swing diaphragm blades to swing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image blur correction apparatus, which may include a correction lens, a first guide section, a second guide section, a first driving section, a second driving section, and a position detection section. In the image blur correction apparatus, the first and second driving section may be composed of first and second coils, a magnet to apply magnetic force to the first and second coils, and a yoke to support the magnet. The two coils may be disposed in an intersecting and overlapping relationship with each other such that the direction of propelling force generated by the first coil and the direction of propelling force generated by the second coil both by action of the magnetic force of the magnet are directed to the first direction and the second direction, respectively. The position detection section may detect the magnetic force of the magnet to detect the position of the correction lens.

Abstract: There is provided a collapsible lens barrel including plural barrels of different outside diameters from one another and enabled to move coaxially and perform relative movement in an axial direction, and an image-capturing optical system disposed within the plural barrels; wherein the image-capturing optical system includes at least two lens holding frames arranged in a direction of an optical axis of the image-capturing optical system; and, considering an object side is set as a front side and an opposite side is set as a rear side, each of a rearmost lens holding frame, placed at a rearmost position, and one of the lens holding frames placed immediately in front of the rearmost lens holding frame, are respectively movably supported by a corresponding guide mechanism to move in the direction of the optical axis and to move in the direction of the optical axis by a corresponding drive mechanism.

Abstract: There is provided a collapsible lens barrel including plural barrels of different outside diameter from one another and enabled to move coaxially and perform relative movement in an axial direction, and an image-capturing optical system disposed within the plural barrels; wherein the image-capturing optical system includes at least two lens holding frames arranged in a direction of an optical axis of the image-capturing optical system; and, considering an object side is set as a front side and an opposite side is set as a rear side, each of a rearmost lens holding frame, placed at a rearmost position, and one of the lens holding frames placed immediately in front of the rearmost lens holding frame, are respectively movably supported by a corresponding guide mechanism to move in the direction of the optical axis and to move in the direction of the optical axis by a corresponding drive mechanism.