Abstract: A lamp drive device L is provided that can both light a lamp and sustain a discharge by applying a trigger voltage while a direct current voltage is supplied from a power supply circuit to the electrodes of lamp before the start of discharge. The device includes a reference amount-of-change storage unit for storing a threshold value T for the amount of change in the electrode voltage before and after start of discharge, a difference calculation unit for calculating the difference (A?B) between the voltage monitor value B after the start of discharge and the voltage monitor value A before the start of discharge, and a lighting status determination unit for determining the lighting status by comparing the difference (A?B) and the threshold value T and making the determination based on the change in voltage before and after the discharge.

Abstract: When an external trigger is received as a predetermined signal after receiving a signal concerning a start of imaging, controls are carried out to stop driving of a CCD type solid-state image sensor (CCD) from receipt of the signal concerning a start of imaging until receipt of the external trigger, and to start the driving of the CCD synchronously with the receipt of the external trigger. Thus, the driving of the CCD is not started immediately upon receipt of the signal concerning a start of imaging, and the driving time of the CCD can be shortened by the time from receipt of the signal concerning a start of imaging until receipt of the external trigger, thereby suppressing heat generation of the CCD.

Abstract: A lamp drive device L is provided that can both light a lamp 1 and sustain a discharge by applying a trigger voltage while a direct current voltage is supplied from a power supply circuit 7a to the electrodes of lamp 1 before the start of discharge. The device includes a reference amount-of-change storage unit 21 for storing a threshold value T for the amount of change in the electrode voltage before and after start of discharge, a difference calculation unit 11 for calculating the difference (A?B) between the voltage monitor value B after the start of discharge and the voltage monitor value A before the start of discharge, and a lighting status determination unit 12 for determining the lighting status by comparing the difference (A?B) and the threshold value T and making the determination based on the change in voltage before and after the discharge.

Abstract: When an external trigger is received as a predetermined signal after receiving a signal concerning a start of imaging, controls are carried out to stop driving of a CCD type solid-state image sensor (CCD) from receipt of the signal concerning a start of imaging until receipt of the external trigger, and to start the driving of the CCD synchronously with the receipt of the external trigger. Thus, the driving of the CCD is not started immediately upon receipt of the signal concerning a start of imaging, and the driving time of the CCD can be shortened by the time from receipt of the signal concerning a start of imaging until receipt of the external trigger, thereby suppressing heat generation of the CCD.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes a photographing plan memory for setting photographing conditions based on a predetermined photographing plan, a vibration sensor for detecting vibration caused by an explosion of a balloon serving as a photographic subject, and a trigger generating circuit for taking in the timing of detection by the vibration sensor as a trigger. The above photographing plan is prepared beforehand for changing from low-speed photography to high-speed photography in response to the trigger, and changing from high-speed photography to low-speed photography after acquiring “40 frames”. With this plan, the low-speed photography is adopted before and after the balloon explosion, an amount of photographic data tends to be small. Photographs may be taken out within limited photographic data, even with a limited memory capacity. At a moment of balloon explosion, rapid variations due to the explosion may be photographed by high-speed photography with high accuracy.

Abstract: In a CCD type solid-state image sensor (CCD) of this invention, a potential gradient is provided in which potentials about electric signals gradually change from a photodiode toward a gate electrode. Specifically, impurities forming the photodiode are diffused in the shape of character “X”, and the width of the impurities is enlarged gradually from the photodiode toward the gate electrode. With such a gradient, the electric signals are smoothly transferred along the potential gradient, without the electric signals stagnating in movement from the photodiode to the gate electrode. As a result, the electric signals can be transferred at high speed from the photodiode to the gate electrode.

Abstract: In an apparatus according to this invention, a single synchronous photography timing controller supplies cameras for synchronous photography, with an external clock signal for controlling progress of a photographic sequence, an external reset signal for resetting the photographic sequence, and an external trigger signal for starting high-speed photography, all in a coordinated manner. Consequently, a timewise corresponding relationship is maintained between the external clock signals and between the external reset signals being supplied. The external reset signals reset photographic sequences of the respective cameras, so that the photographic sequences also progress in a timewise corresponding relationship. The high-speed photography of the cameras started by the external trigger signals supplied in the coordinated manner progress in a strictly timewise corresponding relationship. Thus, the cameras are synchronized accurately to perform the high-speed photography.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes a photographing plan memory for setting photographing conditions based on a predetermined photographing plan, a vibration sensor for detecting vibration caused by an explosion of a balloon serving as a photographic subject, and a trigger generating circuit for taking in the timing of detection by the vibration sensor as a trigger. The above photographing plan is prepared beforehand for changing from low-speed photography to high-speed photography in response to the trigger, and changing from high-speed photography to low-speed photography after acquiring “40 frames”. With this plan, the low-speed photography is adopted before and after the balloon explosion, an amount of photographic data tends to be small. Photographs may be taken out within limited photographic data, even with a limited memory capacity. At a moment of balloon explosion, rapid variations due to the explosion may be photographed by high-speed photography with high accuracy.