Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an optical unit for forming an image of a subject, a first light extinction unit present on an optical axis of the optical unit and configured to adjust an amount of light by changing a dimension of a aperture stop thereof, a second light extinction unit to be present on said optical axis of the optical unit and configured to adjust an amount of light passing therethrough by changing a transmittance of the light, and a controller for controlling operations of said first and second light extinction units so as to make an exposure optimum at a time of photographing. The controller has precedence on the adjustment of the light amount with the first light extinction unit until a predetermined aperture stop diameter and has precedence on the adjustment of the light amount with the second light extinction unit in a state that the light is to be reduced beyond a state in the predetermined aperture stop diameter, thereby attaining optimization of the exposure.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus whose posture is easily adjustable is provided. The imaging apparatus is configured to include an inclination detector detecting a degree of inclination of one of the imaging apparatus and an image captured by the imaging apparatus relative to a horizontal direction orthogonal to a direction of gravity; a display unit; a first inclination indicator unit allowing the display unit to display an indicator to indicate the degree of inclination according to a detection result from the inclination detector; a second inclination indicator unit notifying via sound according to a detection result from the inclination detector that the degree of inclination is over a predetermined value; and a selector unit allowing at least one of the first and second inclination indicator units to operate.

Abstract: An AF controlling unit (83) starts an outside light AF operation controlled by an outside AF unit (81) by a half-pressing of a shutter release button (61), and a change over between the outside AF operation and a CCDAF operation controlled by a CCDAF unit (82) is controlled corresponding to an elapsed time t (timer 84) from a starting of the operation of the outside light AF operation and a pressing condition (a detection of the half-pressing by a half-pressed detecting unit (62), the detection of a full-pressing by a full-pressed detecting unit (63) or a press-in releasing) of a shutter release button (61) after the starting of the outside light AF operation controlled by the outside AF unit (81) by the half-pressing of the shutter release button (61).

Abstract: In an image input device including a multistage aperture (13) which reduces a quantity of light by changing an aperture, and an ND filter (15) which reduces a quantity of light by changing transmittance of passing light, if ghosts tend to occur due to the second light reducing means, the generation of ghosts is effectively avoided. An object determining unit determines whether a strong light source is present on an object image formed by an optical unit (10) for imaging based on luminance distribution on the object image. The multistage aperture (13) and the ND filter (15) are controlled in order to obtain a proper exposure to pickup the object image. If the object determining unit determines which a strong light source is present on the object image, the ND filter (15), which reduces the quantity of light by changing the transmittance of passing light, is used as less as possible, and the multistage aperture (13) is functioned preferentially.

Abstract: The image input unit comprises a pixel shift evaluation value and reliability calculating section that calculates a pixel shift evaluation value based on image data for a plurality of images photographed before and after an image sensing device is displaced for a predetermined amount. Moreover, a system controller judges whether pixel shift photography has been normally performed or not based on the pixel shift evaluation value, and displays the judgment result on a display.

Abstract: An image capture device includes a focusing unit, a focus driving unit and an autofocus control unit; the focusing unit is provided to focus on a subject. The focus driving unit is provided for driving the focusing unit to driving-target position. The autofocus control unit is provided to control driving of the focus driving unit according to a determination of executing or omitting a one-way-driving-control. One-way driving control controls driving direction of the focus driving unit into a predetermined direction at a peripheral range before driving-disactivation of the focus driving means, determined based on a shooting-condition.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus whose posture is easily adjustable is provided. The imaging apparatus is configured to include an inclination detector detecting a degree of inclination of one of the imaging apparatus and an image captured by the imaging apparatus relative to a horizontal direction orthogonal to a direction of gravity; a display unit; a first inclination indicator unit allowing the display unit to display an indicator to indicate the degree of inclination according to a detection result from the inclination detector; a second inclination indicator unit notifying via sound according to a detection result from the inclination detector that the degree of inclination is over a predetermined value; and a selector unit allowing at least one of the first and second inclination indicator units to operate.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus in which an image of a subject formed by lenses and a low pass filter of a photographic optical system is provided to an imaging device unit that supplies a corresponding signal to an A/D converter that in turn provides an output to an image processing unit. A blur-detecting device with a blur detecting part and a blur detecting unit detect blur that is compensated by a blur compensating unit with a blur-compensation driving unit. A system controller computes a displacement amount for blur compensation by the blur-compensation driving unit driving the blur compensating unit based on an output of the blur detecting device. A memory group is included for calibrating a conversion coefficient used by the system controller in calculating the displacement amount.

Abstract: A digital camera and a mobile information terminal apparatus including a lens barrel including a first lens group and a second lens group disposed on an optical axis and configured to be related to operations concerned with changing overall relative magnification, a third lens group disposed on the optical axis and configured to be related to operations concerned with changing overall relative magnification and to be retracted from the optical axis in a collapsed state, a first driving device configured to drive the first lens group and the second lens group, a second driving device configured to drive the third lens group, a CCD disposed on the optical axis and configured to photograph a subject, a distance determining device configured to determine a distance to the subject, and a floating control device configured to drive at least one of the first driving device and the second driving device based on distance information obtained from the distance determining device to change an interval between the first

Abstract: A lens barrel, including, a moving frame (2) to hold a lens (8), a direct-advance ring (4) provided on an outer periphery of the moving frame and movable relative to the moving frame in an optical direction, a resilient member (6) provided between the moving frame and the direct-advance ring, and a control part (10) provided on the moving frame to control an amount of movement of the direct-advance ring in the optical direction.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a photographing optical system; a photographing preparation manipulation judgment device; a photographing implementing manipulation judgment device; a timer adapted for counting a time period from outputting of a signal from the photographing preparation manipulation judgment device to outputting of the signal from the photographing implementing manipulation judgment device; a focus driving device for changing a focused state of an object by changing a positional relation of the lens relative to an image pickup face; an auto focusing (AF) data detector for detecting AF data representative of a distance face up to the object or the focused state of the object; a time-series AF data collector for driving the AF data detector at an interval of a present time period and obtaining the AF data in a chronological manner; and an object movement presumption calculator for presuming changes in distance of the object from the time-series AF data calculating focus moving amount.

Abstract: A photographing object image adjusting apparatus including a plurality of adjusting operation devices corresponding to a plurality of object image adjusting modes, respectively, and an object image adjusting device. Each of the plurality of adjusting operation devices is configured such that an adjusting operation giving an instruction of object image adjusting is performed by being manipulated. The object image adjusting device is configured to adjust an image of an object imaged on an imaging surface of a photographing element in an object image adjusting mode of the plurality of object image adjusting modes corresponding to an adjusting operation device of the plurality of adjusting operation devices in which the adjusting operation giving the instruction of object image adjusting has been performed.

Abstract: A digital camera 100 includes a photographic optical system (21) for projecting an image of a subject; a CCD (24) for converting the projected image into an image signal and outputting it; a focus driving system (25) which changes a focusing condition of the image projected to the CCD (24) by relatively moving at least one of the photographic optical system (21) and the CCD (24) to the other; a CCDAF portion (82) which sequentially evaluates the image signal obtained in each focusing condition while subsequently changes the focusing condition by controlling the focus driving system (25), and which obtains a predetermined focusing condition based on the evaluation; an AF controlling portion (83) for controlling an operation of the CCDAF portion (82); and a ranging sensor (31) for measuring a subject distance. In addition, the AF controlling portion (83) controls the operation of the CCDAF portion (82) according to the subject distance to prioritize either a focusing accuracy or a focusing speed.

Abstract: The image input unit comprises a pixel shift evaluation value and reliability calculating section that calculates a pixel shift evaluation value based on image data for a plurality of images photographed before and after an image sensing device is displaced for a predetermined amount. Moreover, a system controller judges whether pixel shift photography has been normally performed or not based on the pixel shift evaluation value, and displays the judgment result on a display.

Abstract: An AF controlling unit (83) starts an outside light AF operation controlled by an outside AF unit (81) by a half-pressing of a shutter release button (61), and a change over between the outside AF operation and a CCDAF operation controlled by a CCDAF unit (82) is controlled corresponding to an elapsed time t (timer 84) from a starting of the operation of the outside light AF operation and a pressing condition (a detection of the half-pressing by a half-pressed detecting unit (62), the detection of a full-pressing by a full-pressed detecting unit (63) or a press-in releasing) of a shutter release button (61) after the starting of the outside light AF operation controlled by the outside AF unit (81) by the half-pressing of the shutter release button (61).

Abstract: In an image input device including a multistage aperture (13) which reduces a quantity of light by changing an aperture, and an ND filter (15) which reduces a quantity of light by changing transmittance of passing light, if ghosts tend to occur due to the second light reducing means, the generation of ghosts is effectively avoided. An object determining unit determines whether a strong light source is present on an object image formed by an optical unit (10) for imaging based on luminance distribution on the object image. The multistage aperture (13) and the ND filter (15) are controlled in order to obtain a proper exposure to pickup the object image. If the object determining unit determines which a strong light source is present on the object image, the ND filter (15), which reduces the quantity of light by changing the transmittance of passing light, is used as less as possible, and the multistage aperture (13) is functioned preferentially.

Abstract: An AF controlling unit (83) starts an outside light AF operation controlled by an outside AF unit (81) by a half-pressing of a shutter release button (61), and a change over between the outside AF operation and a CCDAF operation controlled by a CCDAF unit (82) is controlled corresponding to an elapsed time t (timer 84) from a starting of the operation of the outside light AF operation and a pressing condition (a detection of the half-pressing by a half-pressed detecting unit (62), the detection of a full-pressing by a full-pressed detecting unit (63) or a press-in releasing) of a shutter release button (61) after the starting of the outside light AF operation controlled by the outside AF unit (81) by the half-pressing of the shutter release button (61).

Abstract: The image input unit comprises a pixel shift evaluation value and reliability calculating section that calculates a pixel shift evaluation value based on image data for a plurality of images photographed before and after an image sensing device is displaced for a predetermined amount. Moreover, a system controller judges whether pixel shift photography has been normally performed or not based on the pixel shift evaluation value, and displays the judgment result on a display.

Abstract: An auto focusing apparatus comprises a contrast AF (auto focusing) means (10), an outside light AF means (20), a release button (30), a focusing accurate priority button (40) and control means (50). The control means controls the contrast AF (10) and outside light AF (20) to select a contrast AF operation when the focusing accurate priority button (40) is pressed before the release button (40) is pressed and to select an outside light AF operation when focusing accurate priority button (40) is not pressed before the release button (40) is pressed.

Abstract: A lens barrel, including, a moving frame (2) to hold a lens (8), a direct-advance ring (4) provided on an outer periphery of the moving frame and movable relative to the moving frame in an optical direction, a resilient member (6) provided between the moving frame and the direct-advance ring, and a control part (10) provided on the moving frame to control an amount of movement of the direct-advance ring in the optical direction.