Abstract: A light emitting element drive device of the present invention includes a light emitting element; a drive unit for driving the light emitting element; an electricity storage element capable of storing electric power; a battery power supply capable of supplying electric power to the electricity storage element; and a boost chopper circuit having an inductor, for boosting voltage by opening and closing a switching element. The drive unit is switchable between three states: a storing state in which electric power from the battery power supply is stored in the electricity storage element; a first discharging state in which the electric power stored in the electricity storage element is supplied to the light emitting element; and a second discharging state in which electric power from the battery power supply is boosted by the boost chopper circuit and is supplied to the light emitting element.

Abstract: A discharge tube of the present invention includes a glass bulb in which noble gas is enclosed, a pair of electrodes protruding from both ends of the glass bulb in the longitudinal direction of the glass bulb, and a connector connected to each of the electrodes. Each of the electrodes includes at least an axis section and a large-diameter section with a step section and a circumferential face. The step section has a first latching section for latching onto the connector. The circumferential face has a contact section with which the connector comes in contact. The connector includes a connector body into which the electrode is inserted, a second latching section for latching onto the first latching section of the electrode, and a connecting section connected to the contact section of the electrode. This achieves a discharge tube with high connection reliability and high heat radiation efficiency, and a light-emitting apparatus provided with this discharge tube.

Abstract: A light projection device of the present invention includes a flash discharge tube and a reflector into which the flash discharge tube inserted. The reflector is composed of at least a first reflector and a second reflector. At least a joint between the first reflector and the second reflector is fixed with a conductive fixing material. This structure prevents looseness between the first reflector and the second reflector and facilitates positioning between them. Further, the first reflector and the second reflector are reliably fixed at the same electrical potential to prevent sparks, thereby providing a light projection device capable of achieving stable optical performance.

Abstract: A discharge tube of the present invention includes a glass bulb in which noble gas is enclosed, a pair of electrodes protruding from both ends of the glass bulb in the longitudinal direction of the glass bulb, and a connector connected to each of the electrodes. Each of the electrodes includes at least an axis section and a large-diameter section with a step section and a circumferential face. The step section has a first latching section for latching onto the connector. The circumferential face has a contact section with which the connector comes in contact. The connector includes a connector body into which the electrode is inserted, a second latching section for latching onto the first latching section of the electrode, and a connecting section connected to the contact section of the electrode. This achieves a discharge tube with high connection reliability and high heat radiation efficiency, and a light-emitting apparatus provided with this discharge tube.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes an image pickup element for imaging a subject, and an image forming section for forming image data based on image-pickup data acquired from the image pickup element. The image pickup apparatus has a first image-pickup mode of acquiring first image-pickup data in a non-emission state of light from an illuminating section to the subject, and a second image-pickup mode of acquiring second image-pickup data in an emission state of light from the illuminating section to the subject. The image forming section forms the image data by using, as a correction value for the second image-pickup data, multiplication data that is acquired by multiplying differential data calculated based on the first image-pickup data and the second image-pickup data by light-distribution correction data for smoothing the light distribution characteristic of the illuminating section.

Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

Abstract: A light emitting element drive device of the present invention includes a light emitting element; a drive unit for driving the light emitting element; an electricity storage element capable of storing electric power; a battery power supply capable of supplying electric power to the electricity storage element; and a boost chopper circuit having an inductor, for boosting voltage by opening and closing a switching element. The drive unit is switchable between three states: a storing state in which electric power from the battery power supply is stored in the electricity storage element; a first discharging state in which the electric power stored in the electricity storage element is supplied to the light emitting element; and a second discharging state in which electric power from the battery power supply is boosted by the boost chopper circuit and is supplied to the light emitting element.

Abstract: An imaging device according to the present invention includes a light emitting unit for emitting light toward a photographic subject; a lens movable in a movement region corresponding to a focus region; an imaging element for receiving light through the lens; and a lens control unit for acquiring imaging data photoreceived by the imaging element and for controlling the position of the lens. The lens control unit moves the lens in a stepwise manner in order to acquire imaging data for each field of a focus region. The imaging device further includes a light emission control unit for changing the amount of light emitted from the light emitting unit according to the focus position of the lens in each field.

Abstract: A light emitting element driver includes: a light emitting element; driving means; an electric accumulation element; and a battery power supply that can supply electric power to the driving means and the electric accumulation element, wherein the driving means is configured so as to be able to switch between a state in which the electric accumulation element accumulates the electric power supplied from the battery power supply and a state in which the electric accumulation element supplies the accumulated electric power to the light emitting element, the driving means connects the electric accumulation element and the light emitting element in parallel to each other with respect to the battery power supply when the electric accumulation element accumulates the electric power supplied from the battery power supply, and the driving means connects the battery power supply, the electric accumulation element, and the light emitting element in series when the electric accumulation element supplies the accumulated e

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes light-emitting means for emitting light to a person as a subject when the subject is photographed, and light emission control means for controlling the amount of light emitted by the light-emitting means. The light emission control means increases the amount of light gradually (either continuously or intermittently) until it reaches a predetermined amount, based on the detection result of the light detection means for detecting light from the subject. The image pickup apparatus can limit the glare of the light emitted by the light-emitting means, thereby projecting the eyes of the subject, and allowing the subject to be properly photographed.

Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

Abstract: The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.