Abstract: A visual axis detection apparatus in which an eye of an observer is illuminated by a light source, and the corneal reflection image of the eye and the reflected image of the iris are detected by a light sensor. By the utilization of the position information of each reflected image from the sensor, the visual axis of the eye is calculated by a calculator. The light sensor has a plurality of photoelectric elements, and the calculator utilizes the position information of one of a plurality of photoelectric elements which produces the smallest output signal to detect the reflected image of iris on the basis of the signal from the light sensor.

Abstract: A camera comprising a gazing line detection device for obtaining the gazing point by detecting the movement of the gazing line of a user so that a proper photometry range is automatically set by selecting a specific method from a plurality of photometry methods in accordance with the distribution of the gazing points thus obtained.

Abstract: A camera is provided with observation means for observing a scene therethrough, a visual axis detecting device for detecting the visual axis direction of the eye of an operator looking into the observation means, an information receiving device for receiving the information of an objective lens, and a control device for making the control of the visual axis detecting device differ on the basis of a signal from the information receiving device.

Abstract: An optical apparatus which detects a visual axis using plural reflected images of a light source includes an observation device with which an observer observes an object. An image sensor is provided for generating a signal and response to an image. Optical structure is provided for forming a plurality of reflected light source images on the image sensor by reflection of light from the eye of the observer. The optical structure includes (1) an illumination assembly for projecting a light beam from at least one light source to the eye of the observer, and (2) a convergence component having at least one convergent lens for converging the light beam reflected from the eye of the observer, to produce the plurality of reflected light source images. The optical structure includes at least two light sources and/or two convergent lenses.

Abstract: A camera having a line of sight detecting apparatus to detect a line of sight of an eyeball of an observer comprises: a lens device having a movable lens; a detector to detect a moving state of the movable lens in the lens device; and a controller for making the line of sight detecting operation by the visual axis detecting apparatus different from that in the case where the movable lens is not moved when it is detected by the detector that the movable lens has been moved. When a focusing lens as a movable lens is being driven, the controller stops the line of sight detecting operation by the visual axis detecting apparatus or doesn't use the line of sight detection information for the camera control.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a view finder through which a subject is observed, a visual axis detection device for detecting a direction of a visual axis of an observer who is looking into the view finder, and a determination device for determining whether or not the observer is wearing eyeglasses.

Abstract: In an apparatus for detecting the relative positional relation between light intensity distributions relating to an object image and detecting the focus-adjusted state of an objective lens, a pair of stop openings for limiting an off-axis light flux forming light intensity distributions entering a pair of secondary imaging lenses are provided so as to be symmetrical with respect to a meridian centered at the optic axis of the objective lens so that the influence of the residual aberrations of the objective lens becomes uniform.

Abstract: A focus adjusting control device for adjusting the focal point of an optical system for an object captured at a sighting part of a picture plane specified by the optical system is provided with a selecting circuit for selecting the position of the sighting part on the picture plane, and a focus adjustment part arranged to begin, in response to a selecting action of the selecting circuit, a focus adjusting action corresponding to the position of the sighting part selected by the selecting circuit.

Abstract: A visual line detecting device is arranged to detect the Purkinje image position of an illuminated eye of an observer through light reflected by the eye and to detect the direction of the visual line of the observer from the Purkinje image position and the position of the pupil center of the eye. The device estimates the pupil diameter of the eye from the luminance of external light and determines the position of the center of the pupil by determining the position of a boundary between the pupil and the iris of the eye on the basis of the pupil diameter estimated.