Abstract: A distance detecting device in which, with respect to an object whose distance is to be detected, the images of a first and a second field following different lines of sight and containing the object and different in range are scanned while, at the same time, continuous M quantized image element data regarding the first field image and continuous N (N>M) quantized image element data regarding the second field image are obtained and the M image element data regarding the first field image are stored in a first circulation type shift register while the first M image element data of the N image element data regarding the second field image are stored in a second circulation type shift register and the remaining N-M image element data are stored in a third shift register, and the comparison between the stored data of the first and second shift registers during one circulation of said stored data and the relative shift of n bits each of the stored data of the second and third shift registers with respect to the

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motion detecting device for detecting the relative motion rate or velocity between an object and an optical instrument in an exposure control system by which the exposure time, i.e. the shutter speed of the instrument is controlled in response to the relative motion rate or velocity. The motion detecting device is designed to detect the displacement ratio or speed of the position of the center of gravity of the light distribution of the object image on the imaging plane, whereby the danger for misdetection due to the periodical fluctuation of the object brightness can be profitably avoided, being possible to detect only the relative movement between the object and the instrument.

Abstract: A focal point detection system for detecting the focus adjusting state of an image forming lens during its focusing operation on an object is disclosed. The system comprises a focus detection circuit which produces a detection output that varies with focusing of the lens on the object; a plurality of display elements are provided for display of the focusing state of the lens; and a display control circuit which enables the display elements to display a greater number of focusing states than the number of these display elements through selective combinations of these elements on the basis of the output of the focus detection circuit. The system is capable of displaying intermediate focusing states such as a slightly near-focus state, a slightly far-focus state, and the like in addition to in-focus, near-focus, and far-focus states, so that the focusing state can be displayed stepwise in a detailed manner.

Abstract: The disclosed camera is focused manually with a helicoidally movable lens barrel and fine focused automatically by movement of the lens mount along the lens' optical axis. The lens mount is automatically started at a predetermined position, such as a mid position, in its movable range, and the automatic operation is disabled when the mount reaches either limit of its movable range.

Abstract: This invention presents a range finding device when 1st and 2nd detection images of an object are scanned by signal storing type image sensing means to obtain image scan signals, which are quantized by quantization means to produce quantized image data for said 1st and 2nd detection images. On the basis of the thus obtained quantized image data, the location within the 2nd detection images of one set of M successive elements of the 2nd detection image which is most similar to M successive elements of the 1st detection image is detected, and with the aid of the data of this location, the distance between the device and the object is determined. According to this improved device, sequence control means, which controls a series of operations for range finding, will firstly cancel the signals stored in said image sensing means as unnecessary signals, when said series of operations is initiated, and then enables proper storing of image signals in the image sensing means so as to properly control the device.

Abstract: In the disclosed TV camera, a focus detecting device detects the focus of the image optical system by evaluating the image of the object whose image is to be picked up, on the basis of the picture image signal obtained at a predetermined position in the image pick up surface of the image pick up device. At least a part of the image to be evaluated is formed at a position within the scanning area of the image pick up device but outside of the effective image pick up area for TV signals. The image is evaluated on the basis of the picture image signal obtained at this position to detect the focus.

Abstract: A photo-sensor device comprises a light receiving part composed of a plurality of photo-sensor elements for converting photosignals into electrical signals. A portion of the light receiving part is shielded by light shielding means so that in reading out the output from the device, there can be obtained also a signal of dark current information from the shielded photo-sensor elements.

Abstract: This specification discloses an image scanning system in which an object image formed by an optical system is electrically scanned by utilization of a photosensor array device and the image scanning output then obtained is quantized to thereby provide quantized image data. According to the improvement of the present invention, there are obtained two different quantized image data, namely, first quantized image data quantized by a voltage level determined on the basis of the image scanning output from the sensor device and second quantized image data quantized by a predetermined fixed voltage level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motion detecting device for detecting the relative motion rate or velocity between an object and an optical instrument in an exposure control system by which the exposure time, i.e. the shutter speed of the instrument is controlled in response to the relative motion rate or velocity. The motion detecting device is designed to detect the displacement ratio or speed of the position of the center of gravity of the light distribution of the object image on the imaging plane, whereby the danger for misdetection due to the periodical fluctuation of the object brightness can be profitably avoided, being possible to detect only the relative movement between the object and the instrument.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for focus detection or distance detection in which one or more images of a target formed by an optical system are received by photoelectric light receiving means to obtain a photoelectric output regarding the imaging condition of the image of the target and this photoelectric output is electrically processed through a processing circuit to thereby provide an electrical output representing the focus adjusted condition of the optical system with respect to the target or the distance to the target.

Abstract: A camera is provided that has an automatic focus detector and a manually operable focus adjustment device, in which the focus adjustment device can be set at a predetermined position or range falling outside of an ordinary focus adjusting range. At the same time a coordinating device is provided which functions to secure an appropriate depth of field (or a hyper focal range) by coordinating the focus adjustment and the exposure aperture adjustment when the focus adjustment device is set at the predetermined position or range. Thus even in a case when the focus detector can not function effectively, practically satisfactory photographing can be done by the action of the coordinating device.In a preferred example of the present invention the focusing condition of a photo-taking lens system is automatically adjusted according to an exposure aperture value (i.e. f-stop value) by the action of the coordinating device in a condition in which the focus adjustment device is set at the predetermined position.

Abstract: A range finding device of a construction, in which, at the time of receiving first and second images of an object to be formed by a range finding optical system with a relative positional parallax corresponding to the object distance into first and second photoelectric light receiving elements, respectively, these images are shifted on the light receiving surfaces of the respective first and second light receiving elements by a vibrating optical device at a same cycle and same phase to thereby scan these first and second images by the first and second light receiving elements; image scanning signals on the first and second images to be obtained at this time are converted into digital values; thereafter, these values are stored in the first and second storing devices where the coincidence and non-coincidence of these digitalized image scanning signals are detected by means of a coincidence detecting device, while one of these image scanning signals are relatively shifted bit by bit with respect to other image

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for detecting the sharpness of the object image by detecting the amount of the component of a certain specified frequency, whereby the object image formed by means of an image forming optical system is detected by an image sensitive element consisting of a number of fine photo sensitive elements arranged respectively integrated on one plane, while the outputs of the above mentioned photo sensitive elements are delivered out one after another in accordance with the arrangement order of the above mentioned elements by means of a signal time series means so as to carry out an electrical scanning of the above mentioned object image in such a manner that the then obtained scanning outputs of the object image are successively converted by means of an A - D (analogue-digital) converting means into digital signals which are put in a small computer in which an estimation function for estimating the amount of the component of a certain specified frequency in the sp

Abstract: A focusing system in a camera having an automatic focus detector to detect a focusing condition of a photo-taking optical system, an electromagnetic driving motor which is actuated in one direction, being controlled by the detector and having its operation stopped when an in focus state is detected by the detector, a movable member which can restrict the operation of said driving motor and at the same time is shiftable in response to the shifting of the photo-taking optical system, and an indicator which indicates the in focus position and is driven by said driving motor. The photo-taking optical system is shifted from a prescribed position in a predetermined direction for adjusting the focus. The movable member is correspondingly shifted from a prescribed position in a predetermined direction to release the restriction over the driving motor and to line up with the position of the indicator manually setting the optical system to the in focus position indicated by the indicator.

Abstract: A range finder system to detect distance to an object by irradiating radiation toward an object, a distance to which is to be detected based on the principle of a base line range finder and receiving radiation being reflected by said object. It is particularly characterized by that a distance to an object is detected by irradiating a photoelectric conversion means with radiation and then comparing the signal outputted by said photoelectric conversion means with a prescribed reference signal.

Abstract: A motion picture camera which can use a cartridge for film having a sound track includes sound recording means and a mechanism which actuates and releases the sound recording means to an operative state and to an inoperative state, respectively, in response to an actuation and a release of a shutter release member. All such parts which are needed to engage a film are arranged in a cartridge chamber defined in the camera housing so that the operator enables to readily insert a cartridge into the chamber so long as the sound recording means are set to their inoperative position.

Abstract: A single lens reflex camera having a sharp focus detecting arrangement with one or more photoelectric cell or cells of an outer zone of a light beam entering through a photo-taking lens wholly or in parts and responsive to transition of light distribution change past the point of sharp focus for producing an electrical output signal. The signal is used to provide a display in the field of view of the camera finder, thereby the accuracy of detection of a condition of sharp focus can be improved regardless of the otherwise insufficient total amount of incident light, as the distinctness of the image, or the relative position of the projection paths in an outer zone of the field is changed by a larger amount than that in the central zone.

Abstract: A camera having an objective and visual or automatic focusing means for the objective. For assistance in bringing into sharpest focus an image of an object formed by the objective at the focal plane of the camera, there is provided a sharp focus detecting apparatus constructed in the form of an attachment unit attachable to and detachable from the camera and essentially comprising an optical system subsidiary to the objective, photoelectric means arranged upon receiving light coming from the object through the objective and subsidiary optical system for producing an electrical output signal proportional to the degree of sharpness of the image and oscillatory motion imparting means or scanning means associated with the photoelectric means for periodically varying the spatial relationship along the projection path between the photoelectric means and the subsidiary optical system.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is disclosed for detecting the sharpness of the object image suited for optical instruments such as a camera and for adjusting the focus of the optics by means of photoelectric means presenting a non-linear resistance-illumination characteristics such as CdS or CdSe. Such an object image may be formed by means of the optics on the above mentioned photoelectric means presenting the electrodes at both ends along the longer side of a photoelectric semiconductor whose longer side is extremely long as compared with the shorter side as well as on the above mentioned photoelectric means presenting the electrodes at both ends along the shorter side of the photoelectric semiconductor. An object distance measuring system which digitally displays the distance between camera and photographing object when an automatic focusing operation is carried out is also disclosed.

Abstract: A distance detecting device utilizable in an optical device such as a camera and the like requiring focusing operation of the optical system thereof. The detecting device enables the adjustment of the relative optical length between the group of light receiving elements arranged adjacent to the image forming plane of the object to be measured by the distance measuring optical system and the distance measuring optical system. The detecting device is characterized in that the output of each of the light receiving elements of the groups is introduced through an electric switching device for effecting the time seriation of the outputs of the respective light receiving elements into a common signal processing circuit, so as to adjust the relative optical length by means of a motor provided in responsive relationship to the output of the signal processing circuit thereby permitting the focusing of the image on the groups of the light receiving elements to be made to the most proper condition.