Abstract: In driving a target body only by one of actuators, the target body is smoothly driven. A drive unit (1) includes a stage (3), a first ultrasonic actuator (4A) for driving the stage (3) in an X direction and a second ultrasonic actuator (4B) for driving the stage (3) in a Y direction. When the stage (3) is driven only in one of the X direction and the Y direction, one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A and 4B) which corresponds to the direction generates composite vibration of longitudinal direction parallel to a contact surface of the stage (3) and bending vibration perpendicular to the contact surface of the stage (3). On the other hand, the other one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A and 4B) generates only longitudinal vibration parallel to the contact surface of the stage (3).

Abstract: There is provided an interchangeable lens, a camera body, a camera system, and a method for controlling the same, with which a highly efficient and stable image blur correction effect can be obtained. A camera system 1 has a camera body 10 and an interchangeable lens 20 that can be attached to and detached from the camera body 10. The camera body 10 has an imaging unit for imaging a subject through the interchangeable lens 20, and a sequence microcomputer 100 capable of sending and receiving information to and from a lens microcomputer 200 and for controlling the imaging operation of an imaging unit 120.

Abstract: A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again.

Abstract: The camera system is constituted by the camera main body and the interchangeable lens which is removably attachable to the camera main body. The camera main body has an imaging unit, a main body shake detector, a main body image blur corrector, and a body microcomputer configured to control the imaging unit, the shake detector, and the image blur corrector. The interchangeable lens has a shake detector, an image blur corrector, and a lens microcomputer configured to control the shake detector and the image blur corrector. The body microcomputer selects either the main body or lens shake detector, activates the selected shake detector, and stops the other shake detector.

Abstract: There are provided a camera system which operates the proper image blur corrector when image blur correction devices are incorporated in a camera body and in an interchangeable lens, and a method for controlling this camera system. The camera system (1) includes the camera body (3) and the interchangeable lens (2), which is removably attachable to the camera body (3). The camera body (3) has an imaging unit (71), the body image blur corrector (75), and a body microprocessor (12) configured to control the operation of the imaging unit (71) and the body image blur corrector (75). The interchangeable lens (2) has the lens image blur corrector (82) and a lens microprocessor (20) configured to control the operation of the lens image blur corrector (82). The body microcomputer (12) selects either the body or lens image blur corrector (75 or 82), sets the selected image blur corrector to a correction enabled state, and sets the other image blur corrector to a correction disabled state.

Abstract: In the case of printing while a digital camera is directly connected to a printer, it has been impossible to determine to what extent image blurring affects a print image. In an imaging device, a detection section (17A) detects blurring. An image blurring compensation section (15A) compensates image blurring. A compensation amount detection section (16) detects an image blurring compensation amount. A calculation section (19A) calculates a residual blurring amount by subtracting the image blurring compensation amount from an image blurring amount. An image recording section (12) records an image signal, as a shot image, together with the residual blurring amount. A print size specification section (91) specifies a print size of the shot image and stores a tolerance (?) of the residual blurring amount with respect to the print size.

Abstract: An interchangeable lens barrel and a program rewriting system, in which a program included in the interchangeable lens barrel is easily changeable, are provided. An interchangeable lens barrel 2 is detachable from a camera body 1, and includes a storage section 36 for storing a first program concerning a function of the interchangeable lens barrel 2, a connection section 38 for connecting to an external input/output device 60, a reception section 32 for receiving a second program concerning the function of the interchangeable lens barrel from the input/output device 60 through the connection section 38, and a rewriting section 37 for replacing the stored first program with the received second program.

Abstract: A camera system (1) includes a camera body (1), and an interchangeable lens (2) that is detachably mounted to the camera body (1). The camera system (1) includes an imaging sensor (11), an imaging optical system (L), a viewfinder optical system (19), a liquid crystal monitor (16), a quick return mirror (4), a shaking detection unit (21), an image blur correction unit (47), a sequence microcomputer (12), and a lens microcomputer (20). The image blur correction unit (47) corrects the blurring of an image that occurs due to the movement of the camera system (1), depending on the movement that is detected by the shaking detection unit (21). The lens microcomputer (20) makes the image blur correction unit (47) perform a correction operation in the case of a monitor photographing mode.

Abstract: An image switching device for connecting to a plurality of image output devices via a digital interface having the capability of selecting image outputs sequentially of the image outputting devices. Cameras (101 to 104) are connected to a camera switching device (105) via an IEEE 1394 standard-based digital interface (114). Synchronizing timing signals transmitted in isochronous communication packets from the camera switching device (105) are synchronized with image signals on the camera (101 to 104) sides, each camera (101 to 104) transmits its image signals in synchronous communication packets based on image switching control data transmitted in asynchronous communication packets or isochronous communication packets from a camera switching control unit (106), and the camera switching device (105) selectively receives image data transmitted from a desired camera based on image switching control data.

Abstract: An image stabilizer of the present invention is provided with a lens module 101 that holds a lens and an imaging element, an inner frame that turnably supports the lens module 101, and driving portion that turns the lens module 101 relative to the inner frame 11, with the driving portion including a bimorph 14. An image stabilizer thereby can be provided that allows the overall size and profile of an imaging apparatus to be reduced.

Abstract: A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, and an image display controller 15. The liquid crystal monitor 16 allows a plurality of images acquired by the imaging component 45 to be displayed. The image display controller 15 controls the display component to display an image A1, which is part of the image acquired by the imaging component 45, as a reference image A on the liquid crystal monitor 16, and to display part of the image acquired by the imaging component 45 at a different timing from that of the image A1 as a comparative image B on the liquid crystal monitor 16. The image display controller 15 controls the display component to display the image A1 as a reference image A in a state of being inverted around a symmetry axis 51a.

Abstract: A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, a body microprocessor 12, an aperture setting component 29, and an image display controller 15. The body microprocessor 12 allows a target aperture value and a reference aperture value to be set as set conditions and determines the reference aperture value on the basis of the target aperture value. The aperture setting component 29 adjusts a photography condition on the basis of the set conditions. The image display controller 15 displays part of a reference image a1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the reference aperture value as a reference display image A1 in a first display region R131 and displays part of a target image b1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the target aperture value a1 as a target display image B1 in a second display region R132.

Abstract: A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, an aperture setting component 29, and an image display controller 15. The liquid crystal monitor 16 has a first display region R131 and a second display region R132. The aperture setting component 29 adjusts the aperture in a specific period so that the actual aperture value will be a preset value. The image display controller 15 displays in the first display region R131 a reference image A1 acquired by the imaging component 45 under conditions in which the aperture value is the preset value, and displays in the second display region R132 a comparative image B1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at a different timing from that of the reference image A1.

Abstract: A vibratory actuator includes a piezoelectric element, a driver element provided on the piezoelectric element and a movable body supported by the driver element. A control unit supplies a first voltage and a second voltage at the same frequency to the piezoelectric element. By supplying the first voltage and the second voltage having a difference phase from a phase of the first voltage by 90°, the piezoelectric element is lead to composite vibration of stretching and bending, thereby causing the driver to make an elliptical motion by the vibration and move the movable body. The control unit switches, during a fine mode, a phase difference between the first voltage and the second voltage between 90° and 0°.

Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.

Abstract: A focus area contains one or more areas, into which an image signal captured by an image sensor (14) is segmented by an image segmentation section (15). The focus area follows movement of an object in accordance with feature point positional information of an image extracted by a feature point extraction section (34) and a feature point positional calculation section (35). Further, after a low-pass filter (36) extracts a low frequency component of a time-series oscillation frequency using the feature point positional information, and a focus area selection section calculates a display position, the focus area is displayed on a display section (17). Therefore, an imaging device, which does not cause discomfort even when the focus area displayed on the display section (17) fluctuates by tracking movement of the object, is provided.

Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.

Abstract: An imaging optical instrument 12 includes: an imaging optical system 1; an imaging element 2; an image shift unit 3 for working on at least one of the imaging optical system 1 and the imaging element 2 so as to shift a position of a subject image with respect to the imaging element 2; an image storage unit 4 for storing a plurality of sets of image data; a harmful luminance image detection unit 5; and an image correction unit 6. The harmful luminance image detection unit 5 includes: an image shift arithmetic unit 8 for making the positions of the subject image of the plurality of sets of image data coincide with one another; and a differential image arithmetic unit 9 for carrying out differential arithmetic processing with respect to the sets of image data with the positions of the subject image having been made to coincide with one another, so as to detect a set of harmful luminance image data from sets of harmful luminance image data obtained in relation to the plurality of sets of image data.

Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.

Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a receiving portion 155 that receives a control signal from a remote controller, and a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein when the receiving portion 155 receives the control signal from the remote controller, the microcomputer 110 controls so as to shift the digital camera to a live view mode. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.