Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a photographing optical system, an image sensor onto which an object image is projected through the photographing optical system, a movable member to which the image sensor is fixed, a base member which holds the movable member in a manner to allow the movable member to move relative to the base member, and a thrust generator which generates thrust forces in different directions, including first through third directions, the first direction being parallel with the optical axis direction of the photographing optical system. An interaction of the thrust forces against the movable member in at least one of the different directions causes the movable member to at least one of translate relative to the base member in the first through third directions, and/or rotate relative to the base member about the first through third directions.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a photographing optical system, an image sensor onto which an object image is projected through the photographing optical system, a movable member to which the image sensor is fixed, a base member which holds the movable member in a manner to allow the movable member to move relative to the base member, and a thrust generator which generates thrust forces in different directions, including first through third directions, the first direction being parallel with the optical axis direction of the photographing optical system. An interaction of the thrust forces against the movable member in at least one of the different directions causes the movable member to at least one of translate relative to the base member in the first through third directions, and/or rotate relative to the base member about the first through third directions.

Abstract: A dark exposure control device comprises a dark exposure performing processor, an aperture-stop, and an aperture-stop driving processor. The dark exposure performing processor detects an image signal generated by an imaging device while the shutter is closed. The aperture-stop adjusts the amount of light incident on the imaging device. The aperture-stop driving processor adjusts the opening degree of the aperture-stop to smaller than the opening degree set for a main exposure while the dark exposure performing processor is operated.

Abstract: A camera body includes a plurality of body-side bayonet lugs which are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening; and a protrusion which is positioned in a circular-arc opening formed between adjacent body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs, the distance between the protrusion and either of adjacent two body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs being shorter than each of the lens-side bayonet lugs; and a body-side mount surface with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact from the front side when the lens-side bayonet lugs are positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lugs.

Abstract: A camera body includes a body-side bayonet lug, wherein a lens-side bayonet lug of a lens barrel is positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lug when the lens barrel is mounted to the camera body; an opposed surface formed on the rear surface of the body-side bayonet lug and positioned immediately in front of the lens-side bayonet lug; a body-side mount surface positioned in front of the opposed surface and with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact; and a body-side contact portion, the front end of which contacts the rear end of the lens-side contact portion when the opposed surface faces the lens-side bayonet lug, the front end of the body-side contact portion being positioned in front of the opposed surface and behind the body-side mount surface.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided with a controller. When a photographing lens is attached to a camera body and a power switch is turned from ON to OFF, a drive motor first moves a diaphragm device to a minimum aperture, and thereafter the drive motor is switched from power ON to OFF. Thus, any damage to the inside of camera body due to sunlight entering into the opening of the diaphragm device can be prevented, and also the structure of camera body can be simplified by reducing the number of parts.

Abstract: A camera body includes body-side bayonet lugs concentric with lens-side bayonet lugs, circular-arc openings, a circular arc protrusion positioned inside the camera body and projecting forward and concentric with the body-side bayonet lugs, body-side contact portions provided and arranged on the front end surface of the circular arc protrusion and come into contact with lens-side contact portions which are provided on the lens barrel, and rearward biasers provided immediately behind two of the body-side bayonet lugs to bias and move the lens-side bayonet lugs rearward, wherein two of the body-side contact portions located at both ends in the lengthwise direction and the two rearward biasers lie on radial-direction extension lines of the circular arc protrusion, respectively, as viewed in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A camera having a mirror drive mechanism, for rotating a movable mirror, includes a slider supported on a side of the movable mirror to be linearly movable in a vertical direction corresponding to an up-and-down rotation of the movable mirror, the slider including a cam follower; an end-face cam member positioned above a mirror up-and-down pivot, about which the movable mirror pivots, to be rotatable about a vertical rotational shaft, a cam follower provided on the slider is in contact with the end-face cam member so that the end-face cam member changes a vertical position of the slider via an end-face cam and the cam follower by rotating; and an end-face cam driver. A control apparatus for a cam drive mechanism and a method of controlling a cam drive mechanism are also provided.

Abstract: A camera having a mirror drive mechanism, for rotating a movable mirror, includes a slider supported on a side of the movable mirror to be linearly movable in a vertical direction corresponding to an up-and-down rotation of the movable mirror, the slider including a cam follower; an end-face cam member positioned above a mirror up-and-down pivot, about which the movable mirror pivots, to be rotatable about a vertical rotational shaft, a cam follower provided on the slider is in contact with the end-face cam member so that the end-face cam member changes a vertical position of the slider via an end-face cam and the cam follower by rotating; and an end-face cam driver. A control apparatus for a cam drive mechanism and a method of controlling a cam drive mechanism are also provided.

Abstract: A camera body includes a plurality of body-side bayonet lugs which are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening; and a protrusion which is positioned in a circular-arc opening formed between adjacent body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs, the distance between the protrusion and either of adjacent two body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs being shorter than each of the lens-side bayonet lugs; and a body-side mount surface with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact from the front side when the lens-side bayonet lugs are positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lugs.

Abstract: A camera body includes body-side bayonet lugs concentric with lens-side bayonet lugs, circular-arc openings, a circular arc protrusion positioned inside the camera body and projecting forward and concentric with the body-side bayonet lugs, body-side contact portions provided and arranged on the front end surface of the circular arc protrusion and come into contact with lens-side contact portions which are provided on the lens barrel, and rearward biasers provided immediately behind two of the body-side bayonet lugs to bias and move the lens-side bayonet lugs rearward, wherein two of the body-side contact portions located at both ends in the lengthwise direction and the two rearward biasers lie on radial-direction extension lines of the circular arc protrusion, respectively, as viewed in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A camera body includes a body-side bayonet lug, wherein a lens-side bayonet lug of a lens barrel is positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lug when the lens barrel is mounted to the camera body; an opposed surface formed on the rear surface of the body-side bayonet and positioned immediately in front of the lens-side bayonet lug; a body-side mount surface positioned in front of the opposed surface and with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact; and a body-side contact portion, the front end of which contacts the rear end of the lens-side contact portion when the opposed surface faces the lens-side bayonet lug, the front end of the body-side contact portion being positioned in front of the opposed surface and behind the body-side mount surface.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor; a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw; a position detector; and a controller. When driving the stepping motor by a predetermined number of steps in a direction to move the slider away from an origin position, the controller detects the slider position before driving the stepping motor stepwise as the origin position via the position detector, and thereafter detects a stepping position of the slider to compare the stepping position with the origin position each time the stepping motor is driven by one step, and counts the number of steps based from the moment at which the stepping position of the slider exceeds a predetermined position in the direction to move the slider away from the origin position against the biasing force of the resilient biaser.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor; a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw; a position detector; and a controller. When driving the stepping motor by a predetermined number of steps in a direction to move the slider away from an origin position, the controller detects the slider position before driving the stepping motor stepwise as the origin position via the position detector, and thereafter detects a stepping position of the slider to compare the stepping position with the origin position each time the stepping motor is driven by one step, and counts the number of steps based from the moment at which the stepping position of the slider exceeds a predetermined position in the direction to move the slider away from the origin position against the biasing force of the resilient biaser.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A photographic device, according to the present invention, includes a shake detector, a shake mitigator, a shake mitigation commander, an operation member, and a controller. The shake detector detects a device shake that is a shake of the photographic device. The shake mitigator mitigates the effects of the device shake to reduce an image shake that is a shake of a photographed subject image. The shake mitigation commander commands the shake mitigator to mitigate the effects of the device shake. The operation member is operated for carrying out a predetermined operation. The controller assigns the role related to mitigating the effects of the device shake to the operation member, when the shake mitigation commander commands to mitigate the effects of the device shake.

Abstract: A photographic device, includes a shake detector, a shake mitigator, a first commander, and a shake controller. The shake detector detects a device shake, that is, a shaking of the photographic device. The shake mitigator mitigates the effects of the device shake to reduce an image shake that is a shake of a photographed subject image. The first commander commands the photographic device to photograph the subject image. The shake controller controls the shake mitigator so that the shake mitigator refrains from mitigating the effects of the device shake from the point when the first commander commands the photographic device to photograph the subject image, until the point when photographing the subject image commences.