Abstract: An electronic still video camera includes photography means having video signal production means for producing a video signal with respect to an object, color balance adjustment means for fixedly adjusting the color balance of the video signal of said video signal production means to a color temperature for daylight, judge means for judging as to whether an object is able to be photographed without flash light, and flash firing means for firing flash light when said judge means judges that flash light is necesary. The electronic still video camera can simplify the construction of color balance circuit.

Abstract: In an electronic camera having a photographic objective lens, a blocking member is disposed in the path of a propagation of a bundle of light rays from an object. The blocking member is adapted to prevent the bundle of rays from impinging on an image pickup device except during a photographic operation. The blocking member is retractable from the path to permit the bundle of rays to be incident on the image pickup device. A photoelectric conversion circuit includes photoelectric conversion elements arranged in the form of a matrix. A charge control circuit controls the amount of charges to be stored in the photoelectric conversion circuit while the blocking member is completely retracted from the path. An image processing circuit produces an image signal based on the amount of stored charges.

Abstract: The present invention can be applied to a control device wherein the probability of giving the proper exposure to the primary object photographed is high even when the regions to be found in range within the photographing distance are plural, thereby to being capable of more positively judging the backlight condition, an automatic focus adjusting apparatus capable of more reflecting the photographing intention of the photographer, an exposure control apparatus capable of normally providing the proper exposure amount with respect to the photographed object independently of the distance to the object photographed even when the daylight synchronized flash photographing operation is performed, and a control device which does not need a switching circuit and the switching operation by it.

Abstract: The present invention can be applied to a control device wherein the probability of giving the proper exposure to the primary object photographed is high even when the regions to be found in range within the photographing distance are plural, thereby to being capable of more positively judging the backlight condition, an automatic focus adjusting apparatus capable of more reflecting the photographing intention of the photographer, an exposure control apparatus capable of normally providing the proper exposure amount with respect to the photographed object independently of the distance to the object photographed even when the daylight synchronized flash photographing operation is performed, and a control device which does not need a switching circuit and the switching operation by it.

Abstract: A distance measuring device for measuring a distance to an object has an LED for projecting a pulse light to the object, photoelectric cells for receiving a reflected pulse light from the object in addition to an ambient light and producing a pulse signal representing the reflected pulse light and a noise signal representing the ambient light, a circuit for generating a level signal which increases as the ambient light becomes brighter, thereby locating the noise signal below the level signal, a comparator for comparing the level signal with the reflected light signal and producing, when the reflected light signal is below the level signal, an infinite signal indicating that the object is located at an infinite distance.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus of the present invention converges the reflected light on objects through a converging lens and detects the light by a multi-divisional photodiode. The multi-divisional photodiode comprises a plural number of light receiving elements so that each of the light receiving elements detects the reflected light from the corresponding object to provide an electric signal according to the quantity of reflected light. The quantity of light in the peripheral portions of the flash or the converging lens is inherently smaller than the quantity of light in the central portion thereof. This distance measuring apparatus is improved so that a constant electric signal is obtained by any of the light receiving elements as far as the distance to the objects is constant.

Abstract: An image position detector includes a light receiving element for receiving an image of an object and for producing an electric signal generated by the image, and a signal processing circuit for processing the electric signal and for producing a position signal representing a position of the image on the light receiving element. The light receiving element is defined by a semiconductor device having an n-type substrate and p-type region formed in the substrate. A current generated between the n-type substrate and p-type region is in relation to the distance to the image from the p-type region. The signal processing circuit receives the generated current and determines the position of the image by the level of the generated current.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a focus detection device which is provided with first to third reference signal generators for generating reference signals which are compared with a focus condition signal varying with the amount and direction of the adjustment required for the objective lens to focus on a target object, and also, to an automatic focusing device for a camera, which is equipped with an objective lens operating system for the focusing, and a motor for controlling the objective lens operating system in response to a signal from a focus condition determining means.

Abstract: An automatic range finder for measuring the distance to an object on the basis of the triangulation principle, including a light-emitting diode (16) for projecting the emitted light toward an object whose distance is to be measured, and a plurality of light-receiving elements (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) being so arranged on a base plate (12) that either one of them can receive the reflected light from the object. The light-emitting diode (16) is electrically connected with planar, electrically conductive frames (20), (22) and is so molded by use of transparent material (26) as to be formed unitarily with the electrically conductive frames. The light-emitting diode (16) thus formed into one unit is mounted on the base plate through the electrically conductive frame.

Abstract: A light emitting diode constituted by a pair of semiconductor layers having a planar P-N junction therebetween, the semiconductor layers having at least one side surface extending transversely across the P-N junction and from which light is emitted in a direction parallel with the plane of the P-N junction, a pair of electrodes on the respective outer surfaces of the pair of semiconductor layers parallel with the plane of the P-N junction plane, at least one of the pair of electrodes covering an area less than the total area of the P-N junction and being located adjacent to the one side surface from which the light is emitted, the remainder of the area of the outer surface of the semiconductor layer not being covered by the electrode, and a light shielding member covering the remainder of the area of the outer surface of the semiconductor layer which is not covered by the one electrode.

Abstract: A distance measuring device comprises a light emitter, a light receiver including a plurality of photo-responsive elements for sensing the pulsating light beam emitted by the light emitter and subsequently reflected from a target object relative to which the distance from the device is to be measured, and a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit includes a logic circuit so designed as to determine the applicability of an output signal from one of light measuring circuits connected to the respective photoresponsive elements in relation to output signals from the other of the light measuring circuit.

Abstract: An improved distance indication arrangement for use in an automatic focus control camera in which a distance signal produced by a distance measuring device is utilized for giving warning so as to prevent under-exposure in the case of flash light photographing.

Abstract: A photographic camera having an automatic rangefinder system wherein a light emitter projects a beam of light through a convergent lens to illuminate a target object. This beam of light is detected through another convergent lens by one of a group of photoresponsive elements forming a light receiver. Depending upon which photoresponsive element of the light receiver detects the reflected beam of light, the range of the target object to be photographed from the photographic camera is indicated. The light emitter and the light receiver are supported by a single support member in laterally offset relation to each other and the lens elements for converging the projected beam of light and the reflected beam of light, respectively, are integrally formed of a synthetic resin. The rangefinder elements are assembled into a rangefinder module.

Abstract: A distance measuring device has a light emitter, a light receiver including a plurality of photoresponsive elements for sensing the pulsating light beam emitted by the light emitter and subsequently reflected from a target object relative to which the distance from the device is to be measured, and a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit includes a logic circuit so designed as to determine the significance of an output signal from one of a number of light measuring circuits connected to the respective photoresponsive elements in relation to output signals from the other of the light measuring circuits.

Abstract: A distance measuring device is disclosed which includes a light emitting diode for projecting a light beam and photoresponsive elements for receiving the reflected light beam from an object. The photoresponsive elements are coupled to a circuit for producing a signal indicative of the distance between the device and the object. A circuit is provided for generating a timing signal in relation to the phase of the alternative fluctuations in the intensity of the ambient light. The light emitting diode is so controlled as to be allowed to project light beam when the timing signal is produced. The timing signal is arranged to occur during periods of zero or minimal ambient light fluctuations so that the distance measuring device is immune to the ambient light fluctuations.

Abstract: An automatic range finder system for use, for example, in an automatic focusing camera or the like which includes a light beam projection unit, a light receiving unit employing a plurality of photoelectric or photosensitive elements, current output circuitry for developing current corresponding to the light beam incident upon one or the plurality of the photoelectric elements, current-voltage conversion circuitry for converting the current outputs into voltage signals, voltage comparison circuitry for comparing the magnitude of the output voltage of the current-voltage conversion circuitry with comparison reference signals. For the comparison reference voltage of the voltage comparison circuitry, voltage varying according to the voltage signal which contains the largest amount of the light beam component is employed, while the output of the voltage comparison circuitry is utilized for focusing of a photographic lens as a distance information.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a rangefinding system which includes a light beam source, a plurality of light receiving elements disposed to receive an image light spot reflected from a target object existing in any one of a group of distance zones in such manner that the image light spot is projected on one or more of the light receiving elements, the light receiving elements being adapted to produce a combination of outputs, the contents of which vary depending on the distance between the target object and the rangefinding system the invention also includes a logic circuit for producing signals indicating the distance zone in which the target object exists, the signal generated in response to the combination of outputs, so that the space occupied by the light receiving elements can be advantageously decreased and the precision of rangefinding can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention is an exposure information setting circuit for use in photographic cameras which calculates the required exposure time in response to input signals indicative of APEX indices and produces a signal indicative of the exposure time. The circuit is constituted mainly by an integrated circuit which takes advantage of the fact that although the absolute values of electrical characteristics of the circuit elements may fluctuate, particular ratios of such values can be maintained in a predetermined ratio with good precision. This maintenance of the particular ratios can be achieved without requiring any supplementary voltage sources or/and adjustment resistors, whereby large-scale production of the exposure information setting circuit at low cost is possible.

Abstract: Control circuitry controls exposure time in accordance with a light representative signal that has been stored in a storing device through a storing switch from a light measuring circuit which includes a photocell receiving scene light through the camera objective. The storing switch includes an emitter follower transistor circuit through which the light representative signal is transmitted from the light measuring circuit to the storing device, and which is turned off in response to actuation of a switch adapted for energization of the shutter control magnet. Constant current sources ensure temperature stabilization of the emitter-follower circuit such that the voltage stored by the storing device accurately represents the output of the light measuring circuit.

Abstract: Camera exposure control circuitry for automatically controlling exposure time or the diaphragm aperture in accordance with scene brightness, is provided with an indicating device for indicating exposure conditions to be determined by the control circuitry. In response to a rectangular wave signal produced by a photoflash device upon completion of charging of the main capacitor thereof, the control circuitry is set to provide a proper exposure condition suitable for flash photography. The indicating device intermittently energizes one of a plurality of indicator elements that indicates the proper exposure condition, in response to upper level portions of the rectangular wave signal. An exposure control magnet is controlled by two parallelly connected transistors, one being responsive to the output of the control circuitry and the other being responsive to the signal from the photoflash device.