Abstract: A camera is provided which has a vibration detection unit that detects vibration, a photographic focal length detection unit which detects the focal length of the photographic optical system, and a distance-measurement unit that measures the distance to the object being photographed. The vibration compensation device employs drive motors as a vibration compensation unit. The drive motors have a start up time which is at least as fast as the acceleration of a vibration having roughly a sine wave shape with a frequency of 10 Hz and a maximum velocity of 7.5 mm/sec. Such a motor is able to reach the maximum velocity of the vibration in under 25 ms.

Abstract: A motion compensation system for a camera including a detachable lens barrel and a camera body. The motion compensation system identifies whether the detection of motion compensation is possible within the camera body. In response to a lens status command to the lens barrel from camera body, the lens barrel transmits to the camera body data indicating whether the detection of motion by a motion sensor or a sensor circuit is possible. Upon receiving the data, the camera body identifies whether the detection of motion is possible.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus having an anti-vibration function includes a vibration detecting unit for detecting a vibration of the photographing apparatus, a reference value calculating unit for calculating a reference value of an output of the vibration detecting unit, and a focusing unit for adjusting a focal position of a photographing image. The apparatus also includes a focusing operation stopping unit for stopping an operation of the focusing unit and a reference value calculation stopping unit for stopping the calculation of the reference value by the reference value calculating unit by detecting the operation of the focusing operation stopping unit.

Abstract: A vibration preventing device is provided with a vibration preventing mode selector capable of selecting a vibration preventing mode in which vibration prevention driving is effected during exposure and a non-vibration preventing mode. Also provided are a vibration prevention start selector for selecting whether vibration prevention control is to be started, and a vibration prevention driving start instructing portion for instructing the start of vibration prevention. Start of vibration prevention driving occurs driving even before the start of exposure when the vibration preventing mode selector selects the vibration preventing mode and the vibration prevention start selector selects the start of the vibration prevention control.

Abstract: An optical apparatus having a lens device mounted on a body device, such that the lens device has a vibration compensation device located within the lens device. A mode switch is mounted on either the body device or the lens device and makes it possible to drive an optical lens which compensates for vibration of the optical apparatus at arbitrary times. Also, the mode switch enables vibration compensation of the viewfinder picture during preparations for taking a photograph and compensation of the vibration of an image on the picture plane of the optical apparatus during exposure of film in the optical apparatus.

Abstract: A camera shake amplitude detecting device comprises a mechanical detector for detecting a shake acceleration when a camera body is shaken, and a mechanical shake calculation device for calculating a shake amplitude of the camera body based on the detection output of the mechanical detector. The mechanical shake calculation device discriminates a time point of change between a positive acceleration and a negative acceleration based on the detection output of the mechanical detector, calculates and integration constant, and calculates a velocity by integrating by time the acceleration detected by the mechanical detector.

Abstract: A vibration preventing camera includes a vibration amount detecting unit for detecting the amount of vibration, a vibration correcting unit for correcting vibration, a light measuring unit for measuring the light value at a subject, and a control unit for controlling the vibration correcting unit in consonance with a detection signal that is obtained by the light measuring unit and the vibration detecting unit, and for activating the vibration detecting unit after the length of exposure is determined by the light value at the subject that is obtained by the light measuring unit. More preferably, a vibration preventing camera further includes a self-timer unit, and when the self-timer unit is set for an exposure, the vibration detecting unit is activated after the timing count down for the self-timer unit begins.

Abstract: A motion compensation camera having a camera body and a lens which is attachable to and removable from the camera body, such that the camera is able to compensate for blurring of a photographic image on an image plane resulting from motion or vibration of the camera body. The camera body has a main control unit which controls a series of camera operations. The lens either (a) determines whether it is possible to compensate for the blurring of the photographic image and transmits those results to the main control unit and controls the motion compensation operation or (b) determines whether the motion compensation operation is in progress and transmits signals which indicate this condition to the main control unit. If the lens side control unit determines that motion compensation is not possible, the main control unit controls the display unit to that effect or performs control, such as increasing the shutter speed.

Abstract: A camera lens barrel, which is connectable to a camera, includes at least one photographic lens, a lens driving control device, a lens driving device, a memory device and a communications device. The photographic lens composes a photographic image at a designated position in the camera. The lens driving control device controls the lens driving control device to drive the photographic lens based on a lens driving control amount. The memory device stores lens driving capability data used to determine the lens driving control amount. The lens driving capability data include at least a characteristic lens driving amount relating to the photographic lens. The communications device is connectable to the camera such that the lens driving capability data can be communicated to the camera.

Abstract: A camera with an optical system having an autofocus function and a motion compensation function and which is adapted to quickly perform communication of data relating to the motion compensation function and the autofocus function to a camera body. The camera is provided with a communication device having a body side control device, provided in the camera body, for controlling an autofocus adjustment device and a motion compensation device. The body side control device is adapted to issue a single command to request data regarding the optical system. An optical side control device is provided in the optical system, the optical side control device controls the autofocus adjustment device and the motion compensation device. The optical side control device transmits data relating to the autofocus adjustment device and to the motion compensation device to the body side control device based on the single command received from the body side control device.

Abstract: An optical control system which uses multiple processors to simultaneously perform an autofocus function and an anti-vibration function. The optical control system is specifically usable in a camera lens having an optical system and which depends from a camera body having a main control unit. The optical control system, housed in the lens, is provided with a microcomputer for communication with the main control unit in the camera body, an antideflection control microcomputer, which moves the optical system so as to compensate for vibrations in the lens, and a microcomputer for ultrasonic motor drive control, which performs an autofocus function by moving the optical system with an ultrasonic motor so as to obtain a desired focus. Instructions from the main control unit in the camera body are received by the microcomputer for communication and directed, based on content, to either the antideflection control microcomputer or the microcomputer for ultrasonic motor control.

Abstract: A motor drive unit is provided with a bridge circuit including series connected first and second MOS transistors, series connected third and fourth MOS transistors, a DC motor connected between a junction of the first and second MOS transistors and a junction of the third and fourth MOS transistors, a power supply line connected to the first and third MOS transistors and a ground line connected to the second and fourth MOS transistors. The state of the DC motor is controlled by on/off controlling the MOS transistors of the bridge circuit. The MOS transistors are controlled such that the motor is continuously short-circuited when a power is supplied to the motor drive unit and the motor is not driven.

Abstract: A photographic device having a vibration compensation device which drives a correcting lens perpendicular to an optical axis to compensate for vibrations detected by a vibration detection circuit. The analog output of the vibration detection circuit is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter having at least 10 bits of resolution and at least a 2 ms sampling rate. A one-chip microcomputer calculates the correcting lens target velocity based on the output of the A/D converter. The one-chip microcomputer is provided with a built-in multiplying function able to handle the multiplication of signed 8-bit and 16-bit data.

Abstract: An optical device, such as a camera, which includes an image blur suppression optical system to optically prevent image blur of a photographic image on an image plane of the optical device by changes in at least a portion of a photographic optical system. An image blur suppression drive unit drives the image blur suppression optical system, and a suppression position detection unit detects changes in the position of the image blur suppression optical system during the time of the image blur suppression. A lens prime and a memory unit generates constants indicative of optical conditions in the optical device which correspond to changes in the position of the image blur suppression optical system.

Abstract: A camera anti-shaking device has an optical shake detection device which uses an optical sensor and a mechanical shake detection device which uses a mechanical sensor, and selectively uses the outputs of both detection devices in accordance with a situation to compensate the shake. The anti-shake device includes shake compensation means for compensating the shake in response to the output from the shake detection device, and shake calculation output switching means for selecting the output produced by the mechanical sensor for supplying it to the shake compensation means when the detection of the shake is not attainable by the optical sensor.

Abstract: A lens driving system for a camera with an anti-vibration function has a vibration correcting lens drivable in a direction in which blurring of an image on an image surface due to a camera shake is prevented from occurring, vibration correcting lens driving means for driving the vibration correcting lens, a photointerrupter detecting a relative position and speed of the vibration correcting lens, and a disk being connected to the correcting lens driving means and having a plurality of slits determined in accordance with the width of a slit of a light receiving section of the photointerrupter and the resolution of detection of shift of the vibration correcting lens in order to turn on and off the photointerrupter repeatedly.

Abstract: A slight motion detecting device includes a angular velocity sensor, a low pass filter, a high pass filter, an amplifier, and a CPU. The CPU differentiates an output from the angular velocity sensor so as to obtain an angular acceleration, and determines that a peak of the acceleration is obtained at the time at which the sign of the acceleration is changed, and further, calculates a zero level detection value of the angular velocity, from the peak, thereby the output of the angular velocity sensor is corrected in accordance with the zero level detection value.

Abstract: A shake preventing apparatus in a camera, comprises a shake detecting device for detecting an amount of shake upon small motion of the camera, a shake correcting device for correction-driving a photo taking optical system in a direction to keep an image on a plane of a film unshaken, based on the amount of shake detected by the shake detecting device, a shake correction limit determining device for determining a shake correction limit amount which is a limit for the shake correcting device to correct the shake, and a shutter controlling device for controlling a shutter to close when the amount of shake detected by the shake detecting device exceeds the shake correction limit amount determined.

Abstract: A camera shake amplitude detecting device comprises a mechanical detector for detecting a shake acceleration when a camera body is shaken, and a mechanical shake calculation device for calculating a shake amplitude of the camera body based on the detection output of the mechanical detector. The mechanical shake calculation device discriminates a time point of change between a positive acceleration and a negative acceleration based on the detection output of the mechanical detector, calculates and integration constant, and calculates a velocity by integrating by time the acceleration detected by the mechanical detector.

Abstract: An image-shake correcting photographic apparatus comprises a photographic optical system, an image-shake correcting device comprised of an element which is a constituent of the photographic optical system, a condition output device for detecting a condition of the photographic optical system upon photography and generating an output related to the condition detected, a shake detecting device for detecting shakes of the photographic apparatus and generating an output related to the shakes detected, and a drive control device for drive-controlling the image-shake correcting device, based on the output of the condition output device and the output of the shake detecting device.