Abstract: A compound-eye camera comprises: a camera body substantially shaped like a rectangular solid having a front side and a back side larger than other sides and including a display device on the back side; and substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels, each storing a refractive optical system including two reflective optical elements for refracting a photographing optical axis twice, the lens barrels guiding subject images incident on a pair of right and left objective lenses to image sensors. In the camera, the substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels are each disposed along two adjacent inner surfaces of the camera body. Thereby, a compound-eye camera which has excellent portability and enables the installation of a large display device is achieved.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus which captures object light to take an image includes: an optical device through which the object light is transmitted; an image pickup device which generates an image signal representing an object image; and a cleaning section which is deformed by receiving a predetermined stimulus, the cleaning section being brought into contact with, and being separated from, the optical device and/or the image pickup device to clean substances attached to the contact portion. The apparatus further includes: a stimulus application section which applies the stimulus to the cleaning section; and a control section which controls the deformation of the cleaning section by controlling the stimulus applied from the stimulus application section, and which thus causes the cleaning section to clean the contact portion.

Abstract: A compound-eye camera comprises: a camera body substantially shaped like a rectangular solid having a front side and a back side larger than other sides and including a display device on the back side; and substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels, each storing a refractive optical system including two reflective optical elements for refracting a photographing optical axis twice, the lens barrels guiding subject images incident on a pair of right and left objective lenses to image sensors. In the camera, the substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels are each disposed along two adjacent inner surfaces of the camera body. Thereby, a compound-eye camera which has excellent portability and enables the installation of a large display device is achieved.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus which captures object light to take an image includes: an optical device through which the object light is transmitted; an image pickup device which generates an image signal representing an object image; and a cleaning section which is deformed by receiving a predetermined stimulus, the cleaning section being brought into contact with, and being separated from, the optical device and/or the image pickup device to clean substances attached to the contact portion. The apparatus further includes: a stimulus application section which applies the stimulus to the cleaning section; and a control section which controls the deformation of the cleaning section by controlling the stimulus applied from the stimulus application section, and which thus causes the cleaning section to clean the contact portion.