Abstract: The amount of slant of an entire video camera in the vertical direction is detected by a slant detector by detecting a horizontal and vertical signal quantity or by a mechanical vertical direction detector and a memory controller reads out the video signal while controlling the address of the memory so as to correct the slant of the video signal stored in the memory depending on the slant amount, and since the memory is composed of two memory systems the slant may be always corrected for a real time in moving picture, thereby presenting a stable video output.

Abstract: A video camera with an automatic focusing device includes a pre-process unit for eliminating a direct current component from a signal of the video camera and controlling the obtained signal so that the amplitude thereof can be at a constant level, which is disposed at the preceding stage of a signal processing unit for operating the focusing condition of an object from the signal of the video camera. An amplitude of a video signal to be inputted to the signal processing unit can be largely suppressed, thus providing a largely simplified circuit structure of a signal processing unit.

Abstract: A zoom lens driving apparatus always detects a position of an image magnification varying lens section, and drives the image magnification varying lens section in accordance with a preset relationship between the position of the image magnification varying lens section and a zoom driving speed in such a manner that the driving speed becomes higher on one side, where the focal length of the zoom lens corresponding to the position of the image magnification varying lens section is small, than on another side where the focal length is large. Accordingly, the amount of focal shift, which in the zoom lens of the inner focusing system would otherwise abruptly increase with increasing focal length, is significantly suppressed, so that an auto focus adjusting mechanism or a focus correcting device effective during zooming, provided in the zoom lens, can function satisfactorily as to follow the focal shift of the zoom lens, whereby the lens control of a superior response can always be achieved.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus uses an image signal provided by a lens system of a camera for focusing the taking lens system. The apparatus includes: a lens system; a pickup element for converting the optical image of an object formed by the lens system into a corresponding electric signal; a signal processing circuit which processes the output signal of the pickup element to provide two focus signals corresponding to the respective quantities of horizontal and vertical high-frequency components of the object in an image plane; a lens driving mechanism for driving the lens system; and a control unit for controlling the lens driving mechanism according to the two focus signals to focus the lens system. Preferably, the apparatus further includes: a detector for detecting the condition of the object or the viewing conditions and a changeover circuit for changing over the characteristics of the signal processing circuit on the basis of the output of the detector.

Abstract: A video camera has an automatic focusing system provided with a focus detecting section for calculating and outputting a focus signal corresponding to a focus condition of an picked-up image from a video signal produced by an image pickup element. Either the image pickup element or a focusing lens in a photographic lens is oscillated back and forth of its present position, as needed, to detect an in-focus direction at the moment. The focusing lens is moved in the in-focus direction up to a position at which an optimum focus condition is obtained.

Abstract: A semiconductor light position detector for a rangefinder which projects a light beam onto an object and receives a reflected light beam from the object to measure a distance to the object. A portion of the light-receiving surface of the detector on which the reflected beam will not form a light spot is partially covered with a member that blocks unwanted light. Thus, the malfunctions caused by the flare component of the light from the light projector and the malfunctions due to increases in the shot noise under a high illuminance are reduced greatly.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a narrow latitude caused by a narrow dynamic range of a solid state image pickup device is improved, and a video camera capable of obtaining a high quality video signal having no signal saturation and black collapse is realized. Scanning is executed in a plurality of times during normal one picture scanning period (one field or one frame period) prescribed in the broadcasting system, and the stop value of a stop mechanism of a camera lens is prescribed so that the levels of video signals corresponding to respective pictures become a fixed value, thus obtaining respective output signals with no saturation. These output signals are stored in a memory in each picture unit after A/D conversion.

Abstract: In an automatic focus adjustment apparatus with a light-emitting device comprising a condenser lens and a light-emitting element which radiates light onto an object and adjusts the focal point according to a light reflected back from the object, undesired flare is eliminated by placing a diaphragm sufficiently close to the light-emitting element so that only the effective light from the element passes to the condenser lens by using a cap, an opaque paint or a spatial filter, and/or by applying a low reflectance paint to the inner wall of an outer casing of the light-emitting device.

Abstract: An automatic focusing system for a camera includes a light emitter for emitting a distance measuring light beam and a condenser lens for condensing the light beam reflected by an object. A light spot detector produces output signals corresponding to the position of the focused spot of reflected light impinging thereon. Various circuitry, including adders and subtracters and amplifiers and rectifiers and integrators are provided for processing the output signals of the light spot detector. A lens encoder detects the existing focusing position of a picture taking lens and further circuitry is provided for comparing the existing focusing position of the picture taking lens with a desired optimum focusing position and for driving the lens by a lens driving unit so as to move the lens to its optimum focusing position.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device for a video camera includes a projector for projecting an infrared ray used for measuring distances and a converging lens for focusing reflected infrared ray light from an object whose distance is to be measured. A light spot detector and a computer are provided for determining whether the video camera is in focus. A lens encoder is utilized to determine the position of a focusing lens and a lens driving unit moves the position of a photographic lens used for photographing the object forwardly or backwardly in dependence upon outputs from the lens encoder and computer so as to automatically focus the video camera in response to the infrared rays reflected from the object to be photographed.