Abstract: An apparatus which has a finder optical unit for observing therethrough an image formed by an objective lens, an optical unit for forming a pair of distributions of light quantity on the basis of light beams transmitted through the different pupils of the objective lens, a sensor unit for receiving the pair of distributions of light quantity, a main mirror disposed in an optical path leading to the objective lens and the optical unit for reflecting the light beam from the objective lens to the finder optical unit, and a reflecting mirror having a curved surface having its concave surface facing the light incidence side for reflecting the light beam transmitted through the main mirror in the direction of the optical unit which is opposite to the finder optical unit, and which well makes focus detection possible for a wide field area formed by the objective lens.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus includes an optical unit provided on an image plane side of an objective lens for detecting a focus state of the objective lens, the optical unit forming a plurality of light quantity distributions, a photoelectrical changing unit having a plurality of elements for outputting a relative positional signal between the plurality of light quantity distributions, and a circuit for detecting a focus state of the objective lens. The optical unit includes a reflecting mirror having a light condensing property for reflecting a light beam from the objective lens to form an object image on a predetermined surface, a secondary imaging lens having at least a pair of lenses for causing the object image formed on the predetermined surface to be reimaged on the photoelectrical changing unit and a pair of apertures having aperture portions respectively corresponding to the pair of lenses.

Abstract: A display device in which an area corresponding to electrodes placed one upon another is arranged to change into a light-transmissive state by applying a potential difference between the electrodes includes a pair of transparent electrodes respectively formed on a pair of transparent substrates, one of the pair of transparent electrodes having at least an electrode area of the same shape as a display pattern, a display substance disposed between the pair of transparent substrates, and a third transparent substrate disposed between the pair of transparent substrates, the third transparent substrate having a transparent electrode formed in an area other than an area corresponding to the display pattern.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting an object image; a focal detection system for detecting a defocus state of the object image with respect to a photosensitive plane by a light emitted from the projection optical system; a finder system for observing the object by the light emitted from the projection optical system, the finder system being provided with a light modulation unit for creating a light transmission state when electric energy is input and a cutoff state when electric energy is not input, and the light modulation unit being disposed so as to cover the view field of the finder system; and a control unit for controlling input of the electric energy to a light modulation unit, the control unit controlling so as not to input electric energy when the user does not look through the finder system.

Abstract: An auto-focus apparatus which has different levels for determining whether to emit an auxiliary focusing light and whether to inhibit the focusing operation is operative with a light-receiving sensor for receiving light reflected by the object and performs a focusing operation on the basis of the output from the sensor. A processing circuit is provided for executing signal processing on the basis of the output from the sensor. The processing circuit outputs an instruction signal for activating a focusing light projector when a characteristic value for focusing (e.g., contrast) based on the output from the sensor falls within a first range. The processing circuit detects the output from the sensor in a state where light is being projected by the light projector. The processing circuit inhibits the focusing operation based on the output from the sensor when the characteristic value falls within a second range which is within the first range.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus or a camera having such a focus detection apparatus includes a plurality of sensor sections for receiving light from different areas of a scene and which detects a focus state comprises a calculating circuit for calculating a plurality of contrast levels represented by outputs from the sensor sections. A selector is provided for selecting one of the outputs from the sensor sections on the basis of focus detection characteristic data respectively predetermined for said sensor sections and the contrast levels of the sensor sections. The selector includes a comparison circuit with compares the contrast levels of each sensor section with data corresponding to the characteristic data of said each sensor section, the selector selecting the one of the outputs based on the comparison of the plurality of sensor section outputs by the comparison circuit.

Abstract: An automatic focussing apparatus having a plurality of sensors of the signal accumulation type includes a plurality of accumulation-type sensor sections for respectively receiving light from different object areas. Each sensor section produces, in response to a first signal, a signal which is variable in accordance with an amount of light received thereby. The signal produced by each sensor section is independently output to a signal processing circuit through an output terminal portion in response to a second signal. A control circuit supplies the first signal to each sensor section substantially at the same time, and monitors a signal producing state of each sensor section independently. The control circuit then supplies the second signal to the sensor section which reaches a predetermined monitoring state.

Abstract: An auto focusing device for foreseeing-calculating lens driving data for making a lens focus on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of the past focus adjusting operation data and the latest focus detection data. A plurality of distance measuring points are read to effect distance measurements at a time. Data suitable for foreseeing calculation is found from the respective distance measuring points, and the data suitable for foreseeing calculation is specified as the latest focus detection data used for the foreseeing calculation.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus for a camera for performing focus detection on the basis of image signals accumulated by an accumulation type sensor unit. At the time of image signal reading, the sensor signals are amplified with different gains in a continuous photographing state and in a single-shot state, thereby improving continuous photographing characteristics.

Abstract: An auto focus device for predicting the position of a moving objerct after a predetermined time on the basis of past autofocus operations and driving the lens to focus on the predicted position. The predetermined time being calculated based on the discrimination of the direction of movement of the object. The predicting calculations place the lens in a closer near state rather than making the lens in focus to the moving object.

Abstract: This invention relates to an automatic focusing device, particular capable of foreseeing the position of an object after a predetermined future time based on the results of a plurality of past focusing operations, thus enabling the focusing to the object. An automatic focusing device is provided which executes calculations for the abovementioned foreseeing after the execution of a predetermined number of focusing operations. However, if a focused state is identified in a focusing operation in the course of the execution of the predetermined number of focusing operations, the device is adapted to disregard the first-mentioned focusing operation as if it had not been conducted and to exclude the first-mentioned focusing operation from the counting of the predetermined number of focusing operations.

Abstract: A automatic focus detecting apparatus in which a focal point position corresponding to a change in position of an object after the elapse of a predetermined time is foreseen and calculated on the basis of the result of a past focal point adjustment. In accordance with the aperture value and lens characteristic at the time of photographing, a selection is made with respect to whether the calculation is executed in a normal mode to calculate the focal point position on the basis of only the result of the detection of the focal point at the present time independently of the result of the past focal point adjustment, or the calculation is executed in the foreseeing mode. Upon photographing, if there is no need to execute the foreseeing calculation, the focal point position is calculated in the normal mode.

Abstract: A focus adjusting apparatus in which a lens position in focus to an object at a predetermined time is foreseen with the result of the distance measurement at a plurality of times in the past taken into account, and a lens is driven to the foreseen position to thereby make the lens always in focus to a moving object. Whether the distance measurement is being continuously effected for the same object is discriminated based on the continuity of movement of the moving object and when the distance measurement for the same object is not effected, the foreseeing operation is inhibited and proper foreseeing operations are executed.

Abstract: An auto focus device which foreseeing-calculates a change in the focal plane based on the movement of an object after a predetermined time on the basis of focus detection result in the past and a latest focus detection result, and moves a lens to the foreseeing-calculated position. Whether the data used for the foreseeing calculation are data suitable for the foreseeing calculation is judged each time focus detection is effected, and when it is continuously judged that the data are data unsuitable for the foreseeing calculation, lens driving based on the foreseeing calculation is inhibited.

Abstract: A focus adjusting device which finds the lens driving amount for the position of the image plane in the future based on focus adjustment data obtained in past focus adjustment cycles includes a calculation circuit for calculating the lens driving amount or the position of the image plane in accordance with predetermined functional equations which use the data obtained in the past. The functional equation or equations used may be changed depending upon the number of times in the past over which the focus adjusting cycle was executed, or the reliability, e.g., contrast, of the auto focus signal.

Abstract: Apparatus for use with an autofocus adjusting device which has a focus detecting circuit for detecting a focus state of an imaging optical system, and a driving circuit for driving the imaging optical system in accordance with the detected focus has a calculation circuit for performing a first calculation in which imaging plane positions at a plurality of points of time in the past and in the present time are determined on the basis of a signal representing a focusing state in the past and a signal representing a focusing state at the latest time to determine coefficients of a predetermined higher order function. The calculation circuit also performs a second calculation in which an imaging plane position at a time after a predetermined period of time has past is determined on the basis of the higher order function.

Abstract: A focus detecting device of the type in which the amount of focus adjustment is found from the amount of image deviation between object images formed on first and second sensor arrays. The magnitude of the regularity of the image pattern or the magnitude of the brightness/darkness deviation rate or the shape similarity is discriminated and light projection means is operated when the regularity is great or when the brightness/darkness deviation rate or the shape similarity is small.

Abstract: In a camera having an autofocus device, when performing a continuous shooting, an autofocus operation by the autofocus device is repeatedly performed during a time from the termination of the shooting operation to the completion of a preparation for the next shooting operation, and if the performance of the autofocus operation has been at least once completed before the completion of the preparation for the next shooting operation, the completion of the aforesaid preparation for the next shooting operation is, even though the autofocus operation is in progress, immediately followed by the start of the next shooting operation, while if the autofocus operation has not been at least once completed before the completion of the aforesaid preparation for the next shooting operation, the next shooting operation is started depending on the completion of the autofocus operation.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device which takes into account a change in the position of the image plane of an object caused by movement of the object during the focus adjusting operation time and makes a lens in focus to the moving object. The position of the image plane of the object after the focus adjusting operation time is foreseeing-calculated with the result of a past focus adjusting operation as a factor, and the current focus adjusting operation time is foreseen in conformity with the foreseeing-calculated value, and the position of the image plane of the object is again foreseeing-calculated with the foreseen time as a factor.

Abstract: A camera including an imaging optical system and a focus detecting circuit for repeatedly performing a focus detection operation and outputting a focus signal representing the focusing state of the optical system at the time of each focus detection operation. A calculation circuit predicts, on the basis of previous and latest focus signals, the focusing state of the optical system a predetermined period of time after the detection of the latest focus signal. The predetermined period of time includes a shutter release time-lag. A driving circuit drives the optical system by an amount corresponding to the focusing state calculated by the calculation circuit. A releasing circuit begins a film exposure in response to the operation of a shutter release member. A release timing control circuit controls the releasing circuit so that it does not operate until a point of time which is earlier, by an amount equal to the release time-lag, than the predicted time.