Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, a spatial filter and an imaging lens. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using a component of light which has been reflected from the object and passed through the spatial filter.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is positioned such that the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. A shift mechanism is provided for supporting the objective lens for movement parallel to a direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source positioned such that an illumination light beam is incident on an object surface having a pattern formed thereon as an object to be read without passing through a lens. An objective lens converges a light beam having information of the pattern. A spatial filter has a shading region that shades a portion of the light beam having passed through the objective lens, the portion forming an image of the light source. An imaging element reads an image of the pattern formed by the light beam having passed through the spatial filter.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a diffused component of light which has been reflected from the object. A spatial filter has a shading region that shades a portion of the reflected light beam from the object surface which has passed through the spatial filter and forms the image of the light source. The imaging element reads the image of the pattern formed by the light beam having passed through the spatial filter.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a diffused component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is positioned where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a diffused component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. An adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the light source in a plane perpendicular to a principal beam of the illumination light beam.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus includes an objective lens positioned opposite an object surface, the object surface being a reflection surface having a pattern formed thereon as an object to be read. A minute-area light source is positioned to be conjugate with a center of curvature of the object surface through the objective lens, for illuminating the object surface through the objective lens. An imaging lens is positioned farther from the object surface than the light source, with the optical axis of the imaging lens being coincident with the objective lens. An imaging element reads the image of the pattern which is reflected at the object surface and formed through the objective lens and the imaging lens.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus for reading a pattern from an object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes an illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus for reading a pattern from a reflective object or a transparent object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from or transmitted through the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from or which has passed through the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. In particular, light that forms an image of the light source is prevented from reaching the imaging element. In the case of a reflective object, ghosting light due to a reflection from a surface of the objective lens is prevented from reaching the imaging element.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is positioned such that the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. A shift mechanism is provided for supporting the objective lens for movement parallel to a direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source positioned such that an illumination light beam is incident on an object surface having a pattern formed thereon as an object to be read without passing through a lens. An objective lens converges a light beam having information of the pattern. A spatial filter has a shading region that shades a portion of the light beam having passed through the objective lens, the portion forming an image of the light source. An imaging element reads an image of the pattern formed by the light beam having passed through the spatial filter.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a diffused component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. An adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the light source in a plane perpendicular to a principal beam of the illumination light beam.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a diffused component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is positioned where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus for reading a pattern from an object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes an illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, a spatial filter and an imaging lens. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using a component of light which has been reflected from the object and passed through the spatial filter.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus includes an objective lens positioned opposite an object surface, the object surface being a reflection surface having a pattern formed thereon as an object to be read. A minute-area light source is positioned to be conjugate with a center of curvature of the object surface through the objective lens, for illuminating the object surface through the objective lens. An imaging lens is positioned farther from the object surface than the light source, with the optical axis of the imaging lens being coincident with the objective lens. An imaging element reads the image of the pattern which is reflected at the object surface and formed through the objective lens and the imaging lens.

Abstract: In a light distribution lens for a strobe provided in front of a strobe light emitter to gather strobe light, one of opposed lens surfaces is made of a convex surface, and the other lens surface is made of a convex Fresnel surface. A zoom strobe device is also disclosed, which includes a light emitter unit having a light emitter and a reflector, a light distribution lens provided in front of the light emitter unit to gather light emitted from the light emitter, and a zoom device for varying the distance between the light emitter unit and the light distribution lens.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a magnification of an image in a camera includes a first image forming lens which forms an image of an object, an image re-forming lens which re-forms the image formed by the first image forming lens on an image pick-up surface, and a device for moving the image re-forming lens and the image pick-up surface independently along an optical axis of the image re-forming lens.

Abstract: A strobe device is provided, including a light source and a reflector which reflects part of the light emitted from the light source. The reflector is provided with a reflecting surface that is shaped to form virtual images of the light source behind the reflecting surface.

Abstract: An improved zoom strobe device is provided. When a zoom lens changes its focal length from a first length to a second length, the zoom strobe device changes its illumination angle from its minimum angle to maximum angle when the focal length of the zoom lens is changed from the first length to a third length which is smaller than the second length but greater than the first length, and then the strobe device maintains the maximum illumination angle when the focal length of the zoom lens changes between the third length and the second length.