Abstract: An image pickup element includes a light-receiving portion having a matrix arrangement formed by disposing first-direction arrays, each having photoelectric conversion portions arranged in a first direction with a predetermined gap maintained therebetween, in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and micro-lenses provided above the light-receiving portion. A certain first-direction array in the matrix arrangement is provided with a pair of photoelectric conversion portions that optically receive, via a pair of micro-lenses, photographic-subject light beams passing through a pair of segmental regions in an exit pupil of a photographic optical system, the pair of segmental regions being disposed biasedly in opposite directions from each other in the first direction. The pair of micro-lenses is disposed such that light axes thereof extend through vicinities of edges of the pair of photoelectric conversion portions, the edges being the farthest edges from each other in the first direction.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an image pickup device having an arrangement of photoelectric converting units, the arrangement in which a plurality of pairs of photoelectric converting units are arranged along a predetermined direction, each pair of photoelectric converting units receiving light beams of a subject passing through partial areas in a pair that are lopsided in reverse to each other along the predetermined direction in an exit pupil of a shooting optical system, and a focus detector for performing focus detection of a phase-difference detecting technique according to data obtained from the pair of photoelectric converting units in the arrangement of the photoelectric converting units. The focus detector corrects the data according to a correction amount corresponding to a positional shift amount from the normalized position, and performs focus detection of the phase-difference detecting technique according to the corrected data.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a fixedly provided half mirror that separates object light that has passed through a shooting optical system into transmitted light and reflected light, and an image pickup unit that generates an image of an object by receiving the transmitted light. The half mirror includes an optically transmissive film that is optically isotropic.

Abstract: An image pickup element includes a light receiver having a matrix arrangement formed by disposing first-direction arrays, each having photoelectric converters arranged in a first direction with a gap therebetween, in a second direction orthogonal thereto, and micro-lenses above the light receiver. In the matrix arrangement, a certain first-direction array has two first photoelectric converters receiving, via two micro-lenses, photographic-subject light passing through two segmental regions in an exit pupil of a photographic optical system, and a certain second-direction array has two second photoelectric converters receiving photographic-subject light passing through two segmental regions in the exit pupil. Light axes of the two micro-lenses extend through vicinities of edges, farthest from each other in the first direction, of the first photoelectric converters.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a group of photoelectric conversion cells that output distance-measurement signals for phase difference detection. Each photoelectric conversion cell includes a photodetector and a pupil restricting unit. The photodetector generates the distance-measurement signal. The pupil restricting unit restricts a size of a pupil area, from which arrival light has exited, to a predetermined size in an exit pupil of a taking optical system, object light exiting from the exit pupil of the taking optical system, the arrival light arriving at the photodetector. The predetermined size is less than half a size of an entire area of the exit pupil.

Abstract: An image-capturing element includes a pair of photoelectric conversion cells that pupil-divide object light in a first direction and in a second direction and that output a ranging signal. The photoelectric conversion cells include a photoreceiving element configured to receive the object light and generate a ranging signal, a first light-shielding layer having a first light-transmitting area, and a second light-shielding layer having a second light-transmitting area.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a half mirror that splits light from a subject having passed through a photographic optical system into transmitted light and reflected light, a first light receiving sensor that receives the transmitted light, the first light receiving sensor having a spectral sensitivity characteristic with a sensitivity peak at a specific wavelength of light, and a second light receiving sensor that receives the reflected light. The wavelength of a transmission peak in the spectral transmission characteristic of the half mirror matches the wavelength of the sensitivity peak of the first light receiving sensor.

Abstract: A technology of a phase-difference detecting image pickup element that can precisely perform focus detection even if the position of an exit pupil with respect to the image pickup element changes is provided. The image pickup element of an image pickup device includes an AF pixel pair 11g that receive an object light beam transmitted through a pair of portion areas Qc and Qd whose areas become the same in an exit pupil at a position of distance Hm from the image pickup element. The AF pixel pair 11g includes light-intercepting portions 131 and 132 where respective light-transmitting portions that define the pair of portion areas Qc and Qd are provided. In addition, the image pickup element also includes a different AF pixel pair whose disposition of light-intercepting portions 131 and 132 are made different so that the areas of the pair of portion areas in the exit pupil at a position of a distance Hm from the image pickup element are the same.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including: an image pickup device for receiving subject light passed through a photographing optical system by an image pickup surface in which a pixel arrangement is formed, and generating an image signal; and an optically transparent film having an optical anisotropy, and disposed in front of the image pickup surface, the subject light entering the optically transparent film; wherein a width of separation between a first ray of light and a second ray of light produced by birefringence in the optically transparent film is 1/2 or more of a pixel pitch in the pixel arrangement.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a light-beam splitting mirror configured to transmit and reflect incident light that has entered the light-beam splitting mirror through a photographing optical system; an image sensor that receives light transmitted through the light-beam splitting mirror; an autofocus detecting unit that receives light reflected by the light-beam splitting mirror; a signal processing unit configured to process an image pickup signal of the image sensor; and a display unit configured to display an image being photographed, on the basis of an image signal obtained at the signal processing unit. In the image pickup apparatus, the light-beam splitting mirror has spectral characteristics including a reflectivity of 25% or more and 35% or less at a wavelength of 400 to 650 nm and a reflectivity of 60% or more at a wavelength of about 700 nm through optimization.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a fixedly provided half mirror that separates object light that has passed through a shooting optical system into transmitted light and reflected light, and an image pickup unit that generates an image of an object by receiving the transmitted light. The half mirror includes an optically transmissive film that is optically isotropic.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an image pickup device having an arrangement of photoelectric converting units, the arrangement in which a plurality of pairs of photoelectric converting units are arranged along a predetermined direction, each pair of photoelectric converting units receiving light beams of a subject passing through partial areas in a pair that are lopsided in reverse to each other along the predetermined direction in an exit pupil of a shooting optical system, and a focus detector for performing focus detection of a phase-difference detecting technique according to data obtained from the pair of photoelectric converting units in the arrangement of the photoelectric converting units. The focus detector corrects the data according to a correction amount corresponding to a positional shift amount from the normalized position, and performs focus detection of the phase-difference detecting technique according to the corrected data.

Abstract: An image pickup element includes a light-receiving portion having a matrix arrangement formed by disposing first-direction arrays, each having photoelectric conversion portions arranged in a first direction with a predetermined gap maintained therebetween, in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and micro-lenses provided above the light-receiving portion. A certain first-direction array in the matrix arrangement is provided with a pair of photoelectric conversion portions that optically receive, via a pair of micro-lenses, photographic-subject light beams passing through a pair of segmental regions in an exit pupil of a photographic optical system, the pair of segmental regions being disposed biasedly in opposite directions from each other in the first direction. The pair of micro-lenses is disposed such that light axes thereof extend through vicinities of edges of the pair of photoelectric conversion portions, the edges being the farthest edges from each other in the first direction.

Abstract: An image pickup element includes a light receiver having a matrix arrangement formed by disposing first-direction arrays, each having photoelectric converters arranged in a first direction with a gap therebetween, in a second direction orthogonal thereto, and micro-lenses above the light receiver. In the matrix arrangement, a certain first-direction array has two first photoelectric converters receiving, via two micro-lenses, photographic-subject light passing through two segmental regions in an exit pupil of a photographic optical system, and a certain second-direction array has two second photoelectric converters receiving photographic-subject light passing through two segmental regions in the exit pupil. Light axes of the two micro-lenses extend through vicinities of edges, farthest from each other in the first direction, of the first photoelectric converters.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a group of photoelectric conversion cells that output distance-measurement signals for phase difference detection. Each photoelectric conversion cell includes a photodetector and a pupil restricting unit. The photodetector generates the distance-measurement signal. The pupil restricting unit restricts a size of a pupil area, from which arrival light has exited, to a predetermined size in an exit pupil of a taking optical system, object light exiting from the exit pupil of the taking optical system, the arrival light arriving at the photodetector. The predetermined size is less than half a size of an entire area of the exit pupil.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprises a liquid crystal panel (22), a group of optical sheets (32) disposed rearward from the liquid crystal panel (22), a light source (28) disposed rearward from the group of the optical sheets (32), a frame-shaped front frame (21, 23) disposed forward from at least the group of the optical sheets (32), a back chassis (31) disposed rearward from the light source (28) and fixedly connected to the front frame (21, 23) directly or indirectly, and a holding member (27) integrally holding the group of the optical sheets (32) to keep the group of the optical sheets (32) held in position integrally, when the back chassis (31) and the front frame (21, 23) are unfixed from each other.

Abstract: An image-capturing element includes a group of first pixels configured to receive object light and generate an image signal representing an object image; and a group of second pixels configured to receive the object light and generate a ranging signal for detecting a phase difference. The second pixels each include an optical filter on a light-receiving side thereof. The optical filter allows visible light in a wavelength range wider than a wavelength range of visible light that is allowed by a green primary-color filter to be transmitted therethrough within the object light to be transmitted therethrough.

Abstract: An image-capturing element includes a pair of photoelectric conversion cells that pupil-divide object light in a first direction and in a second direction and that output a ranging signal. The photoelectric conversion cells include a photoreceiving element configured to receive the object light and generate a ranging signal, a first light-shielding layer having a first light-transmitting area, and a second light-shielding layer having a second light-transmitting area.

Abstract: A backlight unit of a liquid crystal display device includes a prism light guide plate supported by a frame-like chassis. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface having two ends, near which stainless steel metal stoppers are attached respectively. The metal stoppers include pawls which, upon the attachment, come inward from sides of the light incident surface of the light guide plate to between the light incident surface and a lamp (lamp holders). When the liquid crystal display device is subjected to an impact from outside, the metal stoppers prevent the light guide plate from moving toward the lamp, thereby offering improved impact resistance.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprises a liquid crystal panel (22), a group of optical sheets (32) disposed rearward from the liquid crystal panel (22), a light source (28) disposed rearward from the group of the optical sheets (32), a frame-shaped front frame (21, 23) disposed forward from at least the group of the optical sheets (32), a back chassis (31) disposed rearward from the light source (28) and fixedly connected to the front frame (21, 23) directly or indirectly, and a holding member (27) integrally holding the group of the optical sheets (32) to keep the group of the optical sheets (32) held in position integrally, when the back chassis (31) and the front frame (21, 23) are unfixed from each other.