Abstract: A stroboscopic device includes a flash discharge tube having an anode and a cathode, and an auxiliary light emitter for emitting light toward cathode. The auxiliary light emitter includes a light-receiving element for measuring a light intensity of external light near the flash discharge tube, a comparator for comparing the light intensity of light received by the light-receiving element with a predetermined threshold immediately before or substantially simultaneously with the light-emission timing of the flash discharge tube, and a lighting section that is lit when the light intensity is lower than the predetermined threshold based on a result of comparison by the comparator. This achieves a stroboscopic device and image pickup device that can stably emit light from the flash discharge tube irrespective of the surrounding environment.

Abstract: A strobe device of the present invention includes a flash discharge tube having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode on both ends thereof, and a conductive reflector in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the flash discharge tube. The reflector houses a part of the flash discharge tube inside, and functions as an external trigger electrode. The reflector has a bottom that is in contact with a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the flash discharge tube, the portion covering at least an area between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode and a sintered metal of the cathode electrode. This can suppress variation in discharge path at every light emission from the flash discharge tube. As a result, variation in light quantity and variation in light distribution of light emitted from the strobe device can be suppressed.

Abstract: A strobe device of the present invention includes a flash discharge tube having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode on both ends thereof, and a conductive reflector in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the flash discharge tube. The reflector houses a part of the flash discharge tube inside, and functions as an external trigger electrode. The reflector has a bottom that is in contact with a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the flash discharge tube, the portion covering at least an area between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode and a sintered metal of the cathode electrode. This can suppress variation in discharge path at every light emission from the flash discharge tube. As a result, variation in light quantity and variation in light distribution of light emitted from the strobe device can be suppressed.