Abstract: An adapter includes a first housing member that includes a first mount portion to which a camera body can be attached and detached and a second mount portion to which an interchangeable lens can be attached and detached, a second housing member that is integrally formed with the first housing member and includes a screw-receiving part, which can be attached to and detached from a tripod, in a side opposite to the first housing member, a driven member, and an actuator of a drive system for driving the driven member. The screw-receiving part is arranged in the vicinity of a center of an end of the second housing member, and at least a portion of the actuator is arranged in the periphery of the screw-receiving part in the second housing member.

Abstract: An adapter includes a first housing member that includes a first mount portion to which a camera body can be attached and detached and a second mount portion to which an interchangeable lens can be attached and detached, a second housing member that is integrally formed with the first housing member and includes a screw-receiving part, which can be attached to and detached from a tripod, in a side opposite to the first housing member, a driven member, and an actuator of a drive system for driving the driven member. The screw-receiving part is arranged in the vicinity of a center of an end of the second housing member, and at least a portion of the actuator is arranged in the periphery of the screw-receiving part in the second housing member.

Abstract: A liquid lens device includes: a circular tube with a liquid pressurization port formed therein; a first elastic film and a second elastic film each closing off one of two ends of the circular tube, so as to form a lens chamber inside the circular tube; and a pressurization unit that pressurizes the lens chamber via the liquid pressurization port, wherein: the first elastic film and the second elastic film are deformed in states different from each other by pressure inside the lens chamber pressurized by the pressurization unit.

Abstract: A lens barrel comprises a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis, a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position, a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis, and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: A lens barrel comprises a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis, a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position, a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatsble blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis, and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel, which can be further reduced by providing such a first helicoid as can be easily manufactured even in the zone of a small lead. The lens barrel (1) comprises a first barrel member (6) having a first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) formed in a first face (6a), and a second barrel member (21) having a second helicoid (24) formed in a second face (21a) confronting the first face (6a). The lens barrel is characterized in that the first barrel member (6) has, in the first face (6a), a first zone (Z1), in which the first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) has a first lead, and a second zone (Z2 and Z3), in which the first helicoid (18 and 25) has a second lead smaller than the first lead, and in that the first helicoid (18 and 25) having the second lead has a smaller thread number than that of the first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) having the first lead.

Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel, which can be further reduced by providing such a first helicoid as can be easily manufactured even in the zone of a small lead. The lens barrel (1) comprises a first barrel member (6) having a first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) formed in a first face (6a), and a second barrel member (21) having a second helicoid (24) formed in a second face (21a) confronting the first face (6a). The lens barrel is characterized in that the first barrel member (6) has, in the first face (6a), a first zone (Z1), in which the first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) has a first lead, and a second zone (Z2 and Z3), in which the first helicoid (18 and 25) has a second lead smaller than the first lead, and in that the first helicoid (18 and 25) having the second lead has a smaller thread number than that of the first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) having the first lead.

Abstract: A lens barrel comprises a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis, a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position, a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatsble blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis, and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: When initializing a recording medium, an ordinary folder and a lock folder are created. Photographic information files of photographed images are stored into the ordinary folder. Files the erasure of which is disabled among the photographic information files are stored into the lock folder. After a photographing operation, any image file set for a lock is erased from the ordinary folder and stored into the lock folder.

Abstract: When initializing a recording medium, an ordinary folder and a lock folder are created. Photographic information files of photographed images are stored into the ordinary folder. Files the erasure of which is disabled among the photographic information files are stored into the lock folder. After a photographing operation, any image file set for a lock is erased from the ordinary folder and stored into the lock folder.

Abstract: A camera is provided which has a vibration detection unit that detects vibration, a photographic focal length detection unit which detects the focal length of the photographic optical system, and a distance-measurement unit that measures the distance to the object being photographed. The vibration compensation device employs drive motors as a vibration compensation unit. The drive motors have a start up time which is at least as fast as the acceleration of a vibration having roughly a sine wave shape with a frequency of 10 Hz and a maximum velocity of 7.5 mm/sec. Such a motor is able to reach the maximum velocity of the vibration in under 25 ms.

Abstract: A vibration reduction apparatus includes a vibration detector for detecting movement; and an image blur reduction mechanism including a vibration reduction optical system for preventing an image from blurring, and a drive mechanism for driving the vibration reduction optical system. The drive mechanism is controlled to drive the vibration reduction optical system in response to a detection signal from the vibration detector. The vibration detector is integrally mounted as a part of a mechanism unit including the vibration reduction mechanism.

Abstract: An optical motion compensation device that quickly releases the locking of a motion compensation optical system when it is desired to effect motion compensation, and that reliably locks the motion compensation optical system when not effecting motion compensation. The device includes a motion compensation optical system to move so as to compensate for motion. Also, the device includes an optical system support device to movably support the motion compensation optical system. An optical system drive device drives the motion compensation optical system in a direction to compensate for motion caused by external factors, such as hand shaking. An optical system movement device, distinct from the optical system drive device, causes the motion compensation optical system to move to a predetermined location.

Abstract: An image deflection preventing device for a camera, such as a still camera which is used to drive a deflection preventing optical system in accordance with readings from angular velocity sensors and other circuitry. Moreover, an exposure mode selection device is included to select strobe photography according to the focusing distance from a distance measuring unit maintained in the camera to a subject to be photographed. The selection device can select strobe photography when the focusing distance is closer than a predetermined distance or when photographic magnification from a focal length detection unit to a subject to be photographed is greater than a predetermined value. The selection of strobe photography is done using results from a photometric unit in conjunction with the determination of a brightness level. In particular, if a given brightness level is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, strobe photography is selected, otherwise, exterior light photography is selected.

Abstract: A camera including a flashlight device for emitting a flashlight, a shutter, such that the camera has a flash synchro photographing mode in which the flashlight device emits the flashlight in synchronism with the shutter, a vibration detector for detecting a vibration quantity of the camera, a vibration correcting device for correcting an image blur on the basis of a vibration signal output from the vibration detector. The camera also includes a control device for controlling, while performing flash photographing by use of the flashlight device and driving the vibration correcting device, the shutter so that a maximum shutter time in the flash synchro photographing mode is shorter than or equal to a maximum shutter time in a non-emission of the flashlight. As a result, the flashlight device does not emit the flashlight.

Abstract: A camera having a vibration correction function. The camera includes a vibration detecting unit that detects vibration of the camera. The camera further includes a vibration correcting unit that corrects vibration in photographing, based on a detected signal by said vibration detecting unit, a photographing-mode selecting unit that selects a successive photographing mode for successive photographing. The camera also includes a control unit that performs sampling of vibration signals in order to calculate a reference level of the detected signal corresponding to a signal level without vibration, based on the detected signal of said vibration detection unit. The control unit is arranged to perform the sampling of vibration signals immediately after completion of an exposure operation by a shutter unit of each frame when the successive photographing mode is selected by the photographing-mode selecting unit.

Abstract: A motion compensation device, suitable for an optical system such as a camera, has a blurring motion compensation unit to compensate for blurring motion by driving an image blurring motion compensation optical system in a direction generally perpendicular to the optical axis. The device can lock the image blurring motion compensation optical system by a locking member even if there is no power supply. This is accomplished by using a magnet which attracts an iron piece mounted on a blurring motion compensation lens frame, and lock members which lock the blurring motion compensation lens frame. When an operation mode changeover switch changes over from the ON position to the OFF position, a contact unit of this operation mode changeover switch locks a coupling member of a lock ring. Accordingly, because the magnet attracts the iron piece even when there is no power supply, the blurring motion compensation lens frame can be locked by the lock ring.

Abstract: A vibration reducing apparatus housed in the internal periphery of a tubular member comprises a vibration reducing optical system which reduces a vibration, a supporting frame which supports the vibration reducing optical system, provided in at least a part of the external periphery with a gap portion which forms a gap to the internal periphery of the tubular member, and a drive unit which drives the supporting frame in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an optical axis.

Abstract: A lens driving device is disclosed, whereby it is made unnecessary for a user side to determine focusing when focusing is to be performed by an operation ring in a manual preference automatic focusing mode. The lens driving device includes an operation ring rotated for performing automatic focusing, a rotary encoder for detecting the operation amount of the operation ring, a motor for performing lens driving according to an operation amount detected by the rotary encoder, a body side CPU for detecting a defocusing amount at least during lens driving and a lens side CPU for forcibly stopping the lens driving of the motor when a defocusing amount detected by the body side CPU becomes equal to a preset value or lower.

Abstract: A vibration reduction device includes a vibration reduction optical system which reduces vibration by its movement, a fixing portion which assumes a fixing state for fixing the vibration reduction optical system and a releasing state for releasing the vibration reduction optical system, a holding portion for holding/canceling the fixing state of the fixing portion, and a biasing portion for biasing the fixing portion from the fixing state in which the vibration reduction optical system is fixed to the releasing state in which the vibration reduction optical system is released. The biasing portion is interlocked with a releasing operation of the holding portion to release the vibration reduction optical system.