Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens drive ring which moves a movable lens group along an optical axis, a first inputter including an actuator and generating a first rotational input, a second inputter which generates a second rotational input, a power transmission clutch including a first input member, a second input member and an output member, wherein the first input member is rotatable and is associated with the first inputter, the second input member is rotatable and is associated with the second inputter, and the output member is rotatable and is associated with the lens drive ring; and a load controller. When the second rotational input, which is generated by the second inputter, is applied to the second input member to thereby cause the first input member to rotate, the load controller exerts a rotational load on the actuator.

Abstract: A camera body includes a plurality of body-side bayonet lugs which are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening; and a protrusion which is positioned in a circular-arc opening formed between adjacent body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs, the distance between the protrusion and either of adjacent two body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs being shorter than each of the lens-side bayonet lugs; and a body-side mount surface with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact from the front side when the lens-side bayonet lugs are positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lugs.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens drive ring which moves a movable lens group along an optical axis, a first inputter including an actuator and generating a first rotational input, a second inputter which generates a second rotational input, a power transmission clutch including a first input member, a second input member and an output member, wherein the first input member is rotatable and is associated with the first inputter, the second input member is rotatable and is associated with the second inputter, and the output member is rotatable and is associated with the lens drive ring; and a load controller. When the second rotational input, which is generated by the second inputter, is applied to the second input member to thereby cause the first input member to rotate, the load controller exerts a rotational load on the actuator.

Abstract: A camera body includes a body-side bayonet lug, wherein a lens-side bayonet lug of a lens barrel is positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lug when the lens barrel is mounted to the camera body; an opposed surface formed on the rear surface of the body-side bayonet lug and positioned immediately in front of the lens-side bayonet lug; a body-side mount surface positioned in front of the opposed surface and with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact; and a body-side contact portion, the front end of which contacts the rear end of the lens-side contact portion when the opposed surface faces the lens-side bayonet lug, the front end of the body-side contact portion being positioned in front of the opposed surface and behind the body-side mount surface.

Abstract: A camera body includes body-side bayonet lugs concentric with lens-side bayonet lugs, circular-arc openings, a circular arc protrusion positioned inside the camera body and projecting forward and concentric with the body-side bayonet lugs, body-side contact portions provided and arranged on the front end surface of the circular arc protrusion and come into contact with lens-side contact portions which are provided on the lens barrel, and rearward biasers provided immediately behind two of the body-side bayonet lugs to bias and move the lens-side bayonet lugs rearward, wherein two of the body-side contact portions located at both ends in the lengthwise direction and the two rearward biasers lie on radial-direction extension lines of the circular arc protrusion, respectively, as viewed in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A camera body includes body-side bayonet lugs concentric with lens-side bayonet lugs, circular-arc openings, a circular arc protrusion positioned inside the camera body and projecting forward and concentric with the body-side bayonet lugs, body-side contact portions provided and arranged on the front end surface of the circular arc protrusion and come into contact with lens-side contact portions which are provided on the lens barrel, and rearward biasers provided immediately behind two of the body-side bayonet lugs to bias and move the lens-side bayonet lugs rearward, wherein two of the body-side contact portions located at both ends in the lengthwise direction and the two rearward biasers lie on radial-direction extension lines of the circular arc protrusion, respectively, as viewed in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A camera body includes a plurality of body-side bayonet lugs which are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening; and a protrusion which is positioned in a circular-arc opening formed between adjacent body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs, the distance between the protrusion and either of adjacent two body-side bayonet lugs of the body-side bayonet lugs being shorter than each of the lens-side bayonet lugs; and a body-side mount surface with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact from the front side when the lens-side bayonet lugs are positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lugs.

Abstract: A camera body includes a body-side bayonet lug, wherein a lens-side bayonet lug of a lens barrel is positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lug when the lens barrel is mounted to the camera body; an opposed surface formed on the rear surface of the body-side bayonet and positioned immediately in front of the lens-side bayonet lug; a body-side mount surface positioned in front of the opposed surface and with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact; and a body-side contact portion, the front end of which contacts the rear end of the lens-side contact portion when the opposed surface faces the lens-side bayonet lug, the front end of the body-side contact portion being positioned in front of the opposed surface and behind the body-side mount surface.

Abstract: A water-resistant structure of a lens barrel includes a sealing member that seals an annular gap between inner and outer annular members, wherein the sealing member is positioned in a vicinity of an open end of the outer annular member and is fixed to one of the inner and outer annular members to be slidable on the other of the inner and outer annular members, and a drain groove formed on the inner annular member and positioned alongside the sealing member at a position closer to the open end of the outer annular member than the sealing member. Furthermore, a frictional resistance of a first sealing member produced between a secondary annular member and a manually-rotatable annular members is greater than a frictional resistance of the second sealing member that urges one of two of the manually-rotatable annular members to follow a rotation of the other thereof when rotated.

Abstract: A lens accessory mounting device for mounting a lens accessory to a front end of a lens barrel, an outer diameter of the lens accessory being substantially the same as an outer diameter of the front end of the lens barrel, the lens accessory mounting device includes at least one inward bayonet lug which projects radially inwards from an inner peripheral surface of a front end of the lens barrel; and at least one outward bayonet lug which projects radially outwards from the lens accessory to be engageable with the two inward bayonet lugs, respectively. The outward bayonet lug is firstly inserted into the front end of the lens barrel and subsequently brought into engagement with the inward bayonet lug, respectively, when the lens accessory is mounted to the lens barrel.

Abstract: A water-resistant structure of a lens barrel includes a sealing member that seals an annular gap between inner and outer annular members, wherein the sealing member is positioned in a vicinity of an open end of the outer annular member and is fixed to one of the inner and outer annular members to be slidable on the other of the inner and outer annular members, and a drain groove formed on the inner annular member and positioned alongside the sealing member at a position closer to the open end of the outer annular member than the sealing member. Furthermore, a frictional resistance of a first sealing member produced between a secondary annular member and a manually-rotatable annular members is greater than a frictional resistance of the second sealing member that urges one of two of the manually-rotatable annular members to follow a rotation of the other thereof when rotated.

Abstract: A lens position adjusting device of a lens barrel includes a stationary ring, and a manual rotating ring which is screw-engaged with the stationary ring to be manually rotatable about an optical axis to move a movable lens group in the optical axis direction, wherein the manual rotating ring includes an operating ring member; and a sub-ring member which is screwed into the stationary ring, wherein the operating ring member and the sub-ring member are coupled to each other so that a relative rotation position therebetween about the optical axis is adjustable.

Abstract: A lens position detector for detecting a position of a movable lens group in an optical axis direction includes a manual operating ring, a rotation of the manual operating ring causing the movable lens group to move in the optical axis direction; a code plate installed in a barrel; and a conductive brush fixed to the manual operating ring, the rotation of the manual operating ring causing relative rotational sliding between the conductive brush and the code plate. A surface of the code plate with which the conductive brush is in sliding contact is inclined to a plane orthogonal to the optical axis at an angle of inclination substantially equal to a lead angle of male and female screw threads engaged with each other which are formed on the manual operating ring and the ring member, respectively.

Abstract: A light shielding structure of a zoom lens barrel includes an outer ring, an intermediate ring and an inner ring which are concentrically arranged, the intermediate ring being movable relative to the outer ring and including at least one through-slot, the inner ring being movable relative to the intermediate ring, and the inner ring including at least one projection which is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the inner ring to be engaged in the through-slot. The light shielding structure is in the form of a light shielding sheet including a fixing portion which is fixed to the inner ring, and at least one resilient light-shielding tongue which projects radially outwards from the fixing portion to pass through the through-slot so that a radially outer end portion of the resilient light-shielding tongue comes in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring.

Abstract: An assembly-stage focus adjustment mechanism of a zoom lens barrel including a plurality of lens groups which are moved while distances therebetween are changed to perform a zooming operation, the assembly-stage focus adjustment mechanism including two lens fixing frames to which two of the plurality of lens groups are fixed, respectively; two moving frames which linearly move in an optical axis direction during the zooming operation, the two moving frames being respectively screw-engaged with the two lens fixing frames; and a rotational-direction integrating device which makes the two lens fixing frames rotate as one integral body in a direction of rotation relative to the two moving frames when an assembly-stage focus adjustment operation is performed.

Abstract: A lens accessory mounting device for mounting a lens accessory to a front end of a lens barrel, an outer diameter of the lens accessory being substantially the same as an outer diameter of the front end of the lens barrel, the lens accessory mounting device includes at least one inward bayonet lug which projects radially inwards from an inner peripheral surface of a front end of the lens barrel; and at least one outward bayonet lug which projects radially outwards from the lens accessory to be engageable with the two inward bayonet lugs, respectively. The outward bayonet lug is firstly inserted into the front end of the lens barrel and subsequently brought into engagement with the inward bayonet lug, respectively, when the lens accessory is mounted to the lens barrel.

Abstract: A lens position detector for detecting a position of a movable lens group in an optical axis direction includes a manual operating ring, a rotation of the manual operating ring causing the movable lens group to move in the optical axis direction; a code plate installed in a barrel; and a conductive brush fixed to the manual operating ring, the rotation of the manual operating ring causing relative rotational sliding between the conductive brush and the code plate. A surface of the code plate with which the conductive brush is in sliding contact is inclined to a plane orthogonal to the optical axis at an angle of inclination substantially equal to a lead angle of male and female screw threads engaged with each other which are formed on the manual operating ring and the ring member, respectively.

Abstract: A lens position adjusting device of a lens barrel includes a stationary ring, and a manual rotating ring which is screw-engaged with the stationary ring to be manually rotatable about an optical axis to move a movable lens group in the optical axis direction, wherein the manual rotating ring includes an operating ring member; and a sub-ring member which is screwed into the stationary ring, wherein the operating ring member and the sub-ring member are coupled to each other so that a relative rotation position therebetween about the optical axis is adjustable.

Abstract: An assembly-stage focus adjustment mechanism of a zoom lens barrel including a plurality of lens groups which are moved while distances therebetween are changed to perform a zooming operation, the assembly-stage focus adjustment mechanism including two lens fixing frames to which two of the plurality of lens groups are fixed, respectively; two moving frames which linearly move in an optical axis direction during the zooming operation, the two moving frames being respectively screw-engaged with the two lens fixing frames; and a rotational-direction integrating device which makes the two lens fixing frames rotate as one integral body in a direction of rotation relative to the two moving frames when an assembly-stage focus adjustment operation is performed.

Abstract: A light shielding structure of a zoom lens barrel includes an outer ring, an intermediate ring and an inner ring which are concentrically arranged, the intermediate ring being movable relative to the outer ring and including at least one through-slot, the inner ring being movable relative to the intermediate ring, and the inner ring including at least one projection which is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the inner ring to be engaged in the through-slot. The light shielding structure is in the form of a light shielding sheet including a fixing portion which is fixed to the inner ring, and at least one resilient light-shielding tongue which projects radially outwards from the fixing portion to pass through the through-slot so that a radially outer end portion of the resilient light-shielding tongue comes in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring.