Abstract: The image pickup apparatus includes a lens barrel, and two barrier blade groups each configured to include a first barrier blade, a second barrier blade and a third barrier blade, each barrier blade group being movable between a closing position for covering a front face of the lens barrel and an opening position for opening the front face of the lens barrel. In each of the barrier blade groups at the opening position, the first and second barrier blades overlap with each other in an optical axis direction of the lens barrel, and the third barrier blade overlaps with the first and second barrier blades in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis direction without overlapping therewith in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: An illumination system (10), comprising an illumination source (2) and a mechanical dimming device (4) for dimming the amount of light generated by the illumination source (2) and emanating from the lighting apparatus, comprising an array of partially overlapping blades, the array of blades being mechanically operable to define an optical passageway there through of variable cross sectional area, wherein each blade comprises at least one overlapping segment and at least one non-overlapping segment, the overlapping segments being a color filter and the non-overlapping segments being a shutter. In a preferred embodiment the color of the color filter is in the range from yellow to amber to red. This arrangement is especially useful with a high intensity lamp as the illumination source, and provides for natural dimming of the light produced by the illumination source over the range of from about 0 to 100% causing a color change in the projected light that resemble natural sunset.

Abstract: A cine camera having a rotary or reciprocating shutter driven by a motor is provided with a supplementary diaphragm which cooperates with the shutter during acceleration of the motor to its rated speed to reduce the effect on the first film frame or frames of the change in exposure time occurring during the acceleration period of the motor.