Abstract: A distance metering device includes a pair of image sensors, and a pair of optical members. Each image sensor has a number of pixels arranged along a specified direction. There is provided a distance data calculator for defining a plurality of pairs of meter areas over pixels of the first and second image sensors, and calculating distance data concerning a distance to the object by performing a plurality of comparisons between image data from a pair of meter areas by shifting the pair of meter areas relative to each other a set number of pixels. A shift pixel number for a particular pair of meter areas having a smallest spatial parallax with respect to an optical axis of an optical system of a viewfinder is made to be different from that for the other pairs of meter areas.

Abstract: A focusing system receives object light by a light receiving device having an array of light receiving elements. An amount of defocus or an object distance can be detected in accordance with the output of the light receiving device. The light receiver includes at least three spaced light receivers. A controller controls the quantity of light received by each of the light receivers such that each of the light receivers is either independently controlled, or a pair of outermost light receivers are controlled simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention provides a camera having a focus detecting device for independently detecting each of focus conditions in plural regions of a screen by use of an area sensor. More particularly, the invention provides a camera having a focus detecting device provided with a first mode for setting a first number as a number of focus detection areas and a second mode for setting a second number, smaller than the first number, of areas except for predetermined areas in the focus detection areas in the first mode, as focus detection areas, and arranged to allow selection of the first and second modes, thereby permitting a changeover of the number of focus detection areas according to a photographer's will.

Abstract: A lens position control apparatus includes an absolute position detecting part for detecting the absolute position of a lens, a relative position detecting part for detecting the relative position of the lens, a driving part for driving the lens, and a control part for controlling the driving part to drive the lens to a predetermined position within a driving range of the lens on the basis of an output of the absolute position detecting part and, after that, drive the lens to an end position of the driving range on the basis of an output of the relative position detecting part, so that the lens position control can be promptly initialized.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus in a lens-shutter type camera is provided with a photographic lens having variable focal length. The device includes a pair of image forming lenses each forming a subject image, a pair of line sensors on which the subject images are respectively formed through the pair of image forming lenses, the pair of line sensors each having a plurality of light receiving elements. The unit also includes a plurality of light receiving areas formed correspondingly on each of the pair of line sensors, the plurality of light receiving areas each including a predetermined number of the plurality of light receiving elements. The plurality of light receiving areas respectively receive different areas of a corresponding one of the subject images formed by the pair of image forming lenses, and each adjacent pair of light receiving areas of the plurality of light receiving areas overlap each other.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus for detecting a focusing state or a distance state by performing a correlation calculation of two images received by a light receiving section that includes a plurality of two dimensionally arranged photoelectric conversion elements. The apparatus includes a calculation circuit which divides a first area of the light receiving section into a plurality of blocks and calculates a focusing state or a distance state with respect to each of the plurality of blocks, a selection circuit which selects a second area included in the first area corresponding to the focusing state or the distance state of each of the blocks provided by the calculation circuit and a control circuit which divides the second area into a plurality of blocks and causes the calculation circuit to calculate a focusing state or a distance state with respect to each of the plurality of blocks.

Abstract: An image pickup frame is divided into a plurality of areas. A contrast at each area is measured. An area where a main subject is located is detected by comparing contrasts at areas. A distance to a subject in the area where the main subject is located is measured. With this range finding technique, even if a main subject is not located at the central area of an image pickup frame, an area where the main subject is located can be identified and range finding can be performed only for that area.

Abstract: A camera with a visual line position detection device is capable of shortening the time required for auto focus detection and capable of more accurate selection of the focus detection point. The camera includes a focus detection device to output the results of distance measurements at a plurality of points where focus detection is possible and to detect focus for one of these points. A liquid crystal display device displays on a screen specified symbols overlapping the subject image on the positions corresponding to each of the points. A microprocessor accepts the results of the distance measurements from the focus detection system and selects one of the points based on the photographer visual line position as the point for focus detection among all the points whose distances are measured and on which focus detection is possible, excluding the points with an infinite focus distance.

Abstract: A camera has a variable focal length lens and a viewfinder system whose magnification is variable in accordance with the focal length of the lens. A line array sensor generates an electrical signal in accordance with the intensity of the received light. A distance measuring optical system, which transmits light from a photographic object to the sensing elements of the sensor, has an optical axis which is different from the optical axis to the viewfinder system. A designator designates a particular sensing area, corresponding to the focal length of the lens, over the sensing elements of the sensor. A first distance data generator generates first distance data based on electrical signals generated by the sensing elements within the designated sensing area, and a second distance data generator generates second distance data based on electrical signals generated by the sensing elements outside of the designated sensing area. A discriminator discriminates whether the first distance data generator is operable.

Abstract: An optical apparatus having predetermined functions includes a visual-axis detecting device for detecting the direction of the visual axis of an operator, a posture detecting device for detecting the posture of the optical apparatus, and a control device for causing the predetermined functions to be performed in accordance with an output from the visual-axis detecting device and for causing the predetermined functions to be performed by using a predetermined algorithm in accordance with an output from the visual-axis detecting device when the visual-axis detecting device is disallowed to operate.

Abstract: An auto focus camera includes a focus detecting circuit, a lens driving circuit for driving a taking lens to an in-focus position based on a focus detection result, a starting signal outputting circuit for outputting a starting signal which starts a focusing operation, an operating member to be operated by a user after the starting signal is outputted, and a controlling circuit for controlling the lens driving circuit so as to drive the taking lens in manners different between before and after an operation of the operation member.

Abstract: An equipment having a line of sight detection device includes a line of sight detection device for detecting a user's line of sight, a first detector for performing a focus detecting operation in a plurality of focus detection areas, a selector for selecting a specific focus detection area from among the plurality of focus detection areas on the basis of the line of sight detected by the line of sight detection device, a second detector for detecting any change in the focus state in the specific focus detection area at least from the result of the past focus detection in the specific focus detection area, and a determination device for determining a reliability of the specific focus detection area selected by the selecting device, on the basis of the change in the focus state detected by the second detector.

Abstract: A camera includes a CCD line sensor divided into a plurality of blocks and a plurality of monitors provided near each Of the divided blocks and sensing the amount of received light corresponding to each block. The storage of charge in each Block of the CCD is controlled based on the amount of the light received by the monitor. Each block corresponds to each part of an object in a finder of the camera.

Abstract: The area in which focus detection is performed is selected from among a plurality of focus detection areas provided on a photography screen. In the pair of photoelectric converters corresponding to the selected focus detection area, charge accumulation is repeatedly performed based on at least one of the image signals from the pair of image signals output from this pair of photoelectric converters. The focus adjustment condition of the photograph optical system is computed based on this pair of image signals. In the pair of photoelectric converters corresponding to the non-selected focus detection areas, charge accumulation is repeatedly performed over a period longer than the period of charge accumulation in the pair of photoelectric converters corresponding to the selected focus detection area based on at least one of the image signals from the pair of image signals output from this pair of photoelectric converters.

Abstract: A user-friendly camera with a visual line detection system simplifies the operation by making manual selection possible for establishing an auto focus region directly without going through time consuming procedures, even when the camera is selecting an auto focus region based on visual line information. An auto selection mode, a visual line selection mode, and a manual selection mode are available for establishing an auto focus region with mode selection being made by an auto focus region switching system. When selection of the auto focus region is being executed in the visual line selection mode, signals from the auto focus region manual selection system may be entered so that the manual selection input takes priority and the intention of the photographer becomes the priority. The change of mode is temporarily executed easily during the visual line selection mode operation.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus comprises light emitting means for projecting light; light receiving means for receiving light; arithmetic means for performing arithmetic operation based on signals from the light receiving means; integrating means having an integrating capacitor, for integrating signals from the arithmetic means by discharging the integrating capacitor; detecting means for detecting distance based on signals from the integrating means; and charging means for performing preliminary charge of the integrating capacitor before the distance measurement is carried out. The present invention prevents voltage drop due to dielectric absorption of the integrating capacitor, thereby to solve problems of distance measurement error due to the voltage drop.

Abstract: A focus detection device includes a pair of photoelectric converting element arrays that output a pair of signal strings and a focus detection optical system, including a photo lens, that conducts a pair of light rays from a subject to the pair of photoelectric converting element arrays. A filter extracts a pair of signal strings having a predetermined frequency component from the pair of signal strings outputted by the photoelectric converting element arrays. A calculation range setting device sets a calculation range of signals of the pair of extracted signal strings, and a focus detection calculating device calculates a focus adjustment condition for the photo lens based on the signals of the pair of extracted signal strings in the calculation range.

Abstract: A focus state detection device accurately detects in a short period of time the defocus amount of an arbitrary subject even when a plurality of subjects having different photographic distances are intermixed within the focus state detection region. Normally, the defocus amount is calculated on the basis of electric signal strings from each of a plurality of blocks. However, if one of the blocks is a perspective conflict block in which are intermixed a plurality of subjects having different photographic distances, new blocks are established containing at least part of the perspective conflict block. The defocus amount is calculated on the basis of the electric signal strings corresponding to these new blocks.

Abstract: A defocus amount is accurately determined within the photo field. As applied to a focus state detection device, DC reduction filter process data is computed without completely extracting the DC component of the signal string output from an image sensor. The DC reduction filter process data is divided into three regions, and a determination is made as to whether focus state detection is possible for each region. When the determination is negative, a determination is made as to whether focus state detection is possible for all regions of first filter process data that extracts high frequency components. When the determination is negative, a determination is made in a similar manner as to whether focus state detection is possible on the basis of second filter process data and third filter process data.

Abstract: A camera includes an orientation detection device that detects the orientation of the camera, a recording device that records photographic settings to be used during photography, and a camera controller. The recording device records the photographic settings relative to different orientations of the camera. The camera controller controls the camera based upon the detected orientation and photographic settings recorded in the recording device for that detected orientation.

Abstract: An auto focus adjustment system includes an arrangement device, a focus detection device, a defocus amount determination device, and a drive control device. The arrangement device arranges a plurality of focus detection regions in a photographic field of a photographic optical system. The focus detection device detects a defocus amount that represents a deviation amount between an image plane and a predetermined focus plane for each detection region. The defocus amount determination device determines a final defocus amount based on a plurality of defocus amounts detected by the defocus detection device. The defocus amount determination device selects defocus amounts greater than a specified negative defocus amount. From among these selected defocus amounts, the defocus amount determination device determines a least defocus amount as the final defocus amount.

Abstract: A camera incorporating an auto-zoom function and a multi-focus detecting device. In this camera, the auto-zoom function is inhibited when a focus detection area selected is an area other than a central area, thereby performing a proper focus detection.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus for receiving light energy passed through an objective and detecting the focus adjusted state is provided with defocus amount detection means for repetitively detecting the defocus amounts of a plurality of areas in a view relating to the objective, operating means for starting the defocus amount detecting operation of the defocus amount detection means, selection means for selecting at least one of the plurality of areas, discrimination means for discriminating whether the selected area is an area of a predetermined condition, prohibition means for prohibiting a new selecting operation of the selection means as long as it is discriminated by the discrimination means that the selected area is an area of a predetermined condition, and release means for releasing the prohibiting operation of the prohibition means by the release of the operation of the operating means.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus detecting focus to a plurality of areas receives outputs from a plurality of sensors. A processing circuit evaluates the plurality of output signals from the respective plurality of sensors, and independently evaluates whether or not each of the output signals fulfills each of a plurality of predetermined judgement conditions. A selection circuit (i) determines the total number of judgement conditions fullfilled by each of the output signals, (ii) selects the output from one of the plurality of sensors on the basis of the determination.

Abstract: A multi point focal detection camera is switchable between an automatic mode and a manual mode. An automatic focusing system focuses a movable lens system having a lens on a selected one of multiple focus detection areas in accordance with either focus detection data or a focus detection area selection lever. A CPU enables the selected one of the multiple focus detection areas to be changed to another of the multiple focus detection areas without changing the operation mode. Once the lens system is focused on the selected focus detection area, the selected focus detection area can be changed by displacing the focus detection area selection lever within a predetermined period of time. If the selected focus detection area is changed to another of the multiple focus detection areas, the automatic focusing system focuses the lens system on the new focus detection area.

Abstract: A camera capable of operating in a standard or a panoramic photography mode is provided with an automatic focusing system that focuses on a subject in one of a plurality of areas within a photographic field. In the standard photography mode, the camera automatically selects one of the plurality of areas based on a predetermined algorithm and focuses on the selected area. In the panoramic photography mode, the camera selects one of the plurality of area in response to a user performed operation and focuses upon the selected area. When operating in the panoramic photographic mode, an area can be selected by using a manual selection device, or through use of a visual line position detection device. The visual line position detection device determines which area in the photographic field the photographer's eye is focused upon, and the focused upon area is then selected. The camera may include a display device that indicates which of the plurality of areas has been selected.