Abstract: In a case where an in-focus threshold value is set based on an F number, when a zoom or a focus is changed, the threshold value will change, so that an in-focus indication happens to be switched to an out-of-focus indication. To solve the problem, an image pickup apparatus has an image pickup unit that picks up an optical image formed through an optical system, wherein the optical system has a zoom function and F number thereof varies within a predetermined range according to a plurality of zoom conditions, a determination unit that determines an in-focus condition when a defocus amount of an object is smaller than predetermined first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is determined by a minimum F number within the predetermined range, and a focus indication unit that indicates a first in-focus indication when the focus condition is in-focus condition.

Abstract: A battery pack includes: a first switch connected between a first end of a battery and a first output terminal; a second switch including a first terminal and a second terminal which are connected to a second end of the battery, and a third terminal and a fourth terminal which are connected to a second output terminal, wherein the first terminal and the third terminal are electrically connected when the second switch is turned off, and the second terminal and the fourth terminal are electrically connected when the second switch is turned on; a pre-charge resistor connected between the third terminal of the second switch and the second output terminal; and a controller configured to control the second switch such that the second switch is turned on if a precharging period of time elapses after the first switch is turned on.

Abstract: A backlight driving method for a backlight driving circuit and a backlight driving device includes a first driving signal processing step, a second driving signal processing step, and a backlight driving step. The driving circuit includes a backlight driving module that includes a first processing module, a second processing module, and a driving control module. The first processing module includes a first signal decoding module, a first register module, and a first conversion module, and the second processing module includes a second signal decoding module, a second register module, a second conversion module, and a third conversion module.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus sends to the lens apparatus command registration information indicative of a combination and a transmission order of a plurality of lens data to be transmitted from the lens apparatus to the image capturing apparatus, and requests the lens apparatus to continuously transmit the plurality of lens data in the transmission order based on the command registration information. The lens apparatus registers the command registration information in response to the command registration information received from the image capturing apparatus, and continuously transmits the plurality of lens data to the image capturing apparatus in the transmission order based on the command registration information in response to a transmission request command corresponding to the command registration information received from the image capturing apparatus.

Abstract: A mobile device case for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module has defined therein a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of an auxiliary lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module. The case comprises electric circuit components positioned to balance an attached auxiliary lens approximately at a grip location.

Abstract: A photometry device for a camera is provided with a normal light sensor having a spectral sensitive characteristics close to those of a human eye, and a plurality of colorimetric sensors. The device further includes a photometry value determining system, a colorimetric compensation value determining system that determines a color of an object at each of the plurality of photometry areas and a colorimetric compensation value based on the determined color, and an exposure value determining system that compensates for the photometry value determined by the photometry value determining system for each of the plurality of photometry areas, and determines an exposure value based on the compensated photometry values. In the photometry device configured as above, the colorimetric compensation value determining system determines different colorimetric compensation values for different one of the plurality of photometry areas.

Abstract: A photometry device for a camera is provided with a normal light sensor having a plurality of photometry areas, and a plurality of photometric sensors for colorimetry. A photometry value determining system determines a photometry value at each photometry area in accordance with outputs of the normal light sensor. A colorimetric compensation value determining system determines a color of an object at each photometry area in accordance with the outputs of the photometric sensors for colorimetry, and determines a colorimetric compensation value based on the determined color. An exposure value determining system compensates for the photometry value determined by the photometry value determining system for each o photometry area, and determines an exposure value based on the compensated photometry values. The colorimetric compensation value determining system determines different threshold values, which are used for determining colors at the plurality of photometry areas, for different photometry areas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens driving apparatus which can accurately detect the position of a movable lens group while preventing the apparatus from increasing in size and cost by using a simple position detecting sensor. A first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group are disposed along an optical axis, among which the second lens group is a movable lens group and is movable along the optical axis. The second lens group is movable at two or more different speeds. When the second lens group passes a reference position, it is moved at a speed which is not the highest of the different speeds. As a consequence, the position of the second lens group can be detected accurately.

Abstract: An exposure controller for use in a photographing apparatus including a flash, includes a diaphragm having a changeable opening to adjust the amount of light reaching a photosensitive medium from a lens optical system, a diaphragm control unit for changing the opening of the diaphragm during the time when a shutter is being opened, and a flash control unit for firing the flash at a predetermined time during the time when the shutter is being opened. This exposure controller enables photography having apodization effect.

Abstract: A single-lens reflex camera with a full-aperture metering part includes a lens having an automatic diaphragm part, a lens mount, and an information transmitting part for transmitting information for full-aperture metering error compensation, and a camera body having a lens mount attachment part to which the lens mount of the lens is detachably attached, information receiving part for receiving the information for full-aperture metering error compensation from the information transmitting part of the lens, and a mode setting part for selecting one of various exposure modes including an automatic exposure mode. When the information receiving part receives no information for full-aperture metering error compensation from the information transmitting part in a state where the lens is attached to the camera body, the mode setting part enables the automatic exposure mode to be set, and the automatic diaphragm part forcibly sets an aperture to a full-aperture condition.

Abstract: An aperture mechanism for controlling the aperture of an optical system includes a flexible diaphragm having an opening at its center for forming a first aperture value for the optical system and means for stretching the diaphragm to enlarge the opening and form at least one additional aperture value for the optical system. A stepper motor is used to stretch the diaphragm to form a plurality of aperture values for the optical system. Because the size of the aperture is determined by how much the diaphragm is stretched, the backlash between the stepper motor and related gearing is kept to a minimum due to the elastic properties of the diaphragm, which provides economical and accurate control of very small apertures.

Abstract: A stereo image forming adapter mounted forwardly of the zoom lens of a camera is provided with a plurality of deflecting members disposed at spacing intervals for deflecting light from an object, and a reflecting member for reflecting light flux from each of the deflecting members toward the zoom lens, the spacing interval between deflecting members is varied in operative association with expansion and contraction of the focal length resulting from zooming of the zoom lens.