Abstract: Optical apparatus for controlling operations based on a user's visual axis includes a finder for observing an object, and circuitry for judging whether or not a user is looking into the finder. First control circuitry is provided for discontinuing a predetermined operation of the apparatus when the judging circuitry judges that the user is not looking into the finder. Second control circuitry is provided for beginning the predetermined operation regardless of the result judged by the judging circuitry. Selection circuitry is provided for selecting one of an operation of the first control circuitry and an operation of the second control circuitry according to an operational state of the apparatus. Preferably, the device is incorporated into a camera in which a self-timer or a remote-control photographing mode may be carried out even if the user's visual axis is not detected in the view finder.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting information of an eye of a person includes a light illuminating unit for illuminating the eye of the person with light from a plurality of different positions, a photoelectrical changing device for detecting light reflected from the eye, and a controlling device for controlling the light illuminating unit in accordance with whether or not the person is wearing spectacles.

Abstract: A camera is provided having a line-of-sight detecting device for detecting a line of sight of an observer, photometric means for detecting luminances of subareas into which a luminance detection area is partitioned, a selecting means for selecting a specific subarea from the plurality of subareas on the basis of information on the line of sight detected by the line-of-sight detecting means, and a calculating means for weighting the luminances of the plurality of subareas on the basis of the specific subarea selected by the selecting means.

Abstract: A camera with an optical system and having a visual axis detection device includes observing structure for observing an object, and circuitry for detecting a visual axis of an observer looking into the observing structure. Circuitry is provided for detecting a focus condition of each of a plurality of different positions in a photographing field of view, and for outputting a plurality of focus signals respectively corresponding to the plurality of detected focus conditions. Circuitry is also provided for obtaining a focus result from a focus signal which corresponds to the position in the field of view looked at by observer as detected by the detecting circuitry. Circuitry is also provided for preparing a focus adjustment signal based on the focus result obtained by the obtaining circuitry.

Abstract: A photometric value compensating device corrects the influence on the photometric value of a mark or character superimposed in the finder field of a camera when the finder field is finely divided for photo metering and makes it possible to always obtain the proper exposure value. The photometric value compensating device includes a finely divided photo metering device that divides the photographic field into multiple areas and measures the light intensity or brightness in each area and transmits information based on the measured light intensity as a photometric brightness value. A photographic information display device superimposes photographic information inside the finder field. A correction area determining device determines the photometric areas for which photometric value correction is necessary based on the brightness of the photographic information displayed in the photometric areas of the finely divided photo metering device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical apparatus, which comprises a photoelectric conversion device for converting reflected light from an eye into an electric signal, and a calculating device for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye using the electric signal and correction data, wherein the calculating device obtains the correction data using an electric signal obtained from the photoelectric conversion device when the eye keeps directed to a specific portion in the field of view during an ordinary operation of the optical apparatus.

Abstract: A camera includes an electronic viewfinder adapted to electrically display a photographing image, a visual line detection unit for detecting the position of a camera operator's visual line on a picture plane of the electronic viewfinder, and a display processing unit for displaying on the electronic viewfinder a photographing-related information involved in a camera photographing. In such a camera, the display processing unit controls a display position of the photographing-related information in accordance with an output of the visual line detection unit.

Abstract: This camera includes a viewfinder and a device (4) for detecting the visual line of a photographer looking through the viewfinder, an operation member (1), (8) such as a release button which is operated by the photographer to take a photograph, a means (2) for inputting calibration information, and a means for performing photography (5), (6), (7). The calibration information input means (2) operates in response to the operation of the operation member (1), (8), and inputs and stores calibration information when the photographer fixates on a target mark (3, b) visible within the viewfinder, based upon the visual line detected at that time by the visual line detection means (4). The object intended by the photographer to be photographed is detected and photographs it, based upon the visual line detected by the visual line detection means (4) and the stored calibration information.

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.