Panasonic Corporation

Hiroyuki Kawahara

Takashi Abe

Kenichi Honjo

Koji Shibuno

Keiji Sakamoto

Takahiro Ikeda

Takumi Kuwahara

Norikazu Katsuyama

Kenji Kawazoe

Yasuhiro Shingu

A lens control apparatus, and an interchangeable lens including the lens control apparatus, are provided which can obtain, in zoom tracking operation, excellent optical images at subject distances in a wider range. A lens control apparatus controls drive of an optical system including a first and a second focus lens for adjusting a focus state and a zoom lens for adjusting an angle of view. The lens control apparatus includes: a first driver that drives the first focus lens; a second driver that drives the second focus lens; a controller that controls the first and second drivers; and a storage unit that stores first and second tracking data, the first and second tracking data each being information that associates a position of the first and second focus lenses respectively with a position of the zoom lens for focusing on a subject.

Lens control apparatus and interchangeable lens including lens control apparatus

An image pickup apparatus of the present invention is an image pickup apparatus including an ultrasonic motorthat moves a focus lens, and further including a correction control partthat operates the ultrasonic motorunder a predetermined condition. The correction control partis capable of executing a correction process by measuring a frequency characteristic of an applied voltage at the time of operating the ultrasonic motorat a predetermined rotation speed, comparing the frequency characteristic with a preset reference frequency characteristic, and correcting the frequency characteristics on the basis of a difference between the frequency characteristic and the reference frequency characteristic so as to calculate a correction frequency characteristic. Accordingly, even when the frequency characteristic of the ultrasonic motor varies due to wear of the ultrasonic motor and mechanical components coupled thereto, a stable drive can be maintained over a long time.

Image pickup apparatus, interchangeable lens unit, camera body, and ultrasonic motor driving apparatus

An imaging apparatus includes an optical system including a focus lens, a driver configured to drive the focus lens, a controller configured to control a supply of power to the driver, and a setting unit configured to set a power supply mode for specifying a method of supplying power to the driver. When a predetermined power supply mode is set, the controller determines according to a magnitude of a depth of field of the optical system during whether holding power for holding the state of the focus lens is supplied to the driver when the focus lens is stopped, and controls the supply of the holding power to the driver according to the result of the determination.

Imaging apparatus and camera system

A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Hiroyuki Kawahara