Minolta Company, Ltd.

Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Iwao Ishida

Hiroshi Ueda

Kazuo Kimura

Akio Kinba

Masataka Hamada

Kenji Ishibashi

Masatoshi Yoneyama

Makoto Kamiya

Kiyoshi Nishitani

Katsuhito Akagi

Haruyuki Nagano

Akio Kimba

Koichi Okumura

An optical element disposed behind a main mirror and inclined relative to the optical axis is arranged at a position to correct aberration in the luminous flux generated by transmission through the main mirror.

Device detecting focus of a taking lens without decrease in focus detection accuracy when the auto focus area is disposed at an inclination relative to the photographic field

In an optical unit such as AF sensor used in a camera, a sensor module is directly fixed on a flexible printed circuit substrate in a manner so that an array of photo-sensing devices formed on the sensor chip is directly connected to conductive patterns on the flexible printed circuit substrate. The printed circuit substrate with the sensor module is held by a sensor holder, and the sensor holder is fixed on an exit opening of a base member of the optical unit in a manner so that the photo-sensing surface of the sensor chip is perpendicular to an optical axis of optical elements such as lenses held on the base member.

Optical sensor and optical unit

The AF sensor module primarily comprises condenser lens , mirror , aperture mask , separator lens and CCD . Separator lens is located such that its lengthwise center line M may be parallel to the lengthwise center line N of CCD while it is inclined by micro-angle &dgr; with center line M as the rotational axis. By arranging the lens surface of separator lens and the image pickup surface of CCD such that they are non-parallel to each other, reflected light L existing due to the reflection of light between separator lens and CCD is prevented from striking CCD once again so that a reduction in the accuracy of focus detection caused by said reflected light may be prevented.

Distance detecting device for an optical system

A focusing lens for adjusting the dioptric power in accordance with the user's dioptric power is provided in each of right and left lens barrels. When a main switch dial is set at a normal position, a microcomputer sets the focusing lens at a dioptric power of 0 by controlling a motor so that the focusing lens moves to a position corresponding to a dioptric power of 0.

Telescope having mechanism for automatically returning optical system to

A binocular comprising a housing and a pair of first and second optical systems positioned on each side of a central line. Each optical system includes an object lens and ocular lens arranged at a front part and at a rear part of the housing respectively. Further, a light admitting window is placed on the central line between the first and second optical systems for admitting light from an object. A detection module, provided independently of the first and second optical systems is used to output electrical signals which represent the distance to the object. The detection module may include an optical path deflecting means for z-shapely deflecting the light from the light admitting window and for directing the light to a sensor. The binocular is compact and has a hand grip that is designed in order to be holdable and focusable by the use of a single hand.

Binocular

Growing community of inventors

Higashiosaka, Japan

Iwao Ishida