Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Sony Corporation

Kazumasa Yoshikawa

Satoshi Natsume

Isao Tanaka

Noboru Suzuki

Seiji Sato

Katsumi Karasawa

Takashi Kameyama

Hidekazu Suto

Keisuke Hirai

Yasuyuki Tomita

Hirotsugu Terada

Susumu Fukita

Masayuki Sakamoto

A drive control apparatus for a lens apparatus having a zoom lens movable between a telephoto end and a wide-angle end according to the present invention comprises a selecting member which selects a zoom position between the telephoto end and the wide-angle end, a controller which has a drive range limiting function of controlling drive of the zoom lens by using the selected zoom position as a drive end, and a drive range switch member which switches the drive range limiting function between an invalid state and a valid state. The controller drives the zoom lens to the drive end when the drive range limiting function is switched to the valid state.

Lens apparatus and image-taking apparatus including drive range limiting function having valid and invalid states

A camera system is disclosed which allows different types of lens apparatuses to be used in combination with a single image-taking apparatus without requiring changes of focus control signals on the side of the image-taking apparatus depending on the type of a lens apparatus mounted on the image-taking apparatus. The camera system includes an image-taking apparatus which outputs a focus control signal and a lens apparatus which includes a focus lens and is mounted on the image-taking apparatus. The lens apparatus includes a controller which produces a drive signal according to a type of focus of the lens apparatus based on the focus control signal and controls drive of the focus lens based on the drive signal.

Camera system and lens apparatus

An image taking apparatus which includes an optical apparatus provided with a focus detection and focusing control unit for controlling a focus lens by an automatic focus detection and focusing control; a remote operation apparatus provided with a first switchover signal inputting unit for performing a switchover between a control of the focus lens by the automatic focus detection and focusing control and a control of the focus lens by a remote instruction control, and a second switchover signal inputting unit for performing a switchover between manual operations of the focus lens by a speed control and a position control; and a switchover signal superposing unit for superposing an output from the first switchover signal inputting unit and an output from the second switchover signal inputting unit.

Switchover image taking apparatus

A relay unit connected between a remote control unit and an optical device having a focus lens comprises a first switching signal input unit for switching control of the focus lens between automatic focal point detection focusing and control of the focus lens by remote commands from the remote control unit. This enables remote control of a lens unit simply by replacing the lens unit with one having automatic focus capabilities.

Relay unit

A lens apparatus includes a changing unit for changing a user-specified value in a user-specified data segment to a standard set value at any screen state of a display panel. Therefore, a setting information element for each function regarding image capture in the lens apparatus is changed to a standard setting information element by a particular operation. As a result, problems, such as the activation of an undesired function upon the operation of a switch on a drive unit, and the like, are solved.

Lens apparatus allowing changing user settings to standard settings

The optical control system includes a control unit and an optical apparatus. The control unit includes an output switching section. The output switching section is switchable between a first state, in which the command signal from a command signal generation section is output via a first terminal of a first connector, and a second state, in which a switching signal for selecting the second control section, the voltage level of the switching signal being different from that of the command signal, is output from the first terminal. The control switching section of the optical apparatus selects the first control section in response to input of the command signal, and selects the second control section in response to the switching signal, which is input from the second terminal of the second connector.

Optical control system

A lens apparatus in which setting information for each function related to image-capturing with the lens apparatus can be changed only by special operations. The lens apparatus includes an optical device, memory for storing setting data, and a controller for controlling changing the data in the memory. The function settings defined for each subject of TV shooting cannot be easily changed. As such, the problem of accidentally activating unintended functions during the operation of switches on a drive unit can thus be prevented.

Lens apparatus with changeable image-capturing function setting

Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a memory unit for storing preset driving information about driving of the optical member, a driving unit for driving the optical member, an operation unit having an operation member, and a control unit for performing drive control of the driving unit. The control unit changes the preset driving information in accordance with the operation of the operation unit.

Optical device, optical device driving unit, and camera system

A drive controller for a lens apparatus including a first lens unit which moves for changing magnification and a second lens unit which moves to prevent an image plane variation in response to the first lens unit moving to change the magnification. The drive controller includes a memory storing a plurality of tracking data corresponding to position data of the second lens unit, and a control unit for detecting a change in a focus state of the lens apparatus during the movement of the first lens unit and for changing one of the plurality of tracking data based on the detection result. The control unit stores a direction of the changing of the one tracking data and thereafter changes the one tracking data based on the stored direction.

Drive controller for lens apparatus

The invention provides an optical apparatus comprising an optical member, a memory unit for memorizing preset speed information, and preset position information or preset direction information a memory instructing operation unit to be operated for causing the memory unit to memorize the preset speed information, and a control unit for executing preset drive control on the optical member, wherein the control unit is adapted to cause the memory unit to memorize arbitrary preset speed information, or arbitrary preset speed information and arbitrary preset direction information, in response to the operation of the memory instructing operation unit, and to drive the optical member either to a position corresponding to the memorized preset position information with a speed corresponding to the memorized preset speed information, or with a speed corresponding to the memorized preset speed information and with a direction corresponding to the memorized preset direction information.

Optical apparatus, optical apparatus driving unit and camera system

The invention provides a device for making parallel interface communication compatible with serial interface communication when a serial interface compatible large television lens is used for a portable television camera, thereby performing optimal communication between the television camera and lens. In the arrangement of this invention, the terminals of the television lens are connected to the terminals of the camera via an adapter device, and a changeover switch is used to connect the terminals in accordance with serial or parallel communication, thereby setting compatibility between serial and parallel communications.

Adapter device for connecting a photographic optical system to a camera

Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a driving member for driving the optical member, a storage member for storing preset information about driving of the optical member, an information write device for writing the preset information in the storage member from the outside of the optical device, and a control member for performing driving control of the driving member. The control member performs preset driving control of the driving member on the basis of the preset information stored in the storage member.

Optical device, optical device driving unit, information write device, preset information setting system, and camera system

An optical driving unit is disclosed, which is equipped with a function for moving an optical adjustment member by servo-driving to a stored position, wherein the optical adjustment member is not moved against the operator's intent after manual driving while that function is being carried out. The optical driving unit includes a driving mechanism that allows servo-driving and manual driving of the optical adjustment member, and that allows manual driving of the optical adjustment member during servo-driving without necessitating a switching operation. It also includes a storage circuit that stores at least one driving position of the optical adjustment member, and a control circuit that performs preset driving control through which the optical adjustment member is servo-driven to the driving position stored in the storage circuit. The control circuit aborts the preset driving control if manual driving of the optical adjustment member is detected during the preset driving control.

Optical driving unit, optical apparatus and camera system

The invention provides an optical apparatus comprising an optical member constituting the optical apparatus, memory means for memorizing preset information, control means for selectively executing preset drive controls of plural kinds utilizing the preset information memorized in the memory means, in response to a memory instructing operation for the optical member, and memory instructing operation means to be used in common for the memory instruction operation for the preset drive controls of the plural kinds.

It is an object to perform a near rotating control of a rotary element. As a construction, disclosed is a rotating position control apparatus having a potentiometer constructed by a contact element rotating in accordance with the rotation of a rotary element and a resistive element on which the contact element slides, a control unit for driving the rotation of the rotary element to a plurality of rotating positions on the basis of an output of the potentiometer, and an insulator which is provided between both ends of the resistive element in the potentiometer and on which the contact element can slide, wherein the apparatus includes an A/D converting unit for A/D converting the output of the potentiometer and drives the rotation of the rotary element from the current rotating position to a target rotating position on the basis of a value obtained by A/D converting the output of the potentiometer through the A/D converting unit and a command code to instruct the rotating position of the rotary element.

Growing community of inventors

Utsunomiya, Japan

Kazumasa Yoshikawa