Nikon Corporation

Kazutoshi Usui

Hiroyuki Tomita

Tsuyoshi Matsumoto

Tadao Kai

Kenichi Kitano

Yoshiko Ono

Hiroshi Takeuchi

Mitsuhiro Okazaki

The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image. An accurate reference signal can be obtained by the correction, thereby improving the performance of the vibration reduction.

Shooting lens having vibration reducing function and camera system for same

A motion compensation device comprising, a detector to detect a vibration of an imaging device which takes an image, a controller to control a compensation amount of an influence of said vibration based on an output of said detector, said controller increasing said compensation amount according to lapse of shooting time of said imaging device.

Motion compensation device and photographic device

An imaging device according to the present invention includes: an image-capturing optical system forming an image of a subject on a surface of an image sensor; a blur-detecting unit detecting a blur of an optical axis in the image-capturing optical system; an image-capturing unit which divides a total exposure time by a predetermined dividing number to repeat image capturing, and generates a number of images corresponding to the dividing number; and a composing unit which finds a motion vector based on the images in the dividing number generated by the image-capturing unit and on the blur detected by the blur-detecting unit and composes the generated images in the dividing number based on the motion vector. Therefore, it is possible to precisely correct a blur while shortening the time required for the blur correction.

Imaging device having a blur-correction function

A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.

Blur correction camera system

An imaging device photoelectrically converts a subject image to generate image data. The imaging device has a function of selectively performing two types of image vibration correction processings on this image data. The imaging device makes a selection/switching between the image vibration correction processings in accordance with a determination of an exposure period required to shoot the image data.

Imaging device having function for correcting image shake of acquired image

When a photographing apparatus that is in a photographing enabled state but, at the same time, in a blur correction disabled state, is expected to be subjected to a shock, e.g., when an flash device in the photographing apparatus is about to be deployed, a blur correcting optical system is held at a constant position over a necessary length of time. In addition, at the start of a photographing operation, the blur correcting optical system is moved to a position at which the optical axis of the photographic optical system and the optical axis of the blur correcting optical system are substantially aligned with each other and the blur correcting optical system is held at the position. As a result, it becomes possible to dispense with a lock mechanism for holding the blur correcting lens and, at the same time, power consumption is reduced.

Blur correction apparatus and camera

An image-capturing device includes: an image-capturing element that converts light to an electrical signal; a photographic lens member that condenses subject light at the image-capturing element; a board on which the image-capturing element is mounted; and an elastic member having one end thereof secured to the photographic lens member and another end thereof secured to the board.

Image-capturing device with position detector for vibration reduction

A blur correcting device comprises: a blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving along a direction extending substantially perpendicular to an optical axis; a movable member that includes the blur correction optical system and moves together with the blur correction optical system; a blur correction drive unit that drives the movable member; and a pressure member that applies pressure to the movable member in a direction extending substantially along the optical axis of the blur correction optical system, and switches between a state in which the pressure is applied to the movable member and a state in which no pressure is applied to the movable member by moving within a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis.

Vibration preventing device and blur correcting device

Blur correction apparatus for correcting blurring of an image photographed using a photographic optical system comprises a blur correction optical system acting to correct image blurring during photographing, a blur correction drive section for electromagnetically driving the blur correction optical system, and a lock member for locking the blur correction optical system. The blur correction drive section has a permanent magnet, one surface of which is used in the blur correction drive section, and another surface of which is used in a lock member drive section. The blur correction drive section is fixed to the permanent magnet and includes a yoke having projections formed at prescribed intervals along the permanent magnet and four coils opposing to both the permanent magnet and the projections with a prescribed gap and connecting to the blur correction optical system.

Blur correction apparatus

A motion compensation device to compensate for motion of an optical system causing image blur. The motion compensation device includes a motion detection unit to detect motion causing image blur, a motion compensation lens which is driven to correct image blur and a motion detection signal correction unit to correct a motion detection signal output by the motion detection unit. The motion detection signal correction unit includes a position bias table to correct a target position signal which drives the motion compensation lens to a target position, and a speed bias table to correct the drive speed of the motion compensation lens. The position bias table causes the motion compensation lens to be driven at the center of its range of movement to prevent a sense of physical disorder during panning or during a composition change. Moreover, the speed bias table causes the motion compensation lens to be driven to a center of its range of movement a predetermined time after introduction of a power supply to correct the drive speed of the motion compensation lens to obtain an image with little distortion.

Motion compensation system having motion detection signal correction

A motion compensation device having a motion compensation lens which moves to compensate for motion caused by, e.g, hand shake, to prevent blur of an image formed on an image forming plane. An actuator drives the motion compensation lens and when the motion compensation lens moves, a drive current flows in a coil of the actuator. A drive current measuring device measures the drive current. An ideal drive current calculating unit calculates an ideal drive current when the motion compensation lens receives no acceleration. The ideal drive current calculating unit includes a virtual actuator. The virtual actuator is a model of an actuator which behaves similarly to the actual actuator. The ideal drive current calculating unit calculates the ideal drive current for the state in which there is no acceleration caused by hand shake. A position instruction value calculating unit finds a value proportional to the hand shake acceleration by comparing the drive current measured by the drive current measuring device with the ideal drive current calculated by the ideal drive current calculating unit. The position instruction value calculating unit calculates a drive amount (target position signal) of the motion compensation lens which is necessary in order to compensate the motion.

Motion compensation device to compensate for motion of an optical system

A device used in an optical system such as a camera that makes it possible to perform suitable motion compensation, even during panning. The device includes a motion detection unit which detects motion, a motion compensation optical system which compensates for image motion, a motion compensation drive unit which drives the motion compensation optical system, a motion compensation control unit which calculates, from the output of the motion detection unit, a target position signal of the motion compensation optical system, and based on this target position signal, controls the motion compensation drive unit, a position detection unit which detects the position of the motion compensation optical system, and a center bias calculating unit which, based on the position data obtained from the position detection unit, corrects the target position signal towards the center of possible movement of the motion compensation optical system.

Motion compensation device to compensate for motion due to hand movement

An image vibration correcting device has a vibration correcting optical system so movable as to vary an optical axis of a phototaking optical system in order to correct an image vibration resulting from vibration, a drive force generating unit including a magnetic member and a coil, for generating an electromagnetic force for driving the vibration correcting optical system, a substrate bearing a pattern for transmitting an electrical signal, and a support member composed of a conductive elastic material, supporting the vibration correcting optical system and electrically connecting the pattern on the substrate with the coil in the drive force generating unit.

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Kawasaki, Japan

Kazutoshi Usui