Nikon Corporation

Keiji Osawa

Akira Yamamoto

Takayuki Uchiyama

Akira Ezawa

Ryuichi Mori

Yousuke Kowno

Tomoyuki Takada

Katsumasa Nishijima

Hiroyuki Iwasaki

Kiyoshige Shibazaki

An image-capturing element that receives light of a subject image entering within a camera body through an interchangeable photographic lens is packaged and is mounted at the camera body via a holder. A camera-side mounting surface and a holder-side mounting surface are machined in advance and formed respectively relative to the mounting surface for the photographic lens formed at the camera body and the light-receiving surface of the image-capturing element. By mounting the image-capturing apparatus with the camera-side mounting surface and the holder-side mounting surface placed in contact with each other at the camera body using screws, the light-receiving surface is aligned with the image-forming position of the photographic lens.

Image-capturing apparatus, electronic still camera, method and apparatus for processing mounting surface of image-capturing apparatus and metal member contact structure

Light emitted from a taking lensenters a first birefringent plateto be spatially divided along a first direction extending perpendicular to the direction in which the light advances to achieve two separate rays Land L. The vibrational planes of the two light fluxes Land Lemitted from the first birefringent plateare converted to a circularly polarized light by a phase plate. The two light fluxes L' and L&#x2032; emitted from the phase plateare each spatially divided into two by a second birefringent platealong a second direction extending perpendicular to the first direction to achieve four separate rays L, L, Land L, to be guided to an imaging planeof an imaging device. At least either the first birefringent plate or the second birefringent plate is constituted of lithium niobate, rutilo, Chilean nitrate, or the like.

Optical filter and optical device provided with this optical filter

Light emitted from a taking lens enters a first birefringent plate to be spatially divided along a first direction extending perpendicular to the direction in which the light advances to achieve two separate rays L and L The vibrational planes of the two light fluxes L and L emitted from the first birefringent plate are converted to a circularly polarized light by a phase plate The two light fluxes L &prime; and L &prime; emitted from the phase plate are each spatially divided into two by a second birefringent plate along a second direction extending perpendicular to the first direction to achieve four separate rays L L L and L to be guided to an imaging plane of an imaging device At least either the first birefringent plate or the second birefringent plate is constituted of lithium niobate, rutile, Chilean nitrate, or the like.

Light emitted from a taking lens enters a first birefringent plate to be spatially divided along a first direction extending perpendicular to the direction in which the light advances to achieve two separate rays L and L The vibrational planes of the two light fluxes L and L emitted from the first birefringent plate 1 are converted to a circularly polarized light by a phase plate The two light fluxes L &prime; and L &prime; emitted from the phase plate are each spatially divided into two by a second birefringent plate along a second direction extending perpendicular to the first direction to achieve four separate rays L L L and L to be guided to an imaging plane of an imaging device At least either the first birefringent plate or the second birefringent plate is constituted of lithium niobate, rutile, Chilean nitrate, or the like.

Light emitted from a taking lens enters a first birefringent plate la to be spatially divided along a first direction extending perpendicular to the direction in which the light advances to achieve two separate rays L and L . The vibrational planes of the two light fluxes L and L emitted from the first birefringent plate are converted to a circularly polarized light by a phase plate . The two light fluxes L &prime; and L &prime; emitted from the phase plate are each spatially divided into two by a second birefringent plate along a second direction extending perpendicular to the first direction to achieve four separate rays L , L , L and L , to be guided to an imaging plane of an imaging device . At least either the first birefringent plate or the second birefringent plate is constituted of lithium niobate, rutile. Chilean nitrate, or the like.

Light emitted from a taking lens,enters a first birefringent plate,to be spatially divided along a first direction extending perpendicular to the direction in which the light advances to achieve two separate rays L,and L,. The vibrational planes of the two light fluxes L,and L,emitted from the first birefringent plate,are converted to a circularly polarized light by a phase plate,. The two light fluxes L,and L,emitted from the phase plate,are each spatially divided into two by a second birefringent plate,along a second direction extending perpendicular to the first direction to achieve four separate rays L,, L,, L,and L,, to be guided to an imaging plane,of an imaging device,. At least either the first birefringent plate or the second birefringent plate is constituted of lithium niobate, rutile, Chilean nitrate, or the like,

An electronic flash unit is caused to perform a pre-flash immediately before a photographing operation, and the quantity of light reflected by the subject during the pre-flash is measured by a flash metering unit. Based upon the output from the flash metering unit, a decision is made as to whether or not another pre-flash is to be implemented. Based upon the results of the decision-making, another pre-flash is performed if necessary. Thus, if the quantity of light measured by the flash metering unit during the pre-flash is too small or too large and a sufficient degree of accuracy is not achieved in the measurement, another pre-flash is performed to assure a high degree of accuracy in metering.

Electronic flash control apparatus

A focus detection device that is capable of performing focus detection in several focus detection areas within a photographic image plane using, for example, a phase difference method and that uses an auxiliary illumination light with at least one of the areas also includes infrared light cut filters that block the transmission of light above predetermined wavelengths. In particular, the maximum wavelength of the light transmitted by the infrared cut filter for one of the focus detection areas is different than the maximum wavelength of the light transmitted by the infrared cut filter for another one of the focus detection areas.

Focus detection device

A power focus device for a camera provides a user-friendly lever interface allowing efficient camera operation. A lever, located outside a camera cover, is movable in two opposing directions but is biased to remain at a neutral position between two extremes of movement. Moving the lever from the neutral position initiates driving the camera lens to focus in either a first or a second direction according to a direction of a displacement of the lever from the neutral position. A speed of focusing is proportional to an amount of displacement of the lever from the neutral position, thus permitting variable high and low speed focusing in both directions for rapid and accurate close-up and infinity focussing. Incorporating a seal into the device permits use in underwater camera applications.

Power focus device for a camera

A focus detection apparatus that detects focusing conditions among multiple viewing areas within an image plane of a camera in order to guarantee equal focusing precision among the multiple viewing areas. The focus detection apparatus includes an aperture mask, a secondary imaging lens, and a line sensor which are assembled as a sub-unit. Each area of a multitude of viewing areas is provided with such a sub-unit to perform cross-eye adjustments. Finally, each sub-unit is aligned for installation on a main unit that is equipped with a field lens in order to perform pupil exit adjustments independently for each of the aforementioned viewing areas.

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Tokyo, Japan

Keiji Osawa