Nikon Corporation

Nippon Kogaku K.k.

Nippon Kagaku K.k.

Kimio Uematsu

Akira Ezawa

Yoshiharu Inoue

Naoyuki Murakami

Toshihiro Sato

Tsutomu Wakabayashi

Takashi Saegusa

Kazuharu Imafuji

Akira Ogasawara

Nobuaki Sasagaki

Masaharu Hara

Keiji Ohsawa

Naoki Tomino

Shinichi Tsukada

Chiyuki Kuwata

Toshiharu Matsuda

Masaru Shida

Kei Ikeda

Masatoshi Kanzaki

Yoshiyuki Daimon

Yoshinori Ishikawa

An electronic camera includes: an imaging device that captures a subject image and outputs image signals; an image synthesizing device that performs image synthesis to generate a single image by using a plurality of sets of image signals obtained on different imaging conditions by the imaging device; and a control device that determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a predetermined determination condition, and, when it is determined to perform the image synthesis, controls the image synthesizing device so as to perform the image synthesis.

Electronic camera

As a shutter release button is pressed down, a front end portion of a sequence drive lever moves toward the rear side and, as a result, a mirror-up lever is caused to rotate to the right by the force applied from a mirror up spring. In this state, a mirror drive end presses a mirror drive pin upward to raise a main mirror. In addition, a shutter drive end comes in contact with a shutter drive boss at a switching lever to push the shutter drive boss upward, thereby pulling the shutter blades downward. During a reset operation, the front end portion moves to the front side causing the mirror-up lever to rotate to the left. The main mirror is thus lowered. Since the switching lever is caused to rotate to the right with the force applied from a switching lever reset spring, the shutter blades are pulled upward to shield an opening.

A single lens reflex camera includes a rotatable built-in flash unit. An optical member, such as a pentaprism, conducts light rays to an eyepiece unit. Pentaprism has a right roof surface, a left roof surface, and a third reflecting surface. Third reflecting surface enables light reflected by the roof surfaces to pass to the eyepiece unit. The built-in flash unit is rotatable between a housed position, in which a light emitting unit is housed within a camera body, and a use position, in which the light emitting unit projects from the camera body. The built-in flash unit rotates centered on a rotation axis that is parallel to a photographic optical axis, extending from the camera to a photographic object. When in the housed position, the light emitting unit is positioned along either the left or right surface of surface of the optical member.

Single lens reflex camera with rotatable built-in flash

A photographing information setting apparatus for a camera has a capability of improving the operativity in setting photographing information by displaying all of the photographing information or a part thereof contained in a photographing information group when such a group is selected by an information group selecting device. In selecting photographing information, a photographing information group containing exposing modes, shutter speeds, and others is selected by the information group selecting device and at least two pieces of photographing information contained in this photographing information group are displayed in a display. For example, when a photographing information group regarding exposing modes is selected, the exposing modes PM, P, S, A and M are displayed in the display. Then, when a photographing information is further set by an information setting device from the selected photographing information group, such a photographing information is displayed in the display in a state where this information is distinguished from the other pieces of photographing information. In other words, the standard automatic exposing mode P is displayed in the display in such a manner if it is set, for example.

Apparatus for displaying photographing information for a camera

A focus detection device for precisely mounting a deflection member in a module body with high reliability. A module body retains a focus detection optical system. A portion of a hollow portion, through which a focus detection light beam passes, is formed by an aperture in the exterior of the module body. A deflecting member, which deflects the optical path of the focus detection light beam, is located in the aperture. A biasing member bias the deflecting member and restrains the deflecting member in a fixed location on the module body. A lens aggregate which has multiple lenses formed into a single body on the same substrate is forced against a support member in the module body to touch at contact areas. The contact areas on either the lens aggregate or the support member includes first, second and third protuberances. A first contact area opposite the first protuberance is shaped such that the first protuberance is restrained from movement in all directions lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the force is exerted. A second contact area opposite the second protuberance permits movement ,along only one line within the aforementioned plane. A third contact opposite the third protuberance does not restrain movement within the aforementioned plane. In an alternative embodiment, only two contact areas are provided in holes in the support member. Only two protuberances protrude from the lens aggregate and are disposed in the holes. A curable liquid filler which hardens on exposure to air is introduced into the holes around the protuberances. One of the holes is shaped to restrict all movement in a plane perpendicular to the protuberances, while the other hole permits movement along a line in the plane after the filler hardens.

Focus detection device

A camera setting and display device has a visual display and includes setting members that set corresponding photographic information in a camera. A storage device included in the camera has a first storage area that selectively stores a first set of photographic information from the setting members and a second storage area that selectively stores a second set of photographic information, different from the first set of photographic information, from the setting members. A visual display of the camera setting and display device has a first display section corresponding to the first storage area that displays the first set of photographic information and a second display section corresponding to the second storage area that displays the second set of photographic information. A permission member selects either the first display section and the second display section for display on the visual display.

Camera setting and display device

A diaphragm control device for a camera capable of controlling a diaphragm member with a high level of precision is disclosed. The camera and diaphragm control device are equipped with a mirror member that moves from the down position to the up position during shooting of a subject, a mirror driving device to drive the mirror member, a diaphragm mechanism connected with the mirror member to control light rays from the subject, a diaphragm driving device to drive the diaphragm mechanism, a stopping device to stop the diaphragm driving device, and a control device to control the diaphragm driving device and the stopping device to stop the diaphragm mechanism at about a predetermined position. A correction device correct changes in the stopping characteristics of the stopping device to precisely stop the diaphragm mechanism at the predetermined position.

Diaphragm control device for a camera

A setting device to set camera data, including a first operating member, a first setting input device which is switched ON when the first operating member is operated, a second operating member, a second setting input device which is switched ON when the second operating member is operated, a third operating member, and a third setting input device which outputs a signal according to an operation of the third operating member. A first memory stores first setting data, and a second memory to stores second setting data. A third memory stores one of a first state which selects the first setting data and a second state which selects the second setting data. A first display displays one of the first and second setting data, according to the state stored by the third memory. A second display displays one of the first setting data stored in the first memory and the second setting data stored in the second memory, according to the content of the third memory. A first control unit changes a state stored in the third memory according to an output signal of the third setting input device when the first setting input device is ON. A second control unit changes the content of the first memory, when the third memory stores the first state, according to the output signal of the third setting device when the second setting input device is ON. A third control unit changes the content of the second memory, when the third memory stores the second state, according to the output signal of the third setting device when the second setting input device is ON.

Device for setting camera information using a reduced number of

A DX encoded film data detecting mechanism has a first contact member the tip portion formed with an opening at its tip portion protruding by a predetermined amount so as to come in contact with a film data pattern from an opening formed in a wall of a film magazine of a camera. The mechanism also has a second contact member disposed in the opening of the first contact member and protruding by a predetermined amount so as to come in contact with the film data pattern.

Mechanism for detecting DX encoded film data of camera

A mirror box for a camera includes a mirror box section for rotatably holding a mirror, a lens mounting section for connection to a lens and a shutter plate section that defines an inlet opening for a shutter assembly, all three sections being defined as a one-piece unit. By this structure, the central axes of the lens mounting section, the shutter assembly and the mirror box coincide. This enables the operating position of the shutter assembly to be adjusted directly with respect to the light axis of the photographic lens.

Improved mirror box construction to ensure accurate assembly thereof

There is disclosed a focus state display device, adapted for use in a camera which has plural focus detection areas in the phototaking image field and effects focusing in one area (focusing area) selected from such plural focus detection areas. The device has a display with two different display modes, and displays the focusing area in one display mode when the lens of the camera is in an infocus state to the object in the focusing area, and in the other display mode when the lens is in an out-of-focus state to the object in the focusing area. In another embodiment, the device has a display with three different display modes, and displays the focusing area by a display mode and other focus detection areas (namely nonfocusing areas) by two other display modes depending on whether the object in respective area is in focus or out of focus.

Focus state display device for camera

A focal-plane shutter apparatus comprises a first plate located on a film-plane side of a mirror box, a second plate located on a film-plane side of the first plate, a third plate located on an opposite side of the first plate to the film-plane side thereof, a vane group comprising a plurality of light shielding thin plates contained between the first plate and the second plate, and a drive arm contained between the first plate and the second plate to drive the vane group, the third plate having a mount portion which is to be fixed to the first plate, a shaft fixed to the third plate, a shutter drive lever rotatably fit to the shaft at one end and connected to the drive arm at an other end, and an urging device for urging the shutter drive lever in a direction of drive of the vane group, in which the first plate has a support portion to support the one end of the shaft and a hole portion for transmitting a displacement of the shutter drive lever to the drive arm.

Focal-plane shutter apparatus

An electric drive device for a camera, for driving a movable mirror and a lens diaphragm by a motor and also charging a shutter, comprises

Electric drive device for camera

A single-reflex camera is provided with a movable mirror provided on a photographing optical path; a driver circuit connected to an electrical motor so as to drive the movable mirro, the driver circuit being arranged to cause the movable mirror to move out of the photographing optical path in a first cycle of driving prior to exposure and to cause the movable mirror to move onto the photographing optical path in a second cycle of driving following the first cycle of driving; a photometer circuit arranged to receive a portion of the light flux which passes through the photographing optical path and which is incident upon the movable mirror and then to generate information concerning the brightness of an object; a first timer circuit for counting the time period required for the first cycle of driving of the driver; and a second timer circuit for determining, on the basis of the required time period counted by the first timer circuit; the time interval between the starting of the first cycle of driving of the driver circuit and the starting of the operation of the photometer circuit.

Single-reflex camera driven by motor

A control apparatus for camera, comprises driving means comprising an electric motor, a circuit means for controlling the motor and a rotary shaft rotationally driven by the motor. The rotation of the rotary shaft includes a first rotation in a direction started in response to a picture-taking starting operation, a second rotation in a second direction started in response to the completion of an exposure and a third rotation in the second direction subsequent to the second rotation. The apparatus further includes a shutter-charging member movable from an initial position to a charge position in order to charge a shutter-driving mechanism; a mirror-operating member disposed to move a movable mirror between a position for through-finder observation and a position for exposure; a diaphragm-operating means for moving a diaphragm of a photographing lens between an open aperture position and a stop-down aperture position; a film feed member for taking up a film stepwise frame by frame; and an interlocking means for operationally connecting the shutter-charging member, mirror-operating member, diaphragm-operating member and film feed member with the rotary shaft and disposed to move the diaphragm to the stop-down position, the shutter-charging member to the initial position and the movable mirror to the exposure position during the first rotation of the rotary shaft, and, during the second rotation, to move the diaphragm to the open aperture position, the shutter-charging member to the charge position and the mirror to the through-finder observation position, and further, during the third rotation to take up the film.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kimio Uematsu