Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Olympus Corporation

Masayu Higuchi

Hidenori Sakurai

Lei Shi

Takeshi Ito

Hideaki Yoshida

Tetsuya Toyoda

Hiroshi Terada

Kazuyuki Iwasa

Dai Kawase

Yuichi Torikoshi

When shooting is made, an electronic camera selects a correction mode and a correction condition, which reflect the shooting intention of a user with the highest accuracy when a visible image is formed, based on a set shooting mode, a condition for image capturing at the time of shooting, and a camera mode. The electronic camera then associating the correction mode and the correction condition with the image data obtained by shooting, and records the mode and the condition in association with the image data on a memory card. When a printer prints an image based on the image data, it performs a process for a correction when a visible image is formed, based on the correction mode and the correction condition, which are associated with the image data.

Image capturing device using correction information for preventing at least a part of correction process from being performed when image data is corrected at an external device

A digital camera includes an image shooting section which obtains at least one set of image data by shooting. A metadata creating section creates metadata including a plurality of data elements indicative of information concerning the at least one set of image data obtained by the image shooting section. A recording section records in a recording medium at least one file having a first format in which metadata is added to the at least one set of image data and a file having a second format including metadata only.

Digital camera and image data recording method

A noise reduction system comprises an inputting unit inputting image data, and a noise reduction unit performing a process for removing noise of the image data input by the inputting unit. The noise reduction unit includes a representative value calculating unit calculating a representative value from the level values of a plurality of pixels in a predetermined direction, which include an observed pixel of the input image data, a representative value selecting unit selecting one representative value according to a predetermined condition from among a plurality of representative values which are calculated by the representative value calculating unit and correspond to a plurality of directions, and a replacing unit replacing the level value of the observed pixel with the representative value selected by the representative value selecting unit.

Noise reduction system, noise reduction method, recording medium, and electronic camera

A still imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, a storage device, and a positional displacement correcting device. The imaging device continuously executes imaging of a plurality of times with exposure amounts different from each other. The storage device stores a plurality of original images acquired by the imaging of the plurality of times executed by the imaging device. The positional displacement detecting device detects positional displacements of common objects included in the plurality of original images stored in the storage device and stores a plurality of corrected original images whose positional displacements are corrected based on detected positional displacements in the storage device through updating.

Electronic still imaging apparatus and method having function for acquiring synthesis image having wide-dynamic range

A digital camera has an adjustment value creating part configured to create an adjustment value for adjusting a white balance of an image, and an adjusting part configured to adjust the white balance of the image based on an adjustment value output from the adjustment value creating part. The adjustment value creating part comprises a calculating part configured to calculate a first adjustment value based on image data obtained by taking a subject image, an evaluating part configured to evaluate a reliability of the first adjustment value, an adjustment value correcting part configured to correct the first adjustment value based on input data when the evaluating part evaluates that the reliability of the first adjustment value is low, and create a second adjustment value, and an adjustment value outputting part configured to output the second adjustment value to the adjusting part.

Digital camera and white balance adjusting method

An electronic camera, which is capable of obtaining a more appropriate exposure even when taking a picture by an electric flash photograph, comprises a light emission section for emitting a preliminary light prior to a main photograph and emitting a main light upon taking a picture with respect to a object, a pickup device for receiving an object image in the preliminary light emission and converting a light into electricity to obtain a photograph signal, an amplifying section for amplifying the photograph signal which is obtained by the pickup device and a setting section for setting a gain of the amplifying section and a light emission amount in the main light emission on the basis of the photograph signal obtained in the preliminary light emission.

Electronic camera having an automatic electric flash function

An interpolation calculation circuit for improving the image quality for recording and display is provided. The interpolation calculation circuit interpolates a necessary pixel on the basis of interpolation calculation (cubic interpolation processing) by an approximate expression of an interpolation coefficient of at least 3rd-order. This cubic interpolation processing is applied to basic processing of an electronic camera, i.e., 3-CCD processing, format conversion, and image enlargement/reduction. In consideration of the operation load on the electronic camera, cubic interpolation processing is performed in accordance with the image sensing mode or the like only when it is necessary, thereby controlling whether execution of interpolation processing is enabled/disabled.

Electronic camera

A shutter assembly has a first sector that moves in a first direction to allow a photographic light flux to pass through and moves in a second direction to block at least a part of the photographic light flux; a second sector that moves in the second direction to allow the photographic light flux to pass through and moves in the first direction to block a part of the photographic light flux, the part being different from the part of the photographic light flux to be blocked by the first sector; and a third sector that moves in the second direction to allow the photographic light flux to pass through and moves in the first direction to block a part of the photographic light flux, the part being different from the part of the photographic light flux blocked by the first sector and the second sector.

Shutter assembly

A camera according to the present invention which uses a film cartridge equipped with an indicating section for indicating an exposed state of a film housed within the film cartridge. The camera comprises a film compartment for accommodating the film cartridge, a cover member for closing the film compartment, and an ejector formed within the film compartment. The ejector blocks the mounting of the film cartridge when the exposure-state indicating section takes a development-completed condition indicating position, a completely exposed condition indicating position or a partially exposed condition indicating position, while allowing the film cartridge to be mounted therein when it takes a non-exposed condition indicating position. In addition, the ejector pushes the film cartridge out of the film compartment when the cover member is opened after a completion of photography.

Camera having ejector for film cartridge

A camera which uses a film cartridge equipped with an indicating section for indicating an exposed state of a film housed within the film cartridge comprises a film compartment for accommodating the film cartridge, a cover member for closing the film compartment, and an ejector formed within the film compartment. The ejector blocks the mounting of the film cartridge in readiness for photographing when the exposure-state indicating section takes a development-completed condition indicating position, a completely exposed condition indicating position or a partially exposed condition indicating position, while allowing the film cartridge to be mounted therein for photographing when it takes a non-exposed condition indicating position. In addition, the ejector pushes the film cartridge out of the film compartment when the cover member is opened after a completion of photography. The ejector can be provided with a member which prevents a film cartridge from inadvertently dropping out the camera during unloading thereof.

Camera

A lens barrel of the present invention directly detects the lens-to-lens spacing between a focusing lens and another lens, whose position relative to the focusing lens exerts the largest influence upon a focused condition, by a measurement detector and, depending on an output indicative of the measured spacing, a controller drives the focusing lens through a driver to a proper in-focus condition. Accordingly, a very valuable advantage results in that a focusing position error of the focusing lens group, which has been encountered in the prior art, can be avoided to enable effective and high-accuracy focusing operation and control through a simplified structure.

Growing community of inventors

Hachioji, Japan

Masayu Higuchi