Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Olympus Imaging Corporation

Mitsumasa Okubo

Toshihiko Imai

Osamu Nonaka

Akira Watanabe

Yoshiaki Kobayashi

Keiji Kunishige

Yuji Imai

Tatsuyuki Uemura

Yasushi Odanaka

Kaoru Kaneko

A flash unit of the present invention is capable of being used as a supplementary light source for taking photographs, and comprises a light emitting section capable of changing an illumination area of a flash, an imaging section capable of imaging a picture, including a subject of the illumination area, a display section capable of displaying setting values for the flash unit, or the illumination area, and a display control section for causing display of the illumination area on the display section.

Flash unit, camera, and camera flash system

A camera includes a mode setting unit which sets an operation mode of the camera to a normal mode or an illumination apparatus control mode. A display unit selectively displays an image and information. A setting unit sets and changes operating conditions of an illumination apparatus. A communication unit instructs the operating conditions to the illumination apparatus. A control unit controls the mode setting unit to set the operation mode to the illumination apparatus control mode, and changes a display form of the display unit, when predetermined conditions are satisfied. The predetermined conditions include any one of the followings (1) the communication unit is attached to the camera, (2) the communication unit set to an illumination apparatus control mode is attached to the camera, and (3) the communication unit which is incorporated in the camera is set to an illumination apparatus control mode.

Camera, camera controlling method, and recording medium storing camera controlling program

A commander flash apparatus for use in a wireless flash system which continuously emits light from the commander flash apparatus, transmits from the commander flash apparatus to a slave flash apparatus the data corresponding to the emission time interval of the commander flash apparatus, and controls the flash emission of a slave flash apparatus includes: a data setting unit for setting emission control data for control of the emission of the slave flash apparatus and emission amount determination data for determination of an amount of emission of the slave flash apparatus as the transmission data; and a data transmission control unit for controlling the emission of the commander flash apparatus so that the emission time interval per bit of the digital data configuring the emission control data can be longer than the emission time interval per bit of the digital data configuring the emission amount determination data.

Commander flash apparatus and slave flash apparatus

Disclosed is an image taking apparatus that has functions of performing plural types of corrections on a captured image, and can continuously execute the plural types of corrections on the image. The image taking apparatus can be configured in such a way that when image data recorded in a recording medium is read and is subjected to plural types of corrections, for example, the image data once read can be saved in the recording medium after completion of the plural corrections which are continuously executed. The plural types of corrections can be configured in such a way that the combination or the order thereof is determined based on information unique to the image data.

Image taking apparatus and control method therefor

An image pickup apparatus configured to pick up a still image includes an image pickup device having a plurality of pixels to convert an object image formed by an optical system to an electric charge. A pixel reading circuit operates in either a first reading mode for reading electric charges obtained from the respective pixels of the image pickup device on a pixel by pixel basis or a second reading mode for adding and reading the electric charges obtained from the respective pixels of the image pickup device. A controller evaluates camera shake during exposure. When an evaluation level of the shake is greater than a predetermined level, this controller controls the pixel reading circuit to operate in the second reading mode. when the evaluation level is smaller than the predetermined level, the controller controls the pixel reading circuit to operate in the first reading mode.

Image pickup apparatus and method for controlling pixel reading using a shake determination

A CPU judges whether a current operating state of a camera corresponds to an in-service state of a lens barrel or an in-service state of a self-timer, and performs light emission control over a front display LED or a rear display LED by controlling an LED drive circuit. The front display LED or the rear display LED is constituted by integrating LED chips having a plurality of types of colors. Therefore, the front display LED and the rear display LED can emit the light in a plurality of different colors by using one light source.

Camera with light emission function, camera part inspection apparatus, camera adjustment apparatus, and camera part unit

A compact and high-performance photometry/distance measuring unit in which a chip can be used in common optimally, and the characteristics of the devices can be optimized. The photometry/distance measuring unit comprises a distance measuring PSD, a spot sensor and an average metering sensor. The spot sensor, the average metering sensor, a photometry circuit and a distance measuring circuit are formed on an IC chip independent of the PSD.

Photometry/distance measuring unit

An electric circuit for a camera of this invention performs stable camera control with a simple structure and does not depend on a change in environment, such as temperature. The electric circuit for a camera has an IFIC capable of outputting signals with a plurality of temperature characteristics, and a CPU. The CPU selectively receives the output signals with the plurality of temperature characteristics. An output signal is formed based on this selected input signal and a digital signal computed by the CPU.

Electric circuits for camera

A camera control circuit is provided which is capable of carrying out a control operation under a required high voltage even in the case of using a low withstand voltage circuit element which is capable of operating at a high speed and a low power consumption. A CPU comprises of an I/O section which is capable of operating in a predetermined supply voltage range and a core section which is capable of operating in a predetermined supply voltage range having an upper limit value lower than the I/O section, and outputs a control instruction so as to control peripheral circuits. On the basis of the control instruction, a voltage-up circuit increases a supply voltage of a battery in a supply voltage range enabling the I/O section to operate so as to set as a first supply voltage, and then, supplies the first supply voltage to the I/O section. On the other hand, a regulator included in an interface IC decreases the first supply voltage for a predetermined period in a supply voltage range enabling the core section to operate so as to set as a second supply voltage, and then, supplies the second supply voltage to the core section.

Camera control circuit

A camera of the present invention comprises: a liquid-crystal display device; a control circuit for controlling a sequence of operations performed by the camera; a first power circuit for maintaining a first voltage necessary to operate the control circuit; and a second power circuit having a boosting function for maintaining a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage and necessary to drive the liquid-crystal display device.

Camera

The present invention provides, on the camera body side thereof, a pulse signal generator for generating continuous pulse signal trains, the frequency of which is four times the frequency employed for driving a supersonic motor and a pulse width which corresponds to the pulse width of an AC voltage for driving the supersonic motor. Furthermore, a unit detachable from the camera body and including the supersonic motor generates the AC voltage for driving the supersonic motor which corresponds to the pulse signal.

Camera system

The present invention provides a printed circuit board installed in a lens barrel with an imaging optical system. In an installed state, the printed circuit board comprises: a ring-shaped portion disposed substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system wherein an aperture is provided at a central portion of the ring-shaped portion so that an imaging light beam may pass through the aperture; and an extending board portion that extends outward from the ring-shaped portion wherein electrical components may be mounted on the surface of the extending board portion. After the ring-shaped portion and the extending board portion have been bent, the above-described flexible printed circuit board is inserted into the lens barrel in such a manner that the plane of the extending board portion on which the electrical components are mounted is parallel to the optical axis of the imaging optical system. This printed circuit board provides high efficiency electrical interconnections in the lens barrel.

Printed circuit board

A drive circuit for an ultrasonic motor comprising:

Drive circuit for an ultrasonic motor

Disclosed is a camera loaded selectively with either a first film having perforations formed in side edges or a second film having the same width as that of the first film and no perforations formed in side edges. The camera comprises: a picture size changeover device for selectively setting a photographing picture frame to a first picture size corresponding to the first film and a second picture size corresponding to the second film; a first lens installable and removable in and from the camera and having an image circle corresponding to the first picture size; a second lens installable and removable in and from the camera and having an image circle corresponding to the second picture size; and a device for judging which lens, the first lens or the second lens, to install in the camera. When the judging device judges that the first lens is installed in a state where the picture size is set to the second picture size, the picture size is so set as to be forcibly changed over to the first picture size.

Growing community of inventors

Hino, Japan

Mitsumasa Okubo