Nippon Kogaku K.k.

Sakuji Watanabe

Yoshiaki Ohtsubo

Kenji Toyoda

Ryuzo Motoori

Nobuhiko Terui

Hiroshi Hasegawa

Yoshitaka Araki

Kouichi Takahata, Deceased

Ken Utagawa

Akira Ogasawara

Mikio Takemae

Kunihisa Hoshino

Yasunori Kitamura

Hiroshi Meguro

Shigeo Akasaka

Yuji Okubo

Koichi Daitoku

Kenji Ishizuki

Toshiyuki Kasai

Tadaaki Yamamoto

Yoshiakai Ohtsubo

Yoshihiro Kaizawa

A control device for automatic focusing includes a low sharpness discriminating circuit for identifying a minimum contrast required for focus detecting function and a correlation zone discriminating circuit for determining whether an object is in or out of a correlation zone in the vicinity of the in-focus position. Output signals are supplied from the two discriminating circuits to a sequence control circuit for determining whether to continue or discontinue operation of a lens driving apparatus for driving the lens. A control device may further include a low brightness discriminating circuit the output signal of which is supplied to the sequence control circuit to immediately discontinue the operation of the lens driving apparatus when the low brightness discriminating circuit identifies a low brightness of the object, regardless of the results of other discriminations.

Control device for automatic focusing

A camera includes an exposing device for exposing a photosensitive member with light from an object through an aperture, a detecting device for detecting an object brightness, a controlling device for controlling the exposing device and the aperture so as to obtain a proper exposure of the photosensitive member, a first signal producing device for producing a first signal, a second signal producing device for producing a second signal, a third signal producing device for producing a third signal, and a signal selecting device for selecting one of the first, second and third signals. The controlling device sets an aperture diameter and an exposure time to have a first, second or third relation in accordance with the first, second or third signal when the signal selecting device selects the first, second or third signal, in the order named.

Signal selector for automatic exposure apparatus of camera

An exposure control apparatus of a camera comprises exposure control device adjusted to control the quantity of light applied onto a photosensitive film, a device for preparing a photometering output responsive to the quantity of light from an object to be photographed, the preparing device effective to prepare on the basis of the photometering output a first output used to adjust the exposure control device so that the quantity of light applied onto the film is proper, a device for setting the exposure amount by manual operation, the setting device being effective to prepare a second output used to adjust the exposure control device so that the set exposure amount is obtained, selecting device having a first selecting position for making the first output effective and a second selecting position for making the second output effective, in order to adjust the exposure control device, and operating device operated to store the photometering output, the operating device including change-over means operated when the selecting device is in the second selecting position to thereby act on the selecting device and make the first output instead of the second output effective.

Exposure mode setting device in an exposure control apparatus of a camera

A lens structure with an imaging optical system detachably mountable on a camera body having a focus detecting device capable of detecting the positional relationship between the image of an object formed by the imaging optical system and a predetermined plane and of producing a corresponding detection signal comprises means for adjusting the imaging optical system in response to the detection signal, terminal means to be electrically connected to the camera body upon mounting of the lens structure on the camera body and detecting means adapted to transmit, to the camera body, a first signal in a first state where the imaging optical system is focused to the object at infinite distance, or a second signal in a second state where the imaging optical system is focused to the object at a shortest distance, or a third signal in a third state other than said first or second state.

Automatic focusing camera system and photographing lens structure

A camera capable of automatic focusing operation includes a picture-taking lens, photoelectric detector elements for photoelectrically detecting the light from an object to be photographed, a picture-taking lens driving device for driving the picture-taking lens to the in-focus position on the basis of the output of the photoelectric detector elements, a drive blocking device for detecting that the object is unsuitable for automatic focusing operation, thereby blocking the driving of the picture-taking lens by the picture-taking lens driving device, information detecting apparatus for detecting the information of the object, a memory for storing the output of the information detecting apparatus when the object is unsuitable for automatic focusing operation, and a releasing device for comparing the output of the information detecting apparatus with the output of the memory and releasing said blocking by the drive blocking device when the two outputs differ from each other.

Automatic focusing device of a camera

A motor drive unit capable of being coupled to a camera by being mounted on the camera to drive the film, advance device of the camera after completion of exposure of a film the camera having means producing a signal for transmitting the completion of exposure, includes means provided to identify the type of the camera in response to the mounting of the motor drive unit onto the camera, means producing a drive signal for driving the film advance device in response to the signal for transmitting the completion of exposure, the drive signal producing means including means for adjusting the time of production of the drive signal in response to the identifying means, and drive means including a drive source and capable of being coupled to the film advance device by the motor drive unit being mounted on the camera, the drive means being responsive to the drive signal to drive the film advance device.

Motor drive unit for camera

In a camera including a photoelectric converter device disposed in the substantial imaging plane of a phototaking lens, a device for detecting the in-focus or the out-of-focus of the phototaking lens with respect to an object to be photographed from an output of said photoelectric converter device, and a device responsive to the detecting device to drive and control the phototaking lens in a direction to be in focus with respect to the object, there is provided means responsive only to the detection of said in-focus by the detecting device to restrain the operation of the drive control device. The means includes timer means for enabling the continuance of said restraint during a predetermined time after the detection of the out-of-focus by the detecting device.

Auto focus camera

An automatic focus detecting apparatus of a camera comprises a focus detecting unit for receiving the light from an object to be photographed and producing a focus detection output, a driving circuit responsive to the focus detection output to effect at least one of the driving of a phototaking lens and focus condition display, an object brightness detecting unit for producing a brightness detection output corresponding to the brightness of the object, means for producing a time count starting signal, a timer circuit adapted to start time count in response to the time count starting signal and produce a blocking signal in response to the brightness detection output for a short time if the brightness is high or for a long time if the brightness is low, and a blocking circuit for preventing the driving circuit from responding to the focus detection output during the time the blocking signal is produced.

Automatic focus detecting apparatus of a camera

A camera comprises an automatic exposure control device having a comparing circuit adapted for comparing a time output signal indicating the time from the shutter aperture opening function with a proper output signal indicating an appropriate exposure time and for releasing a comparison signal when a determined relationship is reached between said output signals, and solenoid means adapted for blocking the shutter aperture closing function when energized and being deactivated in response to the comparison signal to cancel the blocking; and a shutter release locking device having a voltage detecting circuit adapted for deactivating the solenoid means prior to the shutter aperture opening function when the power supply voltage becomes lower than a determined limit level, and blocking means for prohibiting the shutter aperture opening function in response to the deactivation of the solenoid means prior to the shutter aperture opening function. The shutter release locking device comprises a limiter circuit for supplying a signal of a determined level instead of the proper output signal to the comparing circuit thereby enabling to obtain the comparison signal therefrom in case the proper output signal exceed a determined level.

Shutter release locking device

In a camera having a capacitor connected between DC power source lines and at least one electrical circuit connected between the power source lines, each of the electrical circuits including a semiconductor switch element in the current route between the power source lines for interrupting the current flowing through the circuit, a device for controlling the power supply to each of the electrical circuits includes main switch means provided between the power source lines for applying a bias current to the semiconductor element.

Power supply control circuit in a camera

An automatic exposure control camera adjusts automatically the lens aperture in accordance with information on shutter speed determined in accordance with the brightness of an object or shutter speed set in accordance with manual setting from outside and information on the brightness of the object. The camera controls automatically the shutter speed in accordance with the information on the adjusted aperture value and the information on the brightness of the object. The camera can display a shutter speed value to which a preset shutter speed is automatically corrected when a proper exposure is not obtained even if the aperture is a fully open aperture.

Display device in automatic exposure control camera

In a camera having means for arbitrarily selecting the exposure condition of a film thereby to generate a signal based on said selection, said signal representing exposure information and having a temperature coefficient, and exposure time determining means for determining the opening time of the shutter of the camera on the basis of said signal, said exposure information being produced for a speed light during the photography using said speed light, there is provided signal transfer means for receiving the signal of said exposure information as input and transmitting said exposure information to said speed light. Said signal transmitting means has a transmission function including a temperature coefficient opposite in polarity to said first mentioned temperature coefficient.

Temperature-compensated signal transmitting device

There is disclosed an alarm device for an automatic exposure control device for a camera wherein the output of a circuit for setting shutter speed or aperture value to a predetermined value during use of a strobe is utilized as the standard level of the alarm device to effect an alarm of shutter speed or aperture value, the circuit being of simple construction and highly accurate.

Alarm device in an automatic exposure camera

A diaphragm control apparatus for camera comprises a correcting circuit for correcting error in aperture stopping-down caused by a time lag from the generation of a signal for blocking the aperture stopping-down motion to the actuation of a blocking device in response to the signal.

Diaphragm control apparatus for camera

In a single lens reflex camera having an interchangeable photographing lens having a first and a second signal member, the camera being usable in combination with an electronic flash unit and having a third signal member, there is provided an exposure parameter information generating circuit which comprises first converter means for converting the mechanical outputs of the first and third signal members into electrical output information, second converter means for converting the mechanical output of the second signal member into electrical output information, an adder circuit for adding the electrical outputs of the first and second converter means and putting out electrical information, a first output terminal for applying the output of the first converter means to an exposure time operation circuit, and a second output terminal for applying the output of the adder circuit to the electronic flash unit.

Growing community of inventors

Warabi, Japan

Sakuji Watanabe