Nikon Corporation

Nippon Kogaku K.k.

Shozo Yamano

Yosuke Kusaka

Ken Utagawa

Masaru Muramatsu

Shigeyuki Uchiyama

Yoshiharu Shiokama

Tsutomu Narisawa

Hiroshi Tanioka

Chiyuki Kuwata

Hiroshi Okano

Toru Iwane

Hidehiro Ogawa

Nobuhiko Terui

Riichi Higaki

Toshiaki Hozumi

Kunihisa Hoshino

Kenji Ishizuki

Tetsuo In

Yusuke Kusaka

Either of two power off modes can be selected in a digital camera that reads out images from an image-capturing element, temporarily stores them in a buffer memory and then transfers and records the images from the buffer memory into a recording medium. In a first power off mode, the supply of stabilized power is stopped in response to a main switch off operation only after unrecorded images present in the buffer memory are all recorded into the recording medium. In a second power off mode, the supply of the stabilized power is stopped immediately in response to a main switch off operation regardless of whether or not there are yet-to-be recorded images present in the buffer memory. The power is cut off in conformance to the current power off mode setting when the main switch is turned off.

Digital camera having multiple power off modes

The area in which focus detection is performed is selected from among a plurality of focus detection areas provided on a photography screen. In the pair of photoelectric converters corresponding to the selected focus detection area, charge accumulation is repeatedly performed based on at least one of the image signals from the pair of image signals output from this pair of photoelectric converters. The focus adjustment condition of the photograph optical system is computed based on this pair of image signals. In the pair of photoelectric converters corresponding to the non-selected focus detection areas, charge accumulation is repeatedly performed over a period longer than the period of charge accumulation in the pair of photoelectric converters corresponding to the selected focus detection area based on at least one of the image signals from the pair of image signals output from this pair of photoelectric converters. The structure and method improve the responsiveness of focus detection when the focus detection area is changed without causing the responsiveness of normal focus detection to decline.

Focus detection device and focus detection method

A motor drive unit is provided with a bridge circuit including series connected first and second MOS transistors, series connected third and fourth MOS transistors, a DC motor connected between a junction of the first and second MOS transistors and a junction of the third and fourth MOS transistors, a power supply line connected to the first and third MOS transistors and a ground line connected to the second and fourth MOS transistors. The state of the DC motor is controlled by on/off controlling the MOS transistors of the bridge circuit. The MOS transistors are controlled such that the motor is continuously short-circuited when a power is supplied to the motor drive unit and the motor is not driven.

Motor drive unit used for camera and accessory thereof

A camera that can take photographs that are in focus without conducting a focus recognition action within the camera, having a configuration such that the required time needed for the shooting lens to reach the focus position is computed and a release is permitted in accordance with the required time. In addition, a configuration such that a determination is made whether it is possible for the shooting lens to reach the focus position and control of the timing release is made in accordance with the results of the determination.

Automatic focus camera

An automatic focus adjustment device is provided that includes a focus detector that detects focus data of a photographic lens, a storage device that stores the focus data, and a focus adjustment device that performs focus adjustment of the photographic lens, based on the focus data stored in the storage device. The automatic focus adjustment device further includes a selection device that selects whether to store focus data in the storage device based on one of a length of a focus data detection interval in the focus detector; a size of a change in focus data in the focus detector; and reliability data detected by an identification device.

Automatic focus adjustment device

A camera system regulates electric power from a power supply within a camera body to a plurality of built-in actuators within a removable photographic lens. The actuators may include motors, solenoids, and the like which operate functions such as autofocus and image blur suppression. The photographic lens is equipped with a memory which stores data relating to the power supply characteristics of the built-in actuators. A transmission unit within the photographic lens transmits the stored data to a receiving unit within the camera body. A power supply characteristics measurement unit within the camera body measures data relating to power supply characteristics of the electric power supply while a determination unit determines whether to supply electric power from the electric power supply to the actuators in response to all of the data. A display unit on the camera body displays a warning when no electric power is supplied to the actuator.

Photographic lens, camera body, and camera system

An automatic focus camera having a focal point detection unit to detect a focal point status of a photographic lens in relation to the subject, a focal point adjustment unit which drives the photographic lens to an in-focus position based on the detection results of the focal point detection unit, an audio device which generates an audio sound when the photographic lens is in-focus, a primary control unit which repeatedly executes the focal point adjustment operation of focal point adjustment unit until release is executed, and a prohibition unit which, during control by the primary control unit, drives the audio device only when photographic lens is in-focus the first time, and prohibits drive of the audio device when in-focus the second and subsequent times.

Automatic focus camera having an audio device to indicate an in-focus

An automatic focus adjustment device is provided for focusing on a moving object with precision. The automatic focus adjustment device includes a photographic lens driver assembly to vary the forwarding amount of the phototaking lens assembly. A focus detection assembly detects the defocus amount of the subject image plane. An image plane velocity computation assembly computes the moving velocity of the subject image plane based on the defocus amount. A lens drive control assembly controls the photographic lens driver assembly based on the moving velocity of the subject image plane and the defocus amount. An adaptive controller reduces an instruction amount corresponding to the defocus amount for controlling focus adjustment when the detected defocus amount and the computed moving velocity have opposite arithmetic signs.

Automatic focus adjustment device and focus adjustment method

An automatic focus state detection device executes focus adjustment by taking environmental factors such as temperature and power source voltage into consideration. The temperature of the camera, the power source voltage of the battery in the camera, and the posture of the camera are detected. Then, lens driving times for six representative points of the driving lens distance are computed. A driving time table is produced, and the defocus amount is detected. Then, based on the updated driving time table, the lens driving time corresponding to the current defocus amount is computed. Finally, the timing for each sequential process from release to start of exposure is determined. In this manner, the driving time is computed by taking the temperature, the power source voltage, and the posture into consideration, and a more accurate estimation of the lens driving time is realized.

Automatic focus device and method

An automatic focus camera conducts automatic focus when the photographic preparation sequence in continuous photography automatic focussing are not completed in a fixed time. The photographic preparation sequence includes the shutter action preparation and film supply preparation. The automatic focus camera includes a shooting lens, a photographic mode switch that selects whether or not to conduct continuous photography, a photoelectric conversion device that performs focus state detection, a driving motor that drives the shooting lens, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer predictively determines the photographic preparation sequence completion time. When the photographic mode switch is set to continuous photography, the microcomputer determines the subject image plane position at the time of the next exposure based on the focus state detection results and the predicted computation results.

Autofocus camera and method

An automatic focusing apparatus repetitively detects a defocus amount of a photographing lens, discriminates whether or not an object is moving, and calculates a pursuit correction amount for a moving object on the basis of present and previous defocus amounts. When a non-moving object is discriminated, a drive amount of the lens is calculated on the basis of the present defocus amount, and when a moving object is discriminated the drive amount is calculated on the basis of a pursuit drive amount as a sum of the present defocus amount and the pursuit correction amount. A pursuit enable/disable determining device determines whether the drive amount is calculated on the basis of the discrimination result or on the basis of the present defocus amount. When a drive direction of the lens is reversed, the pursuit enable/disable determining device causes calculation of the drive amount of the photographing lens on the basis of the present defocus amount for driving the lens in a predetermined number of drive operations after the reversal.

Automatic focusing apparatus

An automatic focus adjustment device that can effect focussing on a moving subject. The automatic focus adjustment device includes a lens driving device, a focus state detection device that detects the defocus amount, an image velocity computation device that computes the subject image movement velocity, and a moving subject prediction device that computes a predicted value for the defocus amount at exposure based on the defocus amounts and the subject image movement velocity. The device also includes a predicted position control device that scrolls the shooting lens by the predicted value, a position velocity control device that controls the scrolling amount in accordance with the defocus amount and the amount of change of the defocus amount with time, a determination device that determines whether or not the control action of the predicted position control device can be completed before exposure, and prior to a release a selection device selects control by the predicted position control device. After release, the selection device selects control by the predicted position control device when the determination device determines the control action can be completed. Otherwise, the selection device selects control by the position velocity control device.

Automatic focus adjustment device and method

A camera system includes a camera body and an external device which supplies a control instruction for changing a predetermined function of the camera body to the camera body. It is determined in the camera body whether the control instruction is received. When it determined that no control instruction is received, a first function initially set in the camera body is rendered active. When it is determined that the control instruction is received, a second function is rendered active bored on a control instruction.

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Tokyo, Japan

Shozo Yamano