Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Terutake Kadohara

Akira Akashi

Masaki Higashihara

Ichiro Ohnuki

Yasuo Suda

Keiji Ohtaka

Hitoshi Onoda

Keiji Nagata

Kenichiro Yamashita

Akira Ishizaki

Yoshihiko Aihara

Kenji Itoh

Kenji Suzuki

Hidehiko Fukahori

Masayoshi Kiuchi

Keisuke Aoyama

Hideya Takanashi

Yukihiro Matsumoto

Tomokazu Yoshida

There is provided an imaging apparatus for continuously performing a plurality of photographing operations. The imaging apparatus includes an AF sensor and an image sensor. A microcomputer performs focal point detection (i.e., defocus amount calculation) processing based on a signal acquired by the AF sensor. Further, the microcomputer performs focal point detection processing based on a signal acquired by the image sensor. The microcomputer selects one of two focal point detection results and performs a control to drive a focusing lens in a lens driveand a lens drive

Imaging apparatus, control method, and storage medium for tracking an imaging target in a continuous shooting operation

An object of this invention is to obtain a high-quality image free from any variation between image sensing regions. To achieve this object, an image sensing apparatus according to this invention includes an image sensing element which is formed on a semiconductor substrate on which at least one of a semiconductor layer, a color filter layer, and a microlens layer is formed by a plurality of divisional exposure operations, and a correction device which corrects variations in a signal output from the image sensing element between a plurality of partial image sensing regions formed by the plurality of divisional exposure operations.

Image sensing apparatus

An image capture apparatus with a detachable lens includes a communication unit capable of switching a communication mode used in communication with the mounted lens unit between a first communication mode of transmitting first control information to the mounted lens unit and a second communication mode of transmitting a second control information different from the first control information to the mounted lens unit, and a control unit configured to control a communication with the mounted lens unit, wherein the control unit controls the communication such that, until the control started based on either one of the first control information and the second control information is ended, the other one of the first control information and the second control information is not transmitted.

Image capture apparatus, lens unit, communication controlling method, and diaphragm controlling method

A focusing apparatus includes an image pickup element that includes a plurality of unit cells including a first pixel and a second pixel corresponding to a same microlens, a detector configured to detect a phase difference of an image signal of a first pixel group and an image signal of a second pixel group that correspond to a focus detection region, a focus controller configured to perform a focus control based on a detection result of the detector, an exposure controller configured to control an exposure value based on an output from the image pickup element, the detector detects the phase difference of an image signal generated by sequentially switching a plurality of focus detection regions, and the exposure controller controls the exposure value so as to be fixed until the detector completes a detection of the phase difference in the plurality of focus detection regions.

Focusing apparatus and method of controlling focusing apparatus

There is provided an image processing apparatus including a first storage unit for storing a first correction data for correcting a defective pixel signal outputted from a defective pixel of an image sensor, a detecting unit for detecting a defective pixel signal outputted from a defective pixel of the image sensor in accordance with a designation set by a user, a creating unit for creating a second correction data based on the defective pixel signal detected by the detecting unit, a determination unit for determining whether the second correction data is used with the first correction data, in accordance with a designation set by a user; and a correction unit for correcting a pixel signal output from the image sensor in accordance with a determination result of the determination unit.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method

A camera capable of automatically detecting a main object in a sensed image. A distance distribution generation unit discriminates a plurality of areas in the sensed image on the basis of a predetermined condition, and a main object area determination unit automatically determines the main object area out of the discriminated areas. If the determined main object area is different from the area where an operator intends to focus on and the operator wishes to change the main object area, a new main object area is selected in accordance with an instruction inputted from a main object area changing unit. Then, the camera focuses on the selected main object area.

Optical device and method for selecting object of focus

A focus state detection apparatus for detecting focus state on the basis of signals outputted from a pair of area sensors each of which is configured in two dimension in accordance with an image of an object passing through an optical system and formed on the pair of area sensors. Each of the pair of area sensors is divided into a plurality of areas each of which can be controlled independently, and charging pixels of the area sensors is controlled by each pair of corresponding divided areas of the area sensors.

Focus state detection apparatus with image sensing device controls

A focus detecting device capable of focus detection in a plurality of focus-detecting areas, includes a setter for setting a first group including at least two focus-detecting areas, and a second group including a plurality of focus-detecting areas, which are not included in the first group, and a focus detector means for executing focus detection in the order from the focus-detecting areas included in the first group. The focus detecter ends focus detection without executing focus detection in the focus-detecting areas included in the second group, when the focus-detecting area included in the first group satisfies a predetermined condition.

Focus detecting device, distance measuring device, and optical apparatus for adjusting focus

A viewfinder display device comprises a viewfinder optical system and a display structure disposed to be superimposed on a viewfinder optical image in the viewfinder optical system, and the display structure is arranged to divide a viewfinder display area into a plurality of small areas and is capable of selectively varying a transmittance of each of the plurality of small areas.

Viewfinder display device

There is disclosed a focus detecting apparatus capable of detecting the focus state of an objective lens in a wide viewing field, comprises a view finder optical unit for observing the image formed by the objective lens, an optical unit for forming a pair of optical amount distributions, based on light beams passing through different areas of the pupil of the objective lens, wherein the optical unit being provided, at the light incident side, with a concave face directed to the light incident side, and, at the light exit side, with a convex face directed to the light exit side, a sensor unit for received said pair of the optical amount distributions, a main mirror positioned in the optical path from the objective lens to the optical unit and adapted to reflect the light beams from the objective lens toward the finder optical unit, and a reflecting mirror having a concave curved face directed to the light entrance side and adapted to reflect the light beams, transmitted by the main mirror, in a direction opposite to the finder optical system and toward the optical unit.

Focus detecting apparatus

An apparatus which has a finder optical unit for observing therethrough an image formed by an objective lens, an optical unit for forming a pair of distributions of light quantity on the basis of light beams transmitted through the different pupils of the objective lens, a sensor unit for receiving the pair of distributions of light quantity, a main mirror disposed in an optical path leading to the objective lens and the optical unit for reflecting the light beam from the objective lens to the finder optical unit, and a reflecting mirror having a curved surface having its concave surface facing the light incidence side for reflecting the light beam transmitted through the main mirror in the direction of the optical unit which is opposite to the finder optical unit, and which well makes focus detection possible for a wide field area formed by the objective lens.

A focus detecting apparatus includes an optical unit provided on an image plane side of an objective lens for detecting a focus state of the objective lens, the optical unit forming a plurality of light quantity distributions, a photoelectrical changing unit having a plurality of elements for outputting a relative positional signal between the plurality of light quantity distributions, and a circuit for detecting a focus state of the objective lens. The optical unit includes a reflecting mirror having a light condensing property for reflecting a light beam from the objective lens to form an object image on a predetermined surface, a secondary imaging lens having at least a pair of lenses for causing the object image formed on the predetermined surface to be reimaged on the photoelectrical changing unit and a pair of apertures having aperture portions respectively corresponding to the pair of lenses. When the photoelectrical changing unit is reversedly projected by the secondary imaging lens and the reflecting mirror, the elements corresponding to the direction of arrangement of the pair of apertures of the photoelectrical changing unit are arranged so that a peripheral portion of the elements is not parallel to the center of the arrangement of the elements.

A display device in which an area corresponding to electrodes placed one upon another is arranged to change into a light-transmissive state by applying a potential difference between the electrodes includes a pair of transparent electrodes respectively formed on a pair of transparent substrates, one of the pair of transparent electrodes having at least an electrode area of the same shape as a display pattern, a display substance disposed between the pair of transparent substrates, and a third transparent substrate disposed between the pair of transparent substrates, the third transparent substrate having a transparent electrode formed in an area other than an area corresponding to the display pattern.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Terutake Kadohara