Nikon Corporation

Other

Toshimi Watanabe

Shigemasa Sato

Toshiaki Maeda

Tadashi Ohta

Hideo Hibino

Kenji Tazaki

Yosuke Kusaka

Tadao Takagi

Ken Utagawa

Hideya Inoue

Toru Iwane

Seiichi Yasukawa

Shigeyuki Uchiyama

Takehiko Ueda

Masao Owashi

Itaru Homma

Hiroyuki Iwasaki

Minoru Kato

Akira Ogasawara

Yuji Katano

Fumio Suzuki

Daisuke Saya

Tsutomu Narisawa

Shigeo Takahashi

Yoshihiro Takeuchi

Masamitsu Ozawa

Yukikazu Iwane

Hitoshi Nishimura

Isao Kishikawa

An auto-focus (AF) camera enables AF operation with high speed and enhanced accuracy. The AF operation encompasses step-scanning the focus lens of the camera from the closest focal position to infinity, or vice versa. In one embodiment, the steps in the step-scanning are made smaller around a position judged to be close to the focus position, and the steps are made larger at other positions.

Auto-focus camera with adjustable lens movement pitch

An autofocus apparatus includes an imaging device that captures a subject image through a photographic lens; an AF area determining device that determines a range of image signals to be used for autofocus adjustment based upon image signals provided by the imaging device; a focus adjustment device that adjusts a focal point position achieved through the photographic lens by driving a focus lens so as to maximize contrast achieved with the image signals in the determined range; and a control device that controls the focus adjustment device, if the range of the image signals determined by the AF area determining device has been altered, so as to adjust the focal point position by using image signals in the altered range.

Autofocus apparatus

A CPU calculates integrating values of image-capturing signals in bandobtained by removing a frequency component equal to or lower than a first cutoff frequency from an image-capturing signal output from an image-capturing element through a band pass filter and integrating values of an image-capturing signal in bandobtained by removing a frequency component equal to or lower than a second cutoff frequency through a band pass filter, each in correspondence to one of a plurality of lens positions. The CPU then calculates focal point evaluation values by using these integrating values in correspondence to the individual bands. In addition, when the largest evaluation value in bandis judged to correspond to the closeup end position of the lens, the CPU makes a decision as to whether or not a focus match is achieved at the closeup end. The CPU uses an adjacent difference in bandat the closeup end, an adjacent difference ratio and an adjacent difference in bandat points next to the closeup end in the decision-making.

Autofocus camera capable of calculating a focus match state

A method for focus adjusting through which a subject image formed with a photographic optical system is captured by an image-capturing device and a focus match position for the photographic optical system is calculated based upon focus evaluation values calculated by using image-capturing signals includes steps for: obtaining focus evaluation values over first sampling increments in a focus adjustment range of the photographic optical system; making a decision as to whether or not a sampling position corresponding to a largest value among the focus evaluation values obtained over the first sampling increments is substantially at an end point of the focus adjustment range; obtaining focus adjustment values over second sampling increments smaller than the first sampling increments in a range that contains the end point and is smaller than the focus adjustment range if the sampling position corresponding to the largest value among the focus evaluation values is at the end point of the focus adjustment range; and calculating the focus match position based upon the focus evaluation values obtained over the second sampling increments.

Method for focus adjusting and camera

A CPU calculates integrating values of image-capturing signals in a bandobtained by removing through a band pass filter a low frequency component of image-capturing signal output from an image-capturing device and integrating values of the image-capturing signals in a bandretaining the low frequency component intact, each calculated in correspondence to one of a plurality of lens positions. The CPU then obtains focal point evaluation values based upon these integrating values in correspondence to the individual bands. In addition, when it is judged that the image-capturing signals are saturated, the CPU calculates a new evaluation value parameterhistory record=(focal point evaluation value history record in band&#x2212;focal point evaluation value history record in band). The CPU then determines a new evaluation value parameterhistory record extremal value through a 3-point interpolation operation and calculates a lens position corresponding to the extremal value.

Autofocus camera adjusting focus lens position based on illumination characteristics

A camera includes: an image-capturing element that captures a subject image through a photographic lens; an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a focus evaluation value based upon an image-capturing signal output from the image-capturing element; a focusing operation unit that performs a focusing operation at the photographic lens based upon the focus evaluation value; a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not a predetermined length of time has elapsed following an end of the focusing operation; a restart unit that engages the focusing operation unit in a focusing operation if the decision-making unit decides that the predetermined length of time has elapsed; and a time adjustment unit that changes the predetermined length of time.

Camera

A camera includes: an image-capturing element that captures a subject image through a photographic lens having a focusing lens; an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates focus evaluation values at a plurality of lens positions assumed by the focusing lens based upon an image-capturing signal output by the image-capturing element; a weighting unit that weights the focus evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculation unit in correspondence to the lens positions of the focusing lens assumed when the focus evaluation values are calculated respectively; and a focusing operation unit that performs a focusing operation for the photographic lens based upon the weighted focus evaluation values.

Camera that engages in a focusing operation through a contrast method

A camera includes an imaging element that picks up an image of an object through a taking-lens, an evaluation value calculator that calculates focus evaluation value based upon a picked-up imaging signal, a selector that selects one focusing mode from a plurality of focusing modes, a focusing device that performs a focusing operation based upon the focus evaluation value and the selected focusing mode and a rebooting device that reboots the focusing operation after the focusing operation finishes, wherein further includes an evaluation value memory device that stores a plurality of focus evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculator in time sequence after the focusing operation finishes and a fluctuation evaluator that evaluates fluctuation in focus evaluation value stored into the evaluation value memory device, wherein, when the rebooting device reboots the focusing operation, the selector selects one focusing mode from a plurality of focusing modes.

Disclosed is a display device which comprises a pair of plate-like light transmittable members; a display member located so as to form a predetermined pattern between a pair of light transmittable members, the display member being composed of a material whose light transmittance is electrically changed; and a pair of light transmittable electrodes, at least one of a pair of light transmittable electrodes having a shape corresponding to the pattern, a pair of light transmittable electrodes being formed on a pair of light transmittable members and for electrically controlling the material. The camera having the display device comprises illuminating means for illuminating the display portion. The display portion is illuminated in accordance with a luminance of a subject. The illuminating light can be also used for measuring a distance and for illuminating another display element.

Display device and camera having the display device

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element having characteristics of voltage-transparency, and the like, which differ locally. The method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device includes a step of injecting a mixture of photohardening resin and liquid crystal between two substrates, and a step of exposing the injected mixture to light which causes photohardening of the mixture. The step of exposing the mixture to light includes exposing at least two pattern regions which become different from each other under photohardening conditions.

Method of manufacture of liquid crystal display device having

A focus detection device and method permits the shooting lens to follow the movement of the photographic object without a focussing delay due to the calculation time and the movement of the object. The system includes a camera, a shooting lens, a focus detection device for detecting a desired focussing position of the shooting lens for an object, and a communications circuit. The lens includes a shooting lens driving circuit moving the shooting lens to focus, a shooting lens driving control circuit that controls the shooting lens driving circuit, a monitoring circuit that monitors the shooting lens movement by the shooting lens driving circuit, and a shooting lens data memory circuit that stores camera data. The camera includes a focal point detection circuit detecting a position of the shooting lens that matches the desired focussing position, a delay amount correction circuit updating the control amount of the amount calculation circuit to an updated control amount as a result of a delay in calculating the shooting lens control amount, and a shooting lens control amount calculation circuit calculating a control amount to drive the shooting lens to the desired focussing state, the control amount based on the focal point detection circuit detecting when the focussing position the shooting lens matches the desired focussing position and the shooting lens movement. The communications circuit communicates the lens to the with the camera. Focussing is accomplished by transmitting the updated control amount to the shooting lens and moving the shooting lens accordingly.

Focus detection device and method

A camera having a line of sight detecting device, includes a line of sight detection portion for detecting the line of sight position of a photographer, a portion of selection of a line of sight mode for selecting one of a single mode for locking a line of sight position obtained when a plurality of previous detection results of the line of sight detection portion satisfy a predetermined eye-gazing condition and a continuous mode for renewing the line of sight position on the basis of the latest line of sight position from the line of sight detection portion, a control mode setting portion for selecting a control mode for setting a camera phototaking condition, and a phototaking control for setting the camera phototaking condition in accordance with the line of sight position of the photographer when the control mode is selected, wherein when the control mode is selected by the control mode setting portion, the continuous mode is selected by the portion of selection of a line of sight mode, and the camera phototaking condition is set by the phototaking control in accordance with the line of sight position in the continuous mode.

Camera having line of sight detecting device

A photographic subject position predicting apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a focal point detection device that detects the focal point adjustment state of the photographic lens, a moving speed detection device that detects the moving speed of the photographic subject, a prediction time calculation device that calculates the photographic subject position prediction time in accordance with the photographic subject moving speed detected by the moving speed detection device, and a prediction device that predicts the photographic subject position after the photographic subject position prediction time has elapsed, based upon the focal point adjustment state detected by the focal point detection device.

Photographic subject position predicting apparatus

A camera is provided with an automatic focus adjusting apparatus. The automatic focus adjusting apparatus includes a focus detecting device which detects the focus adjusted state of the photo-taking lens. A monitor device which monitors the movement of the photo-taking lens and an image plane movement speed calculating circuit which calculates an image plane movement speed on the basis of the result of the detection by the focus detecting device and the result of the monitoring by the monitor device. A moving object discrimination circuit discriminates an object as a moving object when the image plane movement speed is equal to or greater than a threshold value. A threshold value setting circuit sets the threshold value used for moving object discrimination in the moving object discriminating circuit. The threshold value setting circuit changes the threshold value when a continuous shooting device is driven.

Camera provided with an automatic focus adjusting apparatus

An automatic focus adjustment device includes a photoelectric conversion device, a focus state detection device and a photoelectric conversion timing control device. The photoelectric conversion device has a plurality of areas that receive light signals from a photographic optical system and that convert the light signals into electrical signals by accumulating electric charge over accumulation time intervals. The focus state detection device, which is connected to the photoelectric conversion device, receives and detects a focus adjustment state in accordance with the electrical signals. The photoelectric conversion timing control device controls the photoelectric conversion device to match a first accumulation time interval to a second accumulation time interval. As a result, midpoint times of the accumulation time intervals need not be recorded, and memory capacity can thus be reduced.

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Yokohama, Japan

Toshimi Watanabe