Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Panasonic Corporation

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Tsuneyo Metabi

Nobuyuki Taniguchi

Tokuji Ishida

Masaaki Nakai

Takanobu Omaki

Hisashi Tokumaru

Hisayuki Masumoto

Yukio Maekawa

Masatake Niwa

Makoto Ando

Koji Yasuda

Masanao Wakikawa

Toshihiko Ishimura

Kyozo Uesugi

Ryuzo Hachiken

The imaging apparatus includes a lens mount to which a lens unit is mountable, an imaging unit operable to generate an image signal, and a shutter unit that is arranged between the lens mount and the imaging unit, and is capable of limiting the light incident on the imaging unit, opening and closing at least at recording and being kept in an opened state during a recording preparation operation, and a main frame to which the lens mount, the shutter unit and the imaging unit are fixed.

Imaging apparatus including metal main frame as assembly basis

Imaging apparatus containing lens mount without mirror box

A camera in which the ratio of an object to the photographing frame can be set comprises a varifocal lens in which the in-focus position is changed in accordance with the change in the focal lens and a focusing lens for correcting the focus by the varifocal lens. The size of the object is set to the desired size by using the varifocal lens, and thereafter the deviation of the in-focus point is controlled by the focusing lens. Since the zooming is carried out by using a varifocal lens, a camera can be provided in which the ratio of an object to the photographing frame can be set in a simple structure.

Camera having a varifocal lens

A camera having a lens, whereby a power source in the camera is activated in response to a mechanical switch on the lens.

A mount arrangement for a photographic camera which is capable of automatic diaphragm control and automatic focusing includes electrical contacts for transmission of electrical signals between a camera body and an interchangeable lens unit, and mechanical transmission members for the automatic diaphragm control and the automatic focusing and positioning member and recess on and at inner periphery of mount members of the camera body and the lens unit so as not to interfere with each other during the start and the course of the mounting of the lens unit onto the camera body through a bayonet mount device.

Mount arrangement and interchangeable lens unit for photographic camera

An exchangeable lens includes a lens system which forms an image of a target object on which the lens system is focused, a focus adjusting means manually operable for adjusting the focus of the lens system, a direction signal generating means which generates a direction signal representing the relationship between the operational direction of the focus adjusting means of the lens and change of the camera-to-object distance to be focused on by the lens system and a transmitting means which transmits the signal to a camera on which the exchangeable lens is detachably mounted. The camera includes a focus detecting means which receives a light coming from an object and passing through the lens system, a focus condition determining means which is responsive to the output of the focus detecting means to determine the focus condition and the direction of operation of the focus adjusting means to attain an in-focus condition for the focus adjustment and a display means which indicates the focus condition and the direction of focus adjustment. The display means indicates a proper direction of operation of the focus adjusting means towards an in-focus condition, even if the relationship between the operational direction and change of focus differs with the exchangeable lenses.

Exchangeable lens for use in a focus detecting device

A camera having an aperture value information switchable lens assembly or lens barrel, comprising an information output device provided in the lens assembly for generating lens information. The information output device includes a first information unit for generating nominal aperture value information inherently stored therein, and a second information unit for generating effective aperture value information variable with image magnification. The camera further comprises an information selecting device provided in the lens assembly and connected to the information output device for selecting between the nominal aperture value information and the effective aperture value information, a focusing setting device connected to the information output device, an information transmitting device for transmitting information selected by the information selecting device to a main camera body, and a multifunction electrical circuit mounted in the main camera body for transmitting a control signal to the information output device and processing the lens information received from the information output device.

Aperture value information switchable lens barrel

A mount arrangement for a photographic camera which is capable of automatic diaphragm control and automatic focusing includes electrical contacts for transmission of electrical signals between a camera body and an interchangeable lens unit, and mechanical transmission members for the automatic diaphragm control and the automatic focusing and positioning member and recess on and at inner periphery of mount members of the camera body and the lens unit so as not to interefere with each other during the start and the course of the mounting of the lens unit onto the camera body through a bayonet mount device.

An attachment device, such as a protective cap, is attachable to an interchangeable lens that includes a diaphragm mechanism having a plurality of diaphragm blades overlapping one another to form a diaphragm and a diaphragm interlocked member interlocked with the diaphragm blades and urged for stopping down the diaphragm. The attachment device includes a diaphragm retaining member that drives the diaphragm interlocked member to a position to open the diaphragm larger than the minimum aperture, when the attachment device is attached to the interchangeable lens.

Attachment device for interchangeable optical device

A zoom lens assembly for use with a photographic camera having a capability of functioning two different modes one at a time. In one mode, the lens assembly is of a type having its aperture ratio variable with change in focal length, and in the other mode, it is of a type wherein change in aperture ratio resulting from the change in focal length is compensated for to give a uniform aperture ratio at all focal length settings. For this purpose, a unique change-over mechanism is built in the lens assembly for switching the lens assembly from one of the different modes onto the other of the different modes at the will of a photographer.

Objective lens assembly of variable focal length having a diaphragm

A camera body and an interchangeable lens removably mounted thereon are equipped with an automatic focusing arrangement. The interchangeable lens includes a signal means for generating a relation signal representing the relationship between the driving directions of a driven section and a focus adjusting section. The camera body includes a focus condition detecting circuit for generating a focusing signal indicating the direction for focusing, a driving section for driving the driven section and change-over means for reversing the relationship, between a direction indicated by the focusing signal and a driving direction of the driving section in response to the relation signal from the signal means.

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Osaka, Japan

Tsuneyo Metabi