Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Yuichi Torikoshi

Wataru Koide

Kazuyuki Iwasa

Yasuo Yamazaki

Fumio Tomikawa

Hitoshi Shirai

Tatsuya Suzuki

Takeshi Ito

Yuichi Sato

Sumio Kawai

Takashi Suzuki

Kazuo Yamamoto

Hiroshi Terada

Toshifumi Nakano

Tatsuji Higuchi

Hiroaki Miyazaki

Masayu Higuchi

Hideaki Kume

Hiroki Onda

Goichi Hiratsuka

Hideki Okubo

Binoculars including a pair of lens barrels, each lens barrel having an optical system, a relative movement between the lens barrels causing the lens barrels to relatively displace, traveling between a closed state and an operational state in which eye spacing adjustment is enabled, a barrier that is moved between an optical system protective position with the lens barrels in the closed state and a retracted position with the lens barrels in the operational state, and a barrier control member, mounted on the lens barrels which moves the barrier from the optical system protective position to the retracted position in response to the displacement of the lens barrels from the closed state to the operational state.

Binoculars having lens barrels movable between open and closed states by pivotal movement

A camera turns on or off an autofocus magnet in accordance with range to object information during a normal photographing mode, as a first photographing specification, to drive a lens barrel to a far range in-focus position or to a near range in-focus position. During a self timer photographing mode, as a second photographing specification, the autofocusing magnet remains on for a predetermined self timer time measuring duration, and after the elapse of the duration, the autofocus magnet is turned off to open and close a shutter. In this way, the autofocus magnet is operated in the autofocusing driving and the self timer control. A compact and low-cost camera thus results.

Camera having autofocusing function and self timer function

A nearby photography adapter includes a photographic range and camera-to-subject distance indicating frame, a flashlight correcting auxiliary plate, and a distance knob interfering projection. The photographic range and camera-to-subject distance indicating frame is a member mounted on a base plate and collapsed from being erect and usable. The distance knob interfering projection is formed as an integral part of the base plate. When a distance knob on a photographic lens frame is set to a nearby photographic position and the photographic range and camera-to-subject distance indicating frame and auxiliary plate are standing erect, the photography adapter can be attached to a camera and nearby photography can be carried out. Advantageously, with the nearby photography adapter, the photographic range and the camera-to-subject distance can be indicated reliably. Furthermore, the nearby photography adapter can be put away neatly with the components stowed during normal photography.

Nearby photography adapter attachable and detachable to and from camera

A binocular instrument according to the present invention basically comprises a binocular instrument body, a left-hand lens barrel supported by a supporting frame, a high-hand lens barrel supported by the body, a left-hand armor slidable in a pupil distance (distance between optical axis) adjusting direction and a right-hand armor fixed to the body. When the binocular instrument is switched from a non-using state to a using state, the left-hand armor is slid in the left direction, so that only the left-hand armor moves while the supporting frame is in the fixed condition, and the lenses are set at an open condition, thereby permitting the use of the binocular instrument. Thereafter, when the left-hand armor is slid in the same direction, the supporting frame is shifted together so that a pupil distance maximizing position is reached. According to this binocular instrument, not only the operation for switching the lenses to a sheltering state and an open state becomes simple, but also handling becomes easy, and even the structure becomes simple.

Binocular instrument including movable lens protective structure

Binoculars include a pair of lens barrels, each barrel having an optical system, a flexible lens barrier which travels between a protective position for protecting the optical system of each of the lens barrels and a position that is retracted from the field of view of the optical system, and a drive member for moving the flexible lens barrier between the protective position and the retracted position.

Binoculars

A camera wherein the photographed picture size can be switched and is formed mostly of a magnification variable finder optical system, a photographed picture size switching mechanism and a finder visual field frame switching mechanism. When the picture size is switched by operating the photographed picture size switching mechanism, the finder magnification will be altered to a magnification corresponding to the picture size through a finder cam as operatively connected with the operation and at the same time the finder visual field frame will be also altered in conformity with the finder magnification and picture size. According to this camera, for example, even if the picture frame becomes narrow, the finder magnification will be elevated by switching the picture size and further the image will be made easy to observe by expanding the finder visual field frame.

Camera

A lens barrel of the present invention directly detects the lens-to-lens spacing between a focusing lens and another lens, whose position relative to the focusing lens exerts the largest influence upon a focused condition, by a measurement detector and, depending on an output indicative of the measured spacing, a controller drives the focusing lens through a driver to a proper in-focus condition. Accordingly, a very valuable advantage results in that a focusing position error of the focusing lens group, which has been encountered in the prior art, can be avoided to enable effective and high-accuracy focusing operation and control through a simplified structure.

Lens barrel

A camera includes a photographic optical system movable along its optical axis, and a cam ring rotatable about the optical axis of the optical system. When it is rotated by a motor, the cam ring moves the optical system to change the focal length thereof. Arranged at the outside of the cam ring are a viewfinder optical system, whose optical axis is parallel to that of the photographic optical system, and a strobe mechanism movable in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the photographic optical system. First and second cam portions are arranged on the cam ring and engage the viewfinder optical system and strobe mechanism, respectively, so as to move them along the optical axis of the photographic optical system, in association with the rotation of the cam ring.

A camera with a built-in zoom lens includes at least first and second lens groups, a zoom frame for moving these lens groups along their optical axis during a zooming operation, a first lens holding frame carrying the first lens group and movable together with the zoom frame, a second lens holding frame carrying the second lens group and movable together with the zoom frame, a rocking arm disposed between the zoom frame and the second lens holding frame, rockingly supported on a camera body and having a first abutment which bears against the zoom frame and a second abutment which bears against the second lens holding frame, and a resilient biasing element for urging the second lens holding frame towards the zoom frame side; in addition to the above biasing element is a lock member for locking the second lens holding frame during a macro operation.

Camera with a built-in zoom lens

A camera of the automatic exposure control type includes a protective cover which is movable between a closed position where it covers a taking lens and a photometric assembly and an open position where it permits them to be uncovered completely. The camera also includes an exposure control switch which is either opened or closed in ganged relationship with a movement of the protective cover to its open position, allowing an output from the photometric assembly to be supplied to an exposure controller.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Yuichi Torikoshi