Abstract:
A camera is disclosed which includes elements (12, 34) for recording an image on photographic film (32) and a solid-state image sensor (40) for recording an electronic image. In order to reduce the size and complexity of the camera and to improve the camera performance, the electronic and film recording functions of the camera are integrated. The solid-state image sensor (40) is used both in controlling the recording of an image on film (32) and in producing an electronic image.
Abstract:
There is provided an image capturing apparatus including a light receiving section that receives light from an object, an optical system that passes the light from the object therethrough so as to cause the light receiving section to receive the light from the object, where the optical system includes an optical modulating section which causes an optical transfer function of the light from the object to remain substantially constant at a position where the light receiving section is provided on condition that an object distance of the object falls within a predetermined range in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the optical system, a diaphragm section that blocks at least partially the light from the object to be received by the light receiving section, a light quantity detecting section that detects a quantity of the light from the object, and an image capturing control section that, when the light quantity detected by the light quantity detecting section is smaller than a predetermined light quantity, (i) sets an aperture size of the diaphragm section so as to be larger than a predetermined value and (ii) causes the light receiving section to receive the light from the object at least part of which is modulated by the optical modulating section.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for use in a still-photography camera for changing the opening of the aperture from a first position to a second position using a stepping motor. The movement of the stepping motor during the control of the movement of the aperture from the first to the second position is controlled so that the motor's movement comprises a first interval of time with varying acceleration and a second interval of time with constant or varying acceleration. The intervals of time are suitably arranged so that the first interval of time is used for the part of the movement of the aperture that comprises the greatest opening of the aperture during the whole of the movement.
Abstract:
A high-contrast electro-optic liquid crystal camera iris (10) provides angle independent transmission for uniform gray shades. The liquid crystal iris comprises a combination of first and second liquid crystal devices (12, 14) arranged in optical series and positioned between optical polarizers (46, 48). The director field (18) of the second liquid crystal device is a mirror image of the director field (16) of the first liquid crystal device, and the first and second liquid crystal devices are placed together so that the azimuthal directions (42) of the surface-contacting directors (18c, 22c) are in parallel alignment at the adjoining or confronting surfaces of the substrates (242, 321) of the first and second liquid crystal devices. The liquid crystal iris provides, therefore, less angular variation of intermediate transmittances compared with that provided by prior art liquid crystal irises.
Abstract:
The image processing apparatus comprises, an image acquisition unit configured to acquire, as an image, a result of imaging, on an image sensor unit, light traveling from an object via an opening of a stop, a control unit configured to control a shape of the opening based on a function which defines a temporal change of the shape of the opening when the image acquisition unit acquires the image, and a detection unit configured to detect a blur state in the image based on the function.