Image pickup camera

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus includes a photographing optical system,; a photographing preparation manipulation judgment device; a photographing implementing manipulation judgment device; a timer adaptedfor counting a time period from outputting of a signal from the photographing preparation manipulation judgment device to outputting of the signal from the photographing implementing manipulation judgment device; a focus driving device for changing a focused state of an object by changing a positional relation of the lens relative to an image pickup face; an auto focusing (AF) data detector for detecting AF data representative of a distance face up to the object or the focused state of the object; a time -series AF data collector for driving the AF data detector at an interval of a present time period and obtaining the AF data in a chronological manner; and an object movement presumption calculator for presuming changes in distance of the object from the time-series AF data calculating focus moving amount. When the time counted by the timer is not larger than the preset time period, auto focusing operation is implemented based on the focus moving amount calculated by the object movement presumption calculator.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to an improvement of an imaging device using an autofocus method for eg a digital camera, especially for use in selectively employing a target movement guessing autofocus method or a focus lock method. The invention can be applied to autofocus analog cameras and video cameras. Background technique [0002] Hitherto, cameras (imaging devices) having an autofocus function have been known. In such an autofocus camera, a time difference (so-called release time lag) from the time point when the shutter button is fully pressed to the time point when shooting is actually performed may cause a problem. Because the in-focus position relative to the subject changes during this release time lag when the target moves, it occurs that the obtained target image lacks sharpness. [0003] To solve this problem, cameras with different target movement speculative autofocus (AF) systems have been developed. See the following Patent Documen...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0011] However, it is troublesome for the photographer to set the moving object estimation mode

Also, if the photographer forgets to cancel the setting of that mode, the AF operation performed is different from the photographer's intention

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