Lens barrel

• US 5,708,868 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US08/774,963
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 396/71, 348/347
• US Class Current: 396/71
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lens barrel with an extender attachable thereto, and comprises a focusing lens movable in directions of an optical axis, a position detecting member for detecting a position of the lens, a data detecting member for detecting information on the extender, and a forbidding member for setting a permissible area in which the autofocusing is permitted with respect to the position of the lens based on the information, permitting the autofocusing when the position of the lens is within the permissible area, and forbidding the autofocusing when the position of the lens is out of the permissible area.

Claims

1. A lens barrel to which an extender is attachable, comprising:

a movable focusing lens;

position detecting means for detecting a position of said lens;

data detecting means for detecting an information as to said extender; and

forbidding means for setting a permissible area in which autofocusing is permitted with respect to the position of said lens based on said information, permitting said autofocusing when the position of said lens is within said permissible area, and forbidding said autofocusing when the position of said lens is out of the permissible area.

2. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein said forbidding means has a storage means for storing a respective F-number of said lens barrel when said lens lies in each of a plurality of positions different from each other, calculates a respective effective F-number of said lens barrel after said extender has been attached thereto when said lens is in each of the plurality of positions on the basis of a storage content of said storage means and said information, and determines said permissible area based on a result of the calculation.

3. The lens barrel according to claim 1, further comprising alarming means for generating an alarm when the position of said lens lies out of said permissible area.

4. The lens barrel according to claim 3, wherein said alarming means has indicating means for giving an indication meaning that said autofocusing is forbidden.

5. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein said lens system has any other lens closer to an object than said lens.

6. A camera comprising:

a lens barrel having a movable focusing lens;

an extender attached in between said lens barrel and a camera body;

a TTL autofocus system;

position detecting means for detecting a position of said lens;

data detecting means for detecting an information on said extender; and

forbidding means for setting a permissible area in which autofocusing is permitted with respect to the position of said lens based on said information, permitting said autofocusing when the position of said lens is within said permissible area, and forbidding said autofocusing when the position of said lens is out of said permissible area.

7. The camera according to claim 6, wherein said forbidding means has a storage means for storing a respective F-number of said lens barrel when said lens lies in each of a plurality of positions different from each other, calculates a respective effective F-number of said lens barrel after said extender has been attached thereto when said lens is in each of the plurality of positions on the basis of a storage content of said storage means and said information, and determines said permissible area based on a result of the calculation.

8. The camera according to claim 6, further comprising alarming means for generating an alarm when the position of said lens lies out of said permissible area.

9. The camera according to claim 8, wherein said alarming means has indicating means for giving an indication meaning that said autofocusing is forbidden.

10. The camera according to claim 6, wherein said lens system has any other lens closer to an object than said lens.