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Digital camera with a number of photographing systems

  • US 7,834,928 B2
  • Filed: 11/15/2006
  • Issued: 11/16/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A digital camera comprising:

  • a first photographing system that includes a first monofocal optical system;

    a second photographing system that includes a second variable-focus optical system whose focus is variable;

    a changeover switch which changeovers a photographing system for photographing the subject, to one of the first photographing system or the second photographing system;

    a utilization unit which utilizes focus adjustment information at the time when a focus is adjusted when photographing the subject with one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, for a use other than the focus adjustment; and

    a single zoom alteration unit that performs zoom operation for both the first photographing system and the second photographing system, which is selected by the changeover switch,wherein;

    the first and the second photographing systems include image pickup devices which pick up an image of the subject, an optical system which forms an image of the subject on the image pickup devices, and a focus adjustment unit which adjusts a focus for the subject;

    the utilization unit displays the photographed image obtained by one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, and displays a focus adjustment state which expresses a state of the focus adjustment based on the focus adjustment unit of the one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, on the basis of the focus adjustment information at the time when the focus is adjusted when photographing the subject by the one photographing system,the second photographing system has a focal depth set shorter than that of the first photographing system; and

    a focus adjustment control unit that controls the respective focus adjustment units of the first photographing system and the second photographing system so that, when the second photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch, the focus adjustment unit of the first photographing system is controlled so as to perform the focus adjustment based on the first focus adjustment unit, whereupon the focus adjustment based on the focus adjustment unit of the second photographing system may be performed on the basis of a focus adjustment result based on the first focus adjustment unit.

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