Autofocusing camera

Claim 2

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: foucus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; image magnification detecting means for detecting an image magnification rate; a manually operable member; release means for starting a shutter release operation in response to manual operation of said operable member and carrying out a subsequent photographic operation; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects the movement of the photographic object; and prohibiting means for prohibiting said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when said image magnification is greater than a predetermined rate.

Claim 3

A camera as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: in-focus detecting means for judging whether the focusing state is an in-focus state or an out-of-focus state; wherein said object detecting means starts detecting the movement of the object after the in-focus state is detected, and said prohibiting means prohibits said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when the movement of the object is detected and the image magnification is greater than the predetermined rate.

Claim 4

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; moving direction detecting means for detecting a direction of movement of the object based on results of detection by said object detecting means; a manually operable member; release means for starting a shutter release operation in response to manual operation of said operable member and carrying out a subsequent photographic operation; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects the movement of the photographic object; and prohibiting means for prohibiting said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when said moving direction detecting means detects that the object is moving away from the camera.

Claim 5

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; moving direction detecting means for detecting a direction of movement of the object based on results of detection by said object detecting means; a manually operable member; release means for starting a shutter release operation in response to manual operation of said operable member and carrying out a subsequent photographic operation; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects the movement of the photographic object; and prohibiting means for prohibiting said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when said moving direction detecting means detects that the object is moving away from the camera.

Claim 6

A camera as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: in-focus detecting means for judging whether the focusing state is an in-focus state; wherein said object detecting means starts detecting the movement of the object after the in-focus state is detected, and said prohibiting means prohibits said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when the movement of the object is detected and the object is moving away from the camera.

Claim 7

A camera as claimed in claim 3, wherein said prohibiting means prohibits said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when the object is moving away from the camera and a defocus amount indicated by said focus adjustment signal is greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 8

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; metering means for measuring brightness of the object; a manually operable member; release means for starting a shutter release operation of response to manual operation of said operable member and carrying out a subsequent photographic operation; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects the movement of the photographic object; and prohibiting means for prohibiting said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when the brightness of the object is below a predetermined level.

Claim 9

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; metering means for measuring brightness of the object; a manually operable member; release means for starting a shutter release operation of response to manual operation of said operable member and carrying out a subsequent photographic operation; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects the movement of the photographic object; and prohibiting means for prohibiting said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when the brightness of the object is below a predetermined level.

Claim 10

A camera as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: in-focus detecting means for judging whether the focusing state is an in-focus state; wherein said object detecting means starts detecting the movement of the object after the in-focus state is detected, and said prohibiting means prohibits said lens drive means from driving said objective lens when the brightness of the object is below the predetermined level.

Claim 11

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals and outputting a movement signal; lens drive amount determining means for determining an amount of lens drive in accordance with said movement signal; signal generating means for generating a signal indicative of a characteristic value of said objective lens; compensating means for producing an amount of compensation in accordance with said characteristic value, and compensating the amount of lens drive based on said amount of compensation; and lens drive means for driving said objective lens based on the amount of lens drive as compensated.

Claim 12

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals and outputting a movement signal; lens drive amount determining means for determining an amount of lens drive in accordance with said movement signal; signal generating means for generating a signal indicative of a characteristic value of said objective lens; compensating means for producing an amount of compensation in accordance with said characteristic value, and compensating the amount of lens drive based on said amount of compensation; and lens drive means for driving said objective lens based on the amount of lens drive as compensated.

Claim 13

A camera as claimed in claim 8, wherein said characteristic value is a conversion coefficient for converting a defocus amount into an amount of drive.

Claim 14

A camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein the amount of compensation is greater when said conversion coefficient is smaller than a predetermined value, than when said conversion coefficient is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

Claim 15

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects movement of the photographic object; determining means for determining whether or not said lens drive means is to be driven during the shutter release operation, said determining means having a plurality of determination methods selectively operable and carrying out the determination operation based on one of the determination methods; input means for inputting a signal from an external storage; and selecting means operable in response to the signal inputted by said input means for designating one of the determination methods corresponding to the inputted signal.

Claim 16

A camera having an autofocusing mechanism, comprising: focus detecting means for repeatedly detecting a focusing state of an objective lens with respect to a photographic object and outputting a focus adjustment signal; object detecting means for detecting movement of the object to be photographed in accordance with a plurality of said focus adjustment signals; lens drive means capable of driving said objective lens during the shutter release operation when said object detecting means detects movement of the photographic object; determining means for determining whether or not said lens drive means is to be driven during the shutter release operation, said determining means having a plurality of determination methods selectively operable and carrying out the determination operation based on one of the determination methods; input means for inputting a signal from an external storage; and selecting means operable in response to the signal inputted by said input means for designating one of the determination methods corresponding to the inputted signal.

Claim 17

A camera as claimed in claim 11, wherein said said external storage is an IC card.