Viewfinder

Claim 2

A camera viewfinder having a plurality of lens groups, wherein a photographing optical system of the camera is separate from the viewfinder, comprising: a parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group being one of said plurality of lens groups; a guide for guiding said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group along a path which intersects an optical axis of the viewfinder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards and away from an optical axis of the photographing optical system; an object distance detector for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; and a movement control system for moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, along said guide, to a plurality of different positions along said path, each of said positions being determined in response to a respective object distance detected by said object distance detector, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards the object and away from said optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance is shorter than a distance to a reference position, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group away from the object and towards said optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance is longer than a distance to said reference position.

Claim 3

The camera viewfinder of claim 1, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a least influence on magnification and aberration of the plurality of lens groups comprising the viewfinder optical system when moved in orthagonal directions, including a direction of the viewfinder optical axis and a direction normal to the viewfinder optical axis.

Claim 4

The viewfinder of claim 1, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a positive power.

Claim 5

The viewfinder of claim 3, said guide being inclined with respect to said optical axis of the finder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group from a reference position in directions towards and away from said object, and towards and away from said optical axis of the photographing optical system.

Claim 6

The camera viewfinder of claim 4, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards said object and said optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance is shorter than a distance to said reference position, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group away from said object and said optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance is longer than a distance to said reference position.

Claim 7

The viewfinder of claim 1, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a negative power.

Claim 8

The viewfinder of claim 6, said guide being inclined with respect to said optical axis of the finder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group from a reference position in a direction towards said object and away from said optical axis of the photographing optical system, or in a direction away from said object and towards said optical axis of the photographing optical system.

Claim 9

The viewfinder of claim 1, further comprising: repetitive measuring means for repeatedly actuating said object distance detector at predetermined time intervals; and lens driving means for moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group along said guide in a direction to compensate for a parallax error and to adjust a diopter every time said object distance is detected by said object distance detector.

Claim 10

The viewfinder of claim 8, further comprising: compensation commencing means for actuating said compensating movement for parallax error and for adjusting of the diopter.

Claim 11

The viewfinder of claim 9, said repetitive measuring means being actuated by an operation of the compensation commencing means.

Claim 12

The viewfinder of claim 10, a main switch of the camera comprising said compensation commencing means.

Claim 13

The viewfinder of claim 10, a grip sensor provided on a grip portion of the camera comprising said compensation commencing means.

Claim 14

The viewfinder of claim 9, said detection of object distance by said object distance detecting means being carried out by said compensation commencing means, independently of a shutter release button of the camera.

Claim 17

The method for compensating for parallax error and effecting a diopter adjustment of a viewfinder in a camera of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting selects the parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group to have a least influence on magnification and aberrations of the plurality of lens groups comprising an optical system of the viewfinder when moved in orthagonal directions, including a direction of the viewfinder optical axis and a direction normal to the viewfinder optical axis.

Claim 18

A viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system separate from the viewfinder, comprising: object distance detecting means for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; compensation commencing means for repetitively commencing said detection of object distance by said object distance detecting means during a predetermined time period in association with activation of a camera switch at a predetermined time interval, said camera switch being distinct from a shutter release of the camera; a parallax error compensating lens group provided on the finder for movement; and movement control means for moving said parallax error compensating lens group in a direction to eliminate a parallax error every time said object distance is detected by said object distance detecting means.

Claim 19

A viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system separate from the viewfinder, comprising: object distance detecting means for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; compensation commencing means for repetitively commencing said detection of object distance by said object distance detecting means during a predetermined time period in association with activation of a camera switch at a predetermined time interval, said camera switch being distinct from a shutter release of the camera; a parallax error compensating lens group provided on the finder for movement; and movement control means for moving said parallax error compensating lens group in a direction to eliminate a parallax error every time said object distance is detected by said object distance detecting means.

Claim 20

A viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system separate from the viewfinder, comprising: object distance detecting means for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; compensation commencing means for repetitively commencing said detection of said object distance by said object distance detecting means during a predetermined time period in association with activation of a camera switch at a predetermined time interval, said camera switch being distinct from a shutter release of the camera; a diopter adjusting lens group provided on the finder for movement; and movement control means for moving said diopter adjusting lens group in a direction to eliminate a deviation of a diopter every time said object distance is detected by said object distance detecting means.

Claim 21

A viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system separate from the viewfinder, comprising: object distance detecting means for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; compensation commencing means for repetitively commencing said detection of said object distance by said object distance detecting means during a predetermined time period in association with activation of a camera switch at a predetermined time interval, said camera switch being distinct from a shutter release of the camera; a diopter adjusting lens group provided on the finder for movement; and movement control means for moving said diopter adjusting lens group in a direction to eliminate a deviation of a diopter every time said object distance is detected by said object distance detecting means.

Claim 22

The viewfinder of claim 1, said movement control system continuously moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group in response to detected changes in object distance.

Claim 23

The method for compensating for parallax error and effecting diopter adjustment of a viewfinder in a camera of claim 14, wherein the step of moving comprises continuously moving the parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group in response to detected changes in object distance.

Claim 24

The viewfinder of a camera according to claim 16, said movement control means continuously moving said parallax error compensating lens group.

Claim 25

The viewfinder of a camera according to claim 17, said movement control means continuously moving said diopter adjusting lens group.

Claim 26

A camera viewfinder having a plurality of lens groups, wherein a photographing optical system of the camera is separate from the viewfinder, comprising: a parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group being one of said plurality of lens groups, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a negative power; a guide for guiding said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group along a path which intersects an optical axis of the viewfinder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards or away from an optical axis of the photographing optical system, said guide being inclined with respect to the optical axis of the viewfinder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group from reference position in a direction towards the object to be photographed and away from the optical axis of the photographing optical system, or in a direction away from the object to be photographed and towards the optical axis of the photographing optical system; an object distance detector for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; and a movement control system for moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, along said guide, to a plurality of positions along said path, in response to object distances detected by said object distance detector, whereby, for all positions of said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, a field of view of the viewfinder is always defined by light passing through said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards the object to be photographed and away from the optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance detected by said object distance detector is shorter than a distance to said reference position, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group away from the object to be photographed and towards the optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance detected by said object distance detector is longer than a distance to said reference position.

Claim 27

A camera viewfinder having a plurality of lens groups, wherein a photographing optical system of the camera is separate from the viewfinder, comprising: a parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group being one of said plurality of lens groups, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a negative power; a guide for guiding said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group along a path which intersects an optical axis of the viewfinder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards or away from an optical axis of the photographing optical system, said guide being inclined with respect to the optical axis of the viewfinder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group from reference position in a direction towards the object to be photographed and away from the optical axis of the photographing optical system, or in a direction away from the object to be photographed and towards the optical axis of the photographing optical system; an object distance detector for detecting a distance of an object to be photographed; and a movement control system for moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, along said guide, to a plurality of positions along said path, in response to object distances detected by said object distance detector, whereby, for all positions of said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, a field of view of the viewfinder is always defined by light passing through said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards the object to be photographed and away from the optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance detected by said object distance detector is shorter than a distance to said reference position, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group away from the object to be photographed and towards the optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance detected by said object distance detector is longer than a distance to said reference position.

Claim 28

The camera viewfinder of claim 22, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a least influence on magnification and aberration of the plurality of lens groups comprising an optical system of the viewfinder when moved in orthagonal directions, including a direction of the viewfinder optical axis direction and a direction normal to the viewfinder optical axis.

Claim 29

The camera viewfinder of claim 22, said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group having a positive power.

Claim 30

The camera viewfinder of claim 24, said guide being inclined with respect to the optical axis of the viewfinder so as to move said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group from a reference position towards and away from the object to be photographed and towards and away from the optical axis of the photographing optical system.

Claim 31

The camera viewfinder of claim 25, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group towards the object to be photographed and towards the optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance is shorter than a distance to said reference position, said movement control system moving said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group away from said object to be photographed and away from the optical axis of the photographing optical system when said object distance is longer than a distance to said reference position.

Claim 32

The camera viewfinder of claim 22, further comprising: a repetitive measuring mechanism for repeatedly actuating said object distance detector at predetermined time intervals; and a lens drive mechanism for providing movement of said parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group along said guide in a direction to compensate for a parallax error and to adjust a diopter every time said object distance is detected by said object distance detector.

Claim 33

The camera viewfinder of claim 27, further comprising: a compensation commencer for commencing said compensation movement to compensate for parallax error and for adjusting the diopter.

Claim 34

The camera viewfinder of claim 28, said repetitive measuring mechanism being actuated by an operation of said compensation commencer.

Claim 35

The camera viewfinder of claim 29, a main switch of the camera comprising said compensation commencer.

Claim 36

The camera viewfinder of claim 29, a grip sensor provided on a grip portion of the camera comprising said compensation commencer.

Claim 37

The camera viewfinder of claim 28, detection of object distance by said object distance detector being carried out by said compensation commencer independently of a shutter release button of the camera.

Claim 40

The method for compensating according to claim 33, wherein the step of selecting selects the parallax error compensating and diopter adjusting lens group to have a least influence on a magnification and aberrations of the plurality of lens groups comprising an optical system of the viewfinder when moved in orthagonal directions, including a direction optical axis of the viewfinder and a direction normal to the viewfinder optical axis.

Claim 41

A viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system according to claim 17, said compensation commencing means comprising means for commencing detection of the object distance in an absence of activation of said shutter release of said camera.

Claim 42

The viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system according to claim 17, said movement control means comprising means for moving said parallax error compensating lens group in an absence of activation of said shutter release of said camera.

Claim 43

The viewfinder of a camera according to claim 17, said camera switch comprising a main camera switch.

Claim 44

A viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system according to claim 17, said compensation commencing means comprising means for commencing detection of the object distance in an absence of activation of said shutter release of said camera.

Claim 45

The viewfinder of a camera having a photographing optical system according to claim 17, said movement control means comprising means for moving said diopter adjusting lens group in an absence of activation of said shutter release of said camera.

Claim 46

The viewfinder of a camera according to claim 17, said camera switch comprising a main camera switch.