Camera and control method for focusing device

Claim 2

A camera having an auto-focus section having distance measurement points corresponding to a plurality of paints in a frame, the auto-focus section including a first determining section which determines a first candidate point of said plurality of points, and a second determining section which determines a second candidate point of said plurality of points which is different from the first candidate point, the camera comprising: a switch detecting section which detects operation of a predetermined switch by a photographer; and a selecting section which selects/switches the first and second candidate points in accordance with a state detected by the switch detecting section.

Claim 3

A camera according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting section selects the first candidate point when the switch detecting section detects no operation of the switch, and selects the second candidate point when the switch detecting section detects operation of the switch.

Claim 4

A camera according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second determining sections determine candidate points in accordance with one of an order of increasing distance, an order of increasing distance with respect to a predetermined distance, an order of increasing distance to the center of a frame, and an order of decreasing contrast.

Claim 5

A camera according to claim 1 , wherein the first determining section determines a distance measurement point indicating the nearest distance as the first candidate point, and the second determining section determines a point indicating the second nearest distance as the second candidate point.

Claim 6

A camera according to claim 1 , which further comprises a display section which displays positions corresponding to said plurality of candidate points in a frame, and in which the selecting section performs point switching operation when the switch detection is performed during display operation of the display section.

Claim 7

A camera according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined switch comprises a switch which is mounted on a photographing lens and switches between an auto-focus mode and a manual focus mode.

Claim 8

A multi-point auto-focus camera having a selection/display control section which selects and displays at least one of a plurality of distance measurement points using a predetermined algorithm, comprising: a switch which selects a manual focus mode; a focusing rotating ring which gives an instruction for focusing in the manual focus mode; and a point switching control section which switches the selected/displayed point in accordance with rotation operation of the focusing rotating ring when control operation is performed by the selection/display control section.

Claim 9

A multi-point auto-focus camera having a selection/display control section which selects and displays at least one of a plurality of distance measurement points using a predetermined algorithm, comprising: a switch which selects a manual focus mode; a focusing rotating ring which gives an instruction for focusing in the manual focus mode; and a point switching control section which switches the selected/displayed point in accordance with rotation operation of the focusing rotating ring when control operation is performed by the selection/display control section.

Claim 10

A camera comprising: a rotating ring which is provided on a lens barrel portion for issuing an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set the instruction from the rotating ring as a switching instruction to the switching section or an instruction for focusing in a manual focus mode.

Claim 11

A camera comprising: a rotating ring which is provided on a lens barrel portion for issuing an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set the instruction from the rotating ring as a switching instruction to the switching section or an instruction for focusing in a manual focus mode.

Claim 12

A camera according to claim 8 , wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule.

Claim 13

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in order of increasing object distance on the basis of an object distance at each in-focus point position.

Claim 14

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in order of increasing object distance on the basis of an object distance at each in-focus point position.

Claim 15

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in order of decreasing contrast on the basis of an object distance at each in-focus point position.

Claim 16

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in order of decreasing contrast on the basis of an object distance at each in-focus point position.

Claim 17

A camera according to claim 9 , wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in predetermined switching order of the in-focus point position.

Claim 18

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which sequentially changes a condition for selecting one of a plurality of in-focus point positions, and switches one in-focus point position selected under the changed selection condition.

Claim 19

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which sequentially changes a condition for selecting one of a plurality of in-focus point positions, and switches one in-focus point position selected under the changed selection condition.

Claim 20

A camera according to claim 13 , wherein at least two conditions of a condition for selection of an in-focus point position in accordance with an object distance at each in-focus point position, a condition for selection of an in-focus point position in accordance with contrast of an object at each in-focus point position, and a condition for selection of an in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined switching order of the in-focus point position are prepared as the conditions.

Claim 21

A camera according to claim 13 , wherein the auto-focus section uses one of the conditions which is used for immediately preceding photographing operation as a condition used first by the operating section in issuing an operation instruction.

Claim 22

A camera according to claim 14 , wherein the auto-focus section uses one of the conditions which is used for immediately preceding photographing operation as a condition used first by the operating section in issuing an operation instruction.

Claim 23

A camera according to claim 11 , wherein the specific operation instruction comprises an instruction to switch between the manual focus mode and the auto-focus mode.

Claim 24

A camera according to claim 15 , wherein the specific operation instruction comprises an instruction to switch between the manual focus mode and the auto-focus mode.

Claim 25

A camera according to claim 8 , wherein the instruction for focusing in a manual mode comprises an instruction to move a focusing lens.

Claim 26

A camera according to claim 11 , wherein the specific operation instruction comprises an instruction to move a focusing lens.

Claim 27

A camera according to claim 12 , wherein the instruction for focusing in a manual mode comprises an instruction to move a focusing lens.

Claim 28

A camera according to claim 15 , wherein the specific operation instruction comprises an instruction to move a focusing lens.

Claim 29

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein after operation of the auto-focus section is started, the control section sets an instruction for the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section.

Claim 30

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein after operation of the auto-focus section is started, the control section sets an instruction for the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section.

Claim 31

A camera according to claim 11 , wherein after operation of the auto-focus section is started, the control section sets an instruction for the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section.

Claim 32

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in predetermined switching order of the in-focus point position, and wherein after operation of the auto-focus section is started, the control section sets an instruction for the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section.

Claim 33

A camera comprising: an operating section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation; an auto-focus section which performs focusing operation on the basis of an in-focus point position in a frame; a switching section which switches the in-focus point position in the frame; and a control section which performs control to set an instruction from the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section or a specific operation instruction associated with focusing operation other than the switching operation, wherein the switching section switches the in-focus point position in accordance with a predetermined rule, wherein the predetermined rule comprises a rule which switches the in-focus point in predetermined switching order of the in-focus point position, and wherein after operation of the auto-focus section is started, the control section sets an instruction for the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section.

Claim 34

A camera according to claim 15 , wherein after operation of the auto-focus section is started, the control section sets an instruction for the operating section as a switching instruction to the switching section.

Claim 35

A control method for a focusing device which can switch in-focus point positions for auto-focus operation within a frame, wherein an operation instruction by a specific operation section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation is controlled as an instruction to switch the in-focus position within a predetermined period after start of auto-focus operation, and as a specific instruction associated with another focusing operation other than the in-focus point position switching during a period other than the predetermined period.

Claim 36

A control method for a focusing device which can switch in-focus point positions for auto-focus operation within a frame, wherein an operation instruction by a specific operation section which issues an instruction associated with focusing operation is controlled as an instruction to switch the in-focus position within a predetermined period after start of auto-focus operation, and as a specific instruction associated with another focusing operation other than the in-focus point position switching during a period other than the predetermined period.