Photographing apparatus and control method therefor

A photographing apparatus comprising:

• a first scanning device that scans a photographic optical system in a first direction on a plane orthogonal to a photographic optical axis of the photographic optical system;
• a second scanning device that scans said photographic optical system in a second direction different from the first direction;
• a posture detecting device that detects a posture of the photographic optical system about the photographic optical axis thereof;
• and
• a drive control device that causes said first and second scanning devices to cooperatively operate based on a posture detecting signal from said posture detecting device.

A photographing apparatus comprising:

• an optical system;
• a locus recording device that records locus information indicative of a locus of a shooting direction;
• a shooting direction-changing device that scans said optical system to change the shooting direction;
• and
• a shooting direction-returning device that drivingly controls said shooting direction-changing device based on the locus information recorded in said locus recording device, to thereby return the shooting direction to an initial position thereof.

A photographing apparatus comprising:

• an optical system comprising a main optical section that is formed by a plurality of lenses arranged along a photographic optical axis, and is pivotally movable about the photographic optical axis, a bending optical section that has a reflective surface for bending the photographic optical axis and is pivotally movable about the photographic optical axis, and an image pickup section that forms an image from an optical flux from said main optical section and is pivotally movable about the photographic optical axis;
• a first turning device that pivotally moves said main optical section and said bending optical section in unison about the photographic optical axis;
• a second turning device that pivotally moves said image pickup section about the photographic optical axis;
• and
• a drive control device that drivingly controls said first and second turning devices in an interlocked manner.

A photographing apparatus comprising:

• an optical system comprising a main optical section that is formed by a plurality of lenses arranged along a photographic optical axis, a bending optical section that has a reflective surface for bending the photographic optical axis, and an image pickup section that forms an image from an optical flux from said main optical section, said main optical section and said bending optical section being pivotally movable relative to each other about the photographic optical axis, and said image pickup section being pivotally movable about the photographic optical axis;
• an optical section-turning device that pivotally moves said bending optical section relative to said main optical section about the photographic optical axis;
• an image pickup section-turning device that pivotally moves said image pickup section about the photographic optical axis;
• and
• a drive control device that drivingly controls said optical section-turning device and said image pickup section in an interlocked manner.

A photographing apparatus comprising:

• a lens barrel that is pivotally movable about a first rotational axis and has a bending optical system for bending a photographic optical axis, wherein an optical flux having entered said lens barrel through the bending optical system forms an image;
• a support member that rotatably supports at least a part of said lens barrel, said support member cooperating with said lens barrel to form a lens barrel unit that is pivotally movable about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis;
• a first turning device that rotates said lens barrel about the first rotational axis;
• and
• a second turning device that rotates said lens barrel unit about the second rotational axis.