Primary-Subordinate Camera Focus Based On Lens Position Sensing

A camera system, comprising:

• a first camera, including:
• a first set of one or more lenses that define a first optical axis;
• a first actuator configured to move the first set of one or more lenses along the first optical axis to enable focusing for the first camera;
• and
• the first camera has a first minimum focus distance;
• a second camera, including:
• a second set of one or more lenses that define a second optical axis;
• a second actuator configured to move the second set of one or more lenses along the second optical axis to enable focusing for the second camera;
• and
• the second camera has a second minimum focus distance that is different than the first minimum focus distance of the first camera
• a controller configured to:
• cause the first camera to independently focus on an image subject based at least in part on image content corresponding to the image subject;
• and
• cause the second camera to focus on the image subject based at least in part on a focus relationship between the second camera and the first camera, wherein the focus relationship characterizes focus positioning of the second set of one or more lenses of the second camera with respect to focus positioning of the first set of one or more lenses of the first camera.

A method, comprising:

• focusing a first camera on an image subject based at least in part on image content corresponding to the image subject, wherein the first camera includes a first set of one or more lenses that define a first optical axis, and the first camera has a first minimum focus distance;
• determining a focus position of the first set of one or more lenses at which the first camera is focused on the image subject;
• and
• focusing a second camera on the image subject based at least in part on the focus position of the first set of one or more lenses and a focus relationship between the second camera and the first camera, wherein:
• the second camera includes a second set of one or more lenses that define a second optical axis;
• the second camera has a second minimum focus distance that is different than the first minimum focus distance of the first camera;
• and
• the focus relationship characterizes focus positioning of the second set of one or more lenses of the second camera with respect to focus positioning of the first set of one or more lenses of the first camera.

A mobile multifunction device, comprising:

• a first camera unit, including:
• a first optical package including one or more lens elements that define a first optical axis, wherein the first camera unit has a first minimum focus distance;
• and
• a first actuator configured to move the first optical package along the first optical axis to enable autofocus functionality for the first camera unit;
• a second camera unit, including:
• a second optical package including one or more lens elements that define a second optical axis, wherein the second camera unit has a second minimum focus distance that is different than the first minimum focus distance of the first camera unit;
• and
• a second actuator configured to move the second optical package along the second optical axis to enable autofocus functionality for the second camera unit;
• and
• a display;
• one or more processors configured to:
• cause the first camera unit to focus on one or more respective image subjects based at least in part on respective image content corresponding to the one or more respective image subjects;
• cause the second camera unit to move, via the second actuator, the second optical package to a focus position based at least in part on a focus relationship that characterizes positioning of the second optical package with respect to positioning of the first optical package of the first camera unit, such that the second camera unit and the first camera unit are focused on a same image subject of the one or more respective image subjects;
• cause an image to be captured at least partly via one or more of the first camera unit or the second camera unit, wherein the image corresponds to an image subject of the one or more respective image subjects;
• and
• cause the display to present the image.