Focus detecting apparatus with gaze detection and focus area changing

A focus detecting apparatus comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined focal plane;
• a sensor fixed at a predetermined location;
• a re-imaging optical system for causing a portion of the object image which is to be formed on some area of the predetermined focal plane by a light beam passed through the phototaking optical system to be re-imaged on a predetermined portion of said sensor;
• an optical element provided in said re-imaging optical system being moved relative to the fixed sensor to thereby make the position of said some area changeable;
• the relative movement of said optical element being effected so that irrespective of said movement, the length of the optical path between said some area and the predetermined portion of said sensor may be kept;
• and
• calculating means for calculating the focus state of said some area of said predetermined focal plane on the basis of the output of the predetermined portion of said sensor.

A focus detecting apparatus having a display device, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on said image sensor;
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor;
• a finder through which a photographer observes the object image formed by said phototaking optical system on said photographing image field;
• and
• display means for displaying in said finder a position of the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means superimposed with said object image;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the position of the focus detecting region by movement of an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor.

A focus detecting apparatus having a display device, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor;
• a finder through which a photographer observes the object image formed on said photographing image field by said phototaking optical system;
• and
• display means for displaying the focus adjusting state of the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means in a position corresponding to the focusing region on said finder superimposed with said object image;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the position of the focus detecting region by movement of an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor.

A focus detecting apparatus, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor, and outputting the calculated result as a focus signal;
• and
• correction means for correcting said focus signal in accordance with the position of the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the position of the focus detecting region by movement of an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor.

A focus detecting apparatus capable of changing a focus detecting region, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor;
• and
• eye gaze detecting means for detecting a photographer's gaze position on said photographing image field;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting a position of the focus detecting region on the photographing image field by movement of a position corresponding to the gaze position detected by said eye gaze detecting means.

A focus detecting apparatus capable of changing a focus detecting region, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor;
• and
• externally operative operating means;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting a position of the focus detecting region on the photographing image field by moving an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor to a position selected by said operating means.

A focus detecting apparatus, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably and two dimensionally a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• and
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the position of the focus detecting region by moving two dimensionally an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor.

A focus detecting apparatus, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• and
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the position of the focus detecting region by moving an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor, and resetting the focus detecting region in the center of said phototaking of image field when the focus detecting apparatus is turned ON.

A focus detecting apparatus, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means on the basis of output from said image sensor and outputting a focus signal;
• an actuator for focus adjusting by moving said phototaking optical system;
• and
• drive means for driving said actuator based on said focus signal;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the position of the focus detecting region by moving an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system and said image sensor with use of said actuator.

A focus detecting apparatus, comprising:

• a phototaking optical system for forming an object image on a predetermined photographing image field;
• focus detecting region setting means for setting changeably a position of a focus detecting region for detecting a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system on the photographing image field;
• an image sensor;
• a focus detecting optical system for guiding onto said image sensor a light flux coming from said phototaking optical system to the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• and
• calculating means for calculating a focus adjusting state of said phototaking optical system in the focus detecting region set by said focus detecting region setting means;
• said focus detecting region setting means setting changeably the focus position of the focus detecting region by moving an optical member disposed between said phototaking optical system, and said image sensor, and changing the focus detecting region in a case where detection of the focus adjusting state by said calculating means is not possible.