Autofocusing apparatus of a sighting telescope

Abstract

An autofocusing apparatus of a telescope, includes: a telescopic optical system which includes a focusing lens group guided along an optical axis; a focus detector which detects a focus state of the telescopic optical system; a lens driver which drives the focusing lens group along the optical axis; an AF switch which is manually operated; and a controller which performs a first AF operation to control the lens driver to move the focusing lens group to an in-focus position on the optical axis in accordance with a result of detection of the focus detector each time the AF switch is operated; wherein the controller performs a second AF operation when the AF switch is operated more than once within a predetermined period of time, after the first AF operation is performed, the second AF operation including the movement of the focusing lens group by the lens driver to move the focusing lens group until the focusing lens group is moved to a second in-focus position other than the in-focus position, upon a later operation of the AF switch within the predetermined period of time; the second in-focus position being determined in accordance with the result of detection of the focus detector that is repeatedly actuated during the movement of the focusing lens group.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.