Lens-barrel and camera system having the lens-barrel

A lens-barrel comprising:

• a photographing optical system;
• a zooming mechanism that moves a variable power lens of said photographing optical system in an optical axis direction of said photographing optical system to vary a focal length;
• a focusing mechanism that moves a focusing lens of said photographing optical system in said optical axis direction to achieve focus;
• a manual operation member which, when operated in a first direction allows said zooming mechanism to be operable, and when operated in a second direction allows said focusing unit-mechanism to be operable, the second direction being different from said first direction;
• an automatic focus driver that drives said focusing mechanism to focus said photographing optical system without operating said manual operation member;
• a zoom operation detector that detects the operation of said manual operation member in said first direction;
• a focus operation detector that detects the operation of said manual operation member in said second direction;
• and
• a controller that switches a way of achieving the focus from operation of the automatic focus driver to operation of the manual operation member in the second direction, when detecting that said manual operation member is operated in the second direction during operation of the automatic focus driver, wherein
• said focus operation detector outputs a signal from which the controller can measure an operational amount of said manual operation member in said second direction, and
• while said zoom operation detector detects the operation of said manual operation member in said first direction, said controller does not perform the switching until said controller determines that the operational amount of said manual operation member in said second direction has exceeded a predetermined amount.

A camera system comprising a lens-barrel and a camera body to which said lens-barrel is attached, wherein

• said lens-barrel includes:
• a photographing optical system;
• a zooming mechanism that moves a variable power lens of said photographing optical system in an optical axis direction of said photographing optical system to vary a focal length;
• a focusing mechanism that moves a focusing lens of said photographing optical system in said optical axis direction to achieve focus;
• a manual operation member which, when operated in a first direction allows said zooming mechanism to be operable, and when operated in a second direction allows said focusing mechanism to be operable, the second direction being different from said first direction;
• an automatic focus driver that drives said focusing mechanism to focus said photographing optical system without operating said manual operation member;
• a zoom operation detector that detects the operation of said manual operation member in said first direction;
• a focus operation detector that detects the operation of said manual operation member in said second direction;
• and
• a controller that switches a way of achieving the focus from operation of the automatic focus driver to the manual operation member in the second direction, when detecting that said manual operation member is operated in the second direction during operation of the automatic focus driver, wherein
• said controller does not perform the switching while said zoom operation detector detects the operation of said manual operation member in said first direction, even when the operation of said manual operation member in said second direction is detected.

A camera system comprising a lens-barrel and a camera body to which said lens-barrel is attached, wherein

• said lens-barrel includes:
• a photographing optical system;
• a zooming mechanism that moves a variable power lens of said photographing optical system in an optical axis direction of said photographing optical system to vary a focal length;
• a focusing mechanism that moves a focusing lens of said photographing optical system in said optical axis direction to achieve focus;
• a manual operation member which, when operated in a first direction allows said zooming mechanism to be operable, and when operated in a second direction allows said focusing mechanism to be operable, the second direction being different from said first direction;
• an automatic focus driver that drives said focusing mechanism to focus said photographing optical system without operating said manual operation member;
• a zoom operation detector that detects the operation of said manual operation member in said first direction;
• a focus operation detector that detects the operation of said manual operation member in said second direction;
• and
• a controller that switches a way of achieving the focus from operation of the automatic focus driver of the manual operation member in the second direction, when detecting that said manual operation member is operated in the second direction during operation of the automatic focus driver, wherein
• said focus operation outputs a signal from which the controller can measure an operational amount of said manual operation member in said second direction, and
• while said zoom operation detector detects the operation of said manual operation member in said first direction, said controller does not perform the switching until said controller determines that the operational amount of said manual operation member in said second direction has exceeded a predetermined amount.