Shake correction device, shake correction method, and imaging apparatus

A shake correction method comprising the steps of:

• detecting shake so as to generate a shake detection signal by a shake detection unit;
• displacing a relative positional relationship between a lens unit and an imaging device with respect to an optical axis so as to displace the position on the imaging surface of an optical image formed on an imaging surface of the imaging device, by a driving unit;
• detecting a displacement state of the correction lens unit or the imaging device, by a displacement detection unit;
• performing a filter process of the shake detection signal, by a filter processing unit;
• and
• displacing the relative positional relationship between the lens unit and the imaging device according to the filter-processed shake detection signal so as to correct the shake of the optical image on the imaging surface generated by the shake detected by the shake detection unit, by a correction control unit,
• wherein, in the step of performing the filter process, filter processing characteristics are changed according to the displacement state detected in the step of detecting the displacement state, and the shake correction of the optical image is limited as the detected displacement state becomes close to a displacement limit, and
• wherein a displacement range of the correction lens unit is divided into a multiple of areas comprising a first area in which a first limit easing process is performed, a second area within which a second limit easing process is performed, a third area in which a first limit reinforcing process is performed, a fourth area in which a second limit reinforcing process is performed, and a fifth area in which no limit easing process and no limit reinforcing process is performed.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a shake detection unit detecting shake so as to generate a shake detection signal;
• a driving unit displacing a relative positional relationship between a lens unit and an imaging device with respect to an optical axis so as to displace the position on the imaging surface of an optical image formed on an imaging surface of the imaging device;
• a displacement detection unit detecting a displacement state of the correction lens unit or the imaging device;
• a filter processing unit performing a filter process of the shake detection signal;
• a signal processing unit performing a camera signal process using an image signal generated by the imaging device;
• and
• a correction control unit displacing the relative positional relationship between the lens unit and the imaging device according to the filter-processed shake detection signal so as to correct the shake of the optical image on the imaging surface generated by the shake detected by the shake detection unit,
• wherein the filter processing unit changes filter processing characteristics according to the displacement state detected by the displacement detection unit, and limits the shake correction of the optical image as the detected displacement state becomes close to a displacement limit, and
• wherein a displacement range of the correction lens unit is divided into a multiple of areas comprising a first area in which a first limit easing process is performed, a second area within which a second limit easing process is performed, a third area in which a first limit reinforcing process is performed, a fourth area in which a second limit reinforcing process is performed, and a fifth area in which no limit easing process and no limit reinforcing process is performed.