A camera assembly can include a housing that includes a front side that includes a front side perimeter, a back side that includes a back side perimeter, and a surface that extends between the front side and the back side; a camera that includes a front side aperture; a front side illumination light; and a status light.

A camera assembly can include a housing that includes a front side that includes a front side perimeter, a back side that includes a back side perimeter, and a surface that extends between the front side and the back side; a camera that includes a front side aperture; a front side illumination light; and a status light.

Disclosed are aspects of a camera assembly, including a sensor for sampling image data in a sampling step. A lens is provided for focussing light onto the sensor. A window is supported in front of the lens. The window includes a transparency changing material for varying the transmittance of light through the window in response to an input signal. The camera assembly is configured to thereby increase the transmittance of light through the window during the sampling step of the sensor.

A liquid crystal optical shutter includes a first transparent electrode layer, a second transparent electrode layer disposed opposite the first transparent electrode layer and having a plurality of transparent segment electrodes, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer, and a light-shielding layer in which an aperture corresponding to a region including a light entry region of an optical system used for the coded imaging and wider than the light entry region, and configured to shield light in a region outside the aperture, in which the plurality of segment electrodes includes a peripheral segment electrode corresponding to a peripheral region of the light entry region including an outline of the aperture, and the mask is formed by controlling electrical signals applied to the first transparent electrode layer and each of the plurality of segment electrodes.

A camera has a shutter trigger connected to the body, a controller operably connected to the trigger, and a shutter operably connected to the trigger. The shutter is operable at a plurality of frame rates and the controller is responsive to the shutter trigger in the first condition to operate the shutter at a first frame rate. The controller responsive to the shutter trigger in the second condition to operate the shutter at a different second frame rate.

A camera has a shutter trigger connected to the body, a controller operably connected to the trigger, and a shutter operably connected to the trigger. The shutter is operable at a plurality of frame rates and the controller is responsive to the shutter trigger in the first condition to operate the shutter at a first frame rate. The controller responsive to the shutter trigger in the second condition to operate the shutter at a different second frame rate.

The disclosed electronic shutter may include (1) an optical structure including a medium through which light from an environment passes to a lens of a camera for capturing an image of the environment; and (2) a controlling circuit that (a) detects a first condition of a signal, where the first condition indicates an activation of the camera, (b) controls, in response, to the first condition, the optical structure such that the medium attains a transparent optical state, (c) detects a second condition of the signal, where the second condition indicates a deactivation of the camera, and (d) controls, in response to the second condition, the optical structure such that the medium attains a non-transparent optical state in a manner that prevents visual detection of the lens from the environment. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.

The disclosed electronic shutter may include (1) an optical structure including a medium through which light from an environment passes to a lens of a camera for capturing an image of the environment; and (2) a controlling circuit that (a) detects a first condition of a signal, where the first condition indicates an activation of the camera, (b) controls, in response, to the first condition, the optical structure such that the medium attains a transparent optical state, (c) detects a second condition of the signal, where the second condition indicates a deactivation of the camera, and (d) controls, in response to the second condition, the optical structure such that the medium attains a non-transparent optical state in a manner that prevents visual detection of the lens from the environment. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.

A camera with a low maintenance burden is provided. A camera (1) includes a housing (2) having an opening (21), a lens (3) accommodated in the housing (2) to collect light entering through the opening (21), a shutter (4) that opens and closes the opening (21), and a contact member (5) attached to an inner surface of the shutter (4) to come in contact with the lens (3). The contact member (5) comprises a magnetic material and is attracted to the shutter (4) with a magnetic force from the magnetic material.

A camera with a low maintenance burden is provided. A camera (1) includes a housing (2) having an opening (21), a lens (3) accommodated in the housing (2) to collect light entering through the opening (21), a shutter (4) that opens and closes the opening (21), and a contact member (5) attached to an inner surface of the shutter (4) to come in contact with the lens (3). The contact member (5) comprises a magnetic material and is attracted to the shutter (4) with a magnetic force from the magnetic material.