A lens drive device is provided with: a lens holder for holding a lens; an ultrasonic motor configured to move the lens holder in a direction of an optical axis; and a support part configured to support the lens holder in a state where the lens holder is urged in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis and such that the lens holder is capable of moving in the direction of the optical axis. The support part includes two pairs of support portions which are disposed respectively on two straight lines along an urging direction and parallel to each other such that the support portions of each pair holds the lend holder therebetween.

An optical-element driving device includes: a holding groove formed in a first fixing part to hold a first supporting part; and a first biasing part including an elastic member and a spacer that are disposed with the first supporting part in the holding groove. The first biasing part biases the first supporting part toward a first movable part by the elastic member via the spacer. The first supporting part includes a pair of ball rows arranged at an interval from each other outside of the first movable part. Each ball row is parallel to an optical axis. The ball rows being held respectively by different ones of a plurality of the holding grooves. The first biasing part biases one of the ball rows obliquely with respect to a formation direction in which one of the holding grooves for holding another one of the ball rows is formed.

An optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a diaphragm, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. A distance between adjacent lens units is changed during focusing. The second lens unit is moved to the image side during focusing from an object at infinity to a short-distance object. The first lens unit includes a positive lens closest to an object and two or more negative lenses. The second lens unit consists of a single negative lens. A predetermined condition is satisfied.

An optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a diaphragm, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. A distance between adjacent lens units is changed during focusing. The second lens unit is moved to the image side during focusing from an object at infinity to a short-distance object. The first lens unit includes a positive lens closest to an object and two or more negative lenses. The second lens unit consists of a single negative lens. A predetermined condition is satisfied.

Embodiments provide a lens moving apparatus including a bobbin having a lens barrel, a housing configured to accommodate the bobbin, an upper elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing, a lower elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing, a first coil disposed on the bobbin, a first magnet disposed on the housing, a circuit board disposed below the housing, a second coil disposed on the circuit board, a first sensor to output a first output signal based on a sensed result of a magnetic field strength of the first magnet, a first capacitor connected in parallel to the first sensor.

The present specification describes a method for determining the distance of an object from the tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside the tip onto a sensor that includes a plurality of photodiodes a portion of which are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels. The method includes receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object; determining a first response curve to said light for a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes and a second response curve to said light for a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes; identifying an intersection between the first response curve and the second response curve; and using data derived from said intersection to determine said distance to the object.

The present specification describes a method for determining the distance of an object from the tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside the tip onto a sensor that includes a plurality of photodiodes a portion of which are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels. The method includes receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object; determining a first response curve to said light for a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes and a second response curve to said light for a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes; identifying an intersection between the first response curve and the second response curve; and using data derived from said intersection to determine said distance to the object.

An image processing device including an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image containing a subject via a lens unit; a distance information acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information indicating a distance to the subject; an auxiliary data generation unit configured to generate auxiliary data related to the distance information; a data stream generation unit configured to generate a data stream in which the image, the distance information, and the auxiliary data are superimposed; and an output unit configured to output the data stream to outside.

An image processing device including an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image containing a subject via a lens unit; a distance information acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information indicating a distance to the subject; an auxiliary data generation unit configured to generate auxiliary data related to the distance information; a data stream generation unit configured to generate a data stream in which the image, the distance information, and the auxiliary data are superimposed; and an output unit configured to output the data stream to outside.

An electronic viewfinder unit includes a finder unit and a base member. The finder unit includes a display unit, an eyepiece portion, and a lens holding member holding a lens that guides a light flux emitted from the display unit to the eyepiece portion. The base member includes a guide member configured to guide the electronic viewfinder unit to a housed state and a protruding state. The base member includes a holding portion and a turning member. The holding portion is provided with a first holding member and a second holding member that face each other with an optical axis of the lens in between. The turning member has one end held by the first holding member and another end held by the second holding member, and is turnable about an axis orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens.