Before an observation region of the imaging optical system reaches an observation position in a culture container, a vertical position of the culture container at the observation position is precedently detected by an auto-focus displacement sensor. In a case where an auto-focus control is performed on the basis of the position, an error between the precedently detected vertical position of the container at the observation position and a vertical position of the container at a time point when an observation region of the imaging optical system is scanned up to the observation position is acquired, and an objective lens is moved in an optical axis direction on the basis of the error.

Provided are a microscope apparatus capable of executing auto-focus control that appropriately follows a high-speed scan in a case of capturing a high-magnification and wide view image of an observation target contained in a container having large variations in the bottom surface, and a program. In a case where a microscope apparatus main body scans the bottom surface of the cultivation container by synchronously controlling a piezoelectric element and an actuator serving as optical axis-directional transport devices having different properties from each other, an objective lens of the imaging optical system is transported to a focus position in the optical axis direction.

An image sensor and an image sensing method are provided. The image sensor may restore a high resolution image with respect to a high magnification based on sensing information corresponding to different fields of view (FOVs) and that is received through lens elements having a same focal length and different lens sizes.

An interchangeable lens attachable to a camera body, the interchangeable lens including: a focusing optical system configured to vary a focal position of the interchangeable lens; and a transmitter configured to transmit a first value and a second value to the camera body, the first value indicating a relationship between an amount of movement of the focusing optical system and an amount of movement of an image plane at a position to which the focusing optical system has moved, the second value indicating a relationship between an amount of movement of the focusing optical system and an amount of movement of the image plane, the second value being equal to or smaller than the first value.

A camera device includes a first IR illuminator that is configured to irradiate a first irradiation range in a capturing area with first IR light, a second IR illuminator that is configured to irradiate a second irradiation range narrower than the first irradiation range in the capturing area with second IR light, and a controller that is configured to obtain a zoom magnification of the lens and controls the irradiation of the first IR light and the second IR light in a case where the zoom magnification is equal to a predetermined zoom magnification. The controller changes a supplied current of the first IR illuminator for the irradiation of the first IR light over a first predetermined time period, and changes a supplied current of the second IR illuminator for the irradiation of the second IR light over a second predetermined time period.

A CPU executes a zoom tracking control program to function as an acquisition unit that acquires a focal length of an imaging lens from a state of a zoom lens; and a control unit that performs first control of performing control to change a position of a focus lens along an optical axis direction according to the acquired focal length on the basis of a zoom tracking curve represented by tracking data representing a correspondence relationship between the focal length and a focus position according to a subject distance, and second control of acquiring contrast information representing contrast of a captured image a plurality of times during execution of the first control and performing control to change the zoom tracking curve used in the first control on the basis of a change of contrast values represented by a plurality of pieces of the acquired contrast information.

Provided are an imaging device capable of accelerating AF and a focusing control method thereof. A focus lens drive unit (16) that drives a focus lens (12), and an image sensor movement drive unit (120) that moves an image sensor (110) along an optical axis (L) are included. A target position of the focus lens (12) for focusing on a subject is set, and the focus lens (12) is moved toward the target position. The image sensor (110) is moved before the focus lens (12) reaches the target position such that focusing is performed. A focusing state is maintained by moving the image sensor (110) so as to follow the focus lens (12) after the focusing is performed.

Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera having a depth which is less than the maximum length of the outer lens of at least one optical chain of the camera are described. In some embodiments a light redirection device, e.g., a mirror, is used to allow a relatively long optical chain with a relatively large non-circular outer lens. In some embodiments the light redirection device has a depth, e.g., front of camera to back of camera dimension, which is less than the maximum length of the aperture of the outer lens in the aperture's direction of maximum extent. Multiple optical chains with non-circular outer lenses arranged in different directions may and in some embodiments are used to capture images with the captured images being combined to generate a composite image.

Provided is a lens apparatus including: a lens; detectors configured to detect temperatures at a plurality of mutually different positions of the lens apparatus, respectively; and a processor configured to obtain a change amount of a temperature per unit time with respect to each of the plurality of mutually different positions based on each of the detected temperatures and a time at which each of the detected temperatures is obtained, to estimate a temperature of the lens based on the change amount with respect to each of the plurality of mutually different positions.

Provided is a zoom lens including, in order from object side: a positive first unit configured not to be moved for zooming; one or two negative second units configured to be moved for zooming; a stop configured to reduce an outer part of an off-axis light; two or three third units configured to be moved for zooming; and a fourth unit, in which focal lengths of the first unit and the second units, a distance on an optical axis from the stop to a vertex of a surface closest to the object side in the third units under a zoom state in which F-drop starts, and a distance on the optical axis from a vertex of a surface closest to the image side in the second units to the vertex of the surface closest to the object side in the third units under the zoom state are appropriately set.