Methods and apparatus for performing zoom in and zoom out operations are described using multiple optical chains in a camera device. At least one optical chain in the camera device includes a moveable light redirection device, said light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism. Different zoom focal length settings correspond to different scene capture areas for the optical chain with the moveable light redirection device. Overlap between scene areas captured by different optical chains increases during zoom in and decreases during zoom out. Images captured by different optical chains are combined and/or cropped to generate a composite image corresponding to a zoom focal length setting.

A night vision device, comprising a first light-sensitive chip, a first lens group (101), a first display screen, an image processing system and a control system for adjusting an imaging range of the first light-sensitive chip by adjusting times of optical zooming of the first lens group and/or digital zooming of the image processing system. The night vision device further comprises an auxiliary illumination module (103), which comprises an auxiliary light source and a light guiding cavity; the auxiliary light source at least can emit infrared light; a light ray emitted by the auxiliary light source is emitted via the light guiding cavity; the light guiding cavity has a movable adjustment component for adjusting an irradiation range of the emitted light ray in a manual manner or by means of automatic control by the control system; and the irradiation range is adapted to the imaging range of the first light-sensitive chip. The night vision device according to the present invention can improve a night visual range and imaging quality without changing the level of hardware.

An image pickup apparatus, including: an observation unit configured to observe an object; a detector configured to detect whether or not a user observes the object through use of the observation unit; and a controller configured to control an actuator, the actuator being configured to drive at least a part of an photography optical system and being capable of performing a first operation and a second operation different from the first operation, the second operation being an operation for maintenance of the actuator, wherein, when the detector detects that the user does not observe the object through use of the observation unit, the controller causes the actuator to perform the second operation.

An imaging device for evaluating focusing of light by one or more optical elements on an imaging sensor, the imaging device having one or more processors configured to compare a first value of a characteristic of a first signal from a first photoelectric conversion structure of the imaging sensor having a first light-receiving surface area and a second value of the characteristic of a second signal from a second photoelectric conversion structure of the imaging sensor having a second light-receiving surface area smaller than the first light-receiving surface area, and to determine whether focusing is achieved by the one or more optical elements.

An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging optical system provided on a front side of the imaging apparatus facing a subject and configured to collect light from a field of view area; an image sensor configured to receive the light collected from the field of view area via the imaging optical system to generate image data; an optical sighting unit configured to transmit the light from the field of view area collected by the imaging optical system and to produce a virtual image of a light beam or a sighting mark in an area where the light from the field of view area transmits; and an imaging control unit configured to perform imaging under imaging control corresponding to driving of the optical sighting unit when the optical sighting unit is driven.

A photographing method and an electronic device. The photographing method includes: receiving, by the electronic device, a first operation for triggering the electronic device to enter a large aperture mode; obtaining, by the electronic device, a distance value between the electronic device and a photographed target object in response to the first operation; enabling, by the electronic device in a case that a distance value does not exceed a first distance threshold, a first camera and a second camera to acquire the image of the target object; enabling, by the electronic device in a case that the distance value exceeds the first distance threshold, the first camera and a third camera to acquire the image of the target object; and displaying, by the electronic device, a preview image including the target object.

A motor control, device that controls a motor, includes: a plurality of processors, each being adapted to generate information for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal; a plurality of PWM signal generation circuits, each being provided corresponding to each of the processors and adapted to generate the PWM signal on the basis of the information that has been generated by the corresponding processor; and a switch circuit that selectively gives the information generated by each of the processors to any of the PWM signal generation circuits.

Methods and apparatus relating to image capture of image portions using optical chains with non-parallel optical axis are described. In some embodiments different portions of a scene area of interest captured by different optical chains operating in parallel are combined. The use of multiple optical chains in parallel facilitates generation of an image with a higher overall pixel count than would be possible using a single sensor of one of the optical chains and/or with more light capture than would be captured using a single one of the optical chains.

A focus adjustment control apparatus is provided which includes: a focus detection unit that calculates an evaluation value with regard to contrast of an image via an optical system to detect a focus adjustment state of the optical system; an acquisition unit that acquires from a lens barrel at least one of a maximum value and a minimum value of an image plane movement coefficient that represents correspondence relationship between a movement amount of a focus adjustment lens included in the optical system and a movement amount of an image plane; and a control unit that uses at least one of the maximum value and the minimum value of the image plane movement coefficient to determine a drive speed for the focus adjustment lens when the focus detection unit detects the focus adjustment state.

In a motor control device, a matrix circuit and logic circuits are arranged between PWM signal generation circuits and output terminals. It is possible to output PWM signals to the output terminals as they are and to synchronize the PWM signals and output a synchronized signal to a desired output terminal/terminals in the output terminals by changing a coupled state of the matrix circuit. Therefore, it is possible to change the kind of the motor to be controlled, the number of motors to be controlled and so forth without changing the motor control device.