A lens barrel moves a plurality of lens groups efficiently in an optical axis direction while inhibiting size of the lens barrel from increasing. The lens barrel comprises a plurality of holding members respectively holding optical components, respectively provided with cam followers, and supported movably in optical axis direction, a cam cylinder having cam grooves engaged with the cam followers, and held rotatably around an axis parallel to an optical axis, and a driving unit configured to drive one holding member out of the plurality in the optical axis direction. By driving the one holding member being in the optical axis direction, the cam cylinder rotates, and another holding member out of the plurality is driven in the optical axis direction. The driving unit includes a vibration-type linear actuator configured to generate thrust force to drive the one holding member by an elliptical vibration generated in a vibrator.

An optical element driving mechanism is provided, including a movable part for connecting an optical element; a fixed part, wherein the movable part can move relative to the fixed part; a driving assembly for driving the movable part to move relative to the fixed part; and a supporting assembly, wherein the movable part can move relative to the fixed part in multiple dimensions via the supporting assembly.

A camera module is disclosed, which has a compact structure, and may be used as a camera alone, or may be used in a terminal device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer or in a vehicle-mounted device. The camera module includes two magnetic bodies, a lens group, a zooming coil, and a sensor, where the two magnetic bodies are respectively located on two opposite sides of the lens group, to form a magnetic field; the lens group includes a first soft film lens; the zooming coil is connected to a soft film of the first soft film lens; when the zooming coil is energized, a Lorentz force is generated under action of the magnetic field, to change a shape of the first soft film lens, and implement a zooming function; and the sensor is configured to receive a light beam incident through the lens group.

An imaging device derives a change amount of image magnification corresponding to each of a plurality of F-numbers in an autofocus area on the basis of a reference value of the change amount of the image magnification in accordance with a change in position of a focus lens for each of the plurality of F-numbers, in a case where autofocus is executed; determines, as a limit F-number, an F-number corresponding to any change amount equal to or less than a threshold value of the allowed change amount of the image magnification among the derived change amounts; and sets an F-number as the limit F-number in a case where the F-number obtained from a subject luminance in a case where autofocus is executed exceeds the determined limit F-number.

A focus adjustment apparatus comprises a detection unit that detects one or more main subject candidates for a main subject from image signals based on a predetermined first condition, a selection unit that selects the main subject from the one or more main subject candidates, an acquisition unit that acquires operation information of an operation unit for moving a position of a focus lens, and a focus adjustment unit that controls the focus lens so as to focus on the selected main subject in a case where an autofocus mode is set and the operation unit is not operated. In a case where the operation unit is operated, the selection unit selects the main subject based on an in-focus position of the focus lens and fixes the selected main subject.

A device may include an input component and a focus control component. The focus control component may receive, from the input component, an input associated with adjusting a focus of a field of view of the device. The focus control component may determine whether an area of interest is present in the field of view. The focus control component may adjust, based on determining that the area of interest is not present in the field of view, the focus of the field of view at a focus speed associated with the input, or, based on determining that the area of interest is present in the field of view, may determine one or more parameters for modifying the focus speed, modify the focus speed based on the one or more parameters, and adjust the focus of the field of view at the modified focus speed.

An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor that photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an image pickup optical system including a zoom lens and a focus lens, a data storage that stores focus data indicating an in-focus position of the focus lens according to an object distance and a position of the zoom lens, and a wavelength acquirer that acquires a wavelength of imaging light incident on the image sensor. The focus data includes data for visible light and data according to a wavelength of infrared light. The wavelength acquirer acquires includes the wavelength of the imaging light using the focus data, the object distance, the position of the zoom lens, and a position of the focus lens when the image pickup optical system is in focus in a state where the visible light and the infrared light can enter the image sensor.

A focus adjustment device obtains a correction value for correcting a result of autofocus, from aberration information regarding at least one of an astigmatism, a chromatic aberration, and a spherical aberration of an imaging optical system, and focus detection information regarding the autofocus. The focus adjustment device then controls a position of a focusing lens that the imaging optical system has, based on a result of the autofocus corrected using the correction value. By correcting the result of the autofocus while considering at least a focus condition of a photographic image, a focus detection error caused by an aberration of the optical system can be accurately corrected.

An information processing apparatus includes a first obtaining unit configured to obtain optical information about an image capturing apparatus including an imaging optical system including at least one movable lens movable in an optical axis direction, a second obtaining unit configured to obtain orientation information indicating an orientation of a lens barrel holding the imaging optical system, a third obtaining unit configured to obtain installation information indicating an installation direction of the image capturing apparatus, and a control unit configured to control a position of the movable lens based on the optical information, the orientation information, and the installation information.

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.