A tubular video camera assembly for recording photos or video includes a tube which is comprised of a rigid material such that the tube can be gripped by a user. A camera is disposed on an end of the tube to capture imagery in the direction that the tube is pointed. A plurality of first light emitters is disposed on the end of the tube to emit infrared light to facilitate the camera to capture imagery in a darkened environment. A plurality of second light emitters is disposed on the end of the tube to emit light visible light to illuminate a darkened area. A laser light emitter is disposed on the end of the tube to emit a beam of laser light outwardly from the tube for indicating a target of the camera.

Disclosed is an interchangeable conversion lens for underwater photography or cinematography able to change from macro to wide angle photographic perspectives and consists of a sequential assembly of optical lens elements. This conversion lens includes an objective lens, a relay lens and a focusing unit which are positioned on an optical axis and are interrelated in their optical performance to one another. The objective lens is to form an intermediate image (reversed and inverted) from wide angle perspective to half the size of the sensor in the camera, this intermediate image is then transmitted through the relay lens and the focusing unit which projects the image through a macro lens into the sensor of a camera. The three parts can be disassembled and reassembled underwater, all three separate parts are waterproof and therefore the optical performance of water is taken into consideration in the optical system. The length of this lens can be extended or reduced, and the three individual parts can be changed according to personal preferences. This provides a flexible underwater optical system that can easily be changed in water between macro and wide angle perspectives, depending on the photographer's needs.

An optical apparatus and an image pickup apparatus capable of reducing an impact force transmitted to an inside without increasing a total length is provided. A frame member which moves forward and backward in the optical axis direction integrally with an extension lens barrel has a recess facing a protrusion of a cam barrel in a radial direction. An elastic member urges the extension lens barrel and the frame member to be away from each other in the optical axis direction. A restriction member holds the frame member with a first gap formed between the extension lens barrel and the frame member in the optical axis direction. A second gap formed between the protrusion and the recess in the optical axis direction is smaller than the first gap.

Provided is a lens barrel including: a fifth lens unit barrel; a fourth lens unit barrel; a linear ultrasonic motor configured to electrically drive the fourth lens unit barrel in an optical axis direction; a rack configured to transfer a driving force of the linear ultrasonic motor to the fourth lens unit barrel; a rack spring configured to bias the rack so that the rack is brought into contact with the fourth lens unit barrel; and a rack guide shaft. The rack guide shaft is fixed to the fourth lens unit barrel. The fourth lens unit barrel and the rack move together in the optical axis direction. When the fifth lens unit barrel is brought into contact with the fourth lens unit barrel, a relative position of the fourth lens unit barrel and the rack in the optical axis direction changes against a biasing force of the rack spring.

An accessory is attachable to, detachable from, and communicable with an electronic apparatus. The accessory includes an accessory processing unit configured to make a communication request to the electronic apparatus and to transmit information about a factor of the communication request. The accessory processing unit notifies the electronic apparatus by a first communication method of information corresponding to a used communication method for communicating the information about the factor, among the first communication method and a second communication method different from the first communication method.

An electronic apparatus to which an accessory is detachably attached includes a first processing unit communicable with the accessory by a first communication method, and a second processing unit communicable with the accessory by a second communication method. The first processing unit receives accessory information from the accessory by the first communication method. The second processing unit communicates with the accessory by the second communication method based on the accessory information. The electronic apparatus has a first power state and a second power state in which power is lower than that of the first power state. The first processing unit communicates with the accessory by the first communication method in the first power state and the second power state. The second processing unit communicates with the accessory by the second communication method in the first power state, but does not in the second power state.

An accessory detachably attached to an electronic apparatus includes an accessory processing unit communicable with an electronic apparatus by a first communication method as communication via a first contact group, and by a second communication method as communication via a second contact group different from the first contact group. The accessory processing unit controls the communication by the second communication method based on information communicated by the first communication method, executes communication via a second contact included in the second contact group in the second communication method, in response to a change in a signal level of a signal via a first contact included in the second contact group from a first signal level to a second signal level, and executes communication by the second communication method based on information on the second signal level included in the information communicated by the first communication method.

An electronic apparatus to which an accessory is detachably attached, the electronic apparatus includes a receiving unit and a processing unit. In a case where a first accessory is attached to the electronic apparatus via a second accessory, the receiving unit receives, from the first accessory, first information indicating whether or not an operation of the first accessory attached to the electronic apparatus via the second accessory is to be permitted, and the processing unit makes different control over the operation of the first accessory in accordance with the first information.

An interchangeable lens attachable to and detachable from an image pickup apparatus that includes a single image sensor includes a plurality of lens units that include a first lens unit and a second lens unit, and a communication unit configured to transmit to the image pickup apparatus information for setting an imaging area acquired by the first lens unit that is used in monaurally displaying image to a photometric area.

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.