There are provided an imaging device and a method of controlling the imaging device that can shorten the blackout period of a live view image in a case where a front curtain and a rear curtain are moved to continuously take static images. In a case where continuous shooting is performed, a focal-plane shutter is shifted to a normally open state to allow a live view image to be displayed during the continuous shooting. A front curtain-electromagnet and a rear curtain-electromagnet are excited to prevent the rotational movement of a second front curtain-drive lever and a second rear curtain-drive lever in a first direction after the focal-plane shutter is shifted to the normally open state; first curtain travel preparation for causing the second front curtain-drive lever and the rear curtain-drive lever to be moved to non-charge positions from charge positions is performed to release the prevention of the travel of the front curtain in a closing direction, which is performed by the front curtain-locking lever, from a point of time later than a point of time when the first curtain travel preparation is to be started; and second curtain travel preparation for causing the front curtain to travel in the closing direction to fully close an exposure aperture portion is performed.

A blade driving device comprising: a driving member; one or more blade members that are caused to undergo sliding motion by the driving member; a blade supporting unit for supporting the blade member slidably; and a frame for containing the driving member and a portion of the blade supporting unit, wherein the blade supporting unit comprises a blade chamber for containing a blade member between opposing thin plate members, along with an insertion portion that has an opening and that protrudes from a frame, wherein the opposing thin plate members are integrated together at least the tip end of the insertion portion.

A focal-plane shutter for electronic front curtain scanning allows blades to move in two directions across the opening in a balanced manner, rather than in one direction. The focal-plane shutter for electronic front curtain scanning includes a base plate having an opening, a first blade movable in a first direction to close the opening, a second blade movable in a second direction to close the opening and opposite to the first direction in which the first blade is movable, a first urging member that urges the first blade in the first direction to close the opening, and a second urging member that urges the second blade in the second direction to close the opening.

A shutter apparatus includes a blade unit configured to open and close an opening used for exposure, a blade moving member configured to move the blade unit between an open position and a closed position of the opening, an urging member configured to urge at least one of the blade unit and the blade moving member in a direction from the closed position to the open position of the opening; and a blade cam member configured to contact the blade moving member as the blade unit moves from the closed position to the open position of the opening.

A shutter apparatus includes a blade unit configured to open and close an opening used for exposure, a blade moving member configured to move the blade unit between an open position and a closed position of the opening, an urging member configured to urge at least one of the blade unit and the blade moving member in a direction from the closed position to the open position of the opening; and a blade cam member configured to contact the blade moving member as the blade unit moves from the closed position to the open position of the opening.

The present invention relates to a lighting control device, the device comprising means for receiving a trigger; and means for switching operation of a lighting device from a continuous mode to a flash mode upon receipt of said trigger; wherein said lighting device comprises at least one light emitting diode; and said flash mode is at a higher brightness than said continuous mode. The invention also relates to a lighting system comprising: a lighting device comprising at least one light emitting diode; and a lighting control device; wherein the lighting control device is operable to switch operation of said lighting device between a continuous mode and a flash mode; wherein the flash is at a higher brightness than said continuous mode.

A shutter unit includes a base plate with an aperture, a blade member, a first drive member, a second drive member, and a charge member configured to move the second drive member from a movement completion position to a movement start position against a biasing force on the second drive member, wherein while an image obtained from an image sensor is being displayed in an imaging apparatus during continuous imaging and the first drive member is engaged in order to maintain the retreat state of the blade member, the second drive member is moved to the movement start position by the charge member, and wherein before a display of the image ends, the first drive member moves toward the first direction so that the blade member moves from the retreat state to the closed state.

A shutter apparatus includes a shutter base plate having an opening, a light shielding member movable to provide a closed state for closing the opening and an open state for opening the opening, and at least one processor or circuit configured to perform operations of a control unit configured to control the light shielding member configured to reciprocate relative to the opening so as to move the light shielding member in a first direction for a forward exposure and in a second direction opposite to the first direction for a return exposure. The control unit varies an exposure correction amount of the light shielding member between the forward exposure and the return exposure.

An image capturing apparatus has an image sensor and a mechanical shutter; a generation unit configured to generate a parallax image from signals acquired from the plurality of photoelectric converters, wherein by the image sensor and the mechanical shutter, a first shutter operation by a first front curtain and a first rear curtain, and a second shutter operation by a second front curtain and a second rear curtain are realized, and the generating unit generates more parallax images than the number of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units by using a first signal group acquired by the first shutter operation and a second signal group acquired by the second shutter operation.

An image capturing apparatus has an image sensor and a mechanical shutter; a generation unit configured to generate a parallax image from signals acquired from the plurality of photoelectric converters, wherein by the image sensor and the mechanical shutter, a first shutter operation by a first front curtain and a first rear curtain, and a second shutter operation by a second front curtain and a second rear curtain are realized, and the generating unit generates more parallax images than the number of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units by using a first signal group acquired by the first shutter operation and a second signal group acquired by the second shutter operation.