To decrease the influence of a magnetic flux generated in one magnetic drive unit on the other magnetic drive unit while securing downsizing. Provided are a first magnetic drive unit including a first coil to which a drive current is supplied and a first magnet rotated with electric conduction to the first coil, a second magnetic drive unit including a second coil to which a drive current is supplied and a second magnet rotated with electric conduction to the second coil, a first drive lever operated by the first magnetic drive unit, a second drive lever operated by the second magnetic drive unit, a first opening and closing blade that opens and closes an opening by an operation of the first drive lever, a second opening and closing blade that opens and closes the opening by an operation of the second drive lever, a first lock mechanism that locks the first drive lever at a predetermined position, and a second lock mechanism that locks the second drive lever at a predetermined position, in which at least a part of the first lock mechanism and at least a part of the second lock mechanism are located between the first magnetic drive unit and the second magnetic drive unit.

Provides a focal-plane shutter comprising: a base plate that has an opening portion for exposure; a blade group for opening and closing the opening portion; an arm that is linked to a blade group; and a driving mechanism portion, linked to the arm, for driving the blade group through the arm, wherein: the blade group and the arm are linked through a coupling plated with a metal crystallized structure with crystallization degree of no less than 99%. This focal-plane shutter can improve the wear durability of a coupling for linking a blade group and an arm. This can prevent the production of wear debris, and prevent the coupling from becoming brittle through wear, even given repeated operations.

Provides a focal-plane shutter comprising: a base plate that has an opening portion for exposure; a blade group for opening and closing the opening portion; an arm that is linked to a blade group; and a driving mechanism portion, linked to the arm, for driving the blade group through the arm, wherein: the blade group and the arm are linked through a coupling plated with a metal crystallized structure with crystallization degree of no less than 99%. This focal-plane shutter can improve the wear durability of a coupling for linking a blade group and an arm. This can prevent the production of wear debris, and prevent the coupling from becoming brittle through wear, even given repeated operations.

A blade driving device including, a base plate including an opening through which light passes, a blade configured to runs on a surface of the base plate to open and close the opening, a drive mechanism including a drive spring and actuates the blade; and a charge mechanism configured to perform a charge operation on the drive mechanism against the drive spring. The charge mechanism includes a slide member configured to linearly reciprocate in a direction parallel to the base plate along a motor between the motor and the drive mechanism, the motor generating a driving force for the charge mechanism.

A blade driving device including, a base plate including an opening through which light passes, a blade configured to runs on a surface of the base plate to open and close the opening, a drive mechanism including a drive spring and actuates the blade; and a charge mechanism configured to perform a charge operation on the drive mechanism against the drive spring. The charge mechanism includes a slide member configured to linearly reciprocate in a direction parallel to the base plate along a motor between the motor and the drive mechanism, the motor generating a driving force for the charge mechanism.

To enable correction or adjustment of a curtain travel curve in a case of driving an opening and closing blade by a power source in which a motor mechanism and a spring mechanism are combined. Provided are the motor mechanism that generates a traveling torque of the opening and closing blade of a mechanical shutter provided in an incident light path to an imaging element by electric conduction to a coil, and the spring mechanism that generates the traveling torque of the opening and closing blade together with the motor mechanism. In this case, a control unit capable of individually controlling a time length from the start of the electric conduction to the coil to the start of traveling of the opening and closing blade, and a value of a current to be supplied to the coil is provided.

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.

An imaging system includes a digital camera and illuminating devices. The digital camera includes an imaging optical system, a shutter, a shutter driving mechanism, an imaging element, an illumination control unit, and a wireless I/F. The shutter is a focal-plane shutter. In a case in which a main imaging operation is performed in a plural illumination control mode, the shutter driving mechanism drives the shutter to generate a transition period for which a partial exposure region is transferred to the lower side of an imaging area of the imaging element over time. The illumination control unit controls the emission times of the illuminating devices to be different times within the transition period.

An imaging system includes a digital camera and illuminating devices. The digital camera includes an imaging optical system, a shutter, a shutter driving mechanism, an imaging element, an illumination control unit, and a wireless I/F. The shutter is a focal-plane shutter. In a case in which a main imaging operation is performed in a plural illumination control mode, the shutter driving mechanism drives the shutter to generate a transition period for which a partial exposure region is transferred to the lower side of an imaging area of the imaging element over time. The illumination control unit controls the emission times of the illuminating devices to be different times within the transition period.

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.