An image pickup apparatus equipped with a flash unit that is capable of popping up a light emitting unit even if a display panel is directed to a photographing direction. The flash unit is provided on an upper face of a body of the image pickup apparatus and includes three parallel rotating shafts, a first support member that is rotatably connected with the light emitting unit through the first rotating shaft, and a second support member that is rotatably connected with the first support member through the second rotating shaft and is rotatably connected with the body through the third rotating shaft. The light emitting unit is movable between a light-emitting position projected and a retracted position inside the body even if the display unit is in a stand-up position that is rotated from a regular position opposite to a back face of the body by 180 degrees.

A mobile device case for coupling around a miniature camera-enabled mobile device a case shutter button mechanism for actuating the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system. A half-press or single tap triggers a precapture settings menu and a full-press or double tap triggers capture of an image.

A mobile device case is configured to facilitate coupling of an auxiliary lens assembly along an optical path of a miniature camera module of a mobile device. A case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the case are configured to detect the presence of the auxiliary lens assembly that is coupled to the lens attachment interface. A lens recognition sensor is coupled to the case processor and electrical circuitry and is configured to identify the auxiliary lens with a specific lens type.

A device for taking images of an article, the device including: a reflective optical system extending around an axis of symmetry, including a recess centered on the axis of symmetry and including at least one reflecting surface facing towards the axis of symmetry; and at least one imager arranged to capture at least one image of at least a portion of the article as reflected by the reflecting surface(s) substantially parallel to the axis of symmetry when the reflective optical system is arranged around the portion of the article.

A mobile device case for coupling around a miniature camera-enabled mobile device a case shutter button mechanism for actuating the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system. A half-press or single tap triggers a precapture settings menu and a full-press or double tap triggers capture of an image.

An image pickup apparatus equipped with a flash unit that is capable of popping up a light emitting unit even if a display panel is directed to a photographing direction. The flash unit is provided on an upper face of a body of the image pickup apparatus and includes three parallel rotating shafts, a first support member that is rotatably connected with the light emitting unit through the first rotating shaft, and a second support member that is rotatably connected with the first support member through the second rotating shaft and is rotatably connected with the body through the third rotating shaft. The light emitting unit is movable between a light-emitting position projected and a retracted position inside the body even if the display unit is in a stand-up position that is rotated from a regular position opposite to a back face of the body by 180 degrees.

A mobile device case for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module has defined therein a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of an auxiliary lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module. The case comprises electric circuit components positioned to balance an attached auxiliary lens approximately at a grip location.

A lighting apparatus designed for the 360 degree videography/photography/virtual reality market, comprising an annular light emitter which distributes even light in a 360 degree pattern supporting all camera viewpoints yet avoids lens flares and is invisible to the camera lenses by way of a disk shielding the camera from the annular light emitter. The slope of the annular light emitter allows light to distribute upwards, downwards and outward while masking light from the camera lenses. The apparatus is capable of supplying continuous light or may be used as a photo flash.

Disclosed are a flash unit, a camera and a camera flash system, and relates to the technical field of underwater photographic equipment, including a flash lamp, capable of illuminating an photographed object; a video lamp, having the functions of color temperature adjustment and full color gamut coverage by light; a camera body, taking photos for the illuminated object; a waterproof case; a flash trigger, capable of generating an optical signal; and a repeater, capable of receiving the optical signal from the flash trigger, and then encoding and transmitting a new high-power optical signal. According to the present disclosure, under the cooperation of components such as the flash trigger and the repeater, the optical signal can be transmitted wirelessly over long distance underwater, thus achieving the effect of using the flash and video lamps far away from the camera. The present disclosure has a broad market application prospect.

An auxiliary optical assembly for a camera-enabled mobile device includes a removable lens assembly including a lens holder, a lens coupled to the lens holder, and a coupling interface. A lens attachment interface that is configured to stably couple to the mobile device, and that is configured in accordance with the coupling interface of the removable lens assembly to stably couple and align the removable lens along the optical path of the miniature camera module.