A technique that prevents a movable unit of a strobe device including a light emission section from unexpectedly interfering with an obstacle during rotation thereof. The movable unit is supported in a manner rotatable with respect to a device body about a first axis in a vertical direction, and rotatable about a second axis in a lateral direction. In bounce flash shooting, the movable unit irradiates light from the light emission section toward a ceiling to cause reflected light from the ceiling to be irradiated to an object. The movable unit is rotated such that the light emission section is oriented in the optimum irradiating direction. Whether to drive the movable unit in the lateral direction is determined based on a result of determining whether a rotational angle of the movable unit driven in the vertical direction exceeds a predetermined angle.

An imaging system includes a flash device that can automatically drive a movable unit provided with a light emitting unit to change an irradiating direction of the light emitting unit, and an imaging device. The imaging system includes a first distance measuring unit that measures a distance to an object, a correcting unit that corrects first distance information obtained by the first distance measuring unit performing measurement, and a calculating unit that calculates the irradiating direction of the light emitting unit based on the corrected first distance information, wherein the correcting unit corrects the first distance information in a direction in which the irradiating direction calculated by the calculating unit separates away from the object.

A light source module includes an illumination element and an adjustable light diffusing material. The light source module is configured to receive or generate a control signal for adjusting diffusion of light emitted from the light source module and accordingly adjust an amount of diffusion of light emitted from the light source module. In some embodiments, an adjustable light diffusing material includes a polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT), a smectic phase liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC), or other suitable material. A controller for a light source module may determine a level of diffusion based on a level of inclusion of a wide-angle field of view of a wide-angle lens system or a telephoto field of view of a telephoto lens system in a composite camera field of view that includes a combination of the wide angle field of view and the telephoto field of view. Also, the controller may determine a level of diffusion based or an estimated distance to a scene in a camera field of view that is to be captured.

A light source module includes an illumination element and an adjustable light diffusing material. The light source module is configured to receive or generate a control signal for adjusting diffusion of light emitted from the light source module and accordingly adjust an amount of diffusion of light emitted from the light source module. In some embodiments, an adjustable light diffusing material includes a polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT), a smectic phase liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC), or other suitable material. A controller for a light source module may determine a level of diffusion based on a level of inclusion of a wide-angle field of view of a wide-angle lens system or a telephoto field of view of a telephoto lens system in a composite camera field of view that includes a combination of the wide angle field of view and the telephoto field of view. Also, the controller may determine a level of diffusion based or an estimated distance to a scene in a camera field of view that is to be captured.

A flash housing for photographic purposes is disclosed. The flash housing comprises a flash forming element arranged to generate a flash light and a lens element arranged to let at least part of the generated flash light out of the flash housing so as to obtain the flash. The obtainable flash light has a beam lobe with a controllable beam angle. A simulation light generator element is arranged for simulation of the obtainable flash light beam lobe having the controllable beam angle.

A flash housing for photographic purposes is disclosed. The flash housing comprises a flash forming element arranged to generate a flash light and a lens element arranged to let at least part of the generated flash light out of the flash housing so as to obtain the flash. The obtainable flash light has a beam lobe with a controllable beam angle. A simulation light generator element is arranged for simulation of the obtainable flash light beam lobe having the controllable beam angle.

An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a camera comprising a beam splitter to impose different optical paths for visible light and infra red light received by the camera. The camera also includes an infra red light detector to detect the infra red light and a visible light detector to detect the visible light, wherein, the different optical paths include an optical path having more than one internal reflection within the beam splitter.

A lighting device that is capable of retracting a reflective member inside a lighting device and of deciding size of the reflective member irrespective of the size of the lighting device. The lighting device includes a light emitting section and a reflective member. The reflective member is drawably retracted in the light emitting section and is provided with reflectors that are developed by a drawing operation to reflect a part of light irradiated from the light emitting section. Area of the reflectors in a developed state is more than area of the reflectors in a retracted state.

A technique that prevents a movable unit of a strobe device including a light emission section from unexpectedly interfering with an obstacle during rotation thereof. The movable unit is supported in a manner rotatable with respect to a device body about a first axis in a vertical direction, and rotatable about a second axis in a lateral direction. In bounce flash shooting, the movable unit irradiates light from the light emission section toward a ceiling to cause reflected light from the ceiling to be irradiated to an object. The movable unit is rotated such that the light emission section is oriented in the optimum irradiating direction. Whether to drive the movable unit in the lateral direction is determined based on a result of determining whether a rotational angle of the movable unit driven in the vertical direction exceeds a predetermined angle.

The present invention provides a light-reflecting device for a photographic light, comprising a positioning member which is engageable with a support member, a top end of the support member being provided with a jacket; wherein the positioning member is provided with a locking mechanism of the jacket, the locking mechanism being provided with a movable lock button, the lock button being movably connected to the jacket. The present invention has the following beneficial effects: compact integral structure, convenient disassembling operation, and long life time.