Patent ID: 8194142
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A photographic apparatus comprising: a movable platform that has an imager that captures an optical image through a taking lens, and is movable and rotatable on an xy plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said taking lens; and a controller that calculates an inclination angle of said photographic apparatus, which is formed by rotation of said photographic apparatus around said optical axis, as measured with respect to a level plane perpendicular to the direction of gravitational force, and performs a controlled movement of said movable platform for an inclination correction by rotating said movable platform from an initial state on said xy plane in accordance to a rotation quantity of said movable platform, said initial state being a position of said movable platform before rotating for said inclination correction, said rotation quantity being set on the basis of said inclination angle; said controller performing said controlled movement so as to offset said inclination angle by said rotation quantity, when said photographic apparatus is in a first inclination state where the absolute value of said inclination angle is less than or equal to a first angle, said first angle being the maximum rotation angle at which said movable platform can be rotated within its movement range in said initial state; said controller performing said controlled movement so as to maintain an inclined state where said movable platform is rotated from said initial state in accordance to either said first angle or the negative of said first angle, when said photographic apparatus is in a second inclination state where said inclination angle is larger than said first angle but less than or equal to a second angle that is larger than said first angle; and said controller performing said controlled movement so as to maintain said initial state, when said photographic apparatus is in a third inclination state where said inclination angle is larger than said second angle.