Patent ID: 7536093
Filing Date: 2009-05-19
Classification: G02B,G03B

Abstract:
1. A camera which incorporates a lens unit which can program an optical property, comprising: a plurality of optical elements which are disposed on an optical axis of the lens unit; an electronic control unit for changing an optical property with respect to an optical path of the lens unit by changing a state of at least one of the plurality of optical elements within the lens unit through electronic control, wherein the electronic control unit changes at least one of a position of said at least one of the plurality of optical elements on the optical axis or a focal length of said at least one of the plurality of optical elements through the electronic control; an instruction unit for controlling the state of said at least one of the plurality of optical elements so that the optical property with respect to the optical path of the lens unit at a time of photographing falls within part of a range that can be changed by the electronic control unit, wherein the instruction unit controls the state of said at least one of the plurality of optical elements such that at least a first optical property of a plurality of optical properties with respect to the optical path of the lens unit satisfies a predetermined condition, based on an instructing operation of a user; and a photographing control unit for controlling the state of said at least one of the plurality of optical elements after the electronic control unit has changed said state based on an instruction by the instruction unit at the time of photographing so that the optical property with respect to the optical path of the lens unit falls within the part of the range that can be changed by the electronic control unit, wherein the photographing control unit controls the state of said at least one of the plurality of optical elements such that at least the first optical property that is designated by the instruction unit satisfies the predetermined condition.