Patent ID: 8704941
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A focus detecting apparatus including an optical system for focus detection arranged such that an optical axis thereof does not overlap with an optical axis of an optical system for imaging, the focus detecting apparatus comprising: a pair of line sensors that includes a plurality of pixels and that is for performing photoelectric conversion on a pair of optical images of a field of view formed by a pair of image-forming lenses of the optical system for focus detection, the image-forming lenses having parallel optical axes; a selection unit that selects, with respect to each of the pair of line sensors, a plurality of pixels for use in the photoelectric conversion of the optical images of a field of view; and a detecting unit that detects a distance to a subject on which focus detection is to be performed, based on a phase difference between signals of the pair of optical images of a field of view that have undergone photoelectric conversion performed by the plurality of pixels selected by the selection unit, wherein in a case where a distance to the subject detected by the detecting unit in a previous time is less than a predetermined threshold value, the selection unit selects, with respect to one of the pair of line sensors, a plurality of pixels that are included in a range in which an image capture area of the optical system for imaging and an image capture area of the optical system for focus detection overlap, and selects, with respect to the other line sensor, a plurality of pixels such that more pixels are included on which the same optical image of a field of view as that formed on the plurality of pixels that have been selected in the one line sensor is formed than in a case where pixels located at positions corresponding to those of the plurality of pixels that have been selected in the one line sensor are selected.