Patent ID: 6370333
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A multipoint focus detecting apparatus of a camera, comprising:a plurality of exit-pupil dividing devices that divide an exit pupil of a photographing lens of the camera into a plurality of detection sub-zones, said plurality of detection sub-zones corresponding to a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a second plane orthogonal to a first plane in which said exit pupil is divided; a plurality of pairs of light distribution forming devices, each of which receives a light bundle passed through a corresponding detection sub-zone of said plurality of detection subzones, forming corresponding pairs of light distributions, a relative position of each of said pair of light distributions varying in accordance with a variation in a position of a focal point of said photographing lens; a focus detection zone determining device, positioned in a plane located substantially at a position optically equivalent to a focal plane of said photographing lens and determining a plurality of focus detection zones, at least two light bundles passing through corresponding at least two of said plurality of focus detection zones and being respectively incident on corresponding at least two of said plurality of exit-pupil dividing devices after intersecting each other; and a light intercepting member positioned in a vicinity of the intersection of said at least two light bundles, preventing each of said at least two light bundles from being incident on any of said plurality of light receiving elements other than at least two of said plurality of light receiving elements corresponding to the at least two of said plurality of exit-pupil dividing devices.