Patent ID: 7456894

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a case that constitutes an armor; a photographing optical system that is provided in the case; an imaging element that is provided in the case and images a subject image guided by the photographing optical system; and a viewfinder device that is provided in the case and is used for visually recognizing an image imaged by the imaging element from an opening of the case, wherein the viewfinder device includes a viewfinder case that is built in the case, a transmission liquid crystal panel that has a display surface on which an image is displayed, a lighting device that irradiates light on a rear surface on an opposite side of the display surface of the transmission liquid crystal panel, a first sheet polarizer that is provided between the transmission liquid crystal panel and the lighting device, and a second sheet polarizer that is provided to be faced to the display surface of the transmission liquid crystal panel, the viewfinder case includes a case body in which a window is provided to face the opening, and a case partitioning member that is attached to the case body, the lighting device and the first sheet polarizer are supported inside the case partitioning member, the transmission liquid crystal panel is supported inside the case partitioning member with the display surface faced to the window, and the second sheet polarizer is supported inside the case body.