Patent ID: 7352387

Claim:
A camera comprising an objective lens; and image pickup means for building up an image using the light from an object, the light from the object being adapted to be directed to the image pickup means through said objective lens, wherein: said objective lens is movable along the optical axis of said light from the object at least between, a first range span within which an image built up by the image pickup means is a demagnified image and a second range span within which an image built up by the image pickup means is a magnified image; the camera further comprises positioning assistance means having an opening formed therein at an end thereof on said optical axis, the end of the positioning assistance means being abutted against the object only when said objective lens is in said second range span, the positioning assistance means being movable along the optical axis in such a manner that the end is located closer to the image pickup means when said objective lens is in said first range span than when it is in said second range span; and that said positioning assistance means is located at a position where the focal point of said objective lens falls on said opening when said objective lens is in said second range span, said opening having a size that is generally equal to that of the region within which objects can be built up by said image pickup means when said objective lens is in said second range span; and a manually-controlled means that is movable from a first position to a second position to correspondingly move said objective lens from said first range span to said second range span, in which the amount of movement of said objective lens in response to the movement of said manually-controlled means is smaller when said objective lens is inside said first range span and said second range span than when it is outside said first range span and said second range span.