JP7526951B2 - Imaging device, control device, imaging system - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, a control device capable of communicating with the imaging device, and an imaging system including the imaging device and the control device.

Technology for remotely controlling an imaging device using another electronic control device is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for quickly setting specific parameters of the imaging device, such as the driving amount of the focus lens, by touch operation in an imaging system configured by combining an imaging device with a smartphone.

JP 2015-2471 A

However, when shooting a particular scene in a movie using a cinema camera, it becomes necessary to set the desired focus state or zoom state. In this case, in Patent Document 1, the driving amount of the focus lens of the imaging device is set by touch operation, which makes it difficult to set the target position of the focus lens to obtain the desired focus state.

The present disclosure aims to provide an imaging device, a control device, and an imaging system that make it easy to drive an optical element to a target position that reflects the user's intentions.

The imaging device according to the present disclosure is an imaging device capable of communicating with an external control device, capturing an image of a subject formed through an optical element, and includes a communication unit that receives a command related to driving the optical element from the control device, and a control unit that controls the driving of the optical element based on the command, and the control unit starts driving the optical element based on a first command received by the communication unit from the control device, and when the communication unit receives a second command different from the first command from the control device before the drive control of the optical element is completed, the control unit updates a target position for driving the optical element based on the second command.

The control device according to the present disclosure is a control device capable of communicating with an imaging device that captures a subject image formed through an optical member, and includes an operating member that can be moved in response to a user's operation, a control unit that generates a command related to driving the optical member in response to a movement operation on the operating member, and a communication unit that transmits the command to the imaging device, and when the movement operation is started, the control unit generates a first command for starting the drive of the optical member and transmits it to the imaging device via the communication unit, and while the movement operation is continuing, generates a second command for updating a target position to be targeted for driving the optical member and transmits it to the imaging device via the communication unit.

The imaging system according to the present disclosure is an imaging system comprising an imaging device that captures a subject image formed through an optical member, and a control device capable of communicating with the imaging device, wherein the imaging device comprises a first communication unit that receives a command related to driving the optical member from the control device, and a first control unit that controls the driving of the optical member based on the command, and the control device comprises an operation member that can be moved in response to a user's operation, a second control unit that generates the command in response to a movement operation on the operation member, and a second communication unit that transmits the command to the imaging device, and in the control device, the second control unit controls the optical member when the movement operation is started. A first command for starting the drive of the optical member is generated and transmitted to the imaging device via the second communication unit, and while the moving operation is continuing, a second command for updating a target position for driving the optical member is generated and transmitted to the imaging device via the second communication unit, and in the imaging device, the first control unit starts driving the optical member based on the first command received by the first communication unit from the control device, and when the first communication unit receives a second command different from the first command from the control device before the drive control of the optical member is completed, the target position for driving the optical member is updated based on the second command.

The imaging device, control device, and imaging system disclosed herein make it easy to drive an optical element to a target position that reflects the user's intentions.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an imaging system including a digital camera 1 and an external device 300. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an external device 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A sequence diagram showing a process from generation of a drive instruction command to completion of lens drive control when target position updating is not performed. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a sequence from generation of a drive instruction command to completion of lens drive control when updating a target position. A sequence diagram of the operation of acquiring lens data by the camera body 100 and the operation of connecting the camera body 100 to the external device 300. A sequence diagram of a request operation for lens data from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of focus table data as lens data. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of focus speed information as lens data. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the rotation operation of a rotation operation unit 357. Graph showing the driving state of the focus lens 230 over time when the focus speed is not specified FIG. 5 is a graph showing the graph of FIG. 9B in addition to the graph of FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where a focus operation is performed from a specific scene to another specific scene. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where a focus operation is performed from a specific scene to another specific scene. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the rotation operation of a rotation operation unit 357. Graph showing the driving state of the focus lens 230 over time when the focus speed is specified FIG. 11B is added to the graph of FIG. 5. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the rotation operation of a rotation operation unit 357. Graph showing the driving state of the focus lens 230 over time when the focus speed is specified FIG. 5 is a graph showing the graph of FIG. 12B in addition to the graph of FIG. A sequence diagram showing a second example of a remote focus operation of a digital camera by an external device. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of aperture table data as lens data. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of aperture speed information as lens data. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of zoom table data as lens data. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of zoom speed information as lens data.

Below, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily redundant and to make it easier for those skilled in the art to understand.

The applicant provides the attached drawings and the following description to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and does not intend for them to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[Embodiment]
[1 Configuration]
The configuration of the remote imaging system of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1-1. Configuration of remote imaging system
1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a remote imaging system according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, an imaging system A according to the present embodiment includes a digital camera 1 and an external device (external communication device, control device) 300.

The external device 300 is an external control device capable of communicating with the digital camera 1, and includes a wireless communication unit 310 and a dial unit 320. The wireless communication unit 310 includes an LCD monitor 356, an operation unit 359, etc.

The external device 300 can send instructions (remote control) to the digital camera 1 via its own communication unit, such as focus operation, zoom operation, aperture operation, and pressing the release button of the digital camera 1. The digital camera 1 receives instructions from the external device 300 via its own communication unit and performs operations according to the received instructions.

That is, the present disclosure provides an imaging system A that enables remote control (focus operation, zoom operation, release operation, etc.) of a digital camera 1 from an external device 300.

1-2. Camera body configuration
2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the digital camera 1 according to the embodiment. The digital camera 1 of the present embodiment comprises a camera body 100 and an interchangeable lens 200 that is detachable from the camera body 100.

The camera body 100 (an example of an imaging device) includes an image sensor 110, an LCD monitor 120, an operation unit 130, a camera control unit 140, a body mount 150, a power supply 160, and a card slot 170.

The camera control unit 140 controls the operation of the entire digital camera 1 by controlling components such as the image sensor 110 in response to instructions from the operation unit 130. The camera control unit 140 transmits a vertical synchronization signal to the timing generator 112. In parallel with this, the camera control unit 140 generates an exposure synchronization signal. The camera control unit 140 periodically transmits the generated exposure synchronization signal to the lens control unit 240 via the body mount 150 and the lens mount 250. The camera control unit 140 uses the DRAM 141 as a working memory during control operations and image processing operations.

The image sensor 110 is an element that captures an image of a subject incident through the interchangeable lens 200 and generates image data. The image sensor 110 is, for example, a CMOS image sensor. The generated image data is digitized by an AD converter 111. The digitized image data is subjected to predetermined image processing by the camera control unit 140. The predetermined image processing is, for example, gamma correction processing, white balance correction processing, scratch correction processing, YC conversion processing, electronic zoom processing, and JPEG compression processing. The image sensor 110 may be a CCD or NMOS image sensor, etc.

The image sensor 110 operates at a timing controlled by the timing generator 112. The image sensor 110 generates still images, moving images, or through images for recording. The through images are mainly moving images, and are displayed on the LCD monitor 120 so that the user can decide the composition for capturing a still image.

The LCD monitor 120 displays images such as through images and various information such as menu screens. Instead of an LCD monitor, other types of display devices, such as an organic EL display device, may be used.

The communication unit 142 is a wireless or wired communication interface. In this embodiment, the camera control unit 140 can transmit lens information (performance data) of the focus lens 230, driving capability information of the focus lens driving unit 233, and information regarding the communication cycle in which communication with the external device is possible, to the external device 300 by USB communication via the communication unit 142 using PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol).

The operation unit 130 includes various operation members such as a release button for instructing the camera to start shooting, a mode dial for setting the shooting mode, and a power switch.

The flash memory 143 functions as an internal memory for recording image data, etc. The flash memory 143 also stores programs related to autofocus control (AF control) and communication control, as well as a program for controlling the overall operation of the digital camera 1 and information related to the communication cycle for communication with external devices.

The card slot 170 can accommodate a memory card 171 and controls the memory card 171 under control of the camera control unit 140. The digital camera 1 can store image data in the memory card 171 and read image data from the memory card 171.

The power supply 160 is a circuit that supplies power to each element within the digital camera 1.

The body mount 150 can be mechanically and electrically connected to the lens mount 250 of the interchangeable lens 200. The body mount 150 can transmit and receive data to and from the interchangeable lens 200 via the lens mount 250. The body mount 150 transmits an exposure synchronization signal received from the camera control unit 140 to the lens control unit 240 via the lens mount 250. The body mount 150 also transmits other control signals received from the camera control unit 140 to the lens control unit 240 via the lens mount 250. The body mount 150 also transmits signals received from the lens control unit 240 via the lens mount 250 to the camera control unit 140. The body mount 150 also supplies power from the power source 160 to the entire interchangeable lens 200 via the lens mount 250.

[1-3. Configuration of interchangeable lenses]
The interchangeable lens 200 includes an optical system B, a lens control unit 240, and a lens mount 250. The optical system B includes a zoom lens 210, a focus lens 230, and an aperture 260. The zoom lens 210, the focus lens 230, and the aperture 260 are all optical members for forming a subject image captured by the image sensor 110 of the digital camera 1.

The zoom lens 210 is a lens for changing the magnification of the subject image formed by the optical system B. The zoom lens 210 is composed of one or more lenses. The zoom lens 210 is driven by a zoom lens driving unit 211. The zoom lens driving unit 211 includes a zoom ring that can be operated by the user. Alternatively, the zoom lens driving unit 211 may include a zoom lever and an actuator or a motor. The zoom lens driving unit 211 moves the zoom lens 210 along the optical axis direction of the optical system B in response to operation by the user.

The focus lens 230 is a lens for changing the focus state of the subject image formed on the image sensor 110 by the optical system B. The focus lens 230 is composed of one or more lenses. The focus lens 230 is driven by a focus lens driving unit 233.

The focus lens driving unit 233 includes an actuator or a motor, and moves the focus lens 230 along the optical axis of the optical system B under the control of the lens control unit 240. The focus lens driving unit 233 can be realized by a DC motor, a stepping motor, a servo motor, an ultrasonic motor, or the like.

The aperture 260 adjusts the amount of light incident on the image sensor 110. The aperture 260 is driven by an aperture drive unit 262, which controls the size of the aperture opening of the aperture 260. The aperture drive unit 262 includes a motor or an actuator.

The camera control unit 140 and the lens control unit 240 may be configured as a hardwired electronic circuit, or may be configured as a microcomputer using a program. For example, the camera control unit 140 and the lens control unit 240 can be realized by a processor such as a CPU, MPU, GPU, DSP, FPGA, or ASIC.

1-4. Configuration of external device
3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the external device 300. The configuration of the external device 300 will be described with reference to FIG.

The external device 300 includes a wireless communication unit 310 and a dial unit 320. The wireless communication unit 310 includes a controller 351, a DRAM (work memory) 352, a flash memory 353, a communication unit 354, an LCD monitor 356, an operation unit 359, and a power supply 360. The dial unit 320 is an operation member that includes a rotation operation unit 357 and a rotation detection unit 358.

The controller 351 is a processing unit that controls the overall processing in the external device 300. The controller 351 is electrically connected to the DRAM 352, the flash memory 353, the communication unit 354, the operation unit 359, the liquid crystal monitor 356, the rotation detection unit 358, and the operation unit 359. The controller 351 accepts operation information indicating user operations via the operation unit 359. The operation unit 359 includes various operation members such as buttons for selecting focus operation, zoom operation, and aperture operation for remote operation, a release button for instructing the start of shooting, and a power switch. The controller 351 can read data stored in the flash memory 353. The controller 351 also controls the power of the power source 360 supplied to each part of the external device 300.

DRAM 352 is a memory that temporarily stores information necessary for controller 351 to execute various processing operations.

The flash memory 353 is a large-capacity non-volatile memory that stores various data. As described above, the various data stored in the flash memory 353 can be read by the controller 351 as appropriate.

The controller 351 acquires the lens data (information about the focus lens 230 and driving capability information about the driving unit 233 that drives the focus lens 230) stored in the flash memory 242 of the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354, and stores the lens data in the flash memory 353.

The liquid crystal monitor 356 is a display device that displays a screen instructed by the controller 351. The controller 351 also displays the amount of rotation operation (position information, amount of movement) on the liquid crystal monitor 356 as operation information for the rotation operation in the rotation operation unit 357. This allows the user to visually check the amount of rotation operation.

The communication unit 354 is a wireless or wired communication interface. In this embodiment, the controller 351 can transmit commands (instruction signals) for controlling the digital camera 1 to the communication unit 142 of the camera body 100 by USB communication via the communication unit 354 using PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol).

The rotation operation unit 357 is an input device that accepts a rotation operation by the user. The rotation operation unit 357 transmits operation information corresponding to the received rotation operation by the user to the rotation detection unit 358. The rotation detection unit 358 calculates an output voltage corresponding to the amount of rotation operation, and transmits this output signal to the controller 351.

The controller 351 calculates rotation angle information (rotation angle θ [rad]) and rotation angular velocity information (ω = θ/4 [rad/msec]) by acquiring an output signal from the rotation detection unit 358 at a constant cycle (e.g., 4 msec). The controller 351 generates a command (drive instruction information) that reflects the result of this calculation, using the rotation angle information/rotation angular velocity information stored in the flash memory 353 periodically (e.g., every 100 msec) in response to the rotation operation of the rotation operation unit 357. The controller 351 communicates with the camera control unit 140 of the digital camera 1 by transmitting the command to the communication unit 142 of the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354.

2. Operation
2-1. Overview of remote control
First, an overview of the remote control will be given.

Figure 4 is a sequence diagram showing the process from the generation of a drive instruction command to the completion of lens drive when the target position is not updated. Here, when the target position is not updated, the controller 351 of the external device 300 does not issue a drive instruction command until the operation of the rotation operation unit 357 is completed. For convenience, the rotation operation unit 357 shows the amount of rotation operation for setting the digital camera 1 to a predetermined focus distance (10 m, 5 m, 3 m, 2 m, 1.5 m). A focus distance of 10 m means that the distance from the digital camera 1 to the subject to be focused is 10 m. For example, a user can set the focus distance of the digital camera 1 to 10 m by rotating the rotation operation unit 357 to a position indicating 10 m (focus adjustment position (1)). In Figure 4, the rotation positions of the rotation operation unit 357 are represented by (0) to (4), and the rotation positions (1) to (4) correspond to the focus adjustment positions (1) to (4), respectively. The same applies to the subsequent figures.

In the case of FIG. 4, when the rotation operation unit 357 reaches a position (focus adjustment position (4)) corresponding to a focus distance of 2 m where the operation is completed, the controller 351 issues drive instruction command 1 for the first time to drive the focus lens 230 so that the focus distance becomes 2 m from the infinity end (Inf). When the camera-side control unit 140 receives drive instruction command 1, it replies with an instruction reception OK and issues drive instruction command 2 to the lens control unit 240. The lens control unit 240 receives drive instruction command 2 and drives the focus lens 230 so that the focus distance becomes 2 m from the infinity end (Inf). After the drive is completed, the lens control unit 240 sends a drive completion notification to the camera control unit 140, and in response, the camera control unit 140 sends a drive completion notification to the controller 351 of the external device.

As described above, if the target position update in FIG. 4 is not performed, the controller 351 of the external device 300 does not issue a command until the operation of the rotation operation unit 357 is completed, resulting in a time lag. In this embodiment, a driving method for performing a target position update to eliminate this time lag is used.

Figure 5 is a sequence diagram showing the process from the generation of a drive instruction command to the completion of lens drive when updating the target position. Here, when updating the target position means that the controller 351 of the external device 300 issues a command to update the drive position at a predetermined period before the operation of the rotation operation unit 357 is completed. For the sake of explanation, the rotation operation amounts of any adjacent rotation operation units 357 between Inf (focus adjustment position (0)), focus distance 10 m (focus adjustment position (1)), 5 m (focus adjustment position (2)), 3 m (focus adjustment position (3)), 2 m (focus adjustment position (4)), and 1.5 m are all the same.

Figure 5 shows a case where the user rotates the rotary operation unit 357 at a constant speed, and the controller 351 issues commands 1 to 4 (drive instruction command 1 and target position update commands 2 to 4) each time the amount of rotation of the rotary operation unit 357 reaches one of focus adjustment positions (1) to (4).

When the operation of the rotation operation unit 357 reaches a position (focus adjustment position (1), first position) corresponding to a focus distance of 10 m, the controller 351 issues a drive instruction command 1 to drive the focus lens 230 so that the focus distance becomes 10 m from the infinity end (Inf). The drive instruction command 1 includes information on the focus adjustment position (1) as the target position. When the camera control unit 140 of the digital camera 1 receives the drive instruction command 1, it replies with an instruction reception OK and issues a drive instruction command 5 to the lens control unit 240. The lens control unit 240 receives the drive instruction command 5 and drives the focus lens 230 so that the focal distance becomes 10 m from the infinity end (Inf). Next, when the operation of the rotation operation unit 357 reaches a position (focus adjustment position (2), second position) corresponding to a focus distance of 5 m, the controller 351 issues a target position update command 2, which is a correction command for driving the focus lens 230 so that the focus distance becomes 5 m. The target position update command 2 includes information on the focus adjustment position (2) as the target position. When the camera control unit 140 of the digital camera 1 receives the target position update command 2, it replies with an instruction reception OK and issues a target position update command 6 to the lens control unit 240. The lens control unit 240 receives the target position update command 6 and updates the target to drive the focus lens 230 to a focus distance of 5 m. This operation is continued thereafter, and after the focus lens 230 has been driven to a position where the focus distance is 2 m (focus adjustment position (4)), the lens control unit 240 sends a drive completion notification to the camera control unit 140. Upon receiving the drive completion notification, the camera control unit 140 sends a drive completion notification to the controller 351 of the external device 300.

In this way, the driving method shown in Figure 5 is more effective at eliminating time lag than the driving method shown in Figure 4. Note that in the example shown in Figure 5, each of commands 1 to 8 includes information on the target position, but does not include information on the starting position. The same applies to the following examples.

[2-2. Acquiring lens data from the camera body and connecting a digital camera to an external device]
6 is a sequence diagram relating to the operation of acquiring lens data (lens information, performance data) by the camera body 100 and the operation of connecting the camera body 100 to the external device 300. In this embodiment, the operation of connecting the camera body 100 to the external device 300 is realized by USB communication using PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol).

First, the lens data acquisition operation by the camera body 100 will be explained using FIG. 6.

When the power is turned on, the camera control unit 140 of the camera body 100 supplies power to each component constituting the camera body 100 and controls the camera body 100 to a state in which shooting and communication are possible. After that, the camera control unit 140 starts supplying power from the power source 160 from the camera body 100 to the interchangeable lens 200 via the body mount 150 and the lens mount 250 (E600). Next, the camera control unit 140 makes a lens data request to the lens control unit 240 through a lens authentication request (E601), a lens authentication response (E602), a lens initialization request (E603), and a lens initialization completion response (E604) between the camera control unit 140 and the lens control unit 240 (E605). The camera control unit 140 receives the lens data response sent from the lens control unit 240 (E606) and acquires the lens data stored in the flash memory 242 of the interchangeable lens 200. The lens control unit 240 stores the acquired lens data in the flash memory 143 of the camera body 100. The lens data is performance data that indicates the performance related to the drive of the focus lens 230. Details of the lens data will be described later.

Next, the connection operation (i.e., initial communication) between the camera body 100 and the external device 300 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. First, the operation of the external device 300 will be described. When the power is turned on, the controller 351 of the external device 300 supplies power from the power supply 360 to each component constituting the external device 300, and controls the external device 300 to a state in which communication is possible. The user operates the operation unit 359 of the external device 300 to select a menu for issuing an instruction to start communication. When the user selects a menu for issuing an instruction to start communication (S600), the device transitions to a standby state in which it waits for a connection from the camera body 100 (S601).

Next, the operation of the digital camera 1 will be described. After turning on the power, the user operates the operation unit 130 of the camera body 100 to display a menu screen on the LCD monitor 120. The user then operates the touch panel on the LCD monitor 120 to select a menu for issuing a command to start communication. When the user selects the menu for issuing a command to start communication (S602), the system transitions to a state in which connection to the external device 300 begins (S603).

Then, the controller 351 of the external device 300 notifies the camera control unit 140 of the digital camera 1 of a connection request via the communication unit 354 (E600). Upon receiving the connection request, the camera control unit 140 of the digital camera 1 notifies the external device 300 of connection permission via the communication unit 142 (E601). This establishes communication between the digital camera 1 and the external device 300.

2-3. Data request communication from external device
FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram relating to the operation of requesting lens data from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1. In FIG.

After the above initial communication has been completed and communication has been established between the digital camera 1 and the external device 300, the operation of requesting lens data (or camera information) from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

The controller 351 of the external device 300 makes a lens data request to the camera body 100 by pressing a button on the operation unit 359 as an operation to obtain lens data held by the digital camera 1 (E700). The lens data request is a request to obtain focus table data and information regarding the communication cycle at which the digital camera 1 (camera body 100) can communicate with an external device. In this embodiment, the lens data request is made to the camera body 100 in response to the user pressing a button on the operation unit 359 after communication between the digital camera 1 and the external device 300 is established, but this is not limited to such a case. For example, the controller 351 of the external device 300 may automatically obtain focus table data and information regarding the communication cycle of the camera body 100 immediately after communication between the external device 300 and the digital camera 1 is established. When the camera control unit 140 receives the lens data request, the controller 351 of the external device 300 receives the lens data response sent from the camera control unit 140 (E701) and acquires the focus table data and information related to the communication cycle stored in the flash memory 143 of the camera body 100. In this embodiment, by making the above-mentioned lens data request, the controller 351 of the external device 300 acquires the focus table data and information related to the communication cycle of the camera body 100, but the request for focus table data and the request for information related to the communication cycle of the camera body 100 may be made separately.

Then, the controller 351 of the external device 300 makes a lens data request to the camera body 100 to obtain information regarding the maximum and minimum speeds of focus motor drive (E702). When the camera control unit 140 receives the lens data request, the controller 351 of the external device 300 receives the lens data response sent from the camera control unit 140 (E703) and obtains information regarding the maximum and minimum speeds of drive of the focus motor (focus lens drive unit 233) stored in the flash memory 143 of the camera body 100. The controller 351 stores the obtained focus table data and the maximum and minimum speed information of focus motor drive (drive capability information of the focus lens drive unit 233; focus speed information) in the flash memory 353.

In this way, the external device 300 can acquire the focus table data and focus speed information stored in the flash memory 242 of the interchangeable lens 200 of the digital camera 1 before performing remote operation. Examples of focus table data and focus speed information as lens data are shown in Figures 8A and 8B, respectively.

Figure 8A shows focus table data. Figure 8A shows the number of focus motor steps required to reach the focus distance (infinity (Inf), 10 m, 5 m, 3 m, 2 m, ..., 0.9 m) to the subject to be focused on for a focus lens 230 with a focal length of 14 mm, 25 mm, or 50 mm. Figure 8B shows focus speed information. Figure 8B shows maximum and minimum speed information for the focus motor drive.

[2-4. Remote focus operation of digital camera using external device (when focus speed is not specified)]
The remote focus operation of the digital camera 1 by the external device 300 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C.

Figure 9A is a diagram for explaining the rotation operation of the rotation operation unit 357, and Figure 9B is a graph showing the drive state of the focus lens 230 over time. Figure 9C is a graph that adds the graph of Figure 9B to the graph of Figure 5.

This example shows a case where the command for remote focus operation from the external device 300 does not include a focus speed specification.

The notation of the rotary operation unit 357 in FIG. 9A is the same as in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. In this example, as in FIG. 5, a case is shown in which the user rotates the rotary operation unit 357 at a constant speed, and commands 1 to 4 (drive instruction command 1 and target position update commands 2 to 4) are issued each time the amount of rotation of the rotary operation unit 357 is positioned at a focus distance of 10 m (focus adjustment position (1)), 5 m (focus adjustment position (2)), 3 m (focus adjustment position (3)), and 2 m (focus adjustment position (4)). In this example, the communication period from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1 is set to 100 msec, and the rotary operation unit 357 of the external device 300 is operated at the speed shown in FIG. 9A. In other words, in this case, commands 1 to 4 are issued to drive the focus lens so that the focus distance is positioned at 10 m, 5 m, 3 m, and 2 m every 100 msec, as shown in FIG. 9B. The reason why such a communication cycle can be set from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1 is to utilize information about the communication cycle during which the camera body 100 can communicate with external devices, which is stored in the flash memory 353 of the external device 300 shown in FIG. 3.

As described above, by making it possible to transmit target position update commands 2 to 4 every 100 msec, which is the communication cycle of the camera body 100, it is possible to drive the focus lens 230 while updating the target position of the focus lens 230, even while the rotation operation unit 357 is being operated, i.e., while the drive control of the focus lens 230 is being performed.

In the example shown in Figures 9A to 9C, when remote focus operation of digital camera 1 is performed by external device 300, commands 1 to 4 do not include a focus speed specification for driving the focus lens, and digital camera 1 drives focus lens 230 to reach the specified position in the shortest time. For this reason, as shown in Figures 9B and 9C, there are periods when focus lens 230 stops, and the remote focus operation becomes an intermittent operation that repeats "driving" and "stopping."

The following describes the case where a focus speed is specified when performing remote focus operation from external device 300. This method allows smoother focus operation to be achieved, and for example, when a user is shooting a particular scene in a movie, a cut image with the desired focus state can be shot. For example, after shooting the scene shown in FIG. 10A (with the focus on tree 91 in the background), it is possible to shoot the scene shown in FIG. 10B (with the focus on animal 92 in the foreground) by shifting focus lens 230 closer in the direction that shortens the focus distance, allowing smooth shooting without interruption.

The case where the focus speed is specified in the remote focus operation from the external device 300 will be explained using Figures 11A to 13.

[2-5. Remote focus operation of digital camera using external device (when focus speed is specified)]
Fig. 11A is a diagram for explaining the rotation operation of the rotation operation unit 357. Fig. 11B is a graph showing the driving state of the focus lens 230 over time. Fig. 11C is a graph in which the graph of Fig. 11B is added to the graph of Fig. 5.

In the first example shown in Figures 11A to 11C, the communication cycle from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1 is 100 msec, and the rotary operation unit 357 of the external device 300 is operated at the speed shown in Figure 11A (each section of focus adjustment positions (0) to (4) is operated at 100 msec). In this case, the lens drive speed range is maximum speed: 30 steps/msec, minimum speed: 3 steps/msec.

In this example, since the focus speed is specified, commands 1 to 4 (drive instruction command 1 and target position update commands 2 to 4) including the focus speed are issued every 100 msec from the controller 351 of the external device 300 as shown in FIG. 11B. The first command 1 includes a position specification (first position): 1000 steps and a speed specification (first speed): 10 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at a position of 10 m, the second command 2 includes a position specification (second position): 2000 steps and a speed specification (second speed): 10 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at a position of 5 m, and the third command 3 includes a position specification (third position): 3000 steps and a speed specification (third speed): 10 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at a position of 3 m. Such position specification and speed specification are possible because the lens data stored in the flash memory 353 of the external device 300 shown in FIG. 8 is utilized.

As described above, when performing remote focus operation of the digital camera 1 using the external device 300, the drive instruction commands 1 to 4 include position and speed specifications for driving the focus lens, so the focus lens 230 can be driven continuously without stopping. This allows for smooth focus operation.

Next, a second example of remote focus operation of the digital camera 1 by the external device 300 when a focus speed is specified will be described using Figures 12A to 12C.

Figure 12A is a diagram for explaining the rotation operation of the rotation operation unit 357. Figure 12B is a graph showing the drive state of the focus lens 230 over time. Figure 12C is a graph showing the graph of Figure 12B added to the graph of Figure 5.

In the second example, the communication cycle from the external device 300 to the digital camera 1 is set to 100 msec, and the rotary operation unit 357 of the external device 300 is operated at the speed shown in FIG. 12A (each section of focus adjustment positions (0) to (5) is operated at 100 msec or 50 msec). The lens drive speed range is maximum speed: 30 steps/msec, minimum speed: 3 steps/msec. Unlike the first example, this example shows a case where the operation of the rotary operation unit 357 becomes faster halfway through.

In this example, since the focus speed is specified, commands 1 to 3 including the focus speed can be issued every 100 msec from the controller 351 of the external device 300, as shown in FIG. 12B.

Now, we will explain the operation of this example to realize remote focus control of the digital camera 1 using the external device 300, using Figures 12A to 12C.

First, assume that an interchangeable lens 200 equipped with a focus lens 230 with a focal length of 14 mm is attached to the camera body 100. Assume that the lens data shown in Figures 8A and 8B has been stored in the flash memory 353 of the external device 300 in advance through communication between the external device 300 and the camera body 100 shown in Figure 7.

The controller 351 of the external device 300 acquires the output signal from the rotation detection unit 358 at a constant cycle (e.g., 4 msec) to calculate the rotation angle information and rotation angular velocity information every 100 msec. The controller 351 further uses the results of these calculations and the lens data in Figures 8A and 8B to determine the number of drives (number of steps) and drive speed (step/msec) of the focus lens drive unit 233.

In response to the user's rotation operation of the rotation operation unit 357 shown in FIG. 12A, the controller 351 determines the number of drives and the drive speed of the focus lens drive unit 233 as follows.
(1) After the initial 100 msec, the rotary operation unit 357 moves from focus adjustment position (0) to focus adjustment position (1), so with reference to Fig. 8A, the number of drives is set to 1000 steps as a position specification and the drive speed is calculated as (1000-0) steps/100 msec = 10 steps/msec as a speed specification so that the focus distance is at a position of 10 m. After that, the controller 351 generates an initial command 1 including a position specification of 1000 steps and a speed specification of 10 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at a position of 10 m.

(2) After the next 100 msec, the focus adjustment position (3) of the rotary operation unit 357 will be reached, so with reference to FIG. 8A, the number of drives is set to 3000 steps as the position specification so that the focus distance is at 3 m, and the drive speed is calculated as (3000-1000) steps/100 msec = 20 steps/msec as the speed specification. The controller 351 then generates a second command 2 including a position specification of 3000 steps and a speed specification of 20 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at 3 m.

(3) After the final 100 msec, the focus adjustment position (5) of the rotary operation unit 357 will be reached, so with reference to FIG. 8A, the number of drives is set to 5000 steps as the position specification so that the focus distance is at 1.5 m, and the drive speed is calculated as (5000-3000) steps/100 msec = 20 steps/msec as the speed specification. The controller 351 then generates a third command 3 including a position specification of 5000 steps and a speed specification of 20 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at 1.5 m.

In the above example, the generated commands 1 to 3 have drive speeds of 10 steps/msec and 20 steps/msec, which are between the maximum (30 steps/msec) and minimum (3 steps/msec) speeds of the focus motor drive shown in Figure 8B, so the focus lens 230 can be driven without any problems.

When the controller 351 calculates a drive speed that exceeds the maximum speed of focus motor drive, it determines the drive speed to be equal to or less than the maximum speed of focus motor drive. Similarly, when the controller 351 calculates a drive speed that is lower than the minimum speed of focus motor drive, it determines the drive speed to be equal to or greater than the minimum speed of focus motor drive. In other words, when determining the drive speed to be included in the command, the drive speed is determined by limiting it to the range from the minimum speed to the maximum speed of the focus lens drive unit 233. In this way, the controller 351 generates a command that includes a speed specification determined by reflecting the drive capability information of the focus lens drive unit 233.

Figure 13 is a sequence diagram showing a second example of remote focus operation of the digital camera 1 using an external device 300.

When communicating with the camera body 100, the controller 351 of the external device 300 performs a predetermined PTP protocol process (E100), and then transmits the generated command 1 to the camera control unit 140 via the communication unit 354 and the communication unit 142 of the camera body 100 (E101). The camera control unit 140 receives command 1, and returns information indicating permission to receive subsequent commands (OK information) to the controller 351 of the external device 300 via the communication unit 142 and the communication unit 354 (E102). In this way, the camera control unit 140 of the camera body 100 returns the permission to receive the command (OK information) without waiting for the driving of the focus lens in response to command 1 to be completed.

The camera control unit 140 transmits command 4 corresponding to command 1 to the lens control unit 240 of the lens unit 200. The lens control unit 240 then receives command 4 and issues an instruction to the focus lens driving unit 233 in a form corresponding to command 4. This causes the focus lens driving unit 233 to drive the focus lens 230 at a speed of 10 steps/msec so that the focus distance is at a position of 10 m. Thereafter, communication operations (E104) to (E111) are performed in a similar manner.

As described above, when performing remote focus operation of the digital camera 1 using the external device 300, the commands 1 to 3 for drive instructions include position and speed specifications for driving the focus lens, so that the focus lens 230 can be driven continuously without stopping. Therefore, the focus lens drive can be varied according to the rotation speed of the rotation operation unit 357 of the external device 300. Therefore, if a user uses the remote focus operation of this embodiment, they can easily create a cut of the scene they want to capture according to their intentions.

[1-3. Summary]
(Imaging device)
As described above, the digital camera 1 (imaging device) in this embodiment is an imaging device that can communicate with the external device 300 (external control device) and captures a subject image formed through the focus lens 230 (optical member). The digital camera 1 includes a communication unit 142 that receives a command related to driving the focus lens 230 from the external device 300, and a camera control unit 140 (control unit) that controls the driving of the focus lens 230 based on the command. The camera control unit 140 starts driving the focus lens 230 based on the drive instruction command 1 (first command) that the communication unit 142 receives from the external device 300. When the communication unit 142 receives target position update commands 2 to 4 (second commands) different from the drive instruction command 1 from the external device 300 before the drive control of the focus lens 230 is completed, the camera control unit 140 updates the target position that is the target for driving the focus lens 230 based on the target position update commands 2 to 4.

According to the digital camera 1 described above, by updating the target position based on the target position update commands 2 to 4 before drive control of the focus lens 230 is completed, drive control of the focus lens 230 can be executed while updating the target position. This makes it easy to drive the focus lens 230 to a target position that reflects the user's intention.

In the digital camera 1 of this embodiment, when the drive control of the focus lens 230 is completed, the camera control unit 140 transmits a drive completion notification to the external device 300 via the communication unit 142. If the communication unit 142 receives target position update commands 2 to 4 before transmitting the drive completion notification, the camera control unit 140 further updates the target position based on the target position update commands 2 to 4. This makes it possible to update the target position of the focus lens 230 before transmitting the drive completion notification.

In the digital camera 1 of this embodiment, the drive instruction command 1 includes a first position as the target position, and the target position update command 2 includes a second position different from the first position as the target position. The camera control unit 140 starts driving the focus lens 230 toward the first position based on the drive instruction command 1. The camera control unit 140 further updates the target position from the first position to the second position during drive control of the focus lens 230 based on the target position update command 2. This makes it possible to drive the focus lens 230 toward different positions based on each of the drive instruction command 1 and the target position update command 2.

In the digital camera 1 of this embodiment, the camera control unit 140 controls the drive speed of the focus lens 230 to a first speed until it reaches a first position based on drive instruction command 1. The camera control unit 140 further controls the drive speed of the focus lens 230 after it reaches the first position to a second speed until it reaches a second position based on target position update command 2. This makes it possible to control the drive speed of the focus lens 230 based on both drive instruction command 1 and target position update command 2.

In the digital camera 1 of this embodiment, the communication unit 142 receives target position update commands 2 to 4 from the external device 300 at a predetermined communication cycle after receiving drive instruction command 1. The camera control unit 140 sequentially controls the drive of the focus lens 230 based on the received target position update commands 2 to 4. This allows the target position update commands 2 to 4 to be received at the desired cycle and reflected in the drive control of the focus lens 230 each time.

The digital camera 1 of this embodiment further includes a flash memory 143 (storage unit) that stores lens data (performance data) that indicates performance related to driving the focus lens 230. The camera control unit 140 transmits the lens data to the external device 300 via the communication unit 142, and the drive instruction command 1 and target position update commands 2 to 4 are set according to the lens data. This makes it possible for the external device 300 to reflect the lens data when setting the commands.

The digital camera 1 of this embodiment is configured to be able to mount an interchangeable lens 200, and the focus lens 230 is an optical member provided in the interchangeable lens 200. This makes it possible to apply drive control using target position update commands 2 to 4 to the focus lens 230 of the interchangeable lens 200.

(Control device)
Moreover, the external device 300 (control device) in this embodiment is a control device capable of communicating with the digital camera 1 (imaging device) that captures a subject image formed through the focus lens 230 (optical member). The external device 300 includes a dial unit 320 (operation member) that can be moved in response to a user's operation, a controller 351 that generates a command related to driving the focus lens 230 in response to a movement operation on the dial unit 320, and a communication unit 354 that transmits the command to the digital camera 1. When the movement operation of the dial unit 320 is started, the controller 351 generates a drive instruction command 1 for starting the drive of the focus lens 230 and transmits it to the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354. The controller 351 further generates target position update commands 2 to 4 for updating a target position to be targeted for driving the focus lens 230 while the movement operation of the dial unit 320 is continuing, and transmits the target position update commands 2 to 4 to the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354.

According to the above-described external device 300, even while the movement operation of the dial unit 320 continues, the target position update commands 2 to 4 can be sent to the digital camera 1, so that the drive control of the focus lens 230 can be executed while updating the target position. This makes it easy to drive the focus lens 230 to a target position that reflects the user's intention.

In the external device 300 of this embodiment, the communication unit 354 transmits target position update commands 2 to 4 to the digital camera 1 after transmitting the drive instruction command 1 and before receiving a drive completion notification from the digital camera 1. This makes it possible to update the target position of the focus lens 230 without waiting for the drive completion notification to be received.

In the external device 300 of this embodiment, the controller 351 includes a first position as a target position in the drive instruction command 1 based on the amount of operation of the dial unit 320 at the start of the movement operation. The controller 351 further includes a second position, which is different from the first position, as a target position in the target position update command 2 based on the amount of operation of the dial unit 320 while the movement operation is continuing. This makes it possible to drive the focus lens 230 toward different positions based on each of the drive instruction command 1 and the target position update command 2.

The external device 300 of this embodiment further includes a flash memory 353 that stores lens data indicating the performance related to the drive of the focus lens 230. The controller 351 includes in the drive instruction command 1 a first speed for driving the focus lens 230 to a first position based on the amount of operation of the dial unit 320 at the start of the movement operation and the lens data. The controller 351 further includes in the target position update command 2 a second speed for driving to a second position based on the amount of operation of the dial unit 320 while the movement operation is continuing and the lens data. This makes it possible to control the drive speed of the focus lens 230 based on each of the drive instruction command 1 and the target position update command 2.

In the external device 300 of this embodiment, the controller 351 acquires lens data (performance data) from the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354 and records it in the flash memory 353. This makes it possible for the controller 351 to reflect the lens data when setting commands 1 to 4.

In the external device 300 of this embodiment, the controller 351 generates target position update commands 2 to 4 at predetermined communication cycles based on the movement operation that continues after the generation of the drive instruction command 1, and transmits them sequentially to the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354. In this way, by transmitting the target position update commands 2 to 4 to the digital camera 1 at predetermined communication cycles, it is possible to reflect them in the drive control of the focus lens 230 each time.

In the external device 300 of this embodiment, the dial unit 320 is configured to be capable of rotational movement as a movement operation. This allows the user to easily operate it.

(Imaging system)
The imaging system A in this embodiment is an imaging system including a digital camera 1 (imaging device) that captures a subject image formed through a focus lens 230 (optical member) and an external device 300 (control device) that can communicate with the digital camera 1. The digital camera 1 includes a communication unit 142 that receives a command related to driving the focus lens 230 from the external device 300, and a camera control unit 140 that controls the driving of the focus lens 230 based on the command. The external device 300 includes a dial unit 320 that can be moved in response to a user's operation, a controller 351 that generates a command in response to a moving operation on the dial unit 320, and a communication unit 354 that transmits the command to the digital camera 1. When a moving operation of the dial unit 320 is started in the external device 300, the controller 351 generates a drive instruction command 1 for starting the driving of the focus lens 230 and transmits the drive instruction command 1 to the digital camera 1 via the communication unit 354. Controller 351 further generates target position update commands 2 to 4 for updating the target position targeted for driving focus lens 230 while the movement operation of dial unit 320 continues, and transmits the generated target position update commands 2 to 4 to digital camera 1 via communication unit 354. In digital camera 1, camera control unit 140 starts driving focus lens 230 based on drive instruction command 1 received by communication unit 142 from external device 300. When communication unit 142 receives target position update commands 2 to 4, separate from drive instruction command 1, from external device 300 before drive control of focus lens 230 is completed, camera control unit 140 further updates the target position targeted for driving focus lens 230 based on target position update commands 2 to 4.

According to the imaging system A described above, by updating the target position based on the target position update commands 2 to 4 before the drive control of the focus lens 230 is completed, it is possible to execute the drive control of the focus lens 230 while updating the target position. This makes it easy to drive the focus lens 230 to a target position that reflects the user's intention.

In the imaging system A of this embodiment, when the driving control of the focus lens 230 is completed, the camera control unit 140 in the digital camera 1 transmits a driving completion notification to the external device 300 via the communication unit 142,
In the external device 300, the communication unit 354 transmits the target position update commands 2 to 4 to the digital camera 1 after transmitting the drive instruction command 1 and before receiving a notification of drive completion from the digital camera 1;
In digital camera 1, when communication unit 142 receives target position update commands 2 to 4 before transmitting a drive completion notification, camera control unit 140 updates the target position based on target position update commands 2 to 4. This makes it possible to update the target position of focus lens 230 before transmitting a drive completion notification.

[Other embodiments]
The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various embodiments are contemplated.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure are summarized below.

In the above embodiment, focus operation has been described as a remote operation. However, remote operation can be performed similarly by selecting zoom operation or aperture operation. In other words, the present invention is not limited to controlling the drive of the focus lens 230 as an optical member, but can also be applied to controlling the drive of the zoom lens 210 or aperture 260. For example, it is possible to select zoom operation or aperture operation by selecting a dedicated button on the operation unit 359 of the external device 300, and to realize the selected remote operation.

Figures 14A and 14B show lens data used when aperture operation is selected as remote control. Figure 14A shows aperture table data, indicating the number of aperture motor steps required to reach the F-number (F2.8, F3.0, F3.2, F3.5, F3.8, F4.0, ... F22) for an aperture 260 with a focal length of 14 mm, 25 mm, or 50 mm. Figure 14B shows aperture speed information, indicating maximum and minimum speed information for the aperture drive unit 262.

When creating a drive instruction command for driving the aperture 260 or a target position update command, the position specification can be calculated by referring to the aperture table data shown in FIG. 14A, and the speed specification can be calculated by referring to the aperture speed information shown in FIG. 14B.

Figures 15A and 15B show lens data used when zoom operation is selected as remote control. Figure 15A shows zoom table data, indicating the number of zoom motor steps required to reach the focal length (14 mm, 14.1 mm, 14.2 mm, 14.3 mm, 14.4 mm, 14.5 mm, ... 50 mm). Figure 15B shows zoom speed information, indicating the maximum and minimum speed information of the zoom lens driving unit 211.

When creating a drive instruction command for driving the zoom lens 210 or a target position update command, the position specification can be calculated by referring to the zoom table data shown in FIG. 15A, and the speed specification can be calculated by referring to the zoom speed information shown in FIG. 15B.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the digital camera 1 is not limited to a camera with interchangeable lenses, but can also be applied to a camera with an integrated lens.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the dial unit 320 is used as the operating member of the external device 300, but this is not limited to a rotatable operating member (dial unit), and can also be applied to a slidable linear operating member.

In the above embodiment, the communication between the digital camera 1 and the external device 300 is realized by USB communication, but the camera control unit 140 can communicate with the external device 300 via the communication unit 142 using PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) via Bluetooth (registered trademark), wireless LAN, wired LAN, etc.

In the above embodiment, the LCD monitor 356 is exemplified as displaying the instructions from the controller 351, but it may also be configured to display the results of driving the digital camera 1 based on the instructions from the controller 351, i.e., information related to the output values from the digital camera 1.

Therefore, among the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description, not only are there components essential for solving the problem, but there may also be components that are not essential for solving the problem in order to illustrate the above technology. Therefore, just because those non-essential components are described in the attached drawings or detailed description, it should not be immediately determined that those non-essential components are essential.

In addition, the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology disclosed herein, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

The present disclosure is applicable, for example, to a digital camera 1 that captures images, an external device 300 (communication device) that can communicate with the digital camera 1 and can remotely control the digital camera 1, and an imaging system that includes the digital camera 1 and the external device 300. Specifically, the present disclosure is applicable to, for example, a cinema camera, digital camera, and movie camera that are capable of capturing moving images as the digital camera 1.

Claims (16)

An imaging device capable of communicating with an external control device and capturing an image of a subject formed via an optical member,
a communication unit that receives a command related to driving the optical member from the control device;
a control unit that controls the driving of the optical member based on the command,
The control unit is
starting driving of the optical member based on a first command received by the communication unit from the control device;
An imaging device in which, when the communication unit receives a second command different from the first command from the control device before drive control of the optical element is completed, the target position for driving the optical element is updated based on the second command. The control unit is
When the drive control of the optical member is completed, a notification of the drive completion is transmitted to the control device via the communication unit;
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein when the communication unit receives the second command before transmitting the notification of the drive completion, the target position is updated based on the second command. the first command includes a first position as the target position;
the second command includes a second position different from the first position as the target position;
The control unit is
starting to drive the optical member toward the first position based on the first command;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the target position is updated from the first position to the second position during drive control of the optical member based on the second command. The control unit is
controlling a drive speed of the optical member until the optical member reaches the first position to a first speed based on the first command;
The imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein a drive speed of the optical member from the first position to the second position is controlled to a second speed based on the second command. the communication unit receives the second command from the control device at every predetermined communication period after receiving the first command,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit sequentially controls driving of the optical members based on each received command. A storage unit for storing performance data indicating a performance related to driving of the optical member,
The control unit transmits the performance data to the control device via the communication unit,
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second commands are set in accordance with the performance data. The imaging device is configured to be able to mount an interchangeable lens,
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical member includes at least one of a focus lens, a zoom lens, and an aperture of the interchangeable lens. A control device capable of communicating with an imaging device that captures a subject image formed through an optical member,
an operating member that is movable in response to a user's operation;
a control unit that generates a command related to driving the optical member in response to a moving operation of the operation member;
a communication unit that transmits the command to the imaging device,
The control unit is
When the moving operation is started, a first command for starting driving of the optical member is generated, and transmitted to the imaging device via the communication unit;
The control device generates a second command for updating a target position for driving the optical member while the moving operation is continuing, and transmits the second command to the imaging device via the communication unit. The control device according to claim 8, wherein the communication unit transmits the second command to the imaging device after transmitting the first command and before receiving a notification of completion of driving from the imaging device. The control unit is
a first position is included as the target position in the first command based on an operation amount of the operation member at the start of the moving operation;
The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the second command includes, as the target position, a second position different from the first position, based on an operation amount of the operating member during the continuation of the movement operation. A second storage unit that stores performance data indicating a performance related to driving of the optical member,
The control unit is
a first speed for driving the optical member to the first position based on an operation amount of the operating member at the start of the moving operation and the performance data is included in the first command;
The control device according to claim 10 , wherein the second command includes a second speed for driving the operating member to the second position based on an operation amount of the operating member during the continuation of the moving operation and the performance data. The control device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit acquires the performance data from the imaging device via the communication unit and records the performance data in the second storage unit. The control device according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the control unit generates the second command at every predetermined communication cycle based on the movement operation that continues after the generation of the first command, and transmits the second command to the imaging device sequentially via the communication unit. The control device according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the operating member is configured to be capable of rotational movement as the movement operation. An imaging system comprising: an imaging device that captures a subject image formed through an optical member; and a control device that can communicate with the imaging device,
The imaging device includes:
a first communication unit that receives a command related to driving the optical member from the control device;
a first control unit that controls the driving of the optical member based on the command,
The control device includes:
an operating member that is movable in response to a user's operation;
a second control unit that generates the command in response to a movement operation of the operation member;
a second communication unit that transmits the command to the imaging device;
In the control device, the second control unit
When the moving operation is started, a first command for starting driving of the optical member is generated, and transmitted to the imaging device via the second communication unit;
generating a second command for updating a target position for driving the optical member while the moving operation is continuing, and transmitting the second command to the imaging device via the second communication unit;
In the imaging device, the first control unit
starting driving of the optical member based on a first command received by the first communication unit from the control device;
An imaging system in which, when the first communication unit receives a second command different from the first command from the control device before drive control of the optical element is completed, the target position for driving the optical element is updated based on the second command. When the drive control of the optical member is completed, the first control unit of the imaging device transmits a drive completion notification to the control device via the first communication unit;
the second communication unit in the control device transmits the second command to the imaging device before receiving a notification of completion of driving from the imaging device after transmitting the first command;
16. The imaging system according to claim 15, wherein in the imaging device, when the first communication unit receives the second command before transmitting the notification of drive completion, the first control unit updates the target position based on the second command.