Stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus, stereoscopic image-taking system and image-taking apparatus

Abstract

A stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to the present invention is attachable to an image-taking apparatus provided with an image-pickup element; wherein a shutter is changed over so that lights from the right and left optical paths are guided alternately to the image-pickup element at every predetermined time, so that parallax images are formed in time sequence on the image-pickup element. Furthermore, the stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus sends a signal for inhibiting an image-taking operation in which the charge-storage time of the image-pickup element is longer than the predetermined time for changing over the shutter to the image-taking apparatus. Furthermore, the lens device sends a signal for changing the set allowance of a white balance to the image-taking apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus which is attachable to an image-taking apparatus provided with an image-pickup element, comprising: 
 an optical system which forms right and left optical paths for guiding light from an object, which has entered said right and left optical paths, to said image-pickup element;    a shutter which is changed over so as to guide the lights which have respectively entered the right and left optical paths alternately to said image-pickup element;    a control circuit which changes over said shutter so that lights from said right and left optical paths are guided alternately to said image-pickup element at every predetermined time so as to allow said optical system to form parallax images in time sequence on said image-pickup element; and    a communication circuit which performs communications with said image-taking apparatus;    wherein the control circuit sends a signal for inhibiting an image-taking operation in which the charge-storage time of said image-pickup element is longer than the predetermined time for changing over said shutter to the image-taking apparatus via said communication circuit.    
     
     
         2 . The stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time for changing over said shutter corresponds to a time regulated by the color television method.  
     
     
         3 . The stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said predetermined time for changing over said shutter corresponds to a periodic time of a vertical synchronous signal of the taken images.  
     
     
         4 . The stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said image-taking apparatus is provided with an operation switch for allowing an user to select the charge-storage time of said image-pickup element, and 
 said control circuit sends to the image-taking apparatus a signal for inhibiting a selection of a charge-storage time which is longer than the predetermined time for changing over said shutter in accordance with the operation of the operation switch.    
     
     
         5 . The stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said shutter is a liquid crystal shutter.  
     
     
         6 . A stereoscopic image-taking system comprising: 
 a stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 1;  and    an image-taking apparatus to which said stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus is attachable and which has an image pickup element;    wherein said image-taking apparatus inhibits the image-taking operation in which the charge-storage time of said image-pickup element is longer than the predetermined time for changing over said shutter in said stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus in accordance with an inhibition signal sent from said control circuit of said stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus.    
     
     
         7 . A stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus which is attachable to an image-taking apparatus provided with an image-pickup element and a function of automatically setting a white balance of a taken image within a predetermined set allowance, comprising: 
 an optical system which forms right and left optical paths for guiding light from an object, which has entered said right and left optical paths, to said image-pickup element;    a shutter which is changed over for guiding lights which have respectively entered said right and left optical paths to said image-pickup element;    a control circuit which changes over said shutter so that lights from said right and left optical paths are alternately guided to said image-pickup element to allow said optical system to form in time sequence parallax images on said image-pickup element; and    a communication circuit which performs communications with said image-taking apparatus;    wherein the control circuit sends to said image-taking apparatus a signal for changing the set allowance of the white balance.    
     
     
         8 . The stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said shutter is a liquid crystal shutter.  
     
     
         9 . A stereoscopic image-taking system comprising: 
 a stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus according to  claim 7;  and    an image-taking apparatus to which said stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus is attachable;    wherein said image-taking apparatus changes the set allowance of the white balance in accordance with a change signal sent from said control circuit of said stereoscopic image-taking lens apparatus.    
     
     
         10 . An image-taking apparatus comprising: 
 an image-pickup element;    an optical system which forms right and left optical paths for guiding light from an object, which has entered said right and left optical paths, to said image-pickup element;    a shutter which is changed over for guiding lights which have respectively entered said right and left optical paths alternately to said image-pickup element; and    a control circuit which changes over said shutter so that lights from said right and left optical paths are guided alternately to said image-pickup element to allow the optical system to form parallax images in time sequence on said image-pickup element at the time of 3D image-taking, and does not change over said shutter to allow said optical system to guide light incident from one of said right and left optical paths to said image-pickup element at the time of 2D image-taking;    wherein said control circuit allows, at the time of 2D image-taking, an image-taking operation in which the charge-storage time of the image-pickup element is longer than the opening time of said shutter and the control circuit inhibits, at the time of 3D image-taking, an image-taking operation in which the charge-storage time of said image-pickup element is longer the opening time of said shutter.    
     
     
         11 . The image-taking apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined time for changing over said shutter corresponds to time regulated by the color television method.  
     
     
         12 . The image-taking operation according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time for changing over said shutter corresponds to a periodic time of a vertical synchronous signal of the taken images.  
     
     
         13 . The image-taking apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein an operation switch is provided for allowing the user to select the charge-storage time of said imaging element, and 
 said control circuit inhibits the selection of the charge-storage time which is longer than the predetermined time for changing over said shutter in accordance with the operation of said operation switch.    
     
     
         14 . The image-taking apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said shutter is a liquid crystal shutter.  
     
     
         15 . An image-taking apparatus provided with the function of automatically setting the white balance of a taken image within the predetermined set allowance, comprising: 
 an image-pickup element;    an optical system which forms right and left optical paths for guiding light from an object, which has entered said right and left optical paths, to said image-pickup element;    a shutter which is changed over for guiding lights which have respectively entered said right and left optical paths alternately to the image-pickup element; and    a control circuit which changes over said shutter so that lights from said right and left optical paths are alternately guided to said image-pickup element to allow the optical system to form parallax images in time sequence on said image-pickup element at the time of 3D image-taking, and does not change over said shutter to allow the optical system to guide light incident from one of the right and left optical paths to said image-pickup element at the time of 2D image-taking;    wherein said control circuit changes, at time of 3D image-taking, the set allowance of the white balance for time of 2D image-taking.    
     
     
         16 . The image-taking apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said shutter is a liquid crystal shutter.