JPH08278541A - Rapid sequence camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a rapid sequence camera capable of increasing a frame speed in consecutive photographing, while reducing camera-shaking, in the rapid sequence camera executing the consecutive photographing. CONSTITUTION: The camera is constituted to provide an optical system 1 for forming the optical image of an object, a mirror means 2 switching the optical path of the incident light of the optical system 1, an image pickup means 3 which is arranged on one optical path switched by the mirror means 2 and picks up the optical image formed by the optical system 1, a finder optical system 4 arranged on the other optical path switched by the mirror means 2 and a consecutive photographing means 5 which drives the mirror means 2, to hold the incident light on one optical path and the image pickup means 3, to pick up the images of plural frames.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous shooting camera for continuous shooting, and more particularly to a continuous shooting camera in which the number of shooting frames per unit time (hereinafter referred to as "frame speed") is increased.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, continuous shooting means a shooting method of sequentially shooting a plurality of frames for one release. With such continuous shooting, it is possible to shoot a series of movements such as sports as a continuous photograph. In addition, continuous shooting is performed on a subject that changes every moment like a facial expression of a person, so that a momentary shutter chance can be reliably captured.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a camera for performing such continuous shooting. In the figure, a taking lens 12 is attached to the camera body 11, and a main mirror 13 is obliquely arranged on the optical axis of the taking lens 12. A viewfinder optical system 13a is provided in the reflection direction of the main mirror 13.
And the sub-mirror 14 is diagonally arranged on the back surface of the light transmitting portion of the main mirror 13.

A focus detecting section 15 is arranged in the reflecting direction of the sub mirror 14, and the output of the focus detecting section 15 is connected to a microprocessor section 16. Further, behind the main mirror 13, along the optical axis of the taking lens 12,
A shutter 17 and a film 18 are arranged. on the other hand,
The control output of the microprocessor unit 16 is the photographing lens 1
2, a lens drive mechanism 19 that extends the front and back, a mirror drive mechanism 20 that drives the main mirror 13, a shutter drive mechanism 21 that drives the shutter 17 to open and close, and a film 18.
Are individually connected to the film feeding unit 22 for winding the film.

Further, a lens information storage unit 23 is arranged inside the taking lens 12, a release 26 is arranged in the camera body 11, and outputs of these are connected to the microprocessor unit 16. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a conventional continuous shooting timing. The conventional continuous shooting operation will be described below with reference to these drawings.

First, when the photographing of the first frame is completed, the main mirror 13 is lowered, and the mechanical charge and the film 18 are fed in parallel for the next photographing operation.
Here, when the main mirror 13 is lowered, the incident light from the taking lens 12 is reflected by the main mirror 13 and the sub mirror 14, respectively, and guided to the finder optical system 13a and the focus detection unit 15.

The focus detection unit 15 receives the incident light from the taking lens 12 and measures the defocus amount corresponding to the distance between the imaging position of the taking lens 12 and the image pickup surface. The microprocessor unit 16 calculates a control amount for focus adjustment according to the measured value of the defocus amount, and outputs it to the lens driving mechanism 19. The lens driving mechanism 19 drives the taking lens 12 back and forth based on this control amount to perform focusing.

In parallel with the end of such lens driving,
The main mirror 13 is flipped up and the second frame is photographed. Since the above operation usually requires a time of about 200 msec, by repeating these operations, continuous shooting of about 5 frames per second is performed. In addition, in order to further increase the frame speed of continuous shooting, the main mirror 13
A camera provided with a pellicle mirror (thin film mirror) instead of is known.

In such a camera, incident light from the photographing lens is separated into transmitted light and reflected light through a stationary pellicle mirror, and optical images are formed on the finder side and the film side, respectively. Therefore, it is not necessary to move the pellicle mirror up and down, and continuous shooting of about 10 frames per second can be performed.

[0010]

By the way, in such a conventional camera, it is necessary to move the main mirror 13 up and down every time one frame is photographed, and it takes a long time to operate, so that the frame speed for continuous photographing is increased. There is a problem that it is difficult to increase the speed.

In order to improve this point, the main mirror 1
Although a method of further speeding up / down driving of No. 3 to speed up the frame speed of continuous shooting has been considered, the problem that the vibration of the camera increases with the high speed driving of the main mirror 13 and causes camera shake. There was a point. Further, in a camera using a pellicle mirror instead of the main mirror 13, there is a problem that the amount of light reaching the film is reduced because the film is exposed by the transmitted light of the pellicle mirror.

Further, since the pellicle mirror transmits a large amount of a linearly polarized light component in a specific direction, the pellicle mirror contains a large amount of a polarized light component as in the case where a linearly polarized light filter is attached to a camera or an image of reflected light such as glass or water is taken. There is a problem that the exposure is unnatural in the environment where the subject light is incident.

In order to solve such a problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous shooting camera which reduces the camera shake and increases the frame speed in continuous shooting.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram corresponding to the first aspect.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical system 1 for forming an optical image of a subject, mirror means 2 for switching the optical path of incident light of the optical system 1, and one optical path switched by the mirror means 2. Image pickup means 3 for picking up an optical image formed by the optical system 1, a finder optical system 4 arranged on the other optical path switched by the mirror means 2, and the mirror means 2 being driven to enter. It is characterized in that it is provided with a continuous photographing means 5 which holds light in one optical path and drives the image pickup means 3 to pick up images of a plurality of frames. Figure 2
It is a principle block diagram corresponding to claim 2.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the continuous photographing camera according to the first aspect, the defocus of the optical image formed by the optical system 1 is arranged on the other optical path switched by the mirror means 2. A focus detecting means 6 for measuring the amount, a predicting means 7 for taking in the defocus amount measured by the focus detecting means 6, performing a prediction calculation for the defocus amount at a past time point, and calculating a predicted value of the defocus amount; With the mirror means 2 held in one optical path,
A focus adjusting unit 8 for adjusting the focus of the optical system 1 based on the predicted value of the defocus amount predicted by the predicting unit 7 is provided.

FIG. 3 is a principle block diagram corresponding to claims 3 to 5. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the continuous shooting camera according to the first or second aspect, the number of frames setting means 9a for setting the number of frames for continuous shooting from the outside
The continuous shooting means 5 drives the mirror means 2 to hold the incident light in one optical path, drives the image pickup means 3 and sets the number of frames set externally via the frame number setting means 9a. It is characterized by performing imaging.

The invention described in claim 4 is the invention according to claims 1 to 3.
The continuous shooting camera described in any one of 1 to 6 is provided with a number setting means 9b for setting the number of times of switching of the mirror means 2 from outside, and the continuous shooting means 5 drives the image pickup means 3 to pick up images of a plurality of frames. During the execution, the mirror means 2 is driven to switch the incident light to the other optical path for the number of times of switching set externally via the number of times setting means 9b.

The invention described in claim 5 is the invention according to claims 1 to 4.
The continuous shooting camera described in any one of items 1 to 6 is characterized in that it is provided with a continuous shooting canceling means 9c for forcibly interrupting the shooting operation of a plurality of frames by the continuous shooting means 5 in response to a predetermined external operation.

[0020]

In the continuous photographing camera according to the first aspect, the optical path of the incident light from the optical system 1 can be switched to the imaging means 3 side and the finder optical system 4 side via the mirror means 2.

The image pickup means 3 picks up an optical image formed on one optical path. The finder optical system 4 provides an optical image formed on the other optical path to the operator's visual field. On the other hand, the continuous photographing means 5 drives the mirror means 2 and holds the optical path of incident light on the image pickup means 3 side. In such a state, the continuous shooting means 5 drives the image pickup means 3 to pick up images of a plurality of frames.

As described above, since the continuous photographing is performed without switching the optical path by the mirror means 2, the time required for switching the optical path can be saved for each image pickup of one frame. Therefore, the frame speed of continuous shooting can be increased. In the continuous shooting camera according to the second aspect, the focus detection unit 6 is arranged on the other optical path and measures the defocus amount corresponding to the distance between the imaging position of the optical system 1 and the image pickup surface.

The predicting means 7 takes in the defocus amount measured by the focus detecting means 6. With respect to the defocus amount at the past time point thus fetched, the prediction unit 7 performs a prediction calculation to predict the defocus amount after the current time point. The focus adjusting means 8 adjusts the focus of the optical system 1 based on the predicted value of the defocus amount.

Normally, in the continuous shooting according to the first aspect, the incident light of the optical system 1 is held on the image pickup means 3 side. Therefore, the focus detection unit 6 arranged on the other optical path cannot measure the defocus amount. However, by using the defocus amount at the past time and predicting the defocus amount after the current time, continuous focus adjustment is performed even during continuous shooting.

In the continuous shooting camera of the third aspect, the number of frames for continuous shooting is externally set via the frame number setting means 9a. The continuous photographing means 5 takes in the number of frames set by the number-of-frames setting means 9a, drives the image pickup means 3, and picks up the image of the number of frames. Usually, in continuous shooting in claim 1, since the frame speed of continuous shooting is high, it is difficult for the operator to control the number of frames for continuous shooting.

However, by setting the number of frames via the number-of-frames setting means 9a, the desired number of frames can be continuously photographed in a planned manner. In the continuous photographing camera according to the fourth aspect, the number of times the mirror unit 2 is switched is externally set via the number setting unit 9b. The continuous shooting means 5 takes in the number of times set by the number of times setting means 9b, drives the mirror means 2 during continuous shooting, and sets the optical path of the incident light to the finder optical system 4 side or the focus detection means by the set number of times of switching. Switch to 6 side.

Normally, in the continuous shooting according to the first aspect, the incident light of the optical system 1 is held on the image pickup means 3 side. Therefore, the operator cannot view the subject image through the viewfinder optical system 4. However, by setting the number of times of switching through the number of times setting means 9b, the optical path is switched to the finder optical system 4 side a predetermined number of times, and the subject image can be viewed intermittently.

In the continuous shooting according to the second aspect, when the continuous shooting is performed for a long time, the deviation of the predicted value of the defocus amount becomes large. However, the number of times setting means 9
By setting the number of times of switching via b, the optical path is switched to the focus detecting means 6 side a predetermined number of times, and the actual defocus amount is actually measured.
It is possible to improve the prediction accuracy of the prediction calculation by and improve the accuracy of the focus adjustment by the focus adjusting means 8.

In the continuous shooting camera of the fifth aspect, the continuous shooting canceling means 9c forcibly interrupts the shooting operation of a plurality of frames by the continuous shooting means 5 in response to a predetermined external operation. Therefore, the operator can arbitrarily interrupt the continuous shooting.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment corresponding to claims 1 to 5. Regarding the structural feature of this embodiment, the microprocessor unit 16a is arranged instead of the microprocessor unit 16 shown in FIG. Further, a continuous shooting frame number dial 24 and a distance measurement number dial 25 are newly arranged in the camera body 11, and their outputs are connected to the microprocessor unit 16a.

In this embodiment, the same components as those of FIG. 14 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Regarding the correspondence relationship between the invention according to claim 1 and the present embodiment, the optical system 1 corresponds to the taking lens 12, the mirror means 2 corresponds to the main mirror 13, the sub mirror 14, and the mirror driving mechanism 20, The image pickup unit 3 corresponds to the shutter 17, the shutter drive mechanism 21, and the film feeding unit 22, the finder optical system 4 corresponds to the finder optical system 13a, and the continuous photographing unit 5 corresponds to the microprocessor unit 16a.

Regarding the correspondence between the invention according to claim 2 and this embodiment, the focus detecting means 6 corresponds to the focus detecting portion 15, the predicting means 7 corresponds to the microprocessor portion 16a, and the focus adjusting means 8 Corresponds to the microprocessor unit 16a and the lens driving mechanism 19. Regarding the correspondence relationship between the invention according to claim 3 and the present embodiment, the frame number setting means 9a corresponds to the continuous shooting frame number dial 24.

Regarding the correspondence relationship between the invention according to claim 4 and the present embodiment, the number of times setting means 9b corresponds to the distance measurement number dial 25. Regarding the correspondence relationship between the invention according to claim 5 and the present embodiment, the continuous shooting canceling means 9c has a release 26
Corresponding to. Hereinafter, each operation example of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a first operation example corresponding to claims 1 and 5. First, in the state before photographing, the light incident from the photographing lens 12 is reflected by the main mirror 13 and is irradiated on the finder optical system 13a. Further, the incident light transmitted through a part of the main mirror 13 is reflected by the sub mirror 14 and is applied to the focus detection unit 15.

In this state, when the release 26 is pressed halfway (FIG. 5S1), the light of the subject is measured by the photometering unit (not shown) inside the finder optical system 13a (FIG. 5S).
2). Further, the focus detection unit 15 measures the defocus amount corresponding to the distance between the image forming position of the photographing lens 12 and the film 18 by using a known phase difference detection method or the like (FIG. 5S).
3).

Here, when the release 26 is fully pressed (S4 in FIG. 5), the microprocessor section 16a keeps the main mirror 13 in a flipped up state via the mirror drive mechanism 20 and narrows down the taking lens 12 ( Figure 5S
5). Next, the microprocessor unit 16a opens the shutter 17 via the shutter drive mechanism 21 and shoots one frame (S6 in FIG. 5).

When the photographing is completed, the microprocessor unit 16a closes the shutter 17 to wind up the mechanical charge and the film 18 in preparation for the next photographing (FIG. 5).
S7). Here, if the release 26 is fully pressed (S8 in FIG. 5), the microprocessor unit 16a returns to step S6 with the main mirror 13 still flipped up, and repeats the shooting of the second and subsequent frames.

On the other hand, when the release 26 is released (see FIG. 5S).
8), the microprocessor unit 16a is the main mirror 1
3 is lowered and the diaphragm of the taking lens 12 is opened to end the continuous shooting (S9 in FIG. 5). As described above, in the first operation example, while holding the main mirror 13 in the flipped-up state,
Since continuous shooting is performed, the time required to move the main mirror 13 up and down is saved, and the frame speed of continuous shooting can be increased.

Further, during continuous shooting, the main mirror 13 is not driven up and down, so that vibration due to up and down drive of the main mirror 13 does not occur, and camera shake can be prevented. Furthermore, there is an advantage that the amount of light reaching the film 18 is not reduced as compared with a conventional camera using a pellicle mirror. Further, since the light reaching the film 18 is not biased to the polarization component, it is possible to obtain a natural exposure even in an environment in which subject light having a large polarization component is incident.

Further, since the continuous shooting is forcibly interrupted by releasing the release 26, the operator can optionally interrupt the continuous shooting. Next, another operation example will be described. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a second operation example corresponding to claim 2.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the timing of the second operation example. Hereinafter, a peculiar operation in the second operation example will be described. First, when the shooting of one frame is completed (Fig. 6)
(S7, S8), the microprocessor unit 16a determines whether or not the release 26 is fully pressed (FIG. 6S).
9). In this state, when the release 26 is fully pressed, the microprocessor unit 16a performs a defocus amount prediction calculation (S10 in FIG. 6).

That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, by using the defocus amounts D1 to D4 measured from the time point t4 when the release button 26 is half-pressed to the time point t1 when the release button 26 is fully pressed, a known value is obtained. The predicted value f (t) of the defocus amount is calculated by the linear prediction model. For example, here, the predicted value f
(T) is expressed as follows. f (t) = a1 (t) ・ D1 + a2 (t) ・ D2 + a3 (t) ・ D3
+ A4 (t) · D4 Using such a predicted value f (t), the microprocessor unit 16a calculates the first lens drive amount, ME1 = f (τ1), and the second lens drive amount, ME2 = f. (? 2) -ME1 The nth lens drive amount is calculated as MEn = f (? N) -ME1-ME2 ...- MEn.

This lens driving amount is the lens driving mechanism 19
Given to. The lens drive mechanism 19 drives the taking lens 12 back and forth by this lens drive amount to perform focus adjustment (S6 in FIG. 6). Here, in the focus adjustment shown in FIG. 8, the lens drive is intermittently performed by stopping the lens drive during the prediction calculation. On the other hand, in the focus adjustment shown in FIG. 9, the lens adjustment is continuously performed without stopping during the prediction calculation. Lens driving is performed.

Thus, the predicted value f of the defocus amount is
Continuous shooting is repeatedly performed while performing focus adjustment based on (t). As shown in FIG. 7, the frame speed in this continuous shooting depends on the time required to drive the lens, but normally the time required to drive the lens is 100 msec.
Since it is within the range, a frame speed of about 10 frames per second can be realized.

In this way, also in the second operation example, the same effect as in the first operation example can be obtained. Further, as an effect peculiar to the second operation example, since the focus adjustment is performed based on the predicted value f (t) of the defocus amount,
Focus adjustment can be continued even if the main mirror 13 is held in a flipped-up state.

Next, another operation example will be described. FIG.
0 is a diagram showing a third operation example corresponding to claim 3. In the third operation example, when the release 26 is half pressed (FIG. 10S1), the microprocessor unit 16a reads the set value N of the continuous shooting frame number dial 24 (FIG. 10S).
2).

The microprocessor section 16a counts the number of frames of continuous shooting one by one, and when the number exceeds the set value N,
The continuous shooting ends (FIG. 10S9). Also in such a third operation example, the same effect as in the first operation example can be obtained. Further, as an effect peculiar to the third operation example, since the number of frames for continuous shooting can be set in advance, a desired number of frames can be planned for continuous shooting.

Especially when the frame speed is high, the operator
Although it is difficult to control the number of frames to be continuously shot, the number of frames to be continuously shot can be set in advance, so that there is no risk of shooting extra frames. Next, another operation example will be described. FIG. 11 shows a fourth embodiment corresponding to claim 4.
6 is a flowchart showing an operation example of FIG.

In the fourth operation example, when the release 26 is pressed halfway (FIG. 11S1), the microprocessor unit 16a is operated.
However, the set value N of the continuous shooting frame number dial 24 and the set value M of the distance measurement number dial 25 are read (S2 in FIG. 11). The microprocessor unit 16a counts the number of frames for continuous shooting, and repeats continuous shooting until the set value N is exceeded (FIG. 11).
S9).

When the number of frames for continuous shooting exceeds the set value N, the microprocessor unit 16a lowers the main mirror 13 until the count value of the mirror down exceeds the set value M (S11 in FIG. 11) to detect the focus. The actual defocus amount is measured via the unit 15 (S12 in FIG. 11). Further, the count value of the number of frames of continuous shooting is initialized to zero, and continuous shooting is repeated again.

On the other hand, the count value of the mirror down is the set value M.
When the value exceeds, the above continuous shooting ends. Also in such a fourth operation example, the same effect as in the first operation example can be obtained. Further, as an effect peculiar to the fourth operation example, by presetting the number of times of mirror down, the optical path can be switched during the continuous shooting by a desired number of times of switching.

Therefore, the subject image can be intermittently viewed through the viewfinder optical system 13a during continuous shooting. Further, since the defocus amount can be intermittently measured during the continuous shooting via the focus detection unit 15, the deviation of the predicted value of the defocus amount can be corrected, and the accuracy of focus adjustment can be improved.

In the fourth operation example, continuous shooting is continuously performed even when the release 26 is released during continuous shooting, but the present invention is not limited to this, and FIGS. As shown in FIG. 12, it is determined whether or not the release 26 is fully pressed for each frame of shooting (FIG. 12S9,
13S10), continuous shooting may be ended when the release 26 is released. With such a configuration, continuous shooting can be arbitrarily interrupted regardless of the settings of the continuous shooting frame number dial 24 and the distance measurement number dial 25.

Further, although the silver halide camera has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention may be applied to an electronic still camera.

[0056]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, while holding the incident light of the optical system on the image pickup means side,
Since a plurality of frames are imaged, the time required to switch the optical path is omitted, and the frame speed for continuous shooting can be increased.

Further, since the optical path is not switched by the mirror means during the continuous shooting, the vibration due to the switching of the optical path does not occur and the camera shake can be prevented. Further, there is an advantage that the amount of light reaching the image pickup means does not decrease as compared with the conventional camera using the pellicle mirror. Further, since the light reaching the image pickup means is not biased to the polarization component, it is possible to obtain a natural exposure even in the environment where the subject light having a large polarization component is incident.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the focus adjustment is performed based on the predicted defocus amount, the focus adjustment can be continuously performed even when the optical path is held on the image pickup means side. In particular, it becomes possible to easily take a continuous photograph of a plurality of frames in which the object is moving at a high speed such as an F1 race and the focus is followed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by presetting the number of frames for continuous shooting, a desired number of frames can be continuously shot in a planned manner. In particular, when the frame speed is high, it is difficult for the operator to control the number of frames for continuous shooting. However, since the number of frames for continuous shooting can be set in advance, there is no fear of shooting extra frames, and planned continuous shooting can be performed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by presetting the number of times of switching the optical path by the mirror means, the optical path can be switched during the continuous photographing by the desired number of times of switching. Therefore, the subject image can be intermittently viewed through the viewfinder optical system during continuous shooting. Also,
Since the defocus amount can be intermittently measured during the continuous shooting via the focus detection means, it is possible to correct the deviation of the predicted value of the defocus amount and improve the accuracy of focus adjustment.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the image pickup operation of a plurality of frames is forcibly interrupted in response to a predetermined external operation, so that the operator can arbitrarily interrupt the continuous shooting.
As described above, in the camera to which the present embodiment is applied, while the camera shake is significantly reduced, the frame speed in continuous shooting can be significantly increased, so that a series of movements such as sports can be more finely shot, and It is possible to reliably capture a momentary shutter opportunity.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a principle block diagram corresponding to claim 1. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a principle block diagram corresponding to claim 2;

FIG. 3 is a principle block diagram corresponding to claims 3 to 5.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment corresponding to claims 1 to 5.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a first operation example corresponding to claims 1 and 5.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a second operation example corresponding to claim 2;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a timing of a second operation example.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram (1) showing focus adjustment in the second operation example.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram (2) showing focus adjustment in the second operation example.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third operation example corresponding to claim 3;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a fourth operation example corresponding to claim 4;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a fifth operation example corresponding to claims 4 and 5.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a sixth operation example corresponding to claims 4 and 5.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional camera that performs continuous shooting.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a timing of conventional continuous shooting.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 optical system 2 mirror means 3 imaging means 4, 13a finder optical system 5 continuous shooting means 6 focus detection means 7 predicting means 8 focus adjusting means 9a frame number setting means 9b number setting means 9c continuous shooting releasing means 11 camera body 12 shooting lens 13 main mirror 14 sub-mirror 15 focus detection unit 16a microprocessor unit 17 shutter 18 film 19 lens drive mechanism 20 mirror drive mechanism 21 shutter drive mechanism 22 film feeding unit 23 lens information storage unit 24 continuous shooting frame number dial 25 distance measurement number dial 26 Release

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An optical system for forming an optical image of a subject, mirror means for switching the optical path of incident light of the optical system, and one optical path switched by the mirror means and arranged by the optical system. An image pickup means for picking up an imaged optical image, a finder optical system arranged on the other optical path switched by the mirror means, and driving the mirror means to hold the incident light in one optical path, A continuous shooting camera comprising: a continuous shooting means for driving an imaging means to pick up images of a plurality of frames. 2. The continuous shooting camera according to claim 1, wherein the focus detection means is arranged on the other optical path switched by the mirror means and measures the defocus amount of the optical image formed by the optical system. A defocus amount measured by the focus detection unit, a prediction calculation for the defocus amount at a past time point, and a prediction value of the defocus amount; and a mirror unit held in one optical path. In this state, a continuous shooting camera, comprising: a focus adjustment unit that adjusts the focus of the optical system based on the predicted value of the defocus amount predicted by the prediction unit. 3. The continuous shooting camera according to claim 1, further comprising a frame number setting unit that sets the number of frames for continuous shooting from the outside, and the continuous shooting unit drives the mirror unit. Then, the incident light is held in one of the optical paths, the image pickup means is driven, and the image pickup of the number of frames set from the outside through the frame number setting means is performed. 4. The continuous shooting camera according to claim 1, further comprising a number setting means for setting the number of times of switching of the mirror means from the outside, wherein the continuous shooting means includes the image pickup means. Continuous shooting characterized by driving the mirror means to switch the incident light to the other optical path for the number of times of switching set from the outside through the number of times setting means while driving to image a plurality of frames camera. 5. The continuous shooting camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein continuous shooting is canceled by forcibly interrupting the image pickup operation of the plurality of frames by the continuous shooting unit in response to a predetermined external operation. A continuous shooting camera having means.