JPH11174308A - Lens device, image pickup device, image pickup system, and storage medium readable by computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately carry out zooming control in the case that a zoom ring is installed on a lens side and a zoom switch is installed on a camera side in a lens interchangeable type video camera. SOLUTION: In the case that the stop of zooming is not requested from the camera, it is judged whether a zoom lens is positioned in a telephoto direction, or in a wide angle direction based on information from the camera and further, when the zoom lens is not positioned at the telephoto end, or not positioned at the wide and, lens drive calculation is executed to drive the lens (steps 801 to 807). Thereafter, after telephoto information is set or cleared up in accordance with whether the lens is positioned at the telephoto end or not, the zoom ring operation information is detected to send the information to the camera side (steps 809 to 813). On the camera side, the zooming control information is prepared based on the aforesaid information and zoom switch operation information to control the zoom lens.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a lens apparatus having a zoom lens, an image pickup apparatus equipped with the lens apparatus and performing electronic zoom, an image pickup system, and a computer-readable storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional video camera for performing lens exchange. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 100 denotes an interchangeable lens unit, and 200 denotes a camera body to which the interchangeable lens unit 100 is detachably attached. In the interchangeable lens unit 100, 101 is a fixed front lens group, 102 is a variable power lens group that performs zooming, 103 is a fixed lens group, and 104 is a competing lens group that has both a competing function and a focusing function. These lens groups 10
1 to 104 constitute an inner focus type lens system.

Reference numeral 106 denotes a stepping motor for moving the variable power lens group 102, 108 is connected to the stepping motor 106 via a gear 107, and a rotary shaft having a screw, and 109 is provided movably on the rotary shaft 108. The variable power lens group 102 is mounted on a rack.
A driver 105 drives the stepping motor 106, and a zoom encoder 110 detects the position of the variable power lens 102.

[0004] 112 is a stepping motor for moving the competing lens group 104, 113 is a rotating shaft directly connected to the stepping motor 112 and has a screw, and 114 is a rack movably provided on the rotating shaft 113. 104 is attached. Reference numeral 111 denotes a driver for driving the stepping motor 112. 115
Denotes a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a lens microcomputer), which is a microcomputer 208 of the camera body 200.
, And controls each of the drivers 105 and 111 and receives position detection information from the zoom encoder 110.

Next, in the camera body 200, 201
Is an image sensor such as a CCD, 202 is a CDS / AGC circuit for performing correlated double sampling and automatic gain control, 203 is an A / D converter, 204 is a signal processing circuit, 205 is an enlargement processing circuit for performing electronic zoom processing, and 206 is A signal processing circuit; 207, a D / A converter; 208, a microcomputer (hereinafter, camera microcomputer) for controlling the whole and communicating with the lens microcomputer 115;
Reference numeral 1 denotes a zoom switch for moving the zoom in the telephoto and wide directions, reference numerals 212 and 213 denote focus switches for moving the focus in the infinity direction and the closest direction, and reference numeral 209 denotes a group of these switches.

Next, the operation will be described. When the interchangeable lens unit 100 is mounted on the camera body 200, power is supplied from the camera body 200 to the interchangeable lens unit 100. Light from a subject passes through the lens groups 101 to 104 and forms an image on the image sensor 201. The video signal photoelectrically converted by the image sensor 201 is processed by a CDS / AGC circuit 202, then converted into a digital video signal by an A / D converter 203, and sent to a signal processing circuit 204. After performing the gamma correction processing and the like in the signal processing circuit 204, enlargement processing described later is performed in the enlargement processing circuit 205, and further, the signal processing circuit 206 performs processing such as horizontal modulation of color signals. The processed signal is converted into an analog video signal by a D / A converter 207 and sent to a VTR or the like (not shown).

Next, the operation of the lens microcomputer 115 and zoom and focus will be described. Lens microcomputer 11
5, when zooming and focusing are instructed, the rotation speed and direction of each of the motors 106 and 112 are determined by program processing, a control signal of the rotation speed and direction is output, and the stepping motor is controlled via drivers 105 and 110. 10
6, 112 are controlled. Incidentally, regarding the zoom, the switches 210 and 211 sent from the camera microcomputer 208 are used.
The rotation direction of the motor 105 is determined according to the state.
Regarding the focus, in the case of manual operation, the switches 212 and 2 sent from the camera microcomputer 208 are used.
13, in the case of AF, the lens microcomputer 1
The rotation direction of the motor 112 is determined by the AF processing routine in 15.

The motors 106 and 112 rotate under the control of the control signal, whereby the rotating shaft 108 rotates via the gear 107, the rotating shaft 113 rotates, and each rack 109 and 114 102, 10
8 and move back and forth. As a result, a predetermined zoom state and focus state can be obtained.

Next, an image enlargement process (electronic zoom) by linear interpolation in the enlargement processing circuit 205 will be described. The enlargement processing is performed by the photographer using the zoom switches
Is executed by operating. In FIG.
When the original image of (a) is enlarged to the enlarged image of (b),
The scanning line relationship between (a) and (b) is as shown in (c) and (d). In this case, the scanning lines indicated by broken lines in (d) are newly created from the scanning lines A to F of the original image in (c). For this purpose, the scanning line indicated by the broken line can be obtained by multiplying the scanning line indicated by the solid line by a weight (correction coefficient) corresponding to the distance and adding the results. By performing such linear interpolation processing in the vertical and horizontal directions, the original image can be enlarged at an arbitrary enlargement ratio.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of the enlargement processing circuit 205. For simplicity of description, only the vertical enlargement processing is shown here. In FIG. 6, the input video signal 30
0 indicates that the memory control signal generation circuit 302
01 is stored. Microcomputer interface circuit 30
4 receives the enlargement ratio and the enlargement information from the camera microcomputer 208, and based on the enlargement ratio, the enlargement ratio determination circuit 303 outputs the enlargement ratio to the memory control signal generation circuit 302 and the interpolation coefficient generation circuit 308. The memory control signal generating circuit 302 reads out the signal of the nth line and the signal of the (n-1) th line delayed by 1H from the signal stored in the memory circuit 301. The interpolation coefficient generation circuit 308 generates an interpolation coefficient according to the enlargement ratio and supplies the generated interpolation coefficient to the multipliers 305 and 306. Multipliers 305, 306
Is multiplied by the interpolation coefficient to the signal of the nth line and the signal of the n-1th line, and each multiplied output is added by the adder 307 and output as the output video signal 310.

Next, the processing performed by the camera microcomputer 208 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the process starts in step 401, predetermined initial settings are performed in step 402, and then in step 403, the vertical synchronization signal V is set.
Wait for the arrival of d. When the vertical synchronizing signal Vd is input, the process proceeds to step 404, where predetermined communication with the lens microcomputer 115 is performed, and then processing such as AF and AE is performed in step 405. Next, at step 406, the zoom switch 210,
After performing the processes of the electronic zoom and the optical zoom according to the state of 211, the process returns to step 403.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the processing of step 404 in more detail. In FIG.
When the process starts in step 501, a communication request signal is sent from the camera microcomputer 208 to the lens microcomputer 115 in step 502, and the process proceeds to step 503. Step 503
Then, it is determined whether or not a communication permission signal has been received from the lens microcomputer 115. If so, the process proceeds to step 505. If not, the process proceeds to step 504. At step 504, a communication permission signal is waited for a predetermined time. If the communication permission signal has exceeded the predetermined time, the communication is abandoned and the communication is terminated at step 506.

If the communication permission signal is received within a predetermined time, bidirectional communication is performed with the lens microcomputer 115 in step 505. At this time, the data sent from the camera microcomputer 208 to the lens microcomputer 115 includes information on the stop or movement direction of the zoom lens based on the result of the processing in step 406. The data sent from the lens microcomputer 115 to the camera microcomputer 208 includes information of prohibition / permission of electronic zoom. Next, the communication is terminated in step 506, and the process proceeds to step 406 in step 507.

Next, step 406 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
It will be described together with the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 9, when the process is started in step 601, it is checked in step 602 whether or not a zoom operation is being performed. When both the zoom switches 210 and 211 are pressed or when both are not pressed, the process proceeds to step 607. When only one of the zoom switches 210 and 211 is pressed, the process proceeds to step 603. In step 603, it is checked which of the switches 210 and 211 is pressed. If the tele switch 210 is pressed, the process proceeds to step 604. If the wide switch 211 is pressed, the process proceeds to step 603.

In step 604, the lens microcomputer 11
It is checked whether or not the electronic zoom permission information has been received from step 5. If it is permitted, the process proceeds to step 605, and if not, the process proceeds to step 610. In step 605, it is checked whether or not the electronic zoom is at the telephoto end.
07, otherwise to step 606. At step 606, the interpolation coefficient is increased or decreased according to whether one of the switches 210 and 211 is pressed, and the electronic zoom is calculated.
05 is controlled. After this control, a zoom lens stop request signal is sent to the lens microcomputer 115 in step 607.
In step 610, a request to move the zoom lens to the tele side is sent to the lens microcomputer 115.

On the other hand, in step 608, it is checked whether or not the electronic zoom is currently being performed. If the electronic zoom is being performed, the process proceeds to step 606. Otherwise, in step 609, a request signal for moving the zoom lens to the wide side is output. It is sent to the microcomputer 115. When any of steps 607, 610, and 609 is completed, the process returns to the main routine in step 611.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a process relating to a zoom operation which is a part of the process of the lens microcomputer 115. In FIG. 10, when the process is started in step 701, it is checked in step 702 whether or not the zoom stop request signal has been received from the camera microcomputer 208. If the zoom lens is stopped, the process proceeds to step 708; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 703. In step 703, it is checked from the information from the camera microcomputer 208 whether the moving direction of the zoom lens is telephoto or wide. If it is telephoto, the process proceeds to step 704, and if it is wide, the process proceeds to step 705.

In step 704, it is checked whether or not the zoom lens is at the telephoto end.
Otherwise, to step 706. Also,
In step 705, it is checked whether or not the zoom lens is at the wide end.
Otherwise, go to step 706. Step 706
Then, the moving speed of the zoom lens, the moving speed and the moving direction of the focus lens are calculated, and the zoom lens and the focus lens are driven in step 707 based on the calculation results. In step 708, the zoom lens is stopped.

When the processing in step 707 or 708 is completed, it is checked in step 709 whether the zoom lens is at the telephoto end. If the zoom lens is at the telephoto end, the flow proceeds to step 710; otherwise, the flow proceeds to step 711. In step 710, an electronic zoom permission signal is sent to the camera microcomputer 208. In step 711, an electronic zoom inhibition signal is sent to the camera microcomputer 208. Step 710 or 71
When 1 is performed, the process returns to the main routine in step 712.

[0020]

As described above, the zoom switches 210 and 211 are provided only in the camera body 200.
When the zoom lens exists, the optical zoom and the electronic zoom can be realized by the control of the camera microcomputer 208. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the interchangeable lens unit 100 is provided with a zoom ring 116 for manually performing a zoom operation. In such a case, there is a problem that it is difficult to appropriately and smoothly control the optical zoom and the electronic zoom.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and
It is an object of the present invention to enable appropriate zoom control when zoom operation means is provided on both sides of the lens.

[0022]

In a lens apparatus according to the present invention, a variable power lens means for performing a zoom operation, a zoom operation means for operating the variable power lens means, operation information from the zoom operation means, and Information output means for outputting zoom position information of the variable power lens means, information input means for externally inputting control information for controlling the variable power lens means, and the variable power lens according to the input control information Zooming control means for controlling the zoom operation of the means.

In the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, an image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject and outputting an image signal; an information input means for inputting external zoom operation information and zoom position information for the external variable-magnification lens means; Zoom operation means for inputting internal zoom operation information to the double lens means, and the external variable magnification lens means based on the input external zoom operation information, zoom position information, and internal zoom operation information from the zoom operation means. Information output means for creating and outputting optical zoom control information for controlling the zoom operation.

In the imaging system according to the present invention, a variable power lens means for performing a zoom operation, a lens side zoom operation means for operating the variable power lens means, and lens side zoom operation information from the lens side zoom operation means are provided. Lens-side information output means for outputting zoom position information of the variable-magnification lens means, lens-side information input means for inputting optical zoom control information for controlling the variable-magnification lens means, and the input control information A lens device having zooming control means for controlling the zooming operation of the zooming lens means, imaging means for imaging a subject and outputting an image signal, and the lens-side zoom operation information from the lens-side information output means. A camera-side information input unit for inputting zoom position information; and a camera for inputting camera-side zoom operation information for the zoom lens unit. Side zoom operation means, optical zoom control information for controlling the zoom operation of the variable magnification lens means based on the lens side zoom operation information, zoom position information and the camera side zoom operation information, and inputting the lens side information And an imaging device having a camera-side information output means for outputting the information to the means.

In the computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention, an output process for outputting operation information when the variable power lens is operated and zoom position information of the variable power lens, and for controlling the variable power lens And a program for executing a variable power control process for controlling the variable power lens in accordance with the input control information.

In another computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention, an image pickup process for picking up an image of a subject and outputting an image signal, and an input process for inputting external zoom operation information and zoom position information for an external variable power lens are provided. A zoom operation process for inputting internal zoom operation information for the external variable magnification lens; and the external variable magnification lens based on the input external zoom operation information, zoom position information, and internal zoom operation information obtained by the zoom operation process. And an output process for outputting control information for controlling the control.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The video camera capable of lens conversion used in the embodiment of the present invention is applied in the configuration shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, components denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 4 are substantially the same. Operation information (lens side zoom key information) of the zoom ring 116 is input to the lens microcomputer 115, and the lens microcomputer 115 detects whether the operation is performed in the tele side or the wide side zoom direction.

The storage medium 117 stores the lens microcomputer 1
15 stores a program for executing processing including the processing according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
Further, the storage medium 214 stores a program for executing processing including the processing according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2, 7, and 8 in the camera microcomputer 208. Semiconductor memories, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, magnetic media, and the like are used as the storage media 117 and 214.

Next, the processing of the lens microcomputer 115 in the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a process related to a zoom operation which is a part of the process of the lens microcomputer 115. When the process is started in step 801, in step 802 the camera microcomputer 20
It is checked from step 8 whether a zoom stop request signal has been received.
If a zoom lens stop request signal has been received, step 808 is executed.
Otherwise, to step 803. In step 803, it is determined from the information sent from the camera microcomputer 208 whether the moving direction of the zoom lens is the telephoto direction or the wide direction. If the telephoto direction, the process proceeds to step 804. If the zoom direction is the wide direction, the process proceeds to step 805.

In step 804, it is checked whether or not the zoom lens is at the telephoto end.
Otherwise, to step 806. on the other hand,
In step 805, it is checked whether or not the zoom lens is at the wide end.
Otherwise, go to step 806. Step 806
Then, the moving speed of the zoom lens, the moving speed and the moving direction of the focus lens are calculated, and the zoom lens and the focus lens are driven in step 807 based on the calculation results. In step 808, the zoom lens is stopped.

When the processing in step 807 or 808 is completed, it is checked in step 809 whether or not the zoom lens is at the telephoto end. If the zoom lens is at the telephoto end, the flow proceeds to step 810; In step 810, the optical tele end information to be sent to the camera microcomputer 208 is set, and the flow advances to step 812. In step 811, the optical tele end information to be sent to the camera microcomputer 208 is cleared, and the flow advances to step 812. In step 812, the operation status of the zoom ring 116 is detected, and setting for sending lens side zoom key information such as non-operation or operation to the tele side or the wide side to the camera microcomputer 208 is performed, and the process proceeds to step 813. Send to main routine.

Next, processing performed by the camera microcomputer 208 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The large flow of the processing of the camera microcomputer 208 is the same as in FIGS. Step 406 of the processing flow of the camera microcomputer 208 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the process is started in step 901, the lens-side zoom key information sent from the lens microcomputer 115 is checked in step 902.
03, otherwise to step 904. In step 904, the lens-side zoom key information sent from the lens microcomputer 115 is checked. If the operation is on the tele side, the process proceeds to step 906, and if the operation is on the wide side, the process proceeds to step 908. On the other hand, in step 905, it is checked which of the switches 210 and 211 in the camera body 100 is being pressed, and the tele switch 210 is checked.
If the button is pressed, the process proceeds to step 906, and if the wide switch 211 is pressed, the process proceeds to step 908.

In step 906, the lens microcomputer 11
Judgment is made from the optical tele end information from step 5; if it is the optical tele end, the process proceeds to step 907;
Go to 0. In step 907, it is checked whether the electronic zoom is at the tele end, and if it is at the tele end, the process proceeds to step 911.
Otherwise, go to step 909. On the other hand, in step 908, it is checked whether or not the electronic zoom is currently being performed. If the electronic zoom is being performed, the process proceeds to step 909; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 912.

In step 912, a setting is made to send a request signal for moving the zoom lens to the wide side to the lens microcomputer 115. In step 909, the switch 210 or 211
The electronic zoom operation is performed by increasing or decreasing the interpolation coefficient depending on which of the buttons is pressed, and the enlargement processing circuit 205 is controlled based on the operation result, and the flow advances to step 911. In step 911, a setting is made to send a zoom lens stop request signal to the lens microcomputer 115. Meanwhile, step 910
Then, a setting is made to send a request signal for moving the zoom lens to the tele side to the lens microcomputer 115. Step 91 above
When any one of 0, 911, and 912 ends, step 9
At 13 the program returns to the main routine.

In the present embodiment, the zoom operation direction (tele side or wide side) has been described. However, the present invention can be easily applied to a case where each direction has a multi-step zoom speed. . Further, even when there are a plurality of zoom operation means on the camera body side or a zoom lens operation means in an external input device to the camera body such as a remote controller, the camera body side treats these as one zoom operation means. It is easy to apply the present invention.

[0036]

As described above, according to the lens apparatus and the storage medium of the present invention, even if zoom operation means such as a zoom ring is provided, the operation information and the zoom position information are transmitted to an external camera or the like. In addition to outputting, zooming can be performed by control information from a camera or the like. At that time, since the camera side can create the control information based on the operation information, the zoom position information, and the zoom operation information by the zoom operation on the camera side, even if both the lens side and the camera side have zoom operation means, Appropriate zoom control can be performed smoothly.

According to the image pickup apparatus, the image pickup system, and the other storage medium of the present invention, the operation information and the zoom position information by the zoom operation on the lens side are input to the camera side, and the information is input to the camera side. Optical zoom control information can be created based on the internal zoom operation information of the camera and sent to the lens side, so that appropriate zoom control can be smoothly performed even if both the lens side and the camera side have zoom operation means. Can be. Further, the electronic zoom can be appropriately performed based on the above information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing processing relating to zoom of a lens microcomputer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process related to zoom of the camera microcomputer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a video camera that performs lens replacement according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional video camera that performs lens replacement.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating electronic zoom.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an enlargement processing circuit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a camera microcomputer.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing related to communication of the camera microcomputer.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a process related to zoom of the camera microcomputer.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process related to zoom of the lens microcomputer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 interchangeable lens unit 102 variable power lens group 105 driver 106 stepping motor 108 rotation axis 109 rack 110 zoom encoder 115 microcomputer (lens microcomputer) 116 zoom ring 200 camera body unit 201 image sensor 205 enlargement processing circuit 208 microcomputer (camera microcomputer) 210, 211 Zoom switch 117, 214 Storage medium

Claims (19)

[Claims] A zoom lens unit that performs a zoom operation; a zoom operation unit that operates the zoom lens unit; and operation information from the zoom operation unit and zoom position information of the zoom lens unit. Information output means, information input means for externally inputting control information for controlling the variable power lens means, and variable power control means for controlling a zoom operation of the variable power lens means according to the input control information; A lens device comprising: 2. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein the control information includes at least one of a direction and a speed given to the variable power lens unit. 3. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein said information output means outputs said operation information when said variable power lens means is at a telephoto end position. 4. An image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject and outputting an image signal; an information input means for inputting external zoom operation information and zoom position information for an external variable lens means; and an internal zoom for the external variable lens means. Zoom operation means for inputting operation information; and optics for controlling a zoom operation of the external variable-magnification lens means based on the input external zoom operation information, zoom position information, and internal zoom operation information from the zoom operation means. An imaging apparatus comprising: an information output unit that creates and outputs zoom control information. 5. An electronic zoom unit for electronically enlarging the image signal, and an electronic zoom control unit for controlling the electronic zoom unit based on the external zoom operation information, zoom position information and internal zoom operation information. The imaging device according to claim 4, further comprising: 6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the external zoom operation information and the internal zoom operation information include at least one of a direction and a speed given to the external zoom lens unit. Imaging device. 7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said electronic zoom control means executes said enlargement processing when said zoom position information is at the telephoto end. 8. The information output means according to claim 4, wherein when the external zoom operation information indicates that a zoom operation is being performed, the external zoom operation information has priority over the internal zoom operation information. Imaging device. 9. The electronic zoom control unit according to claim 5, wherein when the external zoom operation information indicates that a zoom operation is being performed, the external zoom operation information has priority over the internal zoom operation information. Imaging device. 10. A variable power lens means for performing a zoom operation,
Lens-side zoom operation means for operating the variable-power lens means; lens-side information output means for outputting lens-side zoom operation information from the lens-side zoom operation means and zoom position information of the variable-power lens means; A lens having lens-side information input means for inputting optical zoom control information for controlling the variable-power lens means, and variable-power control means for controlling the zoom operation of the variable-power lens according to the input control information An apparatus, imaging means for imaging a subject and outputting an image signal, camera-side information input means for inputting the lens-side zoom operation information and zoom position information from the lens-side information output means,
Camera-side zoom operation means for inputting camera-side zoom operation information to the variable-magnification lens means; and zoom operation of the variable-magnification lens means based on the lens-side zoom operation information, zoom position information, and the camera-side zoom operation information. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a camera-side information output unit that creates optical zoom control information for controlling the information and outputs the information to the lens-side information input unit. 11. Electronic zoom means for electronically enlarging the image signal, and electronic zoom control for controlling the electronic zoom means based on the lens side zoom operation information, zoom position information and camera side zoom operation information. The imaging system according to claim 10, wherein means are provided in the imaging device. 12. The imaging system according to claim 10, wherein the optical zoom control information includes at least one of a direction and a speed given to the variable power lens unit. 13. The imaging system according to claim 10, wherein said lens-side information output means outputs said lens-side zoom operation information when said zoom lens means is at a telephoto end position. 14. The imaging system according to claim 11, wherein said electronic zoom control means executes said enlargement processing when said zoom position information is at the telephoto end. 15. The camera-side information output means, wherein the lens-side zoom operation information indicates that a zoom operation is being performed.
The imaging system according to claim 10, wherein the lens-side zoom operation information has priority over the camera-side zoom operation information. 16. The electronic zoom control means, wherein when the lens-side zoom operation information indicates that a zoom operation is being performed, the electronic-zoom control means gives priority to the lens-side zoom operation information over the camera-side zoom operation information. Item 12. The imaging system according to Item 11. 17. The transmission and reception cycle of information between the lens-side information output means and the camera-side information input means and between the lens-side information input means and the camera-side information output means is a standard television. 11. The imaging system according to claim 10, wherein a period of the signal is substantially the same as a period of the vertical synchronization signal. 18. An output process for outputting operation information when the variable power lens is operated and zoom position information of the variable power lens, and an input process for externally inputting control information for controlling the variable power lens. And a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a variable power control process for controlling the variable power lens according to the input control information. 19. An imaging process for imaging a subject and outputting an image signal, an input process for inputting external zoom operation information and zoom position information for an external zoom lens, and an internal zoom operation information for the external zoom lens. A zoom operation process to be input, and an output process to output control information for controlling the external variable magnification lens based on the input external zoom operation information, zoom position information, and internal zoom operation information by the zoom operation process. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed.