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From: tonya@hpldsla.sid.hp.com (Tony Arnerich)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Those little autofocus cameras
Message-ID: <1990029@hpldsla.sid.hp.com>
Date: 10 Jun 91 19:09:03 GMT
References: <1991Jun8.020128.23216@milton.u.washington.edu>
Organization: HP Scientific Instruments Division - Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 12

They work through triangulation, just like the rangefinder cameras of
the 60's.

One lens projects a thin vertical stripe of IR onto the subject. The
other images onto either a scanning mirror (hooked up to the focus
mechanism - this is exactly how the old RF cameras worked), or a diode
array. Explanation #2 is just speculation, inspired by the high production
volume of diode arrays for AF SLR's.

In no case does any imaging take place in the point&shoot's focus innards.

tonya@sid.hp.com