JP2002107799A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera which can inform a photographer that some failure is caused in a stroboscopic device, while restricting the cost rising of a camera as much as possible, when the capacitor of the stroboscopic device can not be charged to specified charge voltage because of some failure other than a wrong operation of the camera by the photographer, as to the camera equipped with a display part for displaying the state of the stroboscopic device. SOLUTION: When the stroboscopic device is in a flash light emission feasible state, a specified flash mark is lit at the display part, and when the stroboscopic device is in a use-inhibition state, a specified inhibition mark is lit together with the flash mark at the display part. When a monitor part detects that some failure occurs in the stroboscopic device, either or both of the flash mark and the inhibition mark are displayed in a display pattern other than conventional display pattern such as a display showing the flash light emission feasible or the use-inhibition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera provided with a display for displaying the status of a flash device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a strobe device that charges a capacitor with electric power from a battery and discharges the electric power charged in the capacitor when shooting to emit a flash, and a display unit that displays the state of the strobe device have been proposed. Cameras equipped with are known.

Here, in order to cause a flash device to emit flash light, it is necessary to charge a capacitor of the flash device to a predetermined charging voltage in advance. For this reason, some conventional cameras monitor the charge voltage of the capacitor and display a special mark on the display unit that the strobe device is ready to emit flash light after reaching a predetermined charge voltage. There is something. In addition, there is a camera that can prohibit the use of the strobe device by operating the camera, and among such cameras, the fact that the strobe device is in the use prohibition state is displayed on a display unit using a special mark. There is something.

[0004]

By the way, the capacitor of the strobe device is changed due to some trouble other than the operation mistake of the camera by the photographer, such as a circuit failure, insufficient remaining power of the battery, or a low battery temperature. It may not be possible to charge to a predetermined charging voltage. In such a case, the conventional camera does not display a special mark indicating that the strobe device is in a state capable of flashing light, and gives the photographer a
It is not informed that the strobe device is not ready for flashing. In such a situation, the photographer thinks that the special mark indicating that the strobe device is in a state capable of emitting flash light is not displayed due to a mistake in his / her operation, and the strobe device is not in the use prohibited state. In many cases, various confirmations are made, such as checking on a display unit.

Here, a special mark is used to indicate that the capacitor of the strobe device cannot be charged to a predetermined charging voltage due to some trouble other than a camera operation error by the photographer. However, it is not preferable to add a dedicated mark, because it increases the cost of the camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to minimize an increase in the cost of a camera and to notify the photographer that some trouble other than an operation error of the camera by the photographer has occurred in the strobe device. The aim is to provide a camera that can.

[0007]

A camera according to the present invention that achieves the above object charges a capacitor with electric power from a battery,
In a camera provided with a strobe device that emits a flash by discharging the electric power charged in the capacitor upon shooting, and a display unit that displays the state of the strobe device, the strobe device starts charging when the charged voltage of the capacitor is charged. A monitor for monitoring whether or not a predetermined voltage has been reached within a predetermined period of time, wherein the display illuminates a predetermined flash mark when the strobe device is in a flashable state. When the strobe device is in the use-prohibited state, a predetermined prohibition mark is lit together with the flash mark, and when the monitor unit detects that there is some problem with the strobe device, One or both of the flash mark and the prohibition mark are displayed in a display mode indicating the flashable state and the use prohibition letter. Characterized in that it is intended to display in both display modes other than the display mode of the display mode represents a.

[0008] The camera according to the present invention can notify the photographer that some trouble other than the photographer's operation error by the photographer has occurred in the strobe device. In addition, since the photographer is notified of the state using one or both of the flash mark and the prohibition mark, the cost of the camera is suppressed as compared with a case where the display is performed using a special mark. be able to.

Further, in the camera according to the present invention, the display section alternately flashes the flash mark and the prohibition mark when the monitor section detects that there is any trouble in the strobe device. Alternatively, when the display unit detects that the strobe device has some problem by the monitor unit, the flash mark is turned on and the prohibition mark is turned on. A blank state in which both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are turned off may be cyclically repeated, or when the display unit detects that the strobe device has any trouble by the monitor unit. Alternatively, both the flash mark and the prohibition mark and the prohibition mark alone may be flashed alternately. Alternatively, if the display unit detects that the strobe device has some trouble by the monitor unit, both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are lit, and the flash mark is also prohibited. The mark may also be alternately repeated with a blank state in which the flash is turned off, or the display unit turns on the flash mark when the monitor unit detects that the strobe device has any problem. The prohibition mark may be blinked in a state where the strobe device is turned on, or the prohibition mark may be blinked when the monitor detects that the strobe device has any trouble by the monitor. It may be something.

In the camera of the present invention or in each aspect of the camera of the present invention, the case where the monitor unit detects that there is any malfunction in the strobe device is, for example, the case where the monitor unit detects the malfunction of the capacitor. In some cases, it is detected that the charging voltage has not reached the predetermined voltage within the predetermined time. The photographer can be notified that the battery cannot be charged up to the voltage. Further, in each aspect of the camera of the present invention and the camera of the present invention, a function of monitoring whether or not the charging voltage of the capacitor has dropped to a predetermined voltage while charging the capacitor may be added to the monitor unit. Assuming that the monitor detects that the strobe device has some problem, the monitor detects that the charged voltage of the capacitor has dropped to a predetermined voltage during charging of the capacitor. In this case as well, in this case, it is possible to notify the photographer that the capacitor of the strobe device cannot be charged to a predetermined charging voltage while minimizing the cost of the camera as much as possible.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed obliquely from the front, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the camera of FIG. 1 as viewed obliquely from the back.

A camera 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a camera for taking a picture on a roll-shaped photographic film. An optical zoom lens 1 is provided at the center of the front of the camera 1.
A zoom lens barrel 11 having an internal AE sensor 1a therein is provided. A zoom finder window 12 is provided at an upper front portion, an AE light receiving window 13 for guiding light to a built-in AE sensor for adjusting exposure, and a shutter button 14 is provided at an upper surface. The display unit 15 is provided with a finder eyepiece window 16 and a zoom operation lever 17 for operating the optical zoom lens 11a on the tele side (far side) or the wide side (close side).
The display unit 15 is formed of a liquid crystal panel, and displays various states of the camera, such as the number of remaining frames of the photographic film.

The camera 1 has a built-in strobe device 20. The flash device 20 includes a flash unit 200 disposed on the upper surface of the camera 1, a flash on / off switch 201 and a flash inhibit button 202 provided on the back of the camera 1, and a flash charging circuit described later with reference to FIG. Have. Strobe ON / OFF switch 20
Reference numeral 1 denotes an operator for starting or stopping charging of a capacitor described below. The strobe inhibition button 202 is an operation element operated when the use of the strobe device 20 is prohibited.

Further, the camera 1 is a camera having a built-in auto focus (AF) device generally called an active type, and an AF light projecting window 18 and an AF light receiving window 19 are provided on the upper front surface of the camera 1. I have.

Next, a flash charging circuit of the flash device 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flash charging circuit constituting the flash device of the camera shown in FIG.

The strobe charging circuit 203 shown in FIG.
A step-up transformer 2032 having one end of the primary winding connected to the + terminal side of the battery 2031, and an N-channel MOSFET 2033 arranged between the other end of the primary winding and the − terminal side (ground GND) of the battery 2031. And are provided. The gate of the N-channel MOSFET 2033 is M
PU (Micro Processor Unit) 2
04 are connected to the control clock signal output port PO ₁ a.

The flash charging circuit 203 includes:
A diode 2034 having an anode connected to one end of the secondary winding of the step-up transformer 2032;
34 and a capacitor 2035 disposed between the other end of the secondary winding. Further, a resistor 2 connected in series with each other is provided at both ends of the capacitor 2035.
036, 2037 are provided. These resistors 203
6, 2037 are connected to analog / digital ports A / D of the MPU 204. Further, both ends of the capacitor 2035 are connected to a flash light emitting section 200 (not shown in FIG. 3) (see FIG. 1). Note that the capacitor 2035 of the present embodiment is finally charged up to a charging voltage of 300V.

The strobe charging circuit 20 having the above configuration
3, a strobe on / off switch 2 not shown in FIG.
01 (see FIG. 2) is turned on.
204 control clock signal FCT from the control clock signal output port PO ₁ a (Flash Charge Tri
gger) is output. The output control clock signal FCT is input to the gate of N-channel MOSFET 2033. Then, the N-channel MOSFET 2033
Perform a switching operation, the power from the battery 2031 is boosted via the boosting transformer 2032, and further rectified by the diode 2034 to charge the capacitor 2035, whereby the voltage of the capacitor 2035 increases.
This voltage is divided according to the resistance values of the resistors 2036 and 2037 connected in series to both ends of the capacitor 2035. The divided voltage is input to an analog / digital port A / D of the MPU 204 connected to a connection point between the resistors 2036 and 2037.

Next, the MPU 204 will be described. M
The PU 204 has a function of controlling the entire camera. Here, among the functions of the MPU 204, only the functions relating to the characteristic portions of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram for explaining functions related to the characteristic portion of the present invention among the functions of the MPU.

The MPU 204 has an analog / digital port A / D and a control clock signal output port P as described above.
In addition to O _1, it has an image signal output port PO ₂ , a monitor section 2041, a timer section 2042, and a display control section 2043. The monitor unit 2041 includes the capacitor 2
It monitors whether the charging voltage of 035 has reached 300V. The timer unit 2042 outputs an interrupt signal to the monitor unit 2041 when a predetermined time has elapsed after the start of charging. The display control unit 2043 includes the display unit 1
An image signal representing a mark or the like indicating the state of the camera to be displayed on the 5 via the image signal output port PO ₂ display unit 1
5 is output.

First, an analog / digital port A / D
Is converted into a digital value corresponding to the input voltage.

The monitor section 2041 receives an interrupt signal from the timer section 2042, monitors whether or not the charging voltage of the capacitor 2035 has reached 300 V from the converted digital value, and displays the monitoring result on the display control section 2043.
Output to

FIG. 5 shows an example of a mark related to the strobe device among marks and the like displayed on the display unit and indicating the state of the camera.

The mark shown in FIG. 5A is a mark (hereinafter, referred to as a flash mark) indicating that the strobe device 20 is in a state capable of flash light emission. The mark shown in FIG. 5B is a prohibition mark according to the present invention. FIG.
The mark shown in (c) is a flash mark (FIG. 5 (a))
And a prohibition mark (FIG. 5B), which indicates that the strobe prohibition button 202 has been pressed and the strobe device is in a use prohibition state.

The display control unit 2043 includes a monitor unit 2041
Receives a monitoring result indicating that the charging voltage of the capacitor 2035 has reached 300 V from the flash unit 20 via the image signal output port PO ₂ to output an image signal representing a flash mark indicating that the strobe device 20 is in a state capable of flash light emission. Display 1
5 is output continuously. Then, a flash mark (FIG. 5A) is lit on the display unit 15.

While the strobe inhibit button 202 is pressed, the display control unit 2043 sends the image signal representing the inhibit mark to the display unit 15 via the image signal output port PO ₂ together with the image signal representing the flash mark. Output continuously. Then, a mark (FIG. 5C) combining the flash mark and the prohibition mark is lit on the display unit 15.

By the way, due to circuit failure, insufficient power remaining in the battery 2031, low temperature of the battery 2031, etc.,
Even if charging is continued, the capacitor 2035 of the strobe device 20
May not be charged to 300V.

FIG. 6 shows that the strobe device capacitor cannot be charged up to 300 V due to some trouble other than the photographer's operation mistakes of the camera, such as a circuit failure, insufficient power remaining in the battery, or a low battery temperature. It shows a display mode when displaying the state on the display unit,
This shows a display mode in which a flash mark and a prohibition mark blink alternately.

The display control unit 2043 includes a capacitor 203
Monitor 2 that charging voltage of 5 has not reached 300V
When receiving the monitoring results from the 041, an image signal representing an image signal and prohibition mark representing a flash mark via the image signal output port PO ₂ are alternately output to the display unit 15. Then, the flash mark and the prohibition mark are displayed on the display unit 15 in a display mode in which the flash mark and the prohibition mark blink alternately as shown in FIG. The display mode in which the flash mark and the prohibition mark flash alternately is a display mode that is not used during normal use of the camera. You can know that the mark does not light. Further, since the flash mark and the prohibition mark are marks indicating the state of the strobe device 20 when a normal camera is used, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of the camera as compared with a case where a dedicated mark is used for display. it can.

In this embodiment, a flash mark and a prohibition mark are alternately flashed to notify the photographer that the capacitor 2035 of the strobe device 20 cannot be charged to 300 V due to a circuit failure or the like. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any one or both of the flash mark and the prohibition mark may be displayed in a mode different from the mode displayed when a normal camera is used. For example, the display control unit 2043 may output an image signal so that the display unit 15 displays each of the display modes shown in FIGS. 7 to 11 as described below.

FIGS. 7 to 11 show that the capacitor 2035 of the strobe device 20 is set to 300 V due to a circuit failure or the like.
This shows a display mode different from that of the first embodiment, informing that the battery cannot be charged.

FIG. 7 shows a display mode in which a flash mark, a prohibition mark, and a blank state are cyclically and repeatedly displayed.

Here, the blank state means that the display unit 15
However, it means that both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are turned off.

The display controller 2043 cyclically repeats a state of outputting an image signal representing a flash mark, a state of outputting an image signal representing a prohibition mark, and a state of not outputting an image signal. In FIG. 15, the flash mark and the prohibition mark are displayed in a display mode in which the flash mark, the prohibition mark, and the blank state are cyclically and repeatedly displayed as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a display mode in which the flash mark blinks while the prohibition mark is lit.

The display control unit 2043 continuously outputs an image signal representing a prohibition mark and intermittently outputs an image signal representing a flash mark, so that the display unit 15
8, a prohibition mark and a flash mark are displayed in a display mode in which the flash mark blinks with the prohibition mark lit as shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 shows a display mode in which the prohibition mark blinks while the flash mark is lit, which is opposite to the display mode shown in FIG.

The display controller 2043 continuously outputs the image signal representing the flash mark and outputs the image signal representing the prohibition mark intermittently, so that the display section 15 displays the flash mark, the prohibition mark, However, as shown in FIG. 9, the prohibition mark blinks while the flash mark is lit, and is displayed.

FIG. 10 shows a display mode in which a state where both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are turned on and a blank state are alternately repeated.

The display control unit 2043 alternately repeats the state of outputting both the image signal representing the flash mark and the image signal representing the prohibition mark and the state of not outputting the image signal. The flash mark and the prohibition mark are displayed in a display mode in which a state where both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are turned on and a blank state are alternately repeated as shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 shows a display mode in which the prohibition mark blinks.

When the display control unit 2043 intermittently outputs an image signal representing a prohibition mark, the prohibition mark is displayed on the display unit 15 in a display mode in which the prohibition mark blinks as shown in FIG. .

In the above embodiment, the capacitor 2035 of the strobe device 20 is set to 300 V due to a circuit failure or the like.
A mark indicating the status of the strobe device is displayed on the display unit 15 provided on the upper surface of the camera, including when notifying that the battery cannot be charged, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may be in a form to be performed.

[0047]

As described above, according to the camera of the present invention, the cost of the camera can be reduced as much as possible.
It is possible to notify the photographer that some trouble other than the operation error of the camera by the photographer has occurred in the strobe device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the upper front side.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the camera of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a strobe charging circuit constituting the strobe device of the camera shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram for explaining functions relating to a characteristic portion of the present invention among functions of the MPU.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a mark related to a strobe device among marks or the like displayed on a display unit and indicating a state of a camera.

FIG. 6 shows that the capacitor of the strobe device is set to 300 due to some trouble other than a photographer's operation mistake of the camera, such as a circuit failure, insufficient remaining power of the battery, or a low battery temperature.
This shows a display mode when displaying on the display unit that the battery cannot be charged up to V.

FIG. 7 illustrates a display mode in which a flash mark, a prohibition mark, and a blank state are cyclically and repeatedly displayed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a display mode in which a flash mark blinks while a prohibition mark is lit.

FIG. 9 shows a display mode in which a prohibition mark blinks while a flash mark is lit.

FIG. 10 illustrates a display mode in which a state in which both a flash mark and a prohibition mark are turned on and a blank state are alternately repeated.

FIG. 11 illustrates a display mode in which a prohibition mark blinks.

[Description of Signs] 1 Camera 11 Zoom lens barrel 11a Optical zoom lens 12 Zoom finder window 13 AE light receiving window 14 Shutter button 15 Display unit 16 Viewfinder eyepiece window 17 Zoom operation lever 18 AF light emitting window 19 AF light receiving window 20 Strobe device 200 Flash light emitting unit 201 Strobe on / off switch 202 Strobe disable button 203 Strobe charging circuit 2031 Battery 2032 Step-up transformer 2033 N-channel MOSFET 2034 Diode 2035 Capacitor 2036, 2037 Resistance 204 MPU 2041 Monitor unit 2042 Timer unit 2043 Display control unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Charging power from a battery to a capacitor,
In a camera including a strobe device that discharges electric power charged in the capacitor and emits a flash when shooting, and a display unit that displays a state of the strobe device, the strobe device starts charging when a charging voltage of the capacitor is charged. A monitor for monitoring whether or not a predetermined voltage has been reached within a predetermined time afterward, wherein the display unit lights a predetermined flash mark when the strobe device is in a state capable of flashing light. When the strobe device is in the use prohibition state, a predetermined prohibition mark is lit together with the flash mark, and when it is detected by the monitor unit that there is some trouble in the strobe device, One or both of the flash mark and the prohibition mark are displayed in the display mode indicating the flash enabled state and the use prohibited state. Camera, characterized in that to display in the display mode other than both of the display mode of the display mode represents. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is configured to alternately flash the flash mark and the prohibition mark when the monitor unit detects that the strobe device has any problem. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein 3. A display device according to claim 1, wherein when the monitor unit detects that the strobe device has any malfunction, the display unit displays the flash mark and the prohibition mark. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a blank state in which both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are turned off is cyclically repeated. 4. The display unit alternately displays both the flash mark and the prohibition mark and only the prohibition mark when the monitor unit detects that the strobe device has any problem. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera blinks. 5. A state in which both the flash mark and the prohibition mark are lit when the monitor detects that the strobe device has some trouble by the monitor, 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a blank state in which both the prohibition mark and the prohibition mark are turned off is alternately repeated. 6. The display section blinks the prohibition mark in a state where the flash mark is turned on when the monitor section detects that the strobe device has any trouble. The camera according to claim 1, wherein: 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit blinks the prohibition mark when the monitor unit detects that the strobe device has any problem. camera.