JP2009003396A - Knocked-down digital stereo camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stereo camera system using two digital cameras of the same machine type. <P>SOLUTION: 1. A model of a digital camera for a left-handed person where positions of a lens and a shutter are reversed right and left relative to an existing digital camera for a right-handed person, where a lens is brought near to the end of a housing is planned and manufactured. 2. An electric connector for releasing a shutter is provided in the digital cameras for the right-handed person and the left-handed person. 3. The digital cameras for the right-handed person (for the right eye) and the left-handed person (for the left eye) are placed on one universal head and integrated, and space between the lenses is made coincident with space between pupils to constitute the stereo camera. 4. By connecting the connectors for releasing of the right and left cameras, synchronization of the shutters of the right and left cameras is attained. 5. A cable for synchronizing the shutter is branched, and a release button is added thereto. 6. Either or both of the two mounting holes, provided on the universal head are made slots and the space between the right and left lenses, is set to be equal to or under the space between the pupils, whereby stereoscopic close-up photography is achieved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

  The present invention relates to a digital stereoscopic camera using right-handed and left-handed digital cameras.

  When two cameras of the same model are placed side by side on a camera platform, the horizontal width of the camera housing generally exceeds the pupil interval (65 mm), so the camera lens interval is used as the pupil interval. Cannot match. Therefore, the left eye camera is turned upside down to match the pupil interval.

Problems to be solved by the invention

The conventional method of constructing a stereoscopic camera by turning the left-eye camera upside down among two digital cameras of the same model has the following drawbacks. That is, 1. To attach the camera upside down, a hanging bracket is required.
2. In a model in which the lens position is not in the center of the vertical width of the housing, if the lenses are arranged horizontally, the two housings will be different.
3. If the two displays on the back side of the camera are different, stereoscopic viewing by the naked eye parallel method becomes difficult.
4. The lens and the display need to be located in the middle of the camera's vertical width so that the displays on the back of the two cameras do not differ, but such cameras are rare.
5). Software for reversing the left eye image upside down is required when capturing camera output to a computer.
6. To synchronize the shutters of the two cameras, it is necessary to connect the shutter circuits of the two cameras. However, it is not practical to disassemble the cameras and perform soldering manually.
7). If it is difficult to connect the shutter circuit, the release will not be realized.
8). In stereoscopic close-up photography, the lens interval needs to be less than or equal to the pupil interval, but there is a limitation if the hanging bracket support is placed between the two cameras.

Means for solving the problem

This invention is made | formed in view of this subject, Comprising: The said subject is solved with the following structures.
1. Plans and produces a left-handed digital camera with the left and right positions of the lens and shutter reversed, compared to the current right-handed digital camera with the lens close to the housing.
2. The right-handed and left-handed digital cameras are provided with a release electrical connector that performs half-pressing and full-pressing of the shutter without touching the housing.
3. A right-handed and left-handed digital camera is integrated on one pan head, and a digital stereoscopic camera is configured by matching the lens interval to the pupil interval.
4). In the digital stereoscopic camera, the release connectors of the left and right cameras are connected by cables, and the half-press and full-press of the left and right camera shutters are synchronized.
5). If the user does not want to give vibration to the camera during shooting, the shutter synchronization connection of the digital stereoscopic camera is branched to add a release function.
6). In the digital stereoscopic camera, one or both of the camera mounting holes provided on the camera platform are oblong holes so that the lens interval between the left and right cameras can be set to be equal to or less than the pupil interval.

  FIG. 1 shows the structure of the present invention. A right-handed digital camera (1) and a left-handed digital camera (2) are attached to a common pan head (3) with mounting screws (4). At this time, the left and right lens intervals are made to coincide with the pupil interval (65 mm). Since a digital camera can install a lens at the edge of the housing, combining the right-handed model and the left-handed model can make the left and right lens spacing the pupil spacing, regardless of the width of the housing. The camera is newly provided with a release connector. When two cameras are connected by the shutter synchronization cable (5), half-pressing and full-pressing of the shutter of one camera can be simultaneously transmitted to the other camera. FIG. 1 is a type with a release function. The release button (6) is connected by branching the synchronization cable.

FIG. 2 shows a shutter circuit. A and B are integrated shutter buttons. One of the contacts of the switches A and B is grounded, and the other is connected to the input terminals a and b of the CPU and the power source Vcc via resistors. That is, normally, a high voltage is applied to the terminals a and b of the CPU.
When half-pressed, the switch A is closed and the terminal a of the CPU is grounded (that is, changed to Low). The purpose of this switch is to pause autofocus. Next, when the switch is fully pressed, the switch B is closed and the terminal b of the CPU is grounded (that is, changed to Low). This is a shutter trigger signal.
C is a shutter and a shutter synchronization connector for the two cameras.

  FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram when two cameras are connected by a shutter synchronization cable. This figure shows a case where a release function is added. When using the release function, it is necessary to branch the synchronization cable and connect the release button. Of the symbols in the figure, RC means the right camera, LC means the left camera, and Rel means the release button. A, A 'and A "mean shutter half-press switches, and B, B' and B" mean shutter full-press switches. As shown in the figure, it is reasonable to provide the branch point of the synchronization cable at the release button.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the convergence angle (α) and the distance (L) to the subject (O). Here, RL indicates a right lens, and LL indicates a left lens. In general, it is said that the convergence angle (α) optimum for three-dimensional recognition is around 7 °. Assuming that the lens interval 1 is 65 mm, the distance L to the object (O) at this time is L = (65/2) mm / tan 3.5 ° = 531.4 mm.
In a model in which a small fixed lens is installed at the end of the housing, the lens interval 1 can be 30 mm or less. At this time, the distance L to the object (O) is L = (30/2) mm / tan 3.5 ° = 245.2 mm.
In other words, stereoscopic photography close to 24.5 cm becomes possible.
To enable close-up photography, the camera mounting hole on the camera platform is a long hole. In addition, since the camera is fixed with a single screw, the congestion setting of the camera can be freely performed.

The invention's effect

The present invention produces the following effects.
1. Planning and producing a left-handed model for the current right-handed model can be used not only as an assembly-type 3D camera but also as a stand-alone product to meet the needs of left-handed customers.
2. The release connector allows the release button to be connected, and when stereoscopic shooting, the connectors of the left and right cameras are connected to enable synchronization of the shutter.
3. In addition to the shutter synchronization described above, release photography can be performed by using a cable with a release button.
4). Since the lens interval of the stereoscopic camera can be set to the pupil interval, a natural stereoscopic image can be taken.
5). The lens interval can be set to be equal to or less than the pupil interval, and stereoscopic imaging close to the object to be imaged is possible.
6). Since the convergence angles of the left and right cameras can be set freely, it is possible to shoot according to the size of the screen for reproducing a stereoscopic image.

Structure diagram of the present invention Shutter circuit diagram Connection diagram of two cameras Relationship between convergence angle and distance to subject

Explanation of symbols

1. 1. Right-handed digital camera 2. Left-handed digital camera Pan head 4. Mounting screw5. 5. Shutter synchronization cable Release buttons A, A ', A ". Half-press switches B, B', B". Full-press switches C, C ′. Release and synchronization connector RC. Right camera LC. Left camera Rel. Release button RL. Right lens LL. Left lens Subject to be photographed Distance to subject (O) l. Left and right lens spacing α. Convergence angle

Claims (6)

  A left-handed digital camera with the left and right positions of the lens and shutter reversed compared to the current right-handed digital camera with the lens close to the edge of the housing.   Right-handed and left-handed digital cameras with an electrical connector for a release that performs half-press and full-press of the shutter without touching the housing.   A digital stereo camera that integrates right-handed and left-handed digital cameras on a single platform.   A digital stereo camera that connects the release connectors of right-handed and left-handed digital cameras with a cable, and synchronizes half-press and full-press of the left and right camera shutters.   A digital stereoscopic camera to which the shutter synchronization connection according to claim 4 is branched and a release function is added.   4. A digital stereoscopic camera according to claim 3, wherein one or both of the mounting holes of the two cameras are oblong holes, and the lens interval between the left and right cameras (lens center distance) can be set equal to or less than the pupil interval.

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