GB2240445A - Video camera including detachable view-finder - Google Patents

Abstract

A video camera having a detachable electronic view-finder 4a' includes a video camera main body 1, a shooting state recognition means eg. the viewfinder 4a' and/or an earphone 4b', by which the user recognizes the image signals and/or the sound signals outputted from the camera main body 1, connection lines 2a-2c for connecting the shooting state recognition means to the camera main body 1, and support means 3 for supporting the shooting state recognition means on a part of the user's body. It enables the user to televise fast moving objects while recognizing obstacles around the user and to televise objects without raising the video camera up to the height of the user's eye, so that problems such as inconvenience of usage and fatigue of the user do not happen. The video camera may include remote control means 5 independent of the shooting state recognition means so that it is possible to televise objects in inaccessible areas or in secret. <IMAGE>

Description

VIDEO CAMERA The present invention relates to a video camera.

Conventionally, as shown in Fig. 1, a manipulation part H for the user's operation and a panel P for connecting various accessories are provided in a main body B of a video camera. An earphone unit or an electronic view finder which is, hereinafter, abbreviated as EVF for outputting audio or video signals processed through the camera main body B is connected to the panel P. Here, an EVF which is shown as E in Fig. 1 is mounted on a holder installed on the camera main body or a handle for carrying the video camera, and connected to the panel P of the camera main body B with a connecting wire or cable so that the EVF outputs on a screen video images picked up through a lens of the video camera.

Recently, according to a trend for a development of the video camera, there is a tendency to change into an integral type of a video camera and a video cassette recorder from a prior separated type thereof. Therefore, even if the skilled person in the art endeavors to attain his object for a smaller and lighter video camera, the video camera still has a considerable weight.

However, when the user is taking a moving picture of an object by using a prior video camera, the user has to make the video camera main body contact with a part of his body as well as the electronic view finder integrally mounted on the video camera main body come close to the user's eye. As a result, there are indicated problems that a total weight of the video camera is a heavy burden to the user, and makes the user tired out if he raises the prior video camera up to the height of the user's eye for a long time. Also, it is inconvenient to photograph a fast moving object since the user's eye and body together with the video camera must follow up swiftly the movement direction of the fast moving object.In addition, it is difficult to follow the object efficiently and to recognize hazardous circumstances in the photographing area due to the fact that the user's angle of view is greatly limited during photo-taking, with a result that the photographer runs a risk of an accident.

Also, it is not possible to photograph an object in an inaccessible area or to take a picture of the movements of wild birds in secret since it is very difficult to photograph a moving picture thereof with the electronic view finder taken away from the user's eye with the prior video camera.

According to the invention, there is provided a video camera having a detachable electronic view finder comprising a video camera main body; shooting state recognition means for enabling the user to recognize image signals and/or sound signals of an object which is taken a picture by the video camera main body; a connection means for connecting the shooting state recognition means to the main body; and a support means for supporting the shooting state recognition means on the part of the user's body.

The video camera having a constitution as described above may enable the user to take photographs of the object through the EVF which is detached from the camera main body and contacted closely to the user's eye without keeping the video camera main body in close contact with the user's body, with a result that the above-described problems such as inconveniences of use, fatigue to burden the user or limit of the user's angle of view may be solved.

In one embodiment, the video camera further comprises a remote control means, so the user can take photographs of the object while keeping away the video camera main body from the user, otherwise it is nearly impossible to take pictures of the object while keeping away the video camera main body from the user with the prior video camera.

For a better understanding of the present invention and as to how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view showing a conventional video camera set.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the video camera having a detachable electronic view finder.

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration showing another embodiment of the video camera.

Fig. 4 is a partly exploded perspective view showing a support means shown in Fig. 3.

The video camera as shown in Fig. 2 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, a camera main body 1 is connected with a connection means 2 to a shooting state recognition means 4, by which the user recognizes the shooting state of the object inputted to the camera main body 1 through a camera lens which is not shown in Fig.

2. The shooting state recognition means 4 is mounted on a support means 3, so that both are contacted closely to parts of the user's body. Also, the camera main body 1 is operated by a remote control means 5 with which the user can control a position of the camera main body 1 at the same time as judging the shooting state through the shooting state recognition means 4.

The shooting state recognition means 4 is preferably composed of an image portion 4a such as an EVF picking up the image signal of the object of which is taken a picture and a sound portion 4b such as an earphone unit transmitting the sound signals of the photographing area to the user's ears. The image portion 4a and the sound portion 4b are connected to the camera main body 1 through an image output line 2a and a sound output line 2b within the connection means 2 respectively.

On the other hand, the remote control means 5 is preferably composed of a shooting state controller 5a for controlling the shooting states such as the start and the end of the shooting or the zooming states of the camera lens, and a camera main body driving controller 5b for controlling the driving state of the camera main body 1 such as the tilt or the swivel of the camera main body 1.

Accordingly, the camera main body 1 is provided with a body driver 6 by which the camera main body 1 is driven to the proper angle of view or the desired position for the camera lens. The shooting state controller 5a is connected to the camera main body 1 with a shooting control line 2c and the body driving controller Sb is connected to the body driver 6 with a body driver control line 2d.

The video camera as described above enables the user to recognize the shooting state or the ready state through the shooting state recognition means 4 affixed to the user's body by the support means 3 and to control the remote control means 5 so that the camera main body 1 is controlled by the body driver 6 in order to change the angle of view of the camera lens and so on.

Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 3 having a constitution without the body driving controller 5b and the body driver 6 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, a head gear 3a similar to what is in general used as a headphone etc., is used as the support means 3, so that both an EVF 4a' being an image portion and an earphone 4b' being a sound portion of the shooting state recognition means 4 are supported by the head gear 3a. On the other hand, a remote control means 5 is provided with a remote controller 5a' operated through a wire, which is connected to the panel of the camera main body 1.Accordingly, in the video camera according to this embodiment, the camera main body 1 is placed on a means for supporting the camera main body 1 such as a tripod so that photographs can be taken such as a secret photograph of wild birds and so on.

On the other hand, the user may support and operate directly the camera main body 1 in order to use the video camera without the remote control means 5a' of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3. By the way, the video camera having such a constitution may be used by the same method as a prior video camera. However, the user can take a photograph of a fast moving object or recognize environmental obstacles easily because the video camera does not require that the camera main body 1 has to be contacted closely to a part of the user's body.

Moreover, the inconveniences of use of the video camera may be removed or the fatigue to burden the user may be reduced because it is possible to take a picture without raising the video camera up to the height of the user's eye.

Fig. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the support means 3, and the shooting state recognition means 4 supported by the support means 3 as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 4, the support means 3 integrated with the shooting state recognition means 4 is made up of a head gear 3a which may be put on and supported by the user's head, earphones 4b' which are installed in and connected to both sides of the head gear 3a whose lengths are adjustable, a hinge-connection portion 3b which is hinge-connected to one side of the head gear 3a, an EVF support plate 3c which extends forwardly from the hinge connection portion 3b and a holder rail 3d which is installed on the EVF support plate 3c which the EVF 4a' is supported by and connected to.

While such a constitution of the support means is only exemplified and illustrated, the invention should not be limited thereto. For example, the support means having any constitution such as a band-type or a cap-type may be used if it can support the shooting state recognition means on the predetermined part of the user's eye and/or ear.

A video camera having a detachable EVF such as described above does not have the user feel tired and burdened even after a long time photographing and enables the user to take a moving picture of a fast moving object easily. Also, since the user's angle of view is not greatly limited during photographing, it is possible to take a moving picture of another object with ease and to prevent accidents due to the limitation of the user's angle of view. The prior video camera has the difficulty of photographing an object in an inaccessible area or in secret, but a video camera such as described above enlarges the application and the utility of the video camera since it is possible to take a picture of the object in an inaccessible area or in secret with the video camera having a detachable EVF embodying the present invention.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. A video camera comprising: a video camera main body; a detachable shooting state recognition means for enabling the user to recognize image signals and/or sound signals of an object of which is taken a picture by the video camera main body; a connection means for connecting the shooting state recognition means to the main body; and a support means for supporting the shooting state recognition means on a part of the user's body.

2. A video camera as claimed as claim 1, wherein said shooting state recognition means comprises an electronic view finder for outputting image signals of the object transmitted from the main body, and at least one earphone for enabling the user to recognize the sound signals around the object transmitted from the main body.

3. A video camera as claimed as claim 2, wherein said support means comprises a head gear supported on the part of the user's body, earphone portions which are connected to both sides of the head gear whose lengths are adjustable and a hinge-connection portion which is hinge connected to one side of the head gear whereby said electronic view finder and said earphones are integrated with said head gear.

4. A video camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein said electronic view finder is supported on said hingeconnection portion.

5. A video camera as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 further comprising: a remote control means for controlling the video camera main body remotely, and wherein said connection means connects the remote control means to the video camera main body.

6. The video camera as claimed as claim 5, wherein said remote control means comprises a shooting state controller for controlling the shooting state of the video camera main body and a body driving controller for controlling a body driver which is connected to the video camera main body in order to drive the video camera main body.

7. A video camera having a detachable electronic view finder comprising; a video camera main body; shooting state recognition means for enabling the user to recognize image signals of an object of which is taken a picture by the video camera main body; a connection means for connecting the shooting state recognition means to the main body; and a support means for supporting the shooting state recognition means on a part of the user's body.

8. A video camera substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.