JP2000138852A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video camera for which the visibility of an electronic viewfinder supported to a main body through the use of a rotary hinge can be enhanced without hindering the operability of the camera. SOLUTION: An electronic viewfinder 14 employing a liquid crystal display device is fitted rotatably to a camera main body 11 via a rotary hinge 13 in an able way. A frame movement operation member 18 and a dial type operation member 19 that are frequently operated are placed in the vicinity of a part of the electronic viewfinder 14 grasped by a left hand. Thus, the operability in the photographing state of the camera is improved, and the photographing attitude can be made stable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera, and more particularly, to a video camera in which an electronic viewfinder is rotatably hinged on a camera body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the viewfinder of a video camera was of an optical type. Most video cameras are equipped with an electronic viewfinder using an LCD. In particular, a video camera using an LCD having a screen size of about 4 inches can be used as a monitor during reproduction. In this screen size electronic viewfinder,
In consideration of portability, face-to-face photography, and the like, an electronic viewfinder is attached to the camera body via a rotating hinge. This specific example is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-8-125890.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional video camera. This video camera includes a camera body 1 having a taking lens 1a, an operation member 2 provided on a side surface of the camera body 1 and operated at the time of photographing, and an electronic viewfinder 3 (LCD) hinged to the side surface of the camera body 1. , An optical viewfinder 4, a dial operating member 5 provided on the camera body 1 and used for setting a mode and the like, and a rotating hinge 6 for rotatably supporting the electronic viewfinder 3 on the camera body 1. I have.

When performing photographing or reproduction, the right hand 7 holds the grip of the camera body 1, and the left hand 8 holds the end of the electronic viewfinder 3. From this state, the electronic viewfinder 3 is opened with the left hand 8 and stopped at a position where the electronic viewfinder 3 is easy to see. Zoom operation and start / stop operation are performed with the thumb of the right hand 7, and the operation member 2 and the dial-type operation member 5 are operated with the left hand. The photographing is mainly performed by holding the camera body 1 with the right hand 7, but when the right hand 7 is tired due to prolonged photographing or when photographing at a high magnification, the electronic viewfinder is held with the left hand 8 as in the case. When the front end 3 is provided, the photographing posture is stabilized.

Conventionally, a video camera targets the center of a field of view for photometry and autofocus. This is mainly because most subjects are located at the center of the field of view and not at the periphery of the field of view. In addition, there are other reasons, such as an increase in the number of photometric and autofocus locations, which complicates the configuration, requires a user to use knowledge, and makes the operation cumbersome. However, there is a demand for a video camera capable of intentionally arranging a subject at an edge of a screen and photographing the subject by adjusting the photometry and the automatic focus position. As a video camera that meets such demands,
For example, there is a proposal in JP-A-8-172593.

FIG. 5 shows a viewfinder screen in which the AE metering / AF ranging frame can be moved from the center of the shooting screen. The AE metering / AF ranging frame 10 can be moved to an arbitrary position in the photographing screen 11. The AE photometry / AF distance measurement frame 10 can be moved by a frame movement operation member provided at a predetermined position on the surface of the camera body. As a result, AE metering and
Photographing can be performed based on the AE and AF in the area selected by the AF ranging frame 10.

[0007]

However, in the above conventional example, when the electronic viewfinder 3 is rotated (opened) at the time of photographing, the dial type operation member 5 arranged on the camera body 1 is hidden by the electronic viewfinder 3. There is a problem that it becomes difficult to confirm the position and operation of the operation member during shooting. In the use state of FIG. 4, when the operation member 2 is operated with the left hand, the left hand 8 crosses the front of the electronic viewfinder 3, which not only deteriorates the visibility of the electronic viewfinder 3, but also stabilizes the photographing posture. It lacks sex.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a video camera capable of improving the visibility of an electronic viewfinder supported on a main body using a rotating hinge portion without impairing the operability of the camera. It is intended to be.

[0009]

In order to achieve the object of the present invention, an electronic viewfinder using a liquid crystal display is rotatable via a rotating hinge. In the video camera attached to the camera body, an operation member that is likely to be frequently operated is provided on a non-display portion of the electronic viewfinder and on a side opposite to a portion supported by the rotating hinge. Video camera.

According to this configuration, since the operation member frequently operated at the time of photographing or the like is provided at the end of the electronic viewfinder where the rotating hinge is not provided, the hand holding the electronic viewfinder is provided. The operation member can be operated with the finger. This allows the photographer to operate the operating member with the left hand while supporting the camera body with the right hand and holding the electronic viewfinder with the left hand, without obstructing the display surface of the electronic viewfinder. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability at the time of photographing or the like and to stabilize the photographing posture.

A specific configuration for realizing the object of the invention according to the present application is as described in claim 2, wherein the operating member is
A video camera includes at least one of a frame moving operation member for moving a display frame for specifying an AE and AF area and an operation member for setting a function of a camera.

According to this configuration, the frame moving operation member and the operation member for performing the function setting are selected as the operation members provided in the electronic viewfinder, so that the user has the electronic viewfinder when operating these members. No need to move your hands. Therefore, the user can concentrate on photographing without obstructing the electronic viewfinder, thereby improving operability at the time of photographing and stabilizing the photographing posture. A specific configuration for realizing the object of the invention according to the present application is as described in claim 3, wherein the operation member switches to a state of functioning as a reproduction-only operation member during reproduction. It is in.

According to this configuration, the operation member functioning for photographing at the time of reproduction functions for reproduction. Therefore, the number of operation members dedicated for photographing or reproduction can be reduced.

In a specific configuration for realizing the object of the invention according to the present application, the operation member for setting the function is used for a zoom operation at the time of photographing, and a color tone or volume at the time of reproduction. The video camera is characterized in that the video camera is used for adjustment of image quality.

According to this configuration, the same operation member is used for zoom operation at the time of photographing, and is used for adjustment of color tone or volume at the time of reproduction. Therefore, one operation member can be used for both shooting and reproduction, and the number of operation members can be reduced.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a video camera according to the present invention. A video camera according to the present invention includes a vertically long camera body 11, an operation member 12 provided on a rear surface of the camera body 11, and a rotating hinge 13 at a side end of the camera body 11.
Electronic viewfinder (LCD) 14 rotatably supported via a camera, photographing lens 15 provided in front of camera body 11, optical viewfinder 16, camera body 11
The electronic camera includes a shooting start / stop button 17 provided at a position where the thumb of the right hand 7 comes, a frame moving operation member 18 and a dial type operation member 19 provided at the periphery of the screen of the electronic viewfinder 14. Frame moving operation member 18
Is used to move the AE photometry / AF distance measurement frame 10 shown in FIG. The dial-type operation member 19
Is used for zoom operation at the time of photographing, and is used for color tone operation and volume adjustment at the time of reproduction. Incidentally, reference numeral 20 denotes a photographing incident optical axis, and reference numeral 21 denotes an axis orthogonal to the photographing incident optical axis 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, photographing by the video camera of the present invention is performed by holding the tip (free end) of the electronic viewfinder 14 with the left hand while holding the camera body 11 with the right hand. Thereby, the shooting posture is kept stable. Moreover, while holding the electronic viewfinder 14 with the left hand,
The frame moving operation member 18 and the dial operation member 19 can be operated with the thumb. Therefore, even if the frame moving operation member 18 or the dial operation member 19 is operated, the left hand itself does not move.
The front of the screen is not obstructed. This is because the frame moving operation member 18 and the dial-type operation member 19 conventionally provided on the camera body 11 side are provided on the electronic viewfinder 14 side, and are disposed near the position where the left hand is permanently placed. Things.

In particular, the dial type operation member 19 which is frequently used has a knurled portion of the electronic viewfinder 14.
The dial-type operation member 19 can be operated even in a state where the electronic viewfinder 14 is closed to the camera body 11 (a state in which the electronic viewfinder 14 is housed).

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mode of use of the video camera of the present invention during reproduction. First, the electronic viewfinder 14 is rotated 90 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 1 so that the LCD screen faces outward. Next, the electronic viewfinder 14 is brought into close contact with the camera main body 11 so that the LCD screen faces the front. FIG. 2 shows this state.
In this state, the circuit is switched so that the frame moving operation member 18 and the dial-type operation member 19 automatically function as a playback-only operation member. As a result, conventionally, operation members are separately provided for photographing and reproduction, and the operation members are dedicated, so that there are many operation members and the operation is complicated. However, according to the present invention, the electronic viewfinder 1
Since switching between shooting and playback is automatically performed according to the position of 4, the operability of the video camera can be improved.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electric system of the video camera according to the present invention.

The electric system is mainly composed of a CPU 30. The CPU 30 is connected to a frame moving operation member 18, a dial operation member 19, a mode switch 31, a VCR (video control unit) 32, and a rotation detection switch 33. . Further, the VCR 32 includes a CCD for converting a subject image from the photographing lens 15 into an electric signal, an image pickup unit 34 including a processing circuit for converting the output signal into a predetermined image signal, and an electronic viewfinder 14. L implemented in
CD35 is connected.

The mode switch 31 is a switch for selecting one of a photographing state and a reproducing state, and operates according to a change in the attitude of the electronic viewfinder 14 and the rotating hinge 13. When the mode switch 31 selects the shooting state, the video signal from the imaging unit 34 displays the shot image on the LCD 35 via the VCR 32.

A normal video camera shooting mode is performed with the LCD 35 of the electronic viewfinder 14 facing the photographer as shown in FIG. From this state, when the electronic viewfinder 14 is rotated by 180 degrees about an axis 21 orthogonal to the photographing incident optical axis 20 (a state in which the display surface of the LCD 35 is directed toward the subject in order to photograph the photographer himself). The rotation detection switch 33 operates in conjunction with the movement of the rotation hinge 13 at that time, and rotation information is sent to the microcomputer 30. The microcomputer 30 controls the upside down, left and right, or upside down of the captured image displayed on the LCD 35. Thus, the subject person (photographer, etc.) is LC
The screen of D35 can be viewed in a correct image state. When the mode of photographing or reproduction is selected by the mode switch 31, the microcomputer 30 switches the mode according to the contents selected by the operation members 18 and 19.

The dial-type operation member 19 is not limited to the above-mentioned applications such as the zoom operation, the color tone adjustment, and the volume adjustment, but may be a frequently used one.

(Correspondence between the Invention and the Embodiment) As described above, in the embodiment, the dial-type operation member 19 corresponds to an operation member for setting functions of the camera. AE metering / AF
The distance measurement frame 21 corresponds to a display frame for specifying the AE and AF areas.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation member which is likely to be frequently operated is provided at the non-display portion of the electronic viewfinder, and Since it is provided on the opposite side of the portion supported by the rotating hinge, the photographer can operate the operation member with the left hand while supporting the camera body with the right hand and holding the electronic viewfinder with the left hand, The display surface of the electronic viewfinder is not obstructed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability at the time of photographing or the like and to stabilize the photographing posture.

According to the invention of claim 2 of the present application, the operation member is at least a frame movement operation member for moving a display frame for specifying an AE and AF area or an operation member for setting a function of a camera. Because one is included, it is possible to concentrate on shooting without interrupting the electronic viewfinder, improving operability at the time of shooting, etc.
In addition, the photographing posture can be stabilized.

According to the invention of claim 3 of the present application, the operation member is switched to a state of functioning as a reproduction-only operation member at the time of reproduction, so that the number of operation members dedicated to photographing or reproduction is reduced. Can be reduced.

According to the invention of claim 4 of the present application, the operation member for setting the function is used for zoom operation at the time of photographing and for adjusting color tone or volume at the time of reproduction. Can be used at the time of shooting and playback, and the number of operating members can be reduced and operability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a video camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a use mode during reproduction of the video camera of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electric system of the video camera of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional video camera.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a finder screen in which an AE metering / AF ranging frame can be moved from the center of a shooting screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Camera main body 12 Operation member 13 Rotating hinge 14 Electronic viewfinder 16 Optical finder 18 Frame moving operation member 19 Dial operation member 30 CPU 31 Mode switch 32 VCR 33 Rotation detection switch 34 Image pickup unit 35 LCD

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A video camera in which an electronic viewfinder using a liquid crystal display is rotatably attached to a camera body via a rotating hinge, wherein an operation member which is likely to be frequently operated is an electronic viewfinder. A video camera, which is provided on a non-display portion of a viewfinder and on a side opposite to a portion supported by the rotating hinge. 2. The operation member according to claim 1, wherein the operation member includes at least one of a frame moving operation member for moving a display frame for specifying an AE and AF area and an operation member for setting a function of a camera. The video camera according to 1. 3. The video camera according to claim 2, wherein the operation member for setting the function is switched to a state of functioning as a reproduction-only operation member during reproduction. 4. The video camera according to claim 2, wherein the operation member for setting the function is used for a zoom operation at the time of photographing, and is used for adjusting a color tone or a volume at the time of reproduction.