JP2000152040A - Electronic camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to see the same range as a photographing range by a see-through finder provided on the camera main body unit side even after replacement of a lens unit incorporating a CCD (image pickup device). SOLUTION: This system consists of a lens unit 10 incorporating the CCD and a camera main body unit 20, and the camera main body unit 20 is provided with a see-through finder 30. When the lens unit 10 incorporating the CCD is set to the camera main body unit 20, the camera main body unit 20 takes in information indicating the photographing range from the lens unit 10 incorporating the CCD, and a visual field frame formed by a variable power lens 32 of the see-through finder 30 and a liquid crystal panel 35 is controlled based on this information by a finder control part 40. Thus, the viewing angle of the see-through finder 30 and the aspect ratio are controlled so as to be changed in accordance with the viewing angle of the lens unit 10 incorporating the CCD and the aspect ratio of the image pickup device even if the lens unit 10 incorporating the CCD is replaced and its viewing angle and the aspect ratio of the CCD are changed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera system, and more particularly, to an electronic camera system including a lens unit with a built-in image sensor and a camera body unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional electronic camera systems include CCDs.
Lens unit (CCD
Built-in lens unit) can be attached to and detached from the camera body unit.
There is a system in which an electronic camera system according to a user's request can be constructed by replacing a lens unit with a built-in CD (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-172561).

[0003]

The viewfinder of this type of electronic camera system usually uses an electronic viewfinder or a small liquid crystal monitor, and operates an image pickup circuit such as a CCD at the time of photographing, and uses an image signal based on the image signal. A moving image is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor or the like. Therefore, there is a problem that power consumption for operating the imaging circuit, the liquid crystal monitor, and the like is large, and the life of the battery is shortened.

On the other hand, it is conceivable to mount an optical finder in order to save power. However, when the lens unit with a built-in CCD is replaceable, the focal length inherent to the lens unit and the screen size of the mounted CCD change. Therefore, there is a problem that the actual photographing range and the viewfinder visual field do not match. It is conceivable to configure the system with a TTL finder so that the actual shooting range and the viewfinder visual field range match. However, the structures of the lens unit and the camera body unit become large and complicated, and it is possible to configure an inexpensive system. Can't expect.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an electronic camera system capable of seeing the same range as a photographing range by a perspective finder provided on a camera body unit side even when a CCD built-in lens unit is replaced. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a lens unit with a built-in image sensor and a camera body unit, and the lens unit with a built-in image sensor is mounted on the camera body unit. In the electronic camera system functioning as an electronic camera, the imaging device-incorporated lens unit includes an imaging lens, an imaging device, information indicating an angle of view of the imaging device-incorporated lens unit, and information indicating an aspect ratio of an imaging surface of the imaging device. The camera body unit includes a perspective finder, and information input means for inputting information indicating the angle of view and information indicating an aspect ratio from the information output means of the imaging unit built-in lens unit, Based on the information indicating the angle of view and the aspect ratio input through the information input means, It is characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling the angle of view and an aspect ratio of the finder viewing.

That is, when the lens unit with the built-in image sensor is replaced and the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the image sensor change, the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the perspective finder correspond to the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the image sensor. Is also changed so that the viewfinder field of view matches the photographing range. The perspective finder according to claim 2 of the present application has a field frame for changing an angle of view and an aspect ratio, and the control means controls the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the perspective finder by changing the field frame. It is characterized by. Further, the perspective finder according to claim 3 of the present application is an optical zoom finder having a field frame for changing an aspect ratio, and the control unit controls an angle of view by changing a zoom magnification of the optical zoom finder, The aspect ratio is controlled by changing the field of view.

The field frame is constituted by a liquid crystal panel as described in claim 4 of the present application. Therefore, the angle of view and / or aspect ratio of the perspective finder can be freely changed, and the apparatus can be achieved with a small size. As set forth in claim 5 of the present application, the camera body unit has a reproducing unit for reproducing a captured image, and the reproducing unit displays the reproduced image on the liquid crystal panel.
That is, the liquid crystal panel can be used for confirming an image.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an electronic camera system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic camera system according to the present invention. This electronic camera system includes a lens unit 10 with a built-in CCD and a camera body unit 20. The lens unit 10 with a built-in CCD is detachable from the camera body unit 20.

A lens unit 10 with a built-in CCD includes a photographing lens 11, an aperture 12, an image sensor (CCD) 13, a lens detection output circuit 14, a focal length output circuit 15, a CCD aspect ratio output circuit 16, an aperture motor 17, and a connector 1.
8 and the like. The CCD built-in lens unit 10 is used as an interchangeable lens for the camera body unit 20, and the photographing lens 11 may be a wide-angle lens, a telephoto lens, a zoom lens, or the like.

As the CCD 13, a lens unit having a different aspect ratio, a screen size, the number of pixels, etc. of the imaging surface is used for each lens unit. Note that the aspect ratio of the imaging surface of the CCD 13 includes 5: 4, 4: 3, and 3: 2. The lens detection output circuit 14 outputs a signal indicating whether or not the lens unit is attached to the camera body unit 20. The focal length output circuit 15 outputs information indicating the focal length of the photographing lens 11, and a CCD. The aspect ratio output circuit 16 outputs information indicating the aspect ratio of the imaging surface of the CCD 13. These output circuits are provided in a nonvolatile memory (EPROM, EEPROM) for storing the information.
M, ROM, etc.).

On the other hand, the camera body unit 20 mainly includes a perspective finder 30, a finder control unit 40 for controlling the perspective finder 30, the CCD built-in lens unit 10, and an image output from the CCD built-in lens unit 10. And an image processing unit 50 for performing image signal processing and image recording processing of signals. The camera body unit 20 has a connector 21 that is connected to the connector 18 on the lens unit side when the CCD built-in lens unit 10 is mounted, and an image is recorded on a recording medium 22 such as a memory card that is attached to and detached from the camera body unit 20. It has a card interface (not shown) for outputting data.

The see-through finder 30 is an optical zoom finder, and includes a finder optical system including an objective lens 31, a zoom lens 32, and an eyepiece 33, and a zoom lens for moving the zoom lens 32 in the optical axis direction of the finder optical system. It comprises a motor 34 and a light transmitting liquid crystal panel 35 for forming a field frame and the like. Therefore, the variable power motor 3
By moving the variator lens 32 in the direction of the finder optical axis via the finder 4, the finder magnification can be changed. The aspect ratio of the field of view can be changed.

The finder control section 40 of the camera body unit 20 includes a focal length detection circuit 41, a finder magnification setting circuit 42, a CCD aspect ratio detection circuit 43, a finder aspect setting circuit 44, a drive permission circuit 45, and a motor driver 46. , A liquid crystal driver 47 and an image reproduction processing circuit 48. The focal length detection circuit 41 detects the focal length of the attached lens unit based on information from the focal length output circuit 15 of the CCD built-in lens unit 10, and determines the finder magnification based on the detected focal length. Finder magnification setting circuit 42
Determines the drive position of the variable power lens 32 in accordance with the determined finder magnification, and outputs a command signal for moving the variable power lens 32 to the determined drive position.
Here, the focal length is obtained by converting the screen size of the CCD 13 into a predetermined screen size (for example, 35 mm), and controls the optical magnification of the see-through finder 30 even when the screen size of the CCD built in the lens unit is different. You can do it.

The CCD aspect ratio detection circuit 43
D The lens unit C attached according to information from the CCD aspect ratio output circuit 16 of the built-in lens unit 10.
The aspect ratio of the CD 13 is detected, and the finder aspect is determined based on the detected aspect ratio. The finder aspect setting circuit 44 determines a mask amount of the liquid crystal panel 35 so as to have the determined finder aspect, and outputs a mask signal corresponding to the determined mask amount.

When a drive detection circuit 45 receives a lens detection signal from the lens detection output circuit 14 of the CCD built-in lens unit 10, the motor driver 46 of the output signal from the focal length detection circuit 41 and the finder aspect setting circuit 44 and a liquid crystal The output to the driver 47 is permitted. That is, the drive permission circuit 45 permits the finder magnification and the finder aspect to be changed only when the lens is mounted on the lens unit.

The image reproduction processing circuit 48 takes in the compressed image data from the recording medium 22 in the reproduction mode, decompresses the image data, and then, for example, NTSC.
The video signal is converted into a video signal of the system, and the video signal is output to the liquid crystal driver 47. The liquid crystal driver 47 drives the liquid crystal panel 35 based on the video signal input from the image reproduction processing circuit 48, and causes the liquid crystal panel 35 to display an image corresponding to the video signal. That is, the liquid crystal panel 35 functions as a field frame having an aspect ratio corresponding to the CCD aspect ratio of the lens unit attached in the shooting mode,
In the playback mode, it functions as an image playback monitor that displays a playback image.

The image processing unit 50 of the camera body unit 20
Are image signal processing circuit 51, image recording processing circuit 52, C
CD drive setting circuit 53, CCD drive signal generation circuit 54,
An aperture setting circuit 55 and a motor driver 56 are provided. The CCD drive setting circuit 53 controls the charge accumulation time in the CCD 13 according to the brightness of the subject, that is, sets the pulse output timing for so-called electronic shutter control, sets the drive pulse based on the number of pixels of the CCD 13, and the like. The CCD drive signal generation circuit 54 sends a CCD drive signal corresponding to the setting contents of the CCD drive setting circuit 53 via the connectors 21 and 18 to the CCD built-in lens unit 1.
0 CCD13. Also, the aperture setting circuit 55
The aperture value is determined based on the brightness of the subject, the sensitivity of the CCD 13, and the like, and the motor driver 56
The aperture motor 17 is driven via the controller to control the opening of the aperture 12. Note that the CCD number of the CCD 13 and the CCD
Characteristic data can be acquired from the CCD built-in lens unit 10 in the same manner as the CCD aspect ratio.

When the shutter release button is turned on, the subject light incident on the imaging surface of the CCD 13 via the photographing lens 11 and the aperture 12 is converted into a signal charge corresponding to the amount of light incident on each sensor of the CCD 13 here. Converted,
This signal charge is transferred from the CCD drive signal generation circuit 54 to the C
It is sequentially read as a voltage signal (image signal) corresponding to the signal charge based on the CD drive signal. The image signal output from the CCD 13 is applied to an image signal processing circuit 51,
Here, image processing such as white balance adjustment, gamma correction, and conversion to a YC signal (luminance signal Y and chroma signal C) is performed. The image recording processing circuit 52 compresses the YC signal into a predetermined format, and stores the YC signal in a recording medium 22 detachable from the camera.
To record.

A preview function is provided in the camera, and the photographed image is reproduced on the liquid crystal panel 35 via the image reproduction processing circuit 48 and the liquid crystal driver 47, and after a predetermined time elapses or according to the photographer's will. May be recorded. Next, the operation of the electronic camera system having the above configuration will be described. When the CCD built-in lens unit 10 is mounted on the camera body unit 20, the lens detection output circuit 14, the focal length output circuit 15, and the CCD
Information of the CCD built-in lens unit 10 is taken from the aspect ratio output circuit 16 to the camera body unit 20 via the connectors 18 and 21. Then, the drive permission circuit 45 permits the output signals of the focal length detection circuit 41 and the finder aspect setting circuit 44 to be applied to the motor driver 46 and the liquid crystal driver 47, respectively. That is, the finder magnification and aspect ratio of the perspective finder 30 can be changed.

On the other hand, the focal length of the photographing lens 11 of the mounted CCD built-in lens unit 10 is recognized by a focal length detecting circuit 41, and the finder magnification for obtaining the same finder field as the photographing range of the CCD built-in lens unit 10 is set. It is determined. From the finder magnification setting circuit 42, a command signal indicating the drive position of the variator lens 32 for setting the finder magnification to the determined finder magnification is applied to the variator motor 34 via a motor driver 46. Position (ie, optical magnification of the perspective finder 30)
Is controlled.

The aspect ratio of the CCD 13 of the attached lens unit 10 with a built-in CCD is recognized by a CCD aspect ratio detection circuit 43, and a transmission type liquid crystal panel 35 (field frame) for obtaining the same finder aspect as the aspect ratio of the CCD 13 is provided. ) Are determined at the upper and lower ends. Then, from the finder aspect setting circuit 44, a signal indicating the mask amount of the liquid crystal panel 35 for obtaining the determined finder aspect is applied to the liquid crystal panel 35 via the liquid crystal driver 47. The mask amount (that is, the aspect ratio of the field frame) is controlled.

For example, when the aspect ratio of the CCD 13 is 5:
In the case of No. 4, the liquid crystal panel 35 as shown in FIG.
Is not performed. It is assumed that the viewfinder aspect ratio of the transparent finder 30 when the mask control by the liquid crystal panel 35 is not performed is 5: 4. Here, when the aspect ratio of the CCD 13 is 4: 3, as shown in FIG. 2B, the upper and lower ends of the liquid crystal panel 35 are respectively masked by a predetermined width A, and the finder aspect ratio is changed from 5: 4. Change to 4: 3. When the aspect ratio of the CCD 13 is 3: 2, as shown in FIG. 2C, the upper and lower ends of the liquid crystal panel 35 are respectively masked by a predetermined width B, and the finder aspect ratio is changed from 5: 4 to 3. : Change to 2.

By controlling the finder magnification and aspect ratio of the perspective finder 30 in accordance with the CCD built-in lens unit 10 in this manner, the shooting range of the CCD built-in lens unit 10 and the finder field of view of the transparent finder 30 are matched. be able to. That is, regardless of the type of the lens unit with a built-in CCD mounted on the main unit 20, the finder field of view of the see-through finder 30 can be matched with the photographing range.

In this embodiment, the focal length of the CCD built-in lens unit 10 is obtained by converting the screen size of the CCD 13 into a predetermined screen size. However, the present invention is not limited to this. And CCD13
May be output to the camera body unit 20. In this case, the camera body unit 2
0 determines the finder magnification from the focal length and the screen size. When the CCD built-in lens unit has a built-in zoom lens, it outputs focal length information corresponding to the zoom position. Further, the lens unit with a built-in CCD may output angle-of-view information indicating an image-capturing range by an angle instead of the focal length or the like.

Further, in this embodiment, a zoom finder is used as the perspective finder 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a perspective finder having a fixed finder magnification is used. And the shooting range may be matched. Further, since the perspective finder causes parallax according to the shooting distance, the shooting distance is detected, and the position of the field frame formed by the liquid crystal panel 35 is moved so as to correct the parallax according to the detected shooting distance. You may do so. When the liquid crystal panel 35 functions as an image reproduction monitor, the objective lens 31 of the see-through finder 30 is covered with a translucent milky white cover, and external light is used as a backlight of the liquid crystal panel 35, or Insert the backlight on the back side.

In this embodiment, the field frame is formed by the liquid crystal panel. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
The aspect ratio and the like of the field frame may be made changeable by mechanical means.

[0028]

As described above, according to the electronic camera system of the present invention, since the perspective finder is provided in the camera body unit, power consumption is reduced as compared with the case of using a liquid crystal monitor when performing framing or the like. If the lens unit with a built-in CCD is replaced and the angle of view or the aspect ratio of the CCD changes,
Since the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the perspective finder are controlled so as to change according to the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the image sensor, the same range as the shooting range can be seen with the perspective finder.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic camera system according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show states in which the aspect ratio of a perspective finder is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Lens unit with a built-in CCD 11 ... Shooting lens 12 ... Aperture 13 ... CCD 15 ... Focal length output circuit 16 ... CCD aspect ratio output circuit 18, 21 ... Connector 20 ... Camera body unit 22 ... Recording media 30 ... Transparent finder 31 ... Objective Lens 32: Magnifying lens 33: Eyepiece 34: Magnifying motor 35: Liquid crystal panel 40: Finder control unit 41: Focal length detection circuit 42: Finder magnification setting circuit 43: CCD aspect ratio detection circuit 44: Finder aspect setting circuit 46 ... Motor driver 47 ... Liquid crystal driver 48 ... Image reproduction processing circuit 50 ... Image processing unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electronic camera system comprising a lens unit with a built-in image sensor and a camera body unit, wherein the lens unit with a built-in image sensor is mounted on the camera body unit to function as an electronic camera. The unit includes a photographing lens, an image sensor, and information output means for outputting information indicating an angle of view of the image sensor built-in lens unit and information indicating an aspect ratio of an imaging surface of the image sensor, the camera body unit includes: A perspective finder; information input means for inputting information indicating the angle of view and information indicating the aspect ratio from information output means of the lens unit with a built-in image sensor; and the angle of view and the aspect ratio input via the information input means For controlling the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the perspective finder based on information indicating And means, electronic camera systems, characterized in that. 2. The perspective finder has a field frame for changing an angle of view and an aspect ratio, and the control means controls the angle of view and the aspect ratio of the perspective finder by changing the field frame. The electronic camera system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The perspective finder is an optical zoom finder having a field frame for changing an aspect ratio, and the control means controls an angle of view by changing a zoom magnification of the optical zoom finder.
2. The electronic camera system according to claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio is controlled by changing the field of view. 4. The electronic camera system according to claim 2, wherein said field frame is constituted by a liquid crystal panel. 5. The electronic camera system according to claim 4, wherein said camera body unit has a reproducing means for reproducing a photographed image, and said reproducing means displays the reproduced image on said liquid crystal panel.