JP2001024914A - Camera with electronic view finder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera capable of satisfactorily recording sounds to be recorded. SOLUTION: Concerning this camera, an electronic view finder 2 is provided so as to be exposed outside the camera so that a photographer can monitor an image photographed while making his eyes away from a main body 1 of camera, and the electronic view finder 2 is connected with the main body 1 of camera by a supporting mechanism 3, which has turning shafts 3a and 3b able to be fixed at the monitoring position of any arbitrary angle in addition to a position housed in the main body 1 of camera, provided with a turning shaft 3c capable of turning the direction of the electronic view finder 2 orthogonally to the turning shafts 3a and 3b. In this case, a microphone 4 for recording is arranged inside the electronic view finder 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a digital camera or a video camera which magnetically records / reproduces an image of an object by photographing the image of the object, and more particularly, to enable a photographer to monitor at a position away from the camera body. The present invention relates to a structure of a camera provided with an electronic viewfinder mechanism used by opening and closing the camera body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional digital camera or video camera (camcorder) or the like which magnetically records an image, a microphone for voice recording, a speaker for voice monitoring, and a sensor / sensor window for an infrared remote controller are provided with a camera. It was provided on the main body. Hereinafter, a conventional camera that magnetically records an image will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
5 is a perspective view of a conventional camera for magnetically recording an image as viewed from the rear side, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 4 as viewed from the front side. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a camera body 1 for magnetically recording a photographed image includes a microphone 4 for recording voice for narration and the like, and a photographer himself with a background. Remote control light receiving window 5 internally provided with a remote control sensor for receiving a remote control signal for an infrared remote control device used when shooting away from the camera such as when shooting or when shooting wild animals.
A speaker 6 for reproducing sound recorded using the microphone 4 or the like; an LCD monitor 7 for monitoring a photographed image or a reproduced image; a photographing lens 8 for photographing a subject; Switch 9 for inputting a shutter timing at the time of shooting or a shooting start and a shooting end timing at the time of shooting a moving image; A viewfinder 10 that includes a viewfinder window 10b, and displays a shooting range inside, and displays focus information, exposure information, aperture value information, strobe availability information, and the like necessary for shooting to convey shooting image information to a photographer; Strobe device 11 that emits light to the subject during nighttime shooting or backlight shooting, remaining battery level, shooting mode, and number of shootable images Or a display window 12 for displaying the shooting time, etc., battery cover for the built-in battery 13
And operation buttons 15 for performing various operations such as setting various photographing conditions at the time of photographing and reproducing or erasing photographed contents. To shoot a subject using the camera having the above-described configuration, the photographer operates the shooting mode setting dial 14 and the operation buttons 1.
The photographing mode and various photographing conditions are set using the photographing device 5 and then the photographing switch 9 is pressed. In the cameras illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, since the LCD monitor 7 is built in the back side of the camera body 1, it is difficult to take a picture with the camera body away from the eyes of the photographer. For example, if the crowd is crowded near the goal of a race in a school athletic meet, you will not be able to go out to the front row to shoot a subject such as a child who is a runner. It is necessary to take a picture while lifting it above the photographer's head. However, in this case, the LCD
Shooting while looking at the monitor 7 is impossible.

The microphone 4 is arranged on the upper part of the camera body 1, and sounds such as narration and the like uttered by a photographer on the back side of the camera body 1.
It has a wide directivity so that both sounds (voices) from a subject or the like on the front side can be recorded. Further, the speaker 6 is arranged on the side surface 1 d side of the camera body 1. With this speaker 6, the photographer can also monitor the recorded voice. The remote control light receiving window 5 has a remote control sensor inside and is arranged on the front surface 1b side of the camera body 1. Therefore, the remote control receiving window 5
Can receive an infrared remote control signal emitted from a remote control device operated by a photographer on the subject side. As described above, the cameras illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 have various functions. For example, if the camera body 1 is lifted above the head, the normal finder 10 cannot be used. In addition, since the LCD monitor 7 also often deviates from the viewing angle, the display contents could hardly be seen, which was useless. In order to improve the inconvenience of the finder 10 and the LCD monitor 7, some recent cameras are configured such that the LCD monitor 7 moves independently without being fixed to the camera body 1, so that the photographer can easily see the image. There has been known one that can be set at an angle.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-125890, an electronic viewfinder unit including an LCD monitor 7 of a video camera is rotatable with respect to the camera body 1, and the LCD monitor 7 is placed on the back side (the camera body 1 side). A video camera that can be stored toward the camera is shown. Also, for example,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-307810 discloses a mechanism that enables the electronic viewfinder of a video camera to be rotatable with respect to the camera body 1.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional camera with an electronic viewfinder, the microphone provided on the camera body is capable of reproducing the sound on the front side and the back side while being fixedly installed on the camera body. Because it is necessary to pick up at the same time, it has a wide directivity of 180 ° or more,
Therefore, there is a problem that noise around the photographer is easily picked up. In other words, since the microphone has a wide directivity, the ratio of the photographer's voice and the subject's sound in the entire voice becomes small, and after all, both the photographer's voice and the subject's sound are good. There is a problem that can not be recorded to. The disadvantages associated with the structure in which the microphone is installed in the camera body are the same as in the video camera in which the electronic view finder is rotatable as disclosed in JP-A-8-125890 and JP-A-8-307810. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention of claim 1 has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera that can record sound satisfactorily. In addition, the remote control light-receiving window provided in the above-described conventional camera body,
Since it is fixedly installed on the camera body, when the photographer who is using the remote control device is in a direction other than the front side of the camera body such as when the photographer is on the back side of the camera body, the remote control light reception is performed. Windows cannot receive infrared remote control signals. Therefore, in that case, there is a problem that the camera body cannot respond to the infrared remote control signal. The drawbacks associated with the structure in which the remote control light-receiving window is provided in the camera body are the same for the video cameras with an electronic viewfinder disclosed in JP-A-8-125890 and JP-A-8-307810. Further, for example, while the photographer is at a place slightly away from the camera body, and looking at the LCD monitor arranged on the back side of the camera body, the remote control device is directed toward the remote control light-receiving window arranged on the front side of the camera body. Is extremely difficult to operate, and the operability is poor.

[0005] The present invention of claim 2 has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and the remote control device can be used regardless of the photographer who uses the remote control device on any surface side of the camera body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera which can be used and can also see an LCD monitor. Also, since the speaker provided in the conventional camera body described above is fixedly installed on the camera body, sound emitted from the speaker of the camera body is generally output with directivity. Is difficult for a photographer in a direction other than the speaker installation surface to hear. That is, there is a problem that the direction in which the sound emitted from the speaker can be heard is limited to one direction on the speaker installation surface side of the camera body. The drawbacks associated with the structure in which the speaker is installed in the camera body are the same for the video cameras with an electronic viewfinder disclosed in JP-A-8-125890 and JP-A-8-307810. Further, as a method for solving this problem, for example, it is conceivable to additionally arrange a speaker on the other side of the camera body. However, also in this case, only the sound can be heard in the direction in which the speaker is added, and it is still difficult to hear the sound of the speaker when there is a photographer in the direction in which the speaker is not added. That is, even if the number of surfaces of the camera body on which the speakers are installed is increased, the problem that the audible direction is limited is not solved except when the speakers are installed on all the surfaces. Also, in order to install speakers on all sides of the camera body, an empty space for installing speakers and wiring is required in the housing of the camera body. The extra power is required for the number of additional speakers, so that the battery is quickly consumed, or an increase in the number of speakers causes a problem such as an increase in the total cost of the product, which is not practical in terms of product design.

A third aspect of the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and a photographer who monitors sound through a speaker 6 is provided with a camera body 1.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera capable of satisfactorily listening to the monitoring sound on any surface side.

In order to achieve the above object,
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic view including an electronic viewfinder rotatably supported by at least one rotation axis with respect to a camera body. A microphone for recording is provided at an appropriate position on a display surface of the electronic viewfinder. It is characterized by being arranged. The invention according to claim 2 is a camera with an electronic viewfinder provided with an electronic viewfinder rotatably supported by at least one rotation axis with respect to the camera body, wherein the camera is mounted on a display surface of the electronic viewfinder. A remote control light-receiving window for receiving a signal transmitted from the remote control device is arranged at an appropriate position. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera with an electronic viewfinder provided with an electronic viewfinder rotatably supported by at least one rotation shaft with respect to the camera body, wherein the camera is provided on a display surface of the electronic viewfinder. A speaker for outputting a reproduced sound is arranged at an appropriate position.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera for magnetically recording an image according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 2 is a view of the camera of FIG. 1 with an electronic viewfinder opened, as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the camera with the electronic viewfinder opened, as viewed from the front side, with the electronic viewfinder further rotated by 180 °. 1 to 3
, Parts having the same functions as those of the conventional camera shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the camera of the present embodiment, an image being photographed by a photographer using an LCD monitor 7 is attached to a camera body 1 having a function of magnetically recording a photographed image. And a support mechanism for connecting the electronic viewfinder 2 to the camera body 1, and a monitoring position at an arbitrary angle in addition to the position housed in the camera body 1. Rotating shafts (rotating shafts) 3a, 3 that can rotate (rotate) the electronic viewfinder 2 so that the electronic viewfinder 2 can be rotated and stopped at each position.
b, a hinge unit 3 internally provided with a rotation axis 3c capable of rotating the direction of the viewfinder 2 in a direction orthogonal to the rotation direction of the rotation axes 3a and 3b, and voices such as narration and BGM. Microphone 4 for recording the sound of the camera and the shooting place, and an infrared remote control device used when shooting the photographer himself with a background or when shooting away from the camera such as when shooting wild animals A remote control light receiving window 5, a speaker 6 for reproducing sound recorded using the microphone 4 and the like, an LCD monitor 7 for monitoring a photographed image or a reproduced image, and a photographing lens 8 for photographing a subject. A photographing switch 9 for inputting a shutter timing for photographing a still image or a photographing start and a photographing end timing for photographing a moving image; A flash device 11 for projecting light to an object, battery level, a display window 12 for displaying a photographing mode and number of recordable images or imaging time, etc., a battery cover 1 for opening and closing a portion for accommodating the internal battery
3 and an operation button 15 for performing various operations such as setting various photographing conditions at the time of photographing and reproducing or erasing photographed contents.

A characteristic structure of the present invention resides in that at least one of the microphone 4, the remote control light receiving window 5, and the speaker 6 is provided at an appropriate position of the electronic viewfinder 2, particularly at an appropriate display surface. Note that the camera with an electronic viewfinder according to the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 does not include a viewfinder of a type that a photographer uses to look into the camera, but may include a viewfinder of a type that looks into the camera. . In the camera of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
When the camera is used, the electronic viewfinder 2 is rotated by an arbitrary angle around the rotation shafts 3a and 3b as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. The viewfinder 2 is opened to an easy-to-view angle. When photographing a subject using the camera having the above-described configuration according to the present embodiment, the photographer sets the electronic viewfinder 2 to an easy-to-view angle on the camera body 1 and then sets the photographing mode setting dial 14 and the operation buttons 15. The photographing switch 9 is depressed after the photographing mode and various photographing conditions are set using. As described above, in the camera according to the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, since the LCD monitor 7 is exposed on one surface of the electronic viewfinder 2, the camera body 1 is moved away from the position of the photographer's eyes. However, by turning the LCD monitor 7 in the electronic viewfinder 2 toward the photographer, the LCD monitor 7 can be easily viewed. For example, similar to the case described in the example of the prior art,
Shooting a camera when people are crowded near the goal of a race at a school athletic meet and cannot go out to the front row to shoot a subject such as a child who is a runner Consider the case where it is necessary to take a picture while lifting it above the person's head. In this case, when the camera of the present embodiment is lifted above the head of the photographer, the electronic viewfinder 2 is rotated
After being rotated 180 ° around b and opened, it is further rotated 180 ° around the rotation axis 3c. Then, the LCD monitor 7 faces downward and faces the photographer, so that the photographer can easily perform photographing.

The microphone 4 of the present embodiment is a display surface 2 having a built-in LCD monitor 7 of the electronic viewfinder 2.
It is arranged on the a side. Therefore, when recording narration of the photographer on the back side of the camera body 1 or recording a voice memo at the time of photographing, the angle of the electronic viewfinder 2 is set as described above, so that the microphone 4 is moved by the photographer. It can be set to be solid on the front side. When recording sound (voice) from a subject in front of the camera body 1,
By setting the angle of the electronic viewfinder 2 as described above, the microphone 4 can be set so as to be in front of the subject. Also, for example, immediately after the photographer first records the narration, the sound of the subject can be recorded by turning the electronic viewfinder 2 180 ° around the rotation axis 3c and changing the direction to the opposite direction. Becomes possible. Therefore, in the camera according to the present embodiment, the microphone 4 can be made to have a narrow directivity, so that it becomes difficult to pick up the surrounding noise, and it becomes easy to pick up the sound of a subject in a relatively remote place. A camera capable of recording can be provided. The remote control light receiving window 5 is also arranged on the display surface 2a of the electronic viewfinder 2 in which the LCD monitor 7 is built. Therefore, the photographer on the back 1a side of the camera body 1 can use the remote control device to set the remote control light receiving window 5
When the infrared remote control signal is transmitted to the remote controller, the remote control light receiving window 5 can easily receive the infrared remote control signal.

Also, for example, while the photographer is at a place slightly away from the rear side of the camera body 1 other than the rear side 1a, while watching the LCD monitor 7 arranged on the electronic viewfinder 2,
It is easy to operate the remote control device toward the remote control light-receiving window 5 by setting the angle of the electronic viewfinder 2, so that the operability is improved. As described above, in the camera according to the present embodiment, even if the photographer using the remote control device is on any surface side (direction) of the camera body 1 and uses the remote control device, the image is released from the remote control device operated by the photographer. Can respond to infrared remote control signals. When the photographer performs a remote control operation, the LCD monitor 7 faces the photographer together with the remote control light-receiving window 5, so that it is easy to perform the remote control operation while looking at the LCD monitor 7. Therefore, it is possible to provide a camera that can use the remote control device regardless of which side (arbitrary direction) of the camera body 1 is used by the photographer who uses the remote control device, and can also view the LCD monitor. it can. Also, how to use the remote control device
When the photographer himself takes a picture with the remote control device,
When using a remote control device instead of a cable release to prevent blurring during shooting, or when using a camera to play back images and sounds taken for presentations and demonstrations at conferences, etc. In addition, the remote control device can be used in various ways. In the present embodiment, the direction in which the remote control device for remotely controlling the camera can be used can be arbitrarily set, so that the operability of the remote control device is dramatically improved.

The speaker 6 of the present embodiment is also arranged on the display surface 2a of the electronic viewfinder 2 in which the LCD monitor 7 is built. Therefore, when the photographer on the back side of the camera body 1 monitors the sound recorded by the speaker 6, the angle of the electronic viewfinder 2 can be arbitrarily set as described above,
Can be set to face the front side of the photographer. In addition, the photographer can set the side 1d, 1e or the front 1b of the camera body 1
When monitoring the sound (sound) at a position that is turned around, the speaker 6 can be set so as to face the front side of the photographer by setting the angle of the electronic viewfinder 2 as described above. Therefore, in the camera of the present embodiment, the photographer can select any surface side (arbitrary direction) of the camera body 1.
Since the sound can be monitored by pointing the speaker 6 to the front side of the photographer, the camera can be provided that can listen to the sound monitored by the photographer satisfactorily. In the present embodiment, the electronic viewfinder 2 is configured to be rotatable in two axial directions of the rotating shafts 3a / 3b and the rotating shaft 3c. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the second shaft. The effect can be exerted even without the above. For example, even if there is no second axis and only one axis is rotated, the microphone 4, the remote control light-receiving window 5, and the speaker 6 can be closer to the photographer or the subject than in the related art, so that recording performance and sound reproduction can be achieved. Performance and remote control reception performance can be improved, and operability can also be improved.

[0012]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the microphone is arranged on the display surface of the rotatable (rotatable) electronic viewfinder, so that the microphone can be rotated in any direction. And the recording performance and operability can be improved. According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the remote control light-receiving window is arranged on the display surface of the rotatable electronic viewfinder, the remote control light-receiving window can be directed in any rotatable direction. Performance and operability can be improved. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the speaker is arranged on the display surface of the rotatable electronic viewfinder, the speaker can be directed in any rotatable direction, and the sound reproduction performance and operability are improved. Can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera for magnetically recording an image according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the back side.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 1 with an electronic viewfinder opened, as viewed from the back side.

FIG. 3 shows the camera with the electronic viewfinder opened in FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the state in which it has been rotated, as viewed from the front side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional camera for magnetically recording an image as viewed from the rear side.

5 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 4 as viewed from the front.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera main body, 1a ... Back surface, 1b ... Front surface, 1c ... Top surface, 1d, 1e ... Side surface, 2 ...
Electronic viewfinder, 2a ... display surface, 3 ... hinge unit, 3a, 3b, 3c ... rotary axis, 4 ...
-Microphone, 5-Remote control light-receiving window, 6-Speaker, 7-LCD monitor, 8-Shooting lens, 9-
..Shooting switch, 10 ... finder, 11 ...
・ Strobe device, 12 ・ ・ ・ Display window, 13 ・ ・ ・ Battery cover, 14 ・ ・ ・ Shooting mode setting dial, 15
···Manual operation button

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/232 H04N 5/232 B

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A camera with an electronic viewfinder having an electronic viewfinder rotatably supported by at least one rotation shaft with respect to a camera body, wherein the camera is provided at an appropriate position on a display surface of the electronic viewfinder. A camera with an electronic viewfinder, which has a microphone for recording. 2. A camera with an electronic viewfinder having an electronic viewfinder rotatably supported by at least one rotation axis with respect to a camera body, wherein the camera is provided at an appropriate position on a display surface of the electronic viewfinder. A camera with an electronic viewfinder, comprising a remote control light receiving window for receiving a signal transmitted from the remote control device. 3. An electronic viewfinder-equipped camera provided with an electronic viewfinder rotatably supported by at least one rotation shaft with respect to a camera body, wherein the camera is provided at an appropriate position on a display surface of the electronic viewfinder. A camera with an electronic viewfinder, wherein a speaker for outputting reproduced sound is arranged.