JP2001174858A - Camera equipped with automatic exposure controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera equipped with an automatic exposure controller capable of realizing photographing at a previously set exposure control value in a state where a photographer looks in a finder in the case of photographing in a state where the photographer releases his (her) eye from the finder. SOLUTION: A photoreflector 117 outputting a detection signal when the photographer looks in an eyepiece 115 is provided near the eyepiece 115. When the detection signal is outputted from the photoreflector 117, a CPU 11 executes photometry and AE arithmetic processing at specified intervals and stores obtained appropriate shutter speed and diaphragm value in a RAM 11b. When the detection signal is not outputted from the photoreflector 117, the CPU 11 inhibits the photometry, the AE arithmetic operation and the storage of the values in the RAM 11b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera provided with an exposure control device that allows a photographer to take a picture such as a remote control picture or a self-timer picture while keeping his / her eyes away from a finder section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a single-lens reflex camera having a function such as remote control photographing or self-timer photographing, which allows a photographer to take a photograph with his / her eyes removed from a finder section (finder eyepiece). In order to effectively utilize this function, the photographer looks into the viewfinder eyepiece, determines the composition, sets the exposure value, the focus state, and the like in advance, and then performs a remote control operation or a self-timer operation. On the other hand, the camera re-executes the photometry processing and the arithmetic processing when the remote control signal is received or the self-timer has elapsed, and executes the exposure processing based on the obtained appropriate shutter speed and aperture value. However, when the photographer is not looking through the finder eyepiece, such as when receiving a remote control signal or when the self-timer has elapsed, external light enters the finder from the finder eyepiece side, and the opposite incident light enters the photometric sensor, In some cases, an appropriate photometric value could not be obtained. Also,
In order to prevent this, it is necessary to provide an eyepiece shutter on the finder eyepiece and close it, or attach an eyepiece cap to the finder eyepiece, or provide an operation member for AE lock on the camera body and operate it. However, the operation was troublesome and not preferable.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic exposure control device capable of taking a picture with a preset exposure control value in a state where the photographer looks through the finder in photographing with the photographer taking his / her eyes away from the finder. It is intended to provide a camera.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve this object, the present invention provides a photometric device, a setting device for setting exposure data for exposure control based on a photometric value each time the photometric device performs photometry, Release means for performing exposure control based on the obtained exposure data, detection means for detecting whether or not the photographer is looking into the viewfinder, and when it is detected by the detection means that the photographer is not looking into the viewfinder. Prohibiting means for prohibiting setting of exposure data for exposure control by the setting means.
When the release means executes exposure control, if the exposure data for exposure control is not set in the setting means when the release means executes the exposure control, the prohibition means may slightly deviate from the appropriate exposure value, but may not be able to shoot. In order to prevent this, it is desirable to cancel the prohibition of the setting of exposure data for exposure control by the setting unit. The detecting means includes a light emitting means and a light receiving means, and the light emitted by the light emitting means is reflected to a photographer, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving means, so that the photographer is looking into the finder section. It is desirable to detect it, and it is good to provide it near the finder section.

The present invention is applicable to remote control photography. That is, the camera includes a selection member for selectively selecting a plurality of functions including a remote control photographing function provided in the camera, and a receiving unit for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a transmitter formed separately from the camera. The release means, when the remote control shooting function is selected by the selection member,
When the receiving means receives a remote control signal, it is desirable to execute exposure control based on exposure control exposure data set by the setting means. The present invention is also applicable to self-timer shooting. In other words, the camera includes a selection member for selectively selecting a plurality of functions including a self-timer shooting function provided in the camera, and a release operation member, and the release unit has a self-timer shooting function selected by the selection member. When the release operation member is operated, the exposure control is performed based on exposure data for exposure control set by the setting means when a predetermined time has elapsed after the release operation member was operated. It is desirable. According to the above-described configuration, in photographing performed with the photographer taking his / her eyes away from the viewfinder, photographing can be performed with a preset exposure control value while the photographer looks through the viewfinder.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an embodiment of a camera body of an AF (autofocus) single-lens reflex camera to which the present invention is applied. On the left side of the front of the camera body 101, a release button 105, a main switch lever 107, a drive mode setting button 10
8, an external LCD 109 for displaying shooting information such as the number of shots, shutter speed, and aperture value is provided. On the right side of the front of the camera body 101, an AF mode switching lever for switching between automatic focus control and manual focus control is provided. 1
11. Transmitter 2 formed separately from camera body 101
A remote control signal receiving section 113 for receiving a remote control signal from 00 is provided. The transmitter 200 includes a remote control release button 201 and a remote control signal transmission unit 203. When the remote control release button 201 is turned on, the remote control signal transmission unit
A remote control signal for causing 1 to execute a release process is transmitted. On the back of the camera body 101, as shown in FIG. 2, an eyepiece 115 and a photoreflector 117 are provided at the upper center thereof. Photo reflector 117
Although described in detail later, it functions as a detecting unit that detects whether or not the photographer is looking into the eyepiece 115.
In addition, in this specification, "the photographer uses the eyepiece 11
5 (viewfinder) "means that the photographer actually looks into the eyepiece 115, or the photographer keeps his / her eyes close to the eyepiece 115. Means that external light is unlikely to be incident on the photometric IC 41 provided inside the eyepiece 115 from the eyepiece 115 side.

The configuration of the control system of the camera body 101 will be described in more detail with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. The camera body 101 includes a CPU 11 that controls the operation of the camera as a whole. The CPU 11
RO in which programs related to camera functions are written
It has a built-in RAM 11b that temporarily stores M11a and various parameters related to photography. Further CP
An EEPROM 39 for writing the number of shots, various rewritable parameters, and modes is connected to U11. The CPU 11 functions as a setting unit, a calculation unit, and a prohibition unit in addition to functioning as a general control unit of the camera body 101, and the RAM 11b functions as a photometry value memory unit and a calculation value memory unit.

The voltage of a battery 13 loaded in a battery chamber (not shown) of the camera body 101 is supplied to the CPU 11 as a constant voltage via a voltage regulator 15. The CPU 11 operates the oscillator 17 with a constant voltage supplied from the voltage regulator 15 and operates in synchronization with a clock pulse output from the oscillator 17.

The CPU 11 is connected to a main switch SWM, a photometric switch SWS, a release switch SWR, an AF mode changeover switch SWAF, and a drive mode setting switch SWD as switch means. The main switch SWM is a switch linked to the main switch lever 107. When the main switch lever 107 is turned on and the main switch SWM is turned on, the main switch SWM is turned on.
U11 is activated. Then, the CPU 11 supplies power to the peripheral members and starts processing according to the operated switch. The photometric switch SWS and the release switch SWR are respectively linked with the release button 105,
These switches are turned on when the release button 105 is half-pressed and fully pressed.

When the photometric switch SWS is turned on, the CPU
Numeral 11 executes a photometric process for obtaining the luminance of the subject via a photometric IC 41 functioning as a photometric means. Then, an exposure calculation (AE calculation) process for calculating an appropriate shutter speed and an aperture value from the obtained subject brightness and ISO sensitivity is executed. The appropriate shutter speed and aperture value obtained by the AE calculation are stored in the RAM 11b.

When the photometric switch SWS is turned on, the CPU 11 further inputs a video signal of a subject image from the phase difference type AF CCD 33 to calculate a defocus amount and a motor drive amount of the AF motor 29, and a motor driver IC.
The AF motor 29 is driven via the
AF for moving one focus adjustment lens group L to a focus position
Execute the process. The rotation of the AF motor 29 is transmitted to a joint (not shown) of the taking lens 61 via a joint (not shown), and drives the focus adjusting mechanism 67 via the joint of the taking lens 61 to move the focus adjusting lens group L. Move to the focus position. The CPU 11 determines the amount of movement of the focus adjustment lens group L as the number of AF pulses output by the AF photointerrupter 31 in conjunction with the rotation of the AF motor 29, and controls the driving of the AF motor 29 based on the number of AF pulses.

When the release switch SWR is turned on, CP
U11 raises the mirror, activates the aperture control circuit 37 based on the appropriate aperture value set by the AE calculation, stops down the aperture of the taking lens 61, and activates the shutter control circuit 35 based on the appropriate shutter speed. Exposed. When the exposure is completed, the mechanical charge motor 21 is operated via the motor driver IC 19 to lower the mirror and charge the front curtain and rear curtain travel springs of the shutter mechanism. Further, the CPU 11 operates the film motor 25 via the motor driver IC 23 to wind up the film by one frame. The AF mode switch SWAF is a switch that switches between automatic focus control and manual focus control in conjunction with the AF mode switch lever 111.

The drive mode setting switch SWD is a switch linked to the drive mode setting button 108. Each time the drive mode setting button 108 is pressed and the drive mode setting switch SWD is turned on, the mode is changed and set in the order of self-timer mode → remote control mode → single mode → self-timer mode. When the self-timer mode is set, the release switch S
When the WR is turned on, a predetermined timer starts,
Release processing is performed when the timer time elapses. When the remote control mode is set, the CPU 11 receives a remote control signal transmitted from the transmitter 200 via the remote control light receiving IC 47 functioning as a receiving unit, and executes a release process.

The CPU 11 is connected to a photo reflector 117 which functions as a detecting means for detecting whether or not the photographer is looking into the eyepiece 115.
The photo-reflector 117 includes a light-emitting element 117a that emits light in a direction in which subject light is emitted from the eyepiece 115, and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light returned by reflecting light emitted from the light-emitting element 117a. The light receiving element 117b is provided. In the present embodiment, the photographer looks into the eyepiece 115 and focuses on the focusing screen 11.
8 while viewing the subject image formed on the light emitting element 1
When light is emitted from 17a, the emitted light is reflected on the forehead of the photographer, the reflected light is received by the light receiving element 117b, and a detection signal is output to the CPU 11 (see FIG. 3). When the photographer does not look into the eyepiece 115, there is no object that reflects the light emitted from the light emitting element 117a near the eyepiece 115.
b cannot receive the light emitted by the light emitting element 117a. That is, the CPU 11 operates the photoreflector 117.
The photographer can determine whether the eyepiece 115
It detects whether or not you are looking into. In the following description, when the detection signal is being output from the photoreflector 117, the photoreflector 117 is said to be on.

In the present embodiment, when the self-timer mode and the remote control mode are set by the drive mode setting button 108, the photographer can use the eyepiece 115.
The photometry and the AE calculation are prohibited when the user is not looking through the camera. However, if the photometry and the AE calculation are not performed before the photometry and the AE calculation performed immediately before the release process, the photometry and the AE calculation may be performed even if the photoreflector 117 is not turned on. This is because the proper shutter speed and the aperture value for the exposure control are not stored in the RAM 11b, and it is considered that it is better to be able to shoot even in a state slightly deviating from the proper exposure value.

Further, the CPU 11 stores shooting information and the like.
An external LC as a display means for displaying information necessary for shooting
D109 and the in-finder LCD 45 are connected. When the main switch SWM is turned off, the CPU 11 displays nothing, and when the main switch SWM is turned on, the external LCD 109 displays the number of shots, the selected shutter speed, the mode, and the like. Nothing is displayed until the photometry and the AE operation are performed. After photometry and AE processing, the external L
The CD 109 and the LCD 45 in the viewfinder display useful information such as the calculated proper shutter speed and aperture value for photographing.

A photographing lens 61 having a lens CPU 63 is mounted on a camera body 101. When the photographing lens 61 is mounted on the camera body 101, the CPU 11 executes lens data communication with the lens CPU 63, and executes the focal length. When the photographing lens 61 is a zoom lens, the current focal length and the photographing distance (focus adjustment) Lens data such as the position of the lens group L) and the open aperture value are input.

Next, the operation of the single-lens reflex camera (camera body 101) will be described in more detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. These flowcharts are processes controlled by the CPU 11 by a program written in the built-in ROM.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the main processing of the camera body 101 when the battery 13 is loaded. A battery 13 is loaded in the battery chamber,
When the battery lid is closed, the CPU 11 initializes peripheral circuits connected to each input / output port (S11), initializes each input / output port, built-in RAM, and the like (S13), and shuts off power supply to the peripheral circuits. (S15). The above processing is started when a battery is loaded, but the following processing is repeated when the battery is loaded.

"Main switch SWM OFF loop"
First, the RAM 11b is cleared and the on / off state of each switch is input to check whether the main switch SWM is on (S16, S17, S19).
When the main switch SWM is off (S19;
N), the interruption of the 250 ms (millisecond) timer is permitted, and the CPU 11 shifts to the standby state (sleep state) and waits until 250 ms elapses.
11 releases the standby state and starts up (S21 to S21).
25). While the main switch SWM is off, the above processing of S17 to S25 is repeated. In addition, 250m
The s timer is a timer for setting a period for periodically checking whether the main switch SWM is turned on.

"PH OFF loop" main switch S
When the WM is turned on (S19; Y), the CPU 11 cuts off the power supply to the peripheral circuits, clears the RAM 11b,
Information necessary for shooting, such as the number of shots and ISO sensitivity, is displayed on the external LCD 109 (S27, S28, S29). Then, the on / off state of each switch is input (S3).
1). Main switch SWM from the input switch state
Is turned on, and if the main switch SWM is not turned on, the process returns to S15 (S33;
N). If the main switch SWM is on, the interruption of the photometric switch SWS and the drive mode setting switch SWD is permitted, the light emitting element 117a is turned on, the interruption of the photo reflector 117 is permitted, and it is checked whether the remote control mode is set. (S33;
Y, S35, S37).

If the remote control mode is not set (S37; N), the process skips S39 and proceeds to S41.
If the remote control mode has already been set in the drive mode setting process of S63, the remote control light receiving IC 47 is turned on to permit the remote control interrupt, and the process proceeds to S41 (S37;
Y, S39). Then, the interruption of the 250 ms timer is permitted and the timer is started, and the CPU 11 shifts to the standby state, and checks whether or not the interruption of the photometry switch SWS, the photoreflector 117, or the drive setting switch SWD has been performed (S41, S43,
S45, S47, S49).

Photometric switch SWS, photoreflector 1
17. When there is no interruption of the drive mode setting switch SWD, it is determined whether or not a remote control interruption has occurred next, that is, the remote control light receiving IC 47
It is checked whether the remote control signal transmitted from 00 has been detected (S45; N, S47; N, S49;
N, S51). When there is no remote control interrupt (including the case where the remote control interrupt is not permitted), the control waits until the 250 ms timer time elapses.
When the ms timer elapses, the CPU 11 starts up, clears the interrupt permission of the photometry switch SWS, the drive mode setting SWD, and the release switch SWR, and sets the light emitting element 117
is turned off to clear the interrupt permission of the photoreflector 117, the remote control light receiving IC 47 is turned off to clear the remote control interrupt permission, and the process returns to S28 (S51; N, S
53). When the remote control interrupt is permitted and the remote control interrupt occurs, the power supply to the peripheral circuit is started, and the processes in and after S95 described later are executed. (S51;
Y, S55, S96 to S103). It should be noted that when a remote control interrupt is issued in S51, at least once PH
In the ON loop processing, the drive mode setting processing is executed to set the remote control mode (S63). Since the main switch SWM has been turned off in S65, or S89
PH OFF because the metering timer has elapsed
Returning to the loop processing, the remote controller interrupt is input in S31, and the remote controller interrupt is permitted in S39.

"PH ON loop" photometric switch SW
If any of S, the photoreflector 117, or the drive mode setting switch SWD is interrupted (S45; Y, or S45; N, S47; Y, or S45; N, S47; N, S49; Y), Proceeding to S57, power supply to peripheral circuits is started, a 10-second photometric timer is started, and PHON loop processing is started (S57,
S59). When entering the PH ON loop processing, first, the ON / OFF state of each switch is input to execute the drive mode setting processing (S61, S63). In the drive mode setting processing, a mode set by the drive mode setting button 108 is set from the self-timer mode, the remote control mode, and the single mode, which will be described in detail later.

Next, it is checked whether or not the main switch SWM has been turned on based on the switch state input in S61 (S65). If the main switch SWM has not been turned on, the process returns to S15 (S65; N, S1
5). If the main switch SWM is on, it is checked whether the photometric switch SWS is on (S67). When the photometric switch SWS is ON, the CCD 33 is driven to input a video signal of the subject image, and the driving direction and the driving amount of the AF motor 29 are obtained to obtain A.
The F motor 29 is driven to move the focus adjustment lens group L of the photographing lens 61 to the in-focus position, and the photometry and the AE calculation process are started (S69 to S75). If the photometry switch SWS has not been turned on, steps S69 to S73 are skipped and the photometry and AE calculation processing are started (S67; N, S7).
5).

In the photometric and AE arithmetic processing, although details will be described later, a photometric value is obtained via a photometric IC 41, an appropriate shutter speed Tv, an aperture value Av and the like are calculated based on the obtained photometric value, and the calculated values are stored in the RAM 11b. This is a process of overwriting and storing. In the present embodiment, if the photo reflector 117 is not turned on when the self-timer mode or the remote control mode is set, the photometry processing and the A
The configuration is such that the E operation processing is prohibited and the memory of the operation result is further prohibited.

In the photometry and AE calculation processing, the RAM 1
Shutter speed Tv and aperture value A stored in memory 1b
v, the drive mode set in S63, and other information useful for shooting, the in-viewfinder LCD 45 and the external LCD 10
9 (S77). Next, a 125 ms timer is started to permit the interruption of the release switch SWR. If the remote control mode is set in S63, the remote control interrupt is permitted and the process proceeds to S87. If the remote control mode is not set, S85 is skipped. To S87, and if 125 ms timer time has elapsed, PH
Return to ON loop processing (S79 to S85, S87;
Y, S61). The 125 ms timer is a timer for setting a cycle for executing the AF processing of S69 to S73 or the photometry and AE calculation processing of S75.

If the 125 ms timer time has not elapsed, it is checked whether the photometry timer time has elapsed (S87; N, S89). If 10 seconds have elapsed, the process returns to S27 (S89; Y, S27). However, in step S103, the photometry timer is set for 2 seconds and PHO is set.
If the process has entered the N-loop process, the process returns to S27 if the photometric timer 2 seconds has elapsed. If the photometry timer time has not elapsed, it is checked whether or not there is an interrupt of the release switch SWR or an interrupt of the remote controller.
The release command waits until the ms timer or the photometry timer elapses (S89; N, S91; N, S9).
3; N, S87).

"Release processing by release interrupt"
When the release switch SWR is interrupted,
The process skips 93 and proceeds to S95, sets the final photometry flag for identifying whether the photometry and the AE calculation process are performed immediately before the release process, and re-executes the photometry and the AE calculation process (S
91; Y, S95, S97). Although details will be described later, in the photometry and AE calculation processing executed when the final photometry flag is set, even when the self-timer mode or the remote control mode is set and the photoreflector 117 is not turned on, the RAM 11b is stored in the RAM 11b. When the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av are not stored, the photometering and the AE calculation are executed to obtain the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av and are stored in the RAM 11b.

After the photometry and AE calculation processing are completed, the final photometry flag is cleared, and a release process is executed based on the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av stored in S75 or S97 (S98, S99). The details of the release process will be described later.
AM11b is cleared, the film motor 25 is operated to perform a film winding process of winding the film by one frame, a photometric 2-second timer is started, the process returns to S61, and the PH ON loop is repeated (S100, S10).
1, S103).

"Release process by remote control interrupt" S
If there is a remote control interrupt at 93, the final photometry flag is set and the final photometry and AE calculation process are performed.
In this case, since the photo reflector 117 is not turned on, the photometry and the AE calculation are not performed, the final photometry flag is cleared, and the process proceeds to S99 (S93; Y, S95, S9).
7, S98). However, when the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av are not stored in the RAM, the photometry and the AE calculation process are executed. In S99, the proper shutter speed Tv stored in the RAM in S75 or S97 is used.
Then, a release process is executed based on the aperture value Av (S99). After the release process is completed, the RAM 11b is cleared, the film is wound up by one frame, a 2-meter photometry timer is started, the process returns to S61, and the PH ON loop process is repeated (S100, S101, S103).

The drive mode setting process executed in step S63 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. When this process starts, the drive mode setting switch S
Check whether WD is on (S11)
1). When the drive mode setting switch SWD is off, the process returns (S111; N). When the drive mode setting switch SWD is on,
It is checked whether the currently set mode is the single mode (S111; Y, S113). If the single mode has been set, the mode is changed to the self-timer mode and the process returns (S113; Y, S121). If the currently set mode is not the single mode, it is checked whether the self-timer mode is set (S113; N, S115). When the self mode is set, the mode is changed to the remote control mode and the process returns (S115; Y, S119). When the self mode is not set, the mode is changed to the single mode and the process is returned (S115; N, S117). ). That is, each time the drive mode setting switch SWD is turned on, the order is changed in the order of single mode → self-timer mode → remote control mode → single mode.

The photometry and AE calculation processing executed in steps S75 and S97 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. In this process, first, it is checked whether the self-timer mode or the remote control mode is set (S131). When the self-timer mode or the remote control mode is set, photometry processing and AE are performed only when the photographer is looking into the eyepiece 115.
Next, the photoreflector 117 is used to execute the arithmetic processing.
It is checked whether there has been an interrupt (S13).
1; Y, S133). When the self-timer mode and the remote control mode are not set, or when the photoreflector 117 is interrupted, a photometric process is executed to obtain a photometric value (S131; N or S133;
Y, S135). Then, an AE operation is performed based on the obtained photometric value to obtain an appropriate shutter speed Tv and an aperture value Av, and the RAM 11b is overwritten and stored, and the process returns (S137, S139).

If there is no interruption of the photoreflector 117, it is checked whether or not the final photometry flag is set because the photographer is not looking into the eyepiece 115 (S133; N, S141). If the final metering flag is not set, the release process (S9)
9) Since it is not the photometry and AE calculation processing (S97) performed immediately before, the photometry and AE calculation are prohibited, and the process returns (S141; N). If the final photometry flag is set, it is checked whether the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av are stored in the RAM 11b (S141; Y, S143). When the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av are not stored in the RAM 11b, since the photometry and the AE calculation are not performed, the process proceeds to S13.
The program proceeds to step S5, where a photometric value is obtained via the photometric IC 41, an appropriate shutter speed Tv and an aperture value Av are calculated based on the obtained photometric value, stored in the RAM 11b, and the process returns (S1).
43; Y, S135-S139). When the proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av are stored in the RAM 11b, the process returns as it is (S143; N) in order to execute the release process with the already stored proper shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av. The RAM 11b is cleared in S100 after the release processing, S28 when returning to the PH OFF loop processing, or S16 when returning to the main switch OFF loop processing.

Therefore, when the photographer does not look into the eyepiece 115, the photometry and the AE calculation process are not performed. Therefore, even when the photographer takes a picture away from the camera such as a self-timer photographing or a remote control photographing, the photographer does not execute the photographing. The photographing can be performed with the exposure control value stored in the RAM 11b while looking through the eyepiece 115.

The release process executed in S99 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. In this process, it is checked whether the self-timer mode is set. If the self-timer mode is set, the self-timer mode process is executed (S151; Y, S
153). In the self-timer mode process, a predetermined timer is started and waits until the timer time elapses. When the timer time elapses, the process proceeds to S155. If the self-timer mode is not set, the process skips S153 and proceeds to S155 (S151; N).

In step S155, the mechanical charge motor 21 is operated to raise the mirror, and the aperture control circuit 37 is operated.
At 97, the operation is stopped at the appropriate aperture value Av stored in the RAM 11b (S155). Next, the shutter control circuit 35 is operated, and the shutter device is operated at the appropriate shutter speed Tv stored in the RAM 11b in S75 or S97 (S
157). When the operation of the shutter device is completed, the shutter charge is moved to the operation start position while the mirror is lowered by operating the mechanical charge motor 21 and the shutter charge spring is charged, and the process returns (S159).

The above is the main operation of the camera body 101 of the present embodiment. Next, an example of the operation procedure of the photographer at the time of remote control photographing and the outline of the operation of the camera body 101 receiving the operation will be described. First, the photographer turns on the main switch SWM by turning on the main switch lever 107 (S19; Y). Next, the drive mode setting button 108 is pressed to release the camera body 101 (C
The remote control mode is set in the PU 11) (S57), and the photographer determines the composition while looking into the eyepiece 115, and half-presses the release button 105 (S67; Y). Then, the camera body 101 performs the AF process (S69 to S73).
Then, photometry and AE calculation processing (S75) are executed to focus on a subject desired by the photographer, and an appropriate shutter speed Tv and aperture value Av are set. At this time, the set appropriate shutter speed Tv is displayed on the external LCD 109.
In addition, information necessary for photographing, such as information indicating that the aperture value Av, the remote control mode has been set, and the like are displayed (S77). Therefore, the photographer can check the set photographing state.
For example, when an undesired shooting state of the photographer is set, such as when a warning display such as an AF error display is displayed, the photographer presses the release button 105 halfway again while looking into the eyepiece 115. Then, the photometric processing and the like can be executed again. When the desired photographing state can be set as described above, the photographer carries the transmitter 200 away from the camera body 101 and moves the remote control signal transmitting unit 2
03 is a remote control signal receiving unit 113 of the camera body 101.
The remote control release button 201 is turned on toward (S93; Y or S51; Y). Camera body 101
When the photographer does not look into the eyepiece 115, the CPU 11 does not execute the photometry, the AE calculation, or the overwriting memory on the RAM 11b.
The release process is executed based on the appropriate shutter speed Tv and the aperture value Av already set in the RAM 11b while looking through the shutter 15 (S99). Therefore, exposure control with an appropriate shutter speed Tv and an aperture value Av set by the photographer looking into the eyepiece 115 becomes possible.

In this embodiment, the photo reflector 117
Is off, the three processes of photometry, AE calculation and overwriting of the calculation result are prohibited, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, photoreflector 1
In a state where 17 is off, a configuration may be adopted in which only rewriting of the AE calculation result in the RAM 11b is prohibited regardless of whether or not to execute the photometry and the AE calculation. In other words, when the photoreflector 117 is off, if at least one of the following photometry, photometry value overwrite memory, AE calculation, and AE calculation result overwrite memory is prohibited, the set exposure Since resetting of control photographing data is prohibited, the same effect as that of the present embodiment can be obtained.

In the above description, in the present embodiment, the photoreflector which is advantageous in that it does not take up space and the output of the light emitting element is small is used as the detecting means, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the detection means may be configured to detect whether external light is incident on the finder from the eyepiece side. Regarding the position where the photoreflector is disposed, the light emitted from the light emitting element is reflected to the photographer regardless of the direction in which the photographer holds the camera, and the position and the direction in which the reflected light can be received by the light receiving element. Good.

In the above description, the case where the automatic exposure control mode in which the shutter speed and the aperture value are automatically set based on the photometric value measured by the CPU 11 has been described. The present invention can be applied to a case where a shutter priority control mode in which an aperture value is automatically set according to a shutter speed and an aperture priority mode in which a shutter speed is set according to an aperture value manually set by a photographer are set.

[0042]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has a detecting means for detecting whether or not the photographer is looking into the finder section, and the detecting means does not allow the photographer to look into the finder section. If detected, the resetting of exposure data for exposure control is prohibited, so even if the photographer does not look through the viewfinder, the exposure set while the photographer is looking through the viewfinder Exposure control can be performed based on the data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an embodiment of a camera body of an AF (autofocus) single-lens reflex camera to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a back surface of the same-lens reflex camera.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section of a viewfinder section of the same-lens reflex camera which is longitudinally cut at the center.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of a control system of the same-lens reflex camera.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of a main process relating to a camera operation of the single-lens reflex camera.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a part of a main process relating to a camera operation of the same-lens reflex camera.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a drive mode setting process of the same-lens reflex camera.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing photometry and AE calculation processing of the same-lens reflex camera.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a release process of the same-lens reflex camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 CPU 47 Remote control light receiving IC 61 Photographing lens 101 Camera body 105 Release button 113 Remote control light receiving unit 115 Eyepiece 117 Photoreflector 117a Light emitting element 117b Light receiving element 200 Transmitter

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 11, 2000 (2008.1.
1)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 6

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 6

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A photometric unit, a setting unit that sets exposure data for exposure control based on a photometric value each time the photometric unit performs photometry, and performs exposure control based on the exposure data set by the setting unit. Release means, detecting means for detecting whether or not the photographer is looking into the finder section, and when the detecting means detects that the photographer is not looking into the finder section, the setting means controls the exposure. A camera comprising an automatic exposure control device, comprising: a prohibition unit for prohibiting setting of exposure data. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit includes a photometric value memory unit that rewrites and stores a photometric value each time the photometric unit performs photometry, and performs exposure control based on the photometric value stored in the photometric value memory unit. When the detecting means detects that the photographer is not looking through the viewfinder, the prohibiting means rewrites the photometric value of the photometric means or the photometric value by the photometric value memory means. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cameras is prohibited. 3. The setting means comprises calculating means for calculating exposure data for exposure control based on the photometric value each time the photometric means performs photometry, and calculating the exposure data each time the calculating means calculates. Resetting the data as exposure data for exposure control, wherein the prohibiting means prohibits the calculation by the calculating means when the detecting means detects that the photographer is not looking through the viewfinder. A camera comprising the automatic exposure control device according to claim 1. 4. The setting means includes calculation value memory means for rewriting and storing the calculated photographing data each time the calculation means performs calculation, and stores the exposure data stored in the calculation value memory means for exposure control. Wherein the prohibition means prohibits rewriting of the exposure data by the calculated value memory means when the detection means detects that the photographer is not looking through the finder section. A camera comprising the automatic exposure control device according to claim 3. 5. The prohibition means, wherein when the release means performs exposure control, if the exposure data for exposure control is not set in the setting means, the photographer looks into the viewfinder by the detection means. Release of the prohibition of the setting of the exposure data for the exposure control by the setting unit even when it is detected that the exposure data is not set, and the setting unit sets the exposure data for the exposure control based on the photometric value of the photometric unit. The camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the release unit performs exposure control based on the exposure data set by the setting unit. 6. A selecting member for selectively selecting a plurality of functions including a remote control photographing function provided in the camera, and a receiving member for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a transmitter formed separately from the camera. Means for releasing, based on exposure data for exposure control set by the setting means, when the receiving means receives a remote control signal when a remote control photographing function is selected by the operation member. A camera provided with the automatic exposure control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein exposure control is performed by using the automatic exposure control device. 7. A release member comprising: a selection member for selectively selecting a plurality of functions including a self-timer photographing function provided in the camera; and a release operation member, wherein the release means includes a self-timer photographing function by the selection member. When the release operation member is operated when is selected, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the release operation member was operated, the exposure control is performed based on the exposure data set by the setting means. A camera comprising the automatic exposure control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 8. The detecting means includes a light emitting means and a light receiving means, wherein light emitted from the light emitting means is reflected by a photographer,
The automatic exposure control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reflected light is received by the light receiving unit to detect that a photographer is looking into a finder unit. camera. 9. The camera according to claim 8, wherein said detection means is provided near a finder portion of said camera.