JP2006295718A - Camera holder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera holder for holding a camera so as to stably obtain audio information, regardless of the attitude of the camera. <P>SOLUTION: A microphone 12 is built in a camera holder 10 that is a tripod mounting seat. The camera holder 10 and a camera 1 are connected by a communication cable 13, and audio information that is acquired by the microphone 12 is conveyed to the camera 1. Even if the attitude of the camera 1 is changed into lateral position by loosening of a lens fixing screw 11, the position of the microphone 12 will not change, so that audio information can be acquired stably. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera holding device used for a camera that can use audio information.

Digital cameras that can add sound to moving images and still images are already on the market. Further, for example, a proposal as in Patent Document 1 is also proposed. In any of these cameras, a microphone is provided in the camera.
However, when the microphone is provided on the camera, there are the following problems when the camera is attached to a tripod.

  When shooting with a camera attached to a tripod, for example, if you change the camera posture between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the direction of the microphone when acquiring audio will change depending on the camera posture, When the directivity of the microphone is high, there is a problem that the sound information obtained varies depending on the posture of the camera.

Also, even when an omnidirectional microphone is provided on the camera, depending on the posture of the camera, if an obstacle such as a tripod is positioned on the front surface of the microphone, the audio information obtained by the difference in posture will differ. There was a problem.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-9122

  The subject of this invention is providing the camera holding fixture which hold | maintains a camera so that audio | voice information can be acquired stably irrespective of the attitude | position of a camera.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 is a camera holding device for directly or indirectly holding a camera, and a camera holding device to which a microphone for acquiring audio information is fixed.
A second aspect of the present invention is the camera holding instrument according to the first aspect, further comprising communication means for transmitting audio information acquired by the microphone to the camera.
The invention of claim 3 is a camera holding device for directly or indirectly holding the camera, and is a camera holding device having a microphone mounting portion for attaching a microphone for acquiring audio information.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the camera holding device according to the third aspect, the microphone mounting portion is provided at a plurality of positions at different positions.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the camera holding device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the lens barrel is provided between the tripod and the lens barrel and holds the lens barrel. A tripod mounting seat that has a holding portion and indirectly holds the camera with respect to a tripod by holding the lens barrel, wherein the lens holding portion is centered around the optical axis of the lens barrel. The direction of holding the lens barrel can be changed by at least 90 °, and the microphone or the microphone mounting portion is provided at a position that does not move even if the direction of holding the lens barrel is changed. This is a camera holding device characterized by that.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the camera holding device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the cloud is provided between the tripod and the camera and directly holds the camera with respect to the tripod. The mounting angle of the camera to the tripod can be arbitrarily changed, and the microphone or the microphone mounting portion is provided at a position that does not move even if the mounting angle of the camera to the tripod is changed. It is a camera holding device characterized by the above.

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the microphone for acquiring the voice information is fixed, the position of the microphone does not change depending on the posture in which the camera is held, and the voice information is stabilized regardless of the posture of the camera. Can be obtained in the state.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the communication means for transmitting the audio information acquired by the microphone to the camera is provided, the audio information can be easily recorded or used by the camera.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the microphone mounting portion for mounting the microphone for acquiring audio information is provided, the position of the microphone does not change depending on the posture in which the camera is held, regardless of the posture of the camera. Audio information can be acquired in a stable state. Further, the microphone can be changed as appropriate according to the application. Furthermore, in the state where the microphone is not attached, it can be used as a normal camera holding device.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the plurality of microphone mounting portions are provided at different positions, the microphone mounting portions can be used at the optimal microphone position for the photographing conditions.

  According to invention of Claim 5, it is a tripod mounting seat, Comprising: The lens holding | maintenance part can change the direction which hold | maintains a lens barrel centering around the optical axis vicinity of a lens barrel at least 90 degrees, a microphone, Alternatively, since the microphone mounting portion is provided at a position where it does not move even if the orientation for holding the lens barrel is changed, the voice information can be acquired in a stable state without impairing the function as a tripod mounting seat. Can do.

  According to invention of Claim 6, it is a pan head, Comprising: The attachment angle with respect to the tripod of a camera can be changed arbitrarily, and even if a microphone or a microphone attachment part changes the attachment angle with respect to the tripod of a camera, Since it is provided at a position where it does not move, voice information can be acquired in a stable state without impairing the function of a normal pan head.

  The objective of stably obtaining audio information regardless of the camera posture has been realized by making it possible to attach or attach a microphone to the camera holder.

FIG. 1 is a view showing Embodiment 1 of a camera holding device according to the present invention.
The camera holding device 10 according to the first embodiment is a tripod mounting seat that is provided between the tripod 3 and the lens barrel 2 and that indirectly holds the camera 1 with respect to the tripod 3 by holding the lens barrel 2. is there.
The camera 1 is a digital still camera whose main purpose is still image shooting and whose shooting lens can be exchanged. In addition to still images, the camera 1 can also record audio.
The lens barrel 2 is an interchangeable lens that is detachable from the camera 1.
The tripod 3 is an ordinary tripod for fixing a camera or the like using a tripod screw (not shown) provided on the camera platform 3a.
The camera holding device 10 includes a lens fixing screw 11, a microphone 12, a lens barrel holding portion 16, a tripod mounting portion 17, and the like.

The lens barrel holding portion 16 is a portion that holds the lens barrel 2 by being clearance-fitted to the lens barrel 2.
The lens fixing screw 11 is a screw that fixes the lens barrel 2 fitted in the lens barrel holding portion 16 to the camera holding device 10. When the lens fixing screw 11 is loosened, the lens barrel 2 can be rotated around the optical axis with respect to the lens barrel holding portion 16. Accordingly, by rotating the lens barrel 2 about the optical axis in this state, the posture of the camera 1 can be changed by 90 ° between the vertical position and the horizontal position. In addition, since the camera holding fixture 10 in this embodiment has nothing to regulate the rotation between the lens barrel holding portion 16 and the lens barrel 2 other than the lens fixing screw 11, the lens barrel 2 (camera 1) can be held at a free rotation angle position around the optical axis.

The microphone 12 is a microphone that can acquire audio information such as a voice of a subject. The audio information acquired by the microphone 12 is not limited to recording audio alone, but may be audio added to still image data.
The microphone 12 is fixed to the substantially opposite side of the tripod mounting portion 17 with the lens barrel 2 interposed therebetween. Therefore, when the camera holding device 10 is attached to the tripod 3 with the seat surface of the camera platform 3a of the tripod 3 being in a substantially horizontal state, the microphone 12 is disposed on the upper part of the lens barrel 2.
The tripod attachment part 17 is a part for attaching the camera holding device 10 to the tripod 3 using a tripod screw (not shown) provided on the pan head 3a of the tripod 3.
A communication cable 13 is attached between the camera 1 and the camera holding device 10.
The communication cable 13 is a communication unit that electrically connects the camera 1 and the camera holding device 10 using the connector portions 13a and 13b, and transmits audio information acquired by the microphone 12 to the camera 1.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which the lens barrel 2 and the camera 1 are rotated 90 degrees from the state of FIG.
The state shown in FIG. 2 is a horizontal position state (a state in which the longitudinal direction of the imaging range is substantially horizontal), and a vertical position state (a state in which the longitudinal direction of the imaging range is substantially vertical) shown in FIG. The camera 1 and the lens barrel 2 are rotated by 90 °.
1 and 2, the microphone 12 is always located above the lens barrel 2. As described above, in this embodiment, the position of the microphone 12 can always be a constant position even when the posture of the camera is changed. Therefore, it is possible to always obtain sound information stably.

If the microphone is built in the camera body, the tripod seat may block the front depending on the posture of the camera. In addition, when the microphone has high directivity, the direction in which the microphone is directed changes greatly even if it is not blocked by the tripod seat, so that the obtained audio information changes greatly depending on the posture of the camera.
However, according to the present embodiment, the position of the microphone 12 can be kept constant regardless of the posture of the camera 1, and sound information can always be acquired stably.

FIG. 3 is a view showing Embodiment 2 of the camera holding device according to the present invention.
The camera holding device 20 in the second embodiment is a tripod mounting seat that is provided between the tripod 3 and the lens barrel 2 and that indirectly holds the camera 1 with respect to the tripod 3 by holding the lens barrel 2. is there.
The camera 1, the lens barrel 2 and the tripod 3 are the same as in the first embodiment.
The camera holding device 20 includes a lens fixing screw 21, microphone mounting portions 24a, 24b, and 24c, a lens barrel holding portion 26, a tripod mounting portion 27, and the like.
The lens fixing screw 21, the lens barrel holding portion 26, and the tripod mounting portion 27 are portions having functions similar to those of the lens fixing screw 11, the lens barrel holding portion 16 and the tripod mounting portion 17 in the first embodiment.

  The microphone attaching portions 24a, 24b, and 24c are portions to which a microphone 22 described later can be attached. In this embodiment, the microphone attaching portions 24a, 24b, and 24c have a T-shaped groove shape into which the engaging convex portion 22a of the microphone 22 can be fitted. The microphone mounting portion 24 a is disposed on the substantially opposite side of the tripod mounting portion 27 with the lens barrel 2 interposed therebetween. The microphone mounting portion 24b is disposed at a position shifted by approximately 45 ° from the position of the microphone mounting portion 24a about the lens barrel 2, and the microphone mounting portion 24c is centered on the lens barrel 2 from the position of the microphone mounting portion 24a. It is arranged at a position shifted by approximately 90 °.

The microphone 22 is a microphone that can acquire audio information such as the voice of the subject, and is provided with an engaging convex portion 22a formed in a substantially T shape. The microphone 22 can be attached to an arbitrary position selected by the photographer by fitting the engaging protrusion 22a in the microphone attachment parts 24a, 24b, and 24c. FIG. 3 shows a state where the microphone 22 is attached to the microphone attachment portion 24a.
A communication cable 23 is integrally attached to the microphone 22 as communication means. One end of the communication cable 23 is a connector portion 23 a, which is connected to the camera 1 and can transmit audio information acquired by the microphone 22 to the camera 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the lens barrel 2 and the camera 1 are rotated 90 degrees from the state of FIG.
The state shown in FIG. 4 is a horizontal position state, and is a state in which the camera 1 and the lens barrel 2 are rotated by 90 ° from the vertical position state shown in FIG.
3 and 4, the microphone 22 is located above the lens barrel 2 that is selected and attached in advance. Thus, in the present embodiment, even if the posture of the camera is changed, the position of the microphone 22 can be made constant. Therefore, it is possible to always obtain sound information stably.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the attachment position of the microphone 22 is changed while keeping the posture of the camera 1 in the same vertical position as in FIG. 3.
Depending on the shooting situation, it may not be necessarily good that the microphone is positioned above the lens barrel 2. In such a case, for example, the position of the microphone 22 is appropriately changed as shown in FIG. 5. be able to. The changed position of the microphone 22 does not change even if the posture of the camera 1 is subsequently changed, and the voice information can be acquired in a stable state.

FIG. 6 is a view showing Embodiment 3 of the camera holding device according to the present invention.
The camera holding device 30 according to the third embodiment is a pan head that is provided between the tripod 3 and the camera 1 </ b> B and directly holds the camera 1 </ b> B with respect to the tripod 3. 6 shows an example in which the camera holding device 30 is further fixed on the camera platform 3a provided on the tripod 3. However, the camera holding device 30 is directly fixed to the leg portion of the tripod 3 by removing the camera platform 3a. May be used.
The camera 1B is a digital still camera whose main purpose is still image shooting. In addition to still images, the camera 1B can also record moving images, and can record audio in synchronization with moving images when shooting moving images. In the first embodiment, the photographing lens can be replaced. However, in the present embodiment, the photographing lens may be replaceable, or the camera may not be replaceable. .
The tripod 3 is an ordinary tripod for fixing a camera or the like using a tripod screw (not shown) provided on the camera platform 3a.

The camera holding device 30 includes a camera base 31, a microphone mounting portion 34, a camera base fixing screw 35, and the like.
The camera base 31 is a base to which a camera is attached, and a tripod screw (not shown) is attached thereto. The camera base 31 is rotatable within a predetermined range around the ball joint portion 31a (see FIG. 7). The camera base fixing screw 35 is a screw for fixing and releasing the movement of the camera base 31 around the ball joint portion 31a.
The microphone attachment portion 34 is formed in the main body portion of the camera holding device 30 that does not move with respect to the tripod 3 and is a portion to which the microphone 32 can be attached. Yes.

The microphone 32 is a microphone that can acquire audio information such as a voice of a subject, and an engaging portion corresponding to the microphone mounting portion 34 is provided. The microphone 32 can be attached to the camera holding device 30 by fitting the engaging portion to the microphone attachment portion 34.
A communication cable 33 is integrally attached to the microphone 32 as communication means. One end of the communication cable 33 is a connector portion 33a, which is connected to the camera 1B (see FIG. 7) and can transmit audio information acquired by the microphone 32 to the camera 1B.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the camera 1B is rotated by 90 ° together with the camera base 31 from the state shown in FIG.
The state shown in FIG. 7 is a vertical position state, which is a state in which the camera 1B is rotated by 90 ° from the horizontal position state shown in FIG.
6 and 7, the position of the body portion of the camera holding device 30 to which the microphone 32 is attached is unchanged with respect to the tripod 3. As described above, in this embodiment, the position of the microphone 32 can always be a constant position even when the posture of the camera is changed. Therefore, it is possible to always obtain sound information stably.
Further, since the camera holding device 30 is a pan head, any camera can be used as long as the camera has a tripod hole.
Further, since the microphone 32 is detachable with respect to the camera holding device 30, if the microphone 32 is removed, the microphone 32 can be used as an ordinary pan head.

FIG. 8 is a view showing Embodiment 4 of the camera holding device according to the present invention.
The fourth embodiment is an example in which the microphone 42 is built in the camera holding device 40, and other portions have the same form as the third embodiment. Accordingly, parts having the same functions as those of the third embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals or the same reference numerals at the end thereof, and redundant description is appropriately omitted.
The camera holding device 40 according to the fourth embodiment is a pan head that is provided between the tripod 3 and the camera 1B and directly holds the camera 1B with respect to the tripod 3.

The camera holding device 40 includes a camera base 41, a microphone 42, a camera base fixing screw 45, and the like.
The microphone 42 is a microphone that can acquire voice information such as the voice of the subject, and is built in the main body of the camera holding device 40 that does not move relative to the tripod 3.
A communication cable 43 is attached between the camera 1B and the camera holding device 40.
The communication cable 43 uses the connector portions 43a and 43b (see FIG. 9) to electrically connect the camera 1B and the camera holding device 40, and communicates audio information acquired by the microphone 42 to the camera 1B. Means.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the camera 1B is rotated 90 ° together with the camera base 41 from the state of FIG.
In either state of FIGS. 8 and 9, the position of the main body portion of the camera holding device 40 incorporating the microphone 42 is unchanged with respect to the tripod 3. Thus, in the present embodiment, the position of the microphone 42 can always be a constant position even if the posture of the camera is changed. Therefore, it is possible to always obtain sound information stably.
Further, since the camera holding device 40 is a pan head, any camera can be used as long as the camera has a tripod hole.
Furthermore, since the microphone 42 is electrically connected to the camera 1B by a detachable communication cable 43, the microphone 42 can be used as an ordinary pan head if the communication cable 43 is removed.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the equivalent scope of the present invention.
(1) In each embodiment, the sound information acquired by the microphone is not limited to the sound that is recorded as the sound itself or is recorded at the same time as the moving image shooting, but is the sound information used for control using sound recognition, the sound of the subject May be voice information related to the direction, sound pressure, and the like.

(2) In each embodiment, an example in which a communication cable is used as a communication means for transmitting audio information acquired by a microphone to a camera has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a contact terminal can be used for each camera and camera holding device. The communication means may be provided at a position where the communication is performed, or optical communication such as infrared communication or wireless communication using radio waves may be used as the communication means.

(3) Although the example in which the microphone attaching portion 34 is provided in one place in the third embodiment is shown, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of places may be provided, for example.

It is a figure which shows Example 1 of the camera holding fixture by this invention. It is a figure which shows the state which rotated and rotated the lens-barrel 2 and the camera 1 from the state of FIG. It is a figure which shows Example 2 of the camera holding fixture by this invention. It is a figure which shows the state which rotated and rotated the lens-barrel 2 and the camera 1 from the state of FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which changed the attachment position of the microphone 22 with the attitude | position of the camera 1 being the same vertical position state as FIG. It is a figure which shows Example 3 of the camera holding fixture by this invention. It is a figure which shows the state which rotated and rotated the camera 1B with the camera stand 31 from the state of FIG. It is a figure which shows Example 4 of the camera holding fixture by this invention. It is a figure which shows the state which rotated and rotated the camera 1B with the camera stand 41 from the state of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1: camera, 2: lens barrel, 3: tripod, 10, 20, 30, 40: camera holding device, 12, 22, 32, 42: microphone, 13, 23, 33, 43: communication cable, 16, 26 : Lens barrel holding part, 24a, 24b, 24c, 34: Microphone mounting part

Claims (6)

A camera holding device for directly or indirectly holding a camera,
A camera holder with a microphone that captures audio information. The camera holding device according to claim 1,
Comprising communication means for transmitting audio information acquired by the microphone to the camera;
A camera holding device characterized by. A camera holding device for directly or indirectly holding a camera,
A camera holding device having a microphone mounting portion to which a microphone for acquiring audio information is attached. The camera holding device according to claim 3,
A plurality of microphone mounting portions are provided at different positions;
A camera holding device characterized by. In the camera holding fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A tripod mount that is provided between the tripod and the lens barrel, has a lens barrel holder for holding the lens barrel, and holds the camera indirectly with respect to the tripod by holding the lens barrel Zodiac,
The lens holding portion can change the direction of holding the lens barrel around at least 90 ° around the optical axis of the lens barrel,
The microphone or the microphone mounting portion is provided at a position where it does not move even if the direction of holding the lens barrel is changed;
A camera holding device characterized by. In the camera holding fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A head that is provided between a tripod and the camera and directly holds the camera against the tripod;
The mounting angle with respect to the tripod of the camera can be arbitrarily changed,
The microphone or the microphone mounting portion is provided at a position where the microphone does not move even if the mounting angle with respect to the tripod of the camera is changed;
A camera holding device characterized by.

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