JP2007034176A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience in a video light partially sharing an optical system of an optical finder. <P>SOLUTION: The video light has an optical finder, an LCD monitor, a means illuminating a subject, and lenses are partially shared between an illuminating optical system and the finder optical system, and a part of a switch member closes a finder eyepiece when a switch is in an illumination position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus having an optical viewfinder, an LCD monitor, and means for illuminating a subject.

  7A and 7B are views showing the most general appearance of the digital camera. FIG. 7A is a front view and FIG. 7B is a rear view. Reference numeral 101 denotes a photographing lens, 102a denotes an optical viewfinder window, 102b denotes an optical viewfinder eyepiece, 103 denotes an illumination window, 104 denotes an LCD monitor, 115 denotes a zoom operation switch, and 106 denotes an illumination operation switch. In general, an optical viewfinder is used for shooting in a bright place such as outdoors, and an LCD monitor 104 is used for shooting in a dark place where illumination is required.

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the viewfinder, 105 is a viewfinder objective lens, 106a and 106b are viewfinder zoom lenses, 107 is a viewfinder eyepiece, 108a and 108b are illumination lenses, 109 is an LED light emitting element, and 110 is a substrate. is there. The viewfinder zoom lenses 106a and 106b move in conjunction with the zoom operation of the photographing lens 101, so that the viewfinder image is zoomed.

  The illumination light from the LED light emitting element 109 illuminates the subject by the illumination lenses 108a and 108b.

  The LED light-emitting element 109 is generally used as auxiliary light for autofocusing or auxiliary light for red-eye reduction during strobe shooting. In addition, it has become possible to use it as lighting for video shooting with continuous lighting.

  On the other hand, the place where the illumination lens 108a and the objective lens 105 of the finder are installed needs to be arranged in front of the main body facing the same direction as the photographing lens so as not to be hidden even when held with both hands. It was a design obstacle to proceed.

  Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-258094 has been proposed in order to achieve downsizing of the apparatus while ensuring the illumination function and the optical viewfinder function, and to provide the illumination light with a zoom function linked to the photographing lens.

  By this proposal, the illumination lens 108a and the finder objective lens 105 can be shared, and the size can be reduced.

  In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-258094, an auxiliary light projecting element for autofocus is installed in the vicinity of the finder. This is shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

  This finder optical system is a variable magnification finder in which the field magnification fluctuates in conjunction with zooming of the zoom lens. The objective lens is composed of two movable zoom lenses (objective optical systems) 121 and 122, and the eyepiece side lens is composed of one eyepiece lens (eyepiece optical system) 123. Between the variable magnification lens 122 and the fixed lens 123, a prism 124 and a half mirror 125 that establish a subject image formed by the objective lenses 121 and 122 are installed. The photographer observes the subject image formed by the variable power lenses 121 and 122 and erecting by the prism 124 through the fixed lens 123. Further, a light emitting element (for example, IRED) 126 is disposed outside the optical path of the finder optical system toward the half mirror 125. A pattern plate 127 for forming a stripe pattern (contrast pattern) is disposed on the front surface of the light emitting element 126.

  The variable magnification lenses 121 and 122 are linked to zooming of the zoom lens via a linkage mechanism (not shown), and change the field of view magnification of the finder according to the focal length of the zoom lens.

  Next, the optical path of JP-A-9-258094 will be described with reference to FIG. The prism 124 is composed of three triangular prisms. A light beam incident from the surface 124a of the prism 124 through the variable magnification lenses 121 and 122 is reflected 90 degrees downward on the inclined surface 124b, reflected in the reverse direction with respect to the paper surface on the inclined surface 124c, and reflected upward on the inclined surface 124d. The light is reflected 90 ° rightward by the inclined surface 124e and is emitted from the surface 124f. Then, it enters the photographer's eyes through the half mirror 125 and the fixed lens 123.

  On the other hand, the auxiliary light emitted from the light emitting element 126 is reflected by the half mirror 125 toward the prism 124, enters the prism 124 through the surface 124f, and exits from the surface 124a through the optical path opposite to the above. . Then, the light is emitted from the camera through the variable magnification lenses 122 and 121 to irradiate the subject. Therefore, the auxiliary light projected from the light emitting element 126 is collected by the variable power lenses 122 and 121 and irradiated to the subject.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera. 301 is a photographing lens group, 302 is an imaging device, 303 is a camera signal processing unit, 304 is an LCD monitor, 305 is a recording unit, and 306 is a control unit. 307 is an operation switch, 308 is an illumination operation switch, 309 is a zoom switch, 310 is a photographing / recording switch (release switch), and 311 is an illumination device.

  A subject image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 302 via the lens group 301. The image sensor 302 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the subject image, and the electrical signal is input to the camera signal processing unit 303.

  In the camera signal processing unit 303, the electrical signal is converted into a video signal having a predetermined format, and the video signal is input to the LCD monitor 304 and the recording unit 305. The recording unit 305 records the input video signal on a recording medium such as a memory card. Further, the video signal is displayed as a visible image on the LCD monitor 304.

The photographer operates the operation switch 307 while confirming an image to be photographed with the LCD monitor 304 or an optical finder (not shown). Data indicating the operation content of the operation switch 307 is broken down by the control microcomputer 306 into a command indicating a specific processing content, and then supplied to each part of the apparatus. For example, when the zoom operation switch 309 is operated, an instruction to move the zoom lens to the photographing lens group 301 is issued from the control microcomputer 306, and the photographing lens group 301 performs a zoom operation in response to this. When the lighting operation switch 308 is operated, the control microcomputer 306 instructs the lighting device 311 to emit light, and the lighting device 311 turns on the LED light emitting element in response to the instruction. When the photographing / recording switch (release switch) 310 is operated, the control microcomputer 306 instructs the recording unit 305 to record, and the recording unit 305 records the video signal in response to the instruction.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-258094

  However, the conventional example described above has the following problems.

  In the case of performing illumination at a visible light wavelength, there is a problem that light leaks to the eyepiece side due to reflected light from the optical system, and the optical viewfinder cannot be used.

  In addition, it is necessary to separately operate an LCD monitor, or to change the camera signal processing to a mode suitable for illumination photography, which causes a problem that the operation becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and its first object is to clearly inform the user that the optical viewfinder cannot be used during illumination. It is.

  The second object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is highly convenient for switching to the illumination mode.

  In order to achieve the first object, an image pickup apparatus according to claim 1 has an optical viewfinder, an LCD monitor, and means for illuminating a subject, and the illumination optical system and the viewfinder optical system share a part of the lens, and the switch. When the is in the illumination position, a part of the switch member blocks the viewfinder eyepiece.

  In order to achieve the second object, the image pickup apparatus according to claim 2 is characterized in that when the switch is in the illumination position, the display of the LCD monitor is automatically driven.

  In order to achieve the second object, the image pickup apparatus according to claim 3 is characterized in that the signal processing operation of the camera is changed when the switch is in the illumination position.

  According to the present invention, the illumination optical system and the finder optical system share a part of the lens, and when the switch is in the illumination position, a part of the switch member blocks the finder eyepiece so that the optical finder cannot be used during illumination. It is possible to clearly inform the user of this.

  In addition, when the switch is in the lighting position, the LCD monitor display is automatically driven, and the signal processing operation of the camera is automatically changed to provide a device that is highly convenient for switching to the lighting mode. Is possible.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Movable mirror method)
1A and 1B are views showing the most general appearance of a digital camera. FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is a rear view. Reference numeral 201 denotes a photographing lens, 202a denotes an optical viewfinder window (also used as an illumination window), 202b denotes an optical viewfinder eyepiece, 203 denotes an illumination operation switch, 204 denotes an LCD monitor, and 205 denotes a zoom operation switch.

  2 is a cross-sectional view of the inside of the viewfinder, 205 is a viewfinder objective lens, 206a and 206b are viewfinder zoom lenses, 207 is a viewfinder eyepiece, 208a and 208b are illumination lenses, 209 is an LED light emitting element, 210 is a substrate, Reference numeral 211 denotes a mirror.

  The mirror 211 has a structure that rotates around a rotation shaft 211a, and is normally held at the position shown in FIG. 2 by a spring (not shown).

  Further, the viewfinder zoom lenses 206a and 206b move in conjunction with the zoom operation of the photographing lens 201 so that the viewfinder image is zoomed.

  FIG. 3 is an internal cross-sectional view at the time of illumination. By operating the changeover switch 203, the optical finder eyepiece 202b is closed, and the mirror 211 is rotated by the mirror pushing claw 203a.

  Further, when the changeover switch 203 is at the position shown in FIG. 3, the LED light emitting element 209 is turned on, and the illumination light passes through the illumination lenses 208a and 208b, the mirror 211, the viewfinder zoom lenses 206a and 206b, and the viewfinder objective lens 205. Is irradiated.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present embodiment, which will be described using the configuration of FIG. When the illumination switch 308 is turned on (S1), the control microcomputer 306 checks the state of the LCD monitor 304 (S2). If the LCD monitor is off, the LCD monitor is automatically turned on. (S3) Further, the camera signal processing 303 is changed to the illumination mode (sensitivity suitable for illumination photography, shutter speed setting) (S4).

(LED unit moving method)
The imaging apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the inside of the vicinity of the finder according to the second embodiment, 205 is a finder objective lens, 206a and 206b are finder zoom lenses, 207 is a finder eyepiece, 208 is an illumination lens, and 209 is an LED light emitting element. , 210 is a substrate.

  The illumination lens 208, the LED light emitting element 209, and the substrate 210 are integrally held by the changeover switch 203.

  FIG. 6 is an internal cross-sectional view at the time of illumination. By operating the changeover switch 203, the optical viewfinder eyepiece 202b is closed, and the illumination lens 208, the LED light emitting element 209, and the substrate 210 are moved to the positions shown in the figure. To do.

  Further, when the changeover switch 203 is at the position shown in FIG. 6, the LED light emitting element 209 is turned on, and the illumination light is irradiated to the subject through the illumination lens 208, the finder zoom lenses 206a and 206b, and the finder objective lens 205.

  Since the operation of the camera is the same as that of the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the mirror 211 in the first embodiment can be deleted.

The figure which shows the external appearance of 1st embodiment, (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view. It is sectional drawing inside a finder vicinity. It is an internal sectional view at the time of illumination. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of this Embodiment. It is sectional drawing inside the finder vicinity of 2nd embodiment. It is an internal sectional view at the time of illumination of the second embodiment. The figure which shows the external appearance of the conventional digital camera. (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view. It is sectional drawing inside the vicinity of the conventional finder. It is a figure which shows the prior art example in which an illumination optical system and a finder optical system share a lens partially. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of an imaging device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Shooting lens 102a Optical viewfinder window 102b Optical viewfinder eyepiece 103 Illumination window 104 LCD monitor 115 Zoom operation switch 106 Illumination operation switch 108, 105 Viewfinder objective lens 106a, 106b Viewfinder zoom lens 107 Viewfinder eyepiece 108a, 108b Illumination lens 109 LED Light Emitting Element 110 Substrate 121, 122 Variable Lens 123 Eyepiece 124 Prism 125 Half Mirror 126 Light Emitting Element 127 Pattern Plate 201 Shooting Lens 202a Optical Finder Window (also Used as Illumination Window)
202b Optical viewfinder eyepiece 203 Illumination operation switch 204 LCD monitor 215 Zoom operation switch 205 Viewfinder objective lens 206a, 206b Viewfinder zoom lens 207 Viewfinder eyepiece lens 208a, 208b Illumination lens 209 LED light emitting element 210 Substrate 211 Mirror 301 Shooting lens group 302 Image sensor 303 Camera signal processor 304 LCD monitor 305 Recording unit 306 Control microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as control microcomputer)
307 Operation switch 308 Illumination operation switch 309 Zoom switch 310 Shooting / recording switch (release switch)
311 Lighting device

Claims (3)

  It has an optical viewfinder, LCD monitor, and means for illuminating the subject. The illumination optical system and viewfinder optical system share some lenses, and when the switch is in the illumination position, part of the switch member blocks the viewfinder eyepiece. An imaging apparatus characterized by the above.   2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the switch is in the illumination position, the display on the LCD monitor is automatically driven.   2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the switch is in the illumination position, the signal processing operation of the camera is changed.

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