JP2008076936A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera having an automatic photographing mode, and capable of preventing in advance the unwilling emission of flash light when flash photography is inhibited. <P>SOLUTION: The camera 10 equipped with a stroboscope 8 emitting flash light is equipped with: a CCD 18 acquiring the image data of a subject; an exposure calculation part 4 calculating exposure based on the image data acquired by the CCD 18; an exposure adjusting part 6 selecting a photographing condition so that the exposure may approach to appropriate exposure based on the exposure calculated by the exposure calculation part 4; and a power supply switch 2 resetting the photographing condition selected by the exposure adjusting part 6. After the photographing condition is reset by the power supply switch 2, the exposure adjusting part 6 selects the photographing condition to prevent the start-up of the stroboscope 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera.

Conventionally, cameras with built-in light emitting devices such as LEDs and strobes have a so-called auto shooting mode in which shooting conditions are automatically selected, and automatic shooting is performed when the surrounding brightness is low. In general, it is designed on the assumption that a flash is emitted. According to such a camera, when all the states are reset, such as when the power switch is turned off, when the reset operation is performed, or when the battery or the battery is replaced, the auto shooting mode is activated, and the ambient brightness during shooting is increased. When is dark, a flash is emitted (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-15183 A

By the way, for example, in the case of a museum or a zoo, when it is prohibited to emit a flash at the time of shooting, a shooting mode in which the flash is not emitted is selected by the user and shooting is performed.
However, in such a case, when the mode setting is reset for some reason, the auto shooting mode is started, and there is a disadvantage that the flash is emitted when shooting is performed without the user being aware of it.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and includes a camera capable of preventing an unintentional flash from being emitted in a scene where the flash photography is prohibited by providing an auto photography mode. The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.
The present invention is a camera including a light emitting device that emits auxiliary light, an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data of a subject, and an exposure that calculates exposure based on the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit A calculation unit; an exposure adjustment unit that selects a shooting condition based on the exposure calculated by the exposure calculation unit; and a reset that resets the shooting condition selected by the exposure adjustment unit. A camera for selecting an imaging condition for which the exposure adjustment unit does not activate the light emitting device after the imaging condition is reset by the reset unit.

  According to the present invention, the exposure calculation unit calculates the exposure based on the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit. Further, the photographing condition is automatically selected by the exposure adjusting unit so that the exposure approaches the appropriate exposure. Thereby, an image with appropriate brightness can be acquired by a simple operation. In addition, when the shooting condition is reset, it is possible to prevent the light-emitting device from starting unintentionally by selecting a shooting condition that does not start the light-emitting device.

Further, in the above-described invention, the image forming apparatus includes a permission switch for permitting activation of the light emitting device, and the exposure adjusting unit is reset only when the permission switch is pressed after the photographing condition is reset by the reset unit. It is good also as selecting the imaging conditions which start the said light-emitting device.
With this configuration, when the imaging condition is reset by the reset unit, the setting can be changed to the imaging condition for starting the light emitting device with a simple operation of simply pressing the permission switch.

Moreover, in the said invention, the said reset part is good also as being a power switch.
With this configuration, when the power switch of the camera is turned on, shooting conditions that do not activate the light emitting device are set. Thereby, even when the power switch of the camera is turned off / on, it is possible to prevent the light emitting device from starting unintentionally.

  Further, in the above invention, when the exposure adjustment unit determines that the proper exposure cannot be obtained in the shooting condition in which the display unit is provided and the shooting condition is reset by the reset unit and the light emitting device is not activated. A display for prompting activation of the light emitting device may be performed on the display unit.

  With this configuration, when the shooting condition is reset, the user can recognize whether or not the light emitting device needs to be activated. In addition, it is possible to select a shooting condition for starting the light emitting device according to the intention of the user.

  According to the present invention, an image with appropriate brightness can be acquired with a simple operation by automatically selecting a shooting condition, and the flash is unintentionally emitted when flash shooting is prohibited. There is an effect that it can be prevented beforehand.

Hereinafter, a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the camera 10 according to the present embodiment is based on a CCD (image data acquisition unit) 18 that captures an image of a subject and acquires image data, and image data acquired by the CCD 18. An exposure calculation unit 4 that calculates exposure, an exposure adjustment unit 6 that selects a shooting condition based on the exposure calculated by the exposure calculation unit 4, a strobe (light emitting device) 8 that emits flash (auxiliary light), The display unit 14 displays a display for prompting activation of the strobe 8, a permission switch 12 that allows the strobe 8 to be activated, and a power switch (reset unit) 2 that switches power on / off.

  The exposure calculation unit 4 calculates exposure based on the luminance value in each pixel of the image data acquired by the CCD 18, and outputs the calculated exposure information to the exposure adjustment unit 6. In the so-called auto photographing mode, the exposure adjustment unit 6 determines whether or not the strobe 8 needs to be activated based on the exposure information from the exposure calculation unit 4. For example, in the case of low brightness or backlight, it is determined that the strobe 8 needs to be activated.

  Further, when it is determined that the strobe 8 does not need to be activated, the exposure adjustment unit 6 selects the photographing condition so as to approach the appropriate exposure without activating the strobe 8. In this case, the exposure is set by adjusting the shutter speed and the aperture amount. For example, when the exposure is insufficient, a shooting condition for slowing the shutter speed or opening the aperture is selected so that an appropriate amount of exposure can be obtained. On the other hand, when the exposure is large, shooting conditions for increasing the shutter speed or closing the aperture are selected.

In addition, when it is determined that the strobe 8 needs to be activated in order to obtain an appropriate amount of exposure, the exposure adjustment unit 6 displays a display prompting the user to activate the strobe 8 on the display unit 14. It has become. Thereby, the user can recognize the necessity to activate the strobe 8. In this case, the user can change the setting to the shooting condition for activating the strobe 8 by pressing the permission switch 12.
Note that the display unit 14 is, for example, a liquid crystal monitor on which an image of a subject is displayed, and a display that prompts activation of the strobe by a symbol, a figure, or the like.

  The exposure adjusting unit 6 selects a shooting condition for activating the strobe 8 when a permission command is input from the user. As a result, the flash is emitted from the strobe 8 at the same time as shooting, and the exposure adjusting unit 6 selects shooting conditions so that an appropriate amount of exposure can be obtained accordingly.

In addition, when the power switch 2 is switched from OFF to ON, the camera 10 is activated in an initial state in which the shooting conditions are reset. The exposure adjusting unit 6 selects a shooting condition that does not activate the strobe 8 in the initial state where the shooting condition is reset. That is, when the power switch 2 is turned on, the exposure adjustment unit 6 selects a shooting condition that does not activate the strobe 8.
The shooting conditions can be freely changed by the user while the camera 10 is activated.

The operation of the camera 10 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
When the power switch 2 is turned on (step 1), the camera 10 is activated in an initial state where the photographing conditions are reset (step 2), and the photographing condition that does not activate the strobe 8 is selected by the exposure adjustment unit 6. .
Further, the CCD 18 is activated (step 3), and photographing of the subject is started. The CCD 18 obtains the image of the photographed subject as image data (step 4), and sequentially outputs the image data to the exposure calculation unit 4.

The exposure calculation unit 4 calculates the exposure based on the luminance value at each pixel of the image data sent from the CCD 18 (step 5), and outputs the calculated exposure information to the exposure adjustment unit 6.
The exposure adjustment unit 6 determines whether or not the strobe 8 needs to be activated based on the exposure information sent from the exposure calculation unit 4 (step 6).

  If the exposure adjustment unit 6 determines that the strobe 8 does not need to be activated (“NO” in step 6), for example, the shutter speed and the aperture amount are set so that the exposure becomes an appropriate exposure commensurate with the sensitivity of the CCD 18. Adjusted. As a result, the exposure is automatically adjusted (step 7), and an image with appropriate brightness can be acquired.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the strobe 8 needs to be activated (“YES” in step 6), the exposure adjustment unit 6 displays a display prompting the user to activate the strobe 8 by, for example, a symbol or a figure Is displayed on the display unit 14 (step 8). As a result, the user can recognize that it is necessary to activate the strobe 8 to perform photographing in order to acquire an image with appropriate brightness. In this case, when the permission switch 12 is turned on by the user (step 9), the process shifts to shooting conditions for starting up the strobe 8.

  In step 10, it is determined whether or not the power switch 2 is in an on state. If the power switch is in an on state (“NO” in step 10), that is, if the camera 10 is being activated, Returning to step 4, the above operation is repeated. On the other hand, when the power switch 2 is turned off, the above operation ends.

  As described above, according to the camera 10 according to the present embodiment, since the flash emission is prohibited in a state where the shooting conditions are reset, it is possible to prevent the flash from being emitted in a scene where flash shooting is prohibited. Can be prevented. In addition, by automatically selecting the shooting conditions, it is possible to acquire an image with appropriate brightness with a simple operation.

  In other words, in the case of the conventional auto shooting mode, even when the flash shooting prohibition area is entered, even if the strobe is stopped, the shooting conditions are not changed if the power is turned off / on in that area. If it is reset and the surroundings are dark, the flash will fire.

The user remembers the switching operation of the mode for stopping the activation of the strobe, but tends not to be aware that it is reset by turning the power off / on.
Therefore, it is mistaken that the flash emission prohibition mode has been taken over even after the power is turned off / on, and the flash is emitted in the flash photography prohibited area.

  On the other hand, according to the camera 10 according to the present embodiment, since the flash emission is prohibited after the imaging conditions are reset, the flash is emitted in the flash photography prohibited area due to the user's misconception. Occurrence can be reliably prevented.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been explained in full detail with reference to drawings, a concrete structure is not restricted to this embodiment. For example, in the present embodiment, the strobe 8 has been described as an example of the light emitting device. However, instead of this, an LED or other illumination means may be used.

  In addition, the power switch 2 has been described as an example of the reset unit. However, the power switch 2 is not limited to the case where the power switch 2 is turned off / on by the user. In this case, the shooting condition may be reset.

Further, a reset button for resetting the shooting conditions may be provided in the camera, and the shooting conditions may be reset even when the reset button is pressed.
Further, a light emission prohibiting button for prohibiting light emission may be provided separately.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the camera 10 ′ includes a time measurement unit 16, and the exposure adjustment unit 6 ′ activates the reset unit 2 ′ when a predetermined time elapses. Good. Specifically, the time measuring unit 16 measures the time from when the strobe 8 'is activated until the flash is emitted. When the flash is not emitted within a predetermined time, the exposure adjustment unit 6 ′ may operate the reset unit 2 ′ to reset the shooting conditions.

  Thereby, for example, when shooting is performed with the strobe 8 'being set to a shooting condition that can be activated, the flash is not emitted, and the flash shooting is prohibited without the user being aware of the change of the shooting condition. Even in the case where shooting is continuously performed at, when the predetermined time has elapsed, the reset unit 2 ′ is activated and the shooting conditions are reset. As a result, a shooting condition that does not activate the strobe 8 'is selected, so that it is possible to prevent the flash from being emitted unintentionally forgetting that the user can activate the strobe 8' over time. can do.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure of operation | movement of the camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the camera which concerns on the modification of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

2 Power switch (reset part)
4 Exposure Calculation Unit 6 Exposure Adjustment Unit 8 Strobe (Light Emitting Device)
10 Camera 18 CCD (Image data acquisition unit)

Claims (4)

A camera including a light emitting device that emits auxiliary light,
An image data acquisition unit for acquiring image data of a subject;
An exposure calculation unit that calculates exposure based on the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit;
An exposure adjustment unit that selects a shooting condition based on the exposure calculated by the exposure calculation unit so that the exposure approaches an appropriate exposure; and
A reset unit that resets the shooting condition selected by the exposure adjustment unit,
A camera that selects an imaging condition under which the exposure adjusting unit does not activate the light emitting device after the imaging condition is reset by the reset unit. A permission switch for permitting activation of the light emitting device;
The camera according to claim 1, wherein the exposure adjustment unit selects a shooting condition that activates the light emitting device only when the permission switch is pressed after the resetting unit resets the shooting condition.   The camera according to claim 1, wherein the reset unit is a power switch. With a display,
Display that prompts activation of the light emitting device on the display unit when the exposure adjustment unit determines that proper exposure cannot be obtained under the photographing condition that does not activate the light emitting device after the photographing condition is reset by the reset unit The camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

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