JP2012212017A - Lens, and stereo photographing system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly perform photographing with a base line length changed in a stereo photographing system.SOLUTION: Inter-lens communication means A153 is connected to a slave lens. Inter-lens communication means B154 is connected to another slave lens. Lens selection means 139 selects one of the two connected lenses as a lens to perform stereo photographing together with the lens itself. When a recording switch 152 is operated, a CPU 132 sends photographing instructions to camera control means 123 of a camera main body corresponding to the lens itself. Further, the CPU 132 transmits photographing instructions to the camera main body corresponding to the selected lens through the selected lens.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens, and more particularly to a camera lens used for stereo photography. The present invention also relates to a stereo imaging system and method.

  2. Description of the Related Art An imaging system that captures a stereo image or a panoramic image by arranging a plurality of digital cameras and operating the shutters of the plurality of cameras in synchronization is known. As such an imaging system, there is an imaging system described in Patent Document 1, for example. In Patent Document 1, a plurality of (n) cameras are connected by a cable. Of these n cameras, the master is used, and the rest are slaves. The slave camera shoots in synchronization with the master shutter trigger under the master setting conditions.

JP 2005-159953 A

  Here, for example, consider a case where three cameras are arranged in a line at different intervals and a stereo image is shot using two of the three cameras. In this case, by switching the paired cameras, it is possible to change the baseline length and take a stereo image. However, in Patent Document 1, since all the cameras serving as slaves operate in conjunction with the camera serving as a master, two cameras other than the master among the three cameras operate simultaneously in synchronization with the master. become. In Patent Document 1, in order to change the baseline length and perform shooting, it is necessary to remove the cable from a camera that is not used for shooting, and it has not been possible to smoothly capture a stereo image with a different baseline length.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a stereo photographing system and method that can smoothly perform photographing with different baseline lengths in a photographing device having three or more lenses. Moreover, an object of this invention is to provide the lens used for such a stereo imaging system.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a lens that is connected to two or more lenses and performs stereo shooting together with one of the two or more lenses, and communicates with the two or more lenses. Means, a selection means for selecting one of the two or more lenses for stereo shooting, and an operation to start shooting, when a shooting instruction is sent to the shooting means corresponding to the own lens, There is provided a lens comprising: a control unit that sends a shooting instruction to a shooting unit corresponding to the selected lens through the selected lens.

  In the present invention, the control means controls at least one of the focus, stop, and zoom operations in the own lens, and follows the operation in the own lens to adjust the focus, stop, and zoom in the selected lens. It is possible to control at least one of the operations.

  The lens according to the present invention further includes setting information input means for inputting information relating to an arrangement interval between the lens and the lens corresponding to each of the two or more lenses, and the selection means is configured to allow the user to perform stereo photography. When the base line length at this time is designated, a configuration can be adopted in which lenses having an arrangement interval corresponding to the designated base line length are selected from the two or more lenses.

  The present invention also provides a first lens, two or more second lenses each capable of communicating with the first lens, a first photographing means corresponding to the first lens, and the two or more. Two or more second photographing means corresponding to each of the second lenses, and the first lens selects one of the two or more second lenses to perform stereo photographing. A selection unit that performs a shooting start operation, and sends a shooting instruction to the first shooting unit, and also includes the selected second lens and the second shooting unit. And a control unit for sending a shooting instruction to a second shooting unit corresponding to the selected second lens.

  Furthermore, the present invention is a stereo imaging method in a stereo imaging system including a first lens and two or more second lenses each capable of communicating with the first lens, wherein the two or more second lenses are used. Selecting one of the lenses to perform stereo shooting, and when a shooting start operation is performed on the first lens, a shooting instruction is issued to a shooting unit corresponding to the first lens. And a step of sending a photographing instruction to the photographing means corresponding to the selected second lens through the selected second lens lens.

  In the present invention, one of the two or more lenses connected to the master lens is selected as a lens for stereo shooting together with the master lens, and the master lens is operated to start shooting. In this case, a photographing instruction is sent to the photographing means corresponding to the master lens and the photographing means corresponding to the selected lens. By switching the lens to be selected, the pair of lenses used for stereo shooting can be changed, and shooting with the baseline length switched smoothly in the stereo shooting system can be performed.

1 is a block diagram showing a stereo shooting system including a lens according to an embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the lens for masters and a camera main body. The flowchart which shows an operation | movement procedure. The figure which shows the example of an input screen of the information regarding a base line length. The figure which shows an example of the screen which selects baseline length. The figure which shows another example of the screen which selects baseline length.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a stereo imaging system including a lens according to an embodiment of the present invention. The stereo photographing system includes lenses 10 to 12 and camera bodies 20 to 22 corresponding to the respective lenses. One of the lenses 10 to 12, in the example of FIG. 1, the lens 10 is a master lens (first lens), and the remaining lenses 11 and 12 are slaves that operate following the master lens. It is a lens (second lens). Although two slave lenses are illustrated in FIG. 1, there may be three or more slave lenses. The stereo photographing system shoots a stereo image using the master lens 10 and one lens selected from the slave lenses 11 and 12.

  The master lens 10 has a plurality of inter-lens communication means, and the master lens 10 and the slave lenses 11 and 12 are connected to each other. The master lens 10 and the slave lenses 11 and 12 are arranged in a line. The distance (arrangement interval) between the master lens 10 and the slave lens 11 is different from the distance between the master lens 10 and the slave lens 11. The distance between the master lens 10 and the slave lens 11 is α, and the distance between the master lens 10 and the slave lens 12 is β (β> α).

  By performing stereo shooting using the master lens 10 and the slave lens 11, stereo shooting with a baseline length α is possible. On the other hand, by performing stereo shooting using the master lens 10 and the slave lens 12, stereo shooting can be performed with the baseline length β. In this way, by switching and shooting the slave lens used in combination with the master lens 10, stereo shooting with a different baseline length can be performed.

  FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the master lens 10 and the camera body 20. The master lens 10 includes a photographing optical system 110, and the photographing optical system 110 includes a focusing lens 112, a variable power lens 114, a master lens 116, a diaphragm 118, and the like. The subject image is imaged on an imaging surface of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 120 which is an image pickup element in the camera body 20 via each lens and diaphragm constituting the photographing optical system 110. The subject image formed on the image formation surface of the CCD 120 is photoelectrically converted by the CCD 120 and input to the imaging circuit 122 as an image signal. The imaging circuit 122 performs necessary signal processing and converts the image signal into, for example, an NTSC (National Television System Committee) video signal. The viewfinder 148 and the external video display device 150 input video signals and display the video being shot. The camera control unit 123 controls each part in the camera body 20 including the imaging circuit 122.

  The CPU 132 is a lens controller and controls each part in the master lens 10. The focusing lens 112 of the photographing optical system 110 can be manually operated by operating the focus demand 142. The focus demand 142 is rotated by a cameraman, and the potentiometer 144 detects the rotational position of the focus demand 142. The rotational position detected by the potentiometer 144 is input to the CPU 132 via the AD converter 146. The rotation position of the focus demand 142 corresponds to the focus instruction position of the focusing lens 112.

  On the other hand, the potentiometer 140 detects the current position of the focusing lens 112 (hereinafter also referred to as a focus position). The CPU 132 reads the current focus position via the AD converter 138 and detects the difference between this and the focus instruction position input via the AD converter 146. The CPU 132 outputs a focus control signal corresponding to the detected difference.

  The motor drive circuit 134 receives the focus control signal output from the CPU 132 via the DA converter 133. The motor driving circuit 134 amplifies the voltage of the focus control signal, drives the motor 136 so that the difference between the focusing lens position and the focus instruction position becomes 0, and moves the position of the focusing lens 112. Thus, by driving the motor 136 based on the focus control signal based on the focus instruction position from the CPU 132, the focusing lens 112 can be moved to an arbitrary focus position.

  The lens selection unit 139 selects a lens used for stereo photography from a plurality of slave lenses. The inter-lens communication unit A153 performs communication with the slave lens 11. The inter-lens communication unit B154 performs communication with the slave lens 12. Each lens performs communication in accordance with, for example, the RS-232C L1 protocol. Between the lenses, VTR SW (shooting SW), RET SW, lens operation local (priority of the operation of the own lens) / host (priority of operation instructions from other lenses), zoom, focus, iris position data and Information such as control data is exchanged. The CPU 132 controls each part in the lens so as to operate according to the information. The setting information input unit 151 inputs various information to the CPU 132. The input information is held in the memory 132A in the CPU 132.

  The CPU 132 sends a lens operation host to the slave lens via the inter-camera communication unit corresponding to the slave lens selected by the lens selection unit 139. The slave lens that has received the lens operation host subsequently operates in conjunction with the operation on the master lens 10. For example, the CPU 132 controls at least one operation of focus, aperture, and zoom in the own lens, and follows at least one operation in focus, aperture, and zoom in the selected lens by following the operation in the own lens. To control. On the other hand, the CPU 132 sends a lens operation local to the slave lens on the non-selected side. The slave lens that has received the lens operation local does not operate in conjunction with the master lens 10.

  The photographer operates the shooting SW (recording switch) 152 to instruct to start shooting (recording start). The recording switch 152 inputs a shooting start instruction to the CPU 132. The master lens 10 communicates with the camera body 20 corresponding to the master lens 10 via, for example, an RS232 L1 protocol via a lens-camera communication unit (not shown), and the CPU 132 is a camera control unit of the camera body 20. 123 is instructed to start photographing. The camera control unit 123 instructs the imaging circuit 122 and a recording unit (not shown) to record a video. Further, the CPU 132 instructs the slave lens to start photographing via the inter-camera communication unit corresponding to the slave lens selected by the lens selection unit 139. The slave lens that has received the instruction to start shooting notifies the corresponding camera body of the start of shooting, whereby video recording is started on the slave side.

  The slave lenses 11 and 12 have the same configuration as the master lens 10. In the slave lenses 11 and 12, the lens selection unit 139 may be omitted. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the master lens 10 and the slave lenses 11 and 12 also have means for driving the variable power lens 114, and the variable power lens 114 is supplied from the CPU 132. Control is performed based on the zoom instruction value.

  FIG. 3 shows an operation procedure. The user uses the setting information input means 151 to input various information including the baseline length setting value (step S1). In step S1, for example, the base length when the master lens 10 and the slave lens 11 are used is α, and the base length when the master lens 10 and the slave lens 12 are used is β. Enter a message. In addition, the user inputs lens specification data and operation parameters such as zoom, aperture, and focus pulse. The input information is stored in the memory 132A.

  The above information input is performed for each lens. If there is a conflict in the setting information in each lens, priority may be given to the setting information in the master lens, for example. For example, the setting information may be transmitted from the master lens 10 to the slave lenses 11 and 12, and the setting information in the slave lenses 11 and 12 may be overwritten with the setting information received from the master lens 10. Alternatively, the setting information may have a time stamp, and the latest setting information may be prioritized. For example, when the setting information in the slave lens is newer than the setting information in the master lens (and is input later), if the setting information does not match, the master lens setting information is received from the slave lens. It may be overwritten with the set information.

  The setting information can be input in a state where the lenses are connected with a cable or the like. In that case, the setting information can be selected by selecting from several fixed values, and the setting in the lens that will be set later (the selection of the setting value) according to the setting information in the lens that has been set first. The information screen may be changed (restricted). Instead of inputting the setting information for each lens, the setting information may be input to the master lens, and the setting information may be transmitted to each slave lens to be set. In this case, the slave lens may have a configuration in which the setting information input unit 151 is omitted.

After setting the basic information, the user selects a base line length in stereo shooting, and selects a slave lens to be used for stereo shooting together with the master lens (step S2). The lens selection unit 139, for example, according to the selected baseline length, the two slave lenses 11, 12
Select one of them. The user operates the recording switch 152 of the master lens 10 (step S3). When the recording switch 152 is operated, the CPU 132 of the master lens 10 sends a shooting start instruction to the camera control means 123 of the camera body connected to the own lens (step S4). When the camera control unit 123 instructs the imaging circuit 122 to start processing, shooting is started in the camera body 20. The camera control unit 123 controls the viewfinder 148, the external video display device 150, and the like to display the captured video.

  The CPU 132 of the master lens 10 sends an instruction to start photographing to the selected slave lens via the inter-lens communication means corresponding to the slave lens selected by the lens selection means 139 (step S5). For example, when the slave lens 11 is selected, a photographing instruction is sent to the slave lens 11 via the inter-lens communication means A153. When the CPU of the slave lens 11 receives an instruction to start shooting, the CPU of the slave lens 11 sends an instruction to start shooting to the camera control means 123 of the camera body 21 corresponding to the own lens. When the camera control unit 123 instructs the imaging circuit 122 to start processing, shooting is started in the camera body 21. The camera control unit 123 controls the viewfinder 148, the external video display device 150, and the like to display the captured video.

  The CPU 132 of the master lens 10 sends the control content of the own lens to the selected slave lens, and causes the selected slave lens to operate following the master lens 10 (step S6). For example, assume that the slave lens 11 is selected. When the zoom seesaw is moved in the master lens 10, the CPU 132 of the master lens 10 moves the zoom position of the own lens. Further, a zoom control position signal is transmitted via the inter-lens communication means A153. When receiving the zoom control position signal, the CPU 132 of the slave lens 11 sets a destination (zoom instruction position) based on the position signal, and outputs D / A data such that the zoom position is the position. Thus, the motor is driven, and the zoom is changed in synchronization with the master lens 10.

  The CPU 132 of the master lens 10 can request zoom position data from the selected slave lens 11. When the CPU 132 of the slave lens 11 receives the request for the zoom position data, it reads the zoom position data of the own lens based on the potentiometer or encoder signal, and transmits the read position data to the master lens 10. The CPU 132 of the master lens 10 compares the zoom position data of its own lens with the zoom position data received from the slave lens 11 so that the slave lens 11 operates in synchronization with the master lens 10. Can be confirmed.

  In the above description, the slave lens also has a CPU (controller), and the control in the slave lens is performed by an instruction from the CPU. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a controller for controlling the slave lens may be provided in the master lens 10 separately from the controller for controlling the master lens, and the slave lens may be controlled by the controller. Alternatively, a control signal is sent from the controller for controlling the slave lens of the master lens to the slave lens, and the controller in the slave lens controls each part in the slave lens based on the control signal. Good.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of an input screen for information related to the baseline length. This input screen is displayed on the viewfinder 148 and the external video display device 150. For example, the user moves the cursor and inputs the distance between the master lens 10 and the slave lens (lens A) connected to the inter-lens communication means A153. Further, the user inputs information indicating whether the lens A is arranged on the left or right side with respect to the master lens 10. Similarly, for the slave lens (lens B) connected to the inter-lens communication means B154, the distance between the lenses and the positional relationship of the arrangement are input.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a screen for selecting the baseline length. For example, the CPU 132 of the master lens 10 reads the distance between the lenses input on the input screen shown in FIG. 4 and presents a selectable baseline length to the user. The user selects one of the displayed baseline lengths by moving the cursor, for example. When the user designates the baseline length for stereo shooting, the lens selection unit 139 selects a lens having an arrangement interval corresponding to the designated baseline length from the two slave lenses. For example, when the baseline length “40 mm” is selected, the slave lens used when shooting with the baseline length “40 mm” is the lens A by referring to the information input from the input screen of FIG. I understand. The lens selection unit 139 selects the lens A of the two slave lenses based on the base line length “40 mm” designated by the user.

  FIG. 6 shows another example of a screen for selecting the baseline length. In this example, the positional relationship between the master lens and each slave lens and the base line length are displayed in a graphical display. The user selects a slave lens to be stereo-photographed in a pair with the master lens by, for example, a touch panel or cursor movement. When the user selects a slave lens, the baseline length when the selected slave lens is used is displayed. For example, in FIG. 6, when the slave lens on the left side in the drawing is selected as the lens used for stereo shooting together with the middle master lens among the three lenses, the baseline length is selected as the current baseline length selection information. “40 mm” is displayed.

  In the present embodiment, one of the two or more slave lenses connected to the master lens 10 is selected as a lens to be used for stereo photography together with the master lens 10. When an operation to start shooting is performed on the master lens 10, a shooting instruction is sent to the camera body 20 corresponding to the master lens 10 and the camera body corresponding to the selected slave lens. In this way, the user can start stereo shooting with two lenses only by operating the master lens 10. Further, by switching the lens to be selected, the pair of lenses used for stereo shooting can be changed, and shooting with the base line length smoothly switched can be performed in the stereo shooting system. In particular, when a user designates a base line length and selects a slave lens for performing stereo shooting with the base line length, the user selects which lens corresponds to the desired base line length. Stereo shooting can be performed with a desired baseline length without being conscious of whether or not.

  In the above embodiment, the lens 10 is described as a master lens, but the present invention is not limited to this. The master lens and the slave lens can be appropriately switched. The lens 11 may be used as a master lens, and the lenses 10 and 12 may be used as slave lenses. In this case, the baseline length α is obtained when the lens 10 and the lens 11 are used, and the baseline length α + β is obtained when the lens 11 and the lens 12 are used. Further, communication between lenses is not limited to serial communication, and any communication method may be used. The lenses need only be able to communicate with each other, and are not necessarily connected by a wired cable. It is also possible to use wireless communication for communication between lenses.

  As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the lens, the stereo photographing system, and the method of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various configurations are possible from the configuration of the above-described embodiments. Modifications and changes are also included in the scope of the present invention.

10: Master lens 11, 12: Slave lens 20-22: Camera body 110: Imaging optical system 112: Focusing lens 114: Variable lens 116: Master lens 118: Aperture 120: CCD
122: Imaging circuit 123: Camera control means 132: CPU
132A: Memory 133: DA converter 134: Motor drive circuit 136: Motor 138: AD converter 139: Lens selection means 140: Potentiometer 142: Focus demand 144: Potentiometer 146: AD converter 148: Viewfinder 150: External image display Device 151: Setting information input means 152: Recording switch 153, 154: Inter-lens communication means

Claims (5)

A lens connected to two or more lenses for performing stereo shooting together with one of the two or more lenses,
Communication means for communicating with the two or more lenses;
Selecting means for selecting one lens to be subjected to stereo shooting from the two or more lenses;
A control unit that sends a shooting instruction to a shooting unit corresponding to the own lens when a shooting start operation is performed, and sends a shooting command to the shooting unit corresponding to the selected lens through the selected lens; A lens comprising:   The control means controls at least one operation of focus, aperture, and zoom in the own lens, and causes at least one of focus, aperture, and zoom in the selected lens to follow the operation in the own lens. A lens that controls two movements. Corresponding to each of the two or more lenses, it further comprises setting information input means for inputting information regarding the arrangement interval between the lens and the lens.
When the user designates a baseline length at the time of stereo shooting, the selection means selects a lens having an arrangement interval corresponding to the designated baseline length from the two or more lenses. The lens according to claim 1 or 2. A first lens;
Two or more second lenses each capable of communicating with the first lens;
First imaging means corresponding to the first lens;
Two or more second imaging means corresponding to each of the two or more second lenses,
The first lens is
Selecting means for selecting one of the two or more second lenses to perform stereo shooting;
When an operation to start photographing is performed, a photographing instruction is sent to the first photographing means, and the selected one of the two or more second photographing means is selected via the selected second lens. A stereo photographing system comprising: a control unit that sends a photographing instruction to a second photographing unit corresponding to the second lens. A stereo shooting method in a stereo shooting system including a first lens and two or more second lenses each capable of communicating with the first lens,
Selecting one lens for stereo shooting from the two or more second lenses;
When an operation to start shooting is performed on the first lens, a shooting instruction is sent to the shooting unit corresponding to the first lens, and the selected lens is selected via the selected second lens lens. And a step of sending a photographing instruction to the photographing means corresponding to the second lens.