JP2546886B2 - Video camera - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a video camera, and more particularly to a video camera having an electric zoom mechanism.

[Conventional technology]

The imaging lens of a conventional video camera has a single focus or a zoom lens with a zoom ratio of about 3 times, or a zoom ratio of 6 to 6.
A 12x zoom lens is used. The zoom ratio of these zoom lenses can be changed electrically or manually.

By the way, when a beginner uses a video camera having a zoom lens with a zoom ratio of 6 to 12 times without using a tripod, it is said that an image that is difficult to see is recorded especially when the zoom lens is set to the telephoto side due to camera shake. There was a problem.

On the other hand, in an 8-millimeter cine camera, by operating a hook provided on the zoom portion of the zoom lens, the zoom range is conventionally a fixed range from the wide-angle side to the telephoto side (this range is called a family zone). Tolerated only within
Some were mechanically constructed so that they could not move in other areas.

One example thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 shows the structure of a stopper member attached to the zoom portion. The stopper member 1 is a casing 4 having a substantially U-shaped notch 2 and a step portion 3, and the casing 4 It has a planting pin 6 that engages with the notch 2 and is mounted on the housing 4 with a knob 5.

A flange portion 9 is formed at one end of the knob, and a protrusion 8 is fixed to the center of the outer surface of the flange portion 9. A spring 10 is provided between the flange portion 9 and the inner peripheral surface of the step portion 3 of the housing 4, and always urges the knob 5 to the right in the figure. The stopper member 1 having such a structure is provided on the lens barrel 26 in the figure as shown in FIG. Pull the head 7 of the knob 5 of the stopper member against the biasing force of the spring 10 to the left in FIG. 7,
When rotated clockwise, the urging force of the spring 10 moves the planting pin 6 that engages with the notch 2 of the housing 4 from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the dotted line, and the projection 8 projects and the zoom ring twenty four
It penetrates into the notch 28 that limits the zoom range. As a result, the movement is restricted only in the zoom range, for example, in the range where the magnification from the wide-angle side to the telephoto side does not increase so much.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, when shooting with a camera having the above function, the user may forget to limit the zoom range and start shooting. If you want to zoom to the telephoto side beyond the zoom limit range during this shooting There is. In this case, it is necessary to cancel the setting of the zoom range by performing an operation such as pulling back the knob 5 of the stopper member as described above, and this canceling operation of the zoom range causes interruption of shooting or camera shake. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
An object of the present invention is to provide a video camera capable of limiting the zoom range and easily canceling the limitation even during shooting.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a video camera that zooms by electrically or manually rotating a zoom ring of a zoom lens, in which a zoom lever abutting a zoom lever for manual operation provided on the zoom ring. The limit member is provided so as to be movable in the same direction as the movement direction of the zoom lever, and the load required when moving the zoom limit member together with the zoom ring is the maximum load when rotating the zoom ring electrically. It is characterized in that the movement of the zoom limiting member is suppressed so as to be larger than the above.

[Action]

According to the present invention, by bringing the zoom lever for manual operation provided on the zoom ring into contact with the zoom limiting member,
The zoom range is limited. This zoom limiting member is configured to be movable in the same direction as the movement direction of the zoom lever. When the zoom ring is rotated electrically, it acts as a stopper of the zoom ring, but the stopping force of the zoom limiting member is reduced. It is possible to move together with the zoom lever by manually operating the zoom lever beyond. That is, even if the zoom range is limited by the zoom limiting member during the electric zooming operation, the zooming operation can be continued by manually operating the zoom lever.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a video camera according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a video camera according to the present invention, showing a camera-integrated VTR.

In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a zoom lens having a zoom ratio of 6 times, and this zoom lens 30 has zoom switches 32A and 32B provided near a side grip (not shown).
Alternatively, a zoom switch 34 provided near the zoom lens
By operating A and 34B, it is possible to electrically perform a zoom operation in the tele direction or the wide direction.
The zoom switches 32A and 34A are for instructing a zoom operation in the tele direction, and the zoom switches 32A, 34B are for instructing a zoom operation in the wide direction. Then, a load for rotating the zoom ring is applied to the zoom ring via an appropriate speed reduction mechanism or the like, and the zoom ring is rotated in the tele direction or the wide direction to perform zooming.

On the other hand, reference numeral 36 denotes a zoom lever, which is arranged so as to project to a zoom ring 38 (see FIG. 2) of the zoom lens 30. By manually rotating the zoom ring 38 using the zoom lever 36, the zoom lens 30 can be zoomed.

A friction clutch or the like is provided between the electric zoom mechanism and the zoom ring 38 to prevent mechanical interference with the electric zoom mechanism when the zoom ring 38 is manually rotated. An external force above a certain level (for example, a load of 150 g or more) is prevented from being applied to the electric zoom mechanism via the zoom ring 38.

Now, 40 is a zoom limiting member according to the present invention, which is movably arranged on the lens cover 42 of the zoom lens 30.

2 and 3 are plan views of the essential parts of FIG. 1, respectively. As shown in these drawings, the zoom limiting member 40 is
In the same direction as the movement of the zoom range 36 with respect to the lens sub 42, to be precise, the zoom ring 38 provided with the zoom lever 36
The lens cover is movably arranged in the tangential direction of the lens cover.
A contact lever 40A is provided which extends from the inside of 42 in the generatrix direction of the zoom ring 38 and abuts against the zoom lever 36.

Further, the zoom control member 40 is provided with a click spring 40B as shown in FIG.
Can be elastically fitted to the pins 44 and 46 fixed to the lens cover 42.

When the click spring 40B is fitted with the pin 44, that is, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the zoom control member
When the zoom lever 36 comes into contact with the contact lever 36 of 40, the rotation range of the zoom ring 38, that is, the zoom range is limited. In this embodiment, the zoom ratio is limited to 3 times or less.

On the other hand, when the click spring 40B is fitted with the pin 46, that is, in the state shown in FIG.
40 zoom range limitation is lifted.

By the way, as for the rotation stopping force of the zoom limiting member 40 with respect to the zoom ring 38, the load applied to the zoom ring 38 is, for example, 300 g.
It is set by the click spring 40B and the like so that the zoom ring 38 cannot be rotated when the load is less than or equal to the load.

Therefore, when zooming is performed electrically in the tele direction while the zoom range is limited by the zoom limiting member 40,
The rotation of the zoom ring 38 is limited when the zoom lever 36 contacts the contact lever 40A of the zoom limiting member 40.

At this time, in order to perform zooming further in the tele direction beyond the above zoom range, by manually applying a load of 300 g or more to the zoom ring 38 via the zoom lever 36, the click spring 40B is removed from the pin 44, and the zoom Restricting member 4
Removes the limitation of zoom range by 0. This allows the zoom ring 38 to rotate in the tele direction together with the zoom limiting member 40.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the video camera according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an essential part of FIG.
The same parts as those of the video camera shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the video camera shown in FIG. 1 etc., the zoom limiting member 40 is movably arranged on the lens cover 42.
The video camera shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 has a lens cover 50.
This is different in that it is freely rotatably arranged with respect to a cabinet 52 surrounding the zoom lens 30, and a notch 50A for limiting the rotation range of the zoom lever 36 is provided in the lens cover 50.

The lens cover 50 is provided with a click spring 50B, and the cabinet 52 side is provided with pins 54 and 56 which are fitted to the click spring 50B.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the video camera of the present invention, it is possible to limit the zoom range so that even a beginner or the like can use it, and even if the zoom range is limited,
It is possible to perform the zoom operation beyond the limited zoom range simply by manually operating the zoom lever without the need to release the limitation again.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a video camera according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are plan views of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 shows a click spring of a zoom limiting member. FIG. 5 is a plan view of an essential part, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the video camera according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the essential part of FIG. 5, and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the structure of a conventional stopper member for limiting the zoom range, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the stopper member shown in FIG. 7 is attached to a zoom lens. 30 …… Zoom lens, 32A, 32B, 34A, 34B …… Zoom switch, 36 …… Zoom lever, 38 …… Zoom ring, 40 ……
Zoom limiting member, 40A ... contact lever, 40B, 50B ... click spring, 44, 46, 54, 56 ... pin, 50 ... lens lever, 50A ... notch.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A video camera for zooming by electrically or manually rotating a zoom ring of a zoom lens, wherein a zoom control member abutting a zoom lever for manual operation provided on the zoom ring is provided with the zoom control member. The load required for moving the zoom limiting member together with the zoom ring is set to be movable in the same direction as the moving direction of the lever, and is larger than the maximum load for electrically rotating the zoom ring. A video camera characterized in that movement of the zoom limiting member is restrained.