JP2569449B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an electronic still camera which records an image purely electronically without using a silver halide film has attracted attention. Electronic still cameras have been proposed that use a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD for the photosensitive unit and a memory that does not have any moving parts such as a semiconductor memory or magnetic bubble memory for the recording unit. In general, the recording is performed by a magnetic head while rotating at a constant speed.
By performing analog recording on a small magnetic disk,
The entire recording apparatus can be reduced in size, and it is possible to realize an electronic still camera that is almost the same in shape as a conventional still camera using a silver halide film.

[0003] Such an electronic still camera is different from a still camera using a silver halide film: 1) It can be reproduced and viewed immediately on a monitor or the like without development. 2) The disk can be easily removed and replaced midway. 3) The magnetic disk can be erased and reused.

[0004] 4) Signals other than image signals, for example, audio signals and various data can be recorded, and versatile usage is possible. The silver halide camera can easily realize functions that are impossible or extremely difficult.

[0005]

However, the electronic still camera has the above-mentioned features and also has a new problem different from the conventional one. If the user manually operates the electric input member of the camera after the camera is mounted on the recording medium and until the search of the recording state (presence or absence of an image signal) in the recording medium is completed, a malfunction may be caused. There was a risk of such behavior. The purpose of the present invention is
An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with good operability that does not have the above-described fear.

[0006]

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an optical system for forming an image of a subject, a solid-state image pickup device provided near an image forming plane of the optical system, and a solid-state image pickup device. In an image pickup apparatus having a signal processing unit for processing an image signal and a recording unit for recording the image signal on a removable recording medium, a detection unit for detecting that a recording medium is attached, and a detection output from the detection unit A search means for searching for the presence or absence of the image signal in the recording medium recorded by the recording means in response to the recording means, and an instruction means for manually instructing the imaging device to perform various operations, wherein the detection means After the attachment of the recording medium is detected, the instruction by the instruction unit is invalidated until the search for the presence or absence of the image signal is completed by the search unit.

[0008]

According to the present invention, various operations are manually instructed to the imaging apparatus after the attachment of the recording medium is detected and until the search for whether or not an image signal is recorded on the recording medium is completed. Even if the user operates the instructing means, the instruction by the operation is invalidated, so that the imaging apparatus does not perform an operation that causes a failure.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the present invention . In FIG. 1, 1 is an optical system, 2 is a solid-state imaging device, 3
Is a signal processing means, 4 is a recording means, 5 is a storage means, 6 is a control means, 7 is an automatic address mechanism, and 8 is a display means.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention. It mainly shows blocks of electric circuits, but blocks indicated by double lines mean blocks that convert electric signals into mechanical movements or convert mechanical movements into electric signals. . Each block and the flow of signals will be described.

Light from an object is input through a lens (101), and the light is guided to a finder during normal (before photographing) by a reflecting mirror (106), and is transmitted to a photometric silicon photodiode (SPD) (105). Give luminance information. At the time of photographing, the reflecting mirror (106) operates to guide all light beams to the shutter (111). Here, the shutter (111) may be a mechanical shutter or a shutter using an electro-optical element, but may be of any type. Light passing through the shutter (111) is converted into a time-series electric signal by the CCD image sensor (112). In this embodiment, a CCD is used as the image sensor, but a solid-state image sensor such as a MOS may be used. The CCD image sensor (112) is operated by a V driver (118) for driving a vertical transfer CCD and an H driver (119) for driving a horizontal transfer CCD. The V driver (118) and the H driver (119) are supplied with signals formed at each operation timing from the timing generation circuit (120).
The timing generation circuit (120) includes a synchronization signal generation circuit (1).
25) A source signal is inputted from the controller, and a timing signal necessary for each block is created. The synchronizing signal generation circuit (125), which is the source of all signals, includes an oscillator that oscillates stably, such as a crystal oscillator, performs processing such as frequency division and waveform deformation on the oscillation waveform, and outputs it to each block. ing. On the other hand, C
The video signal output from the CD image sensor (112) is input to the signal processing circuit (121). The signal processing circuit (121) separates and shapes an input signal into a luminance signal and a color information signal. Further, each signal is subjected to a clamp process, a limiter process, a γ correction, etc., and output to the matrix circuit (126). Matrix circuit (126)
Recombines the signal into a signal form (luminance signal, color difference signal) required for signal processing in the next block. The next block, a recording signal processing circuit (131), is a block that converts a signal into a signal form that can be recorded on a magnetic disk. The signal from the previous block is subjected to AGC amplification, pre-emphasis, white / dark clipping, FM modulation, and the like. Therefore, the video signal is FM-modulated to become an FM-modulated video signal, and necessary data and MI
The signals are mixed in the X circuit (132) and input to the recording amplifier (133), which is recorded around the magnetic disk (not shown) by the magnetic head in the recording / reproducing mechanism block. The magnetic disk is driven by a servo control motor. The control and drive circuit blocks are a disk motor drive circuit (134) and a disk motor servo circuit (135). The rotation state of the magnetic disk is detected by an FG or PG signal or the like, and the disk motor servo circuit (135) sends a control signal to the disk motor drive circuit (1) so that the disk rotates at a specified constant speed.
34). By this signal, the motor that rotates the magnetic disk is controlled in a closed loop, so that high-precision constant-speed rotation (3600 in the NTSC version) is performed.
rpm). A signal serving as a reference for these controls is supplied from a synchronization signal generating circuit (125) as shown in the figure. Finally write the signal to the magnetic disk,
The magnetic head must be controlled (contact with the magnetic disk, track movement), and the block that performs this function is the magnetic head drive circuit (128).
The control source signal is input from a camera sequence control CPU (122) and a multiplexer circuit (127) which control the entire sequence of the camera. These two blocks will be described later. The luminance signal of the subject obtained by the photometric silicon photodiode (SPD) (105) is a photometric, logarithmic compression circuit (10).
7), logarithmic compression and current-voltage conversion are performed, and the luminance signal is input to the next block as a voltage signal. A / D conversion, exposure control calculation CPU (1
08) is immediately A / D converted and treated as digital data. In this block, exposure calculation is performed based on each information, and a source signal for driving the exposure control member is generated. The information includes subject brightness information, lens aperture information, and shutter speed information. The subject luminance information is input as described above.
Aperture information is not shown, but RO attached to lens
It is input as digital data by M, CPU, and the like. The shutter speed information is input as digital data by the operation setting unit (104). The optimal exposure conditions for the CCD image sensor (112) are calculated based on these data. Exposure modes (manual, aperture-priority auto, shutter speed-priority auto, program auto) realized by conventional silver halide cameras are used. It goes without saying that the same calculation and control as those described above can be performed. When controlling the aperture, the aperture is controlled through an aperture control mechanism (103). Since various mechanisms have been proposed for this mechanism, an optimal method may be adopted under the restrictions of the camera. The control of the shutter time is controlled by a shutter control mechanism (114) via a shutter control charge circuit (115). A mechanism often used when a mechanical shutter is mounted is a method of controlling the shutter time by the time for energizing the electromagnetic magnet. Furthermore, as a shutter,
In a liquid crystal shutter, a PLZT shutter, or the like to which the electro-optic effect is applied, the shutter time can be directly controlled by an electric signal. The shutter control charging circuit (115) includes, in addition to the above-described shutter control, a circuit for driving a mechanism for charging the shutter when a mechanical shutter is mounted. A
The control by the / D conversion and the exposure control calculation CPU (108) is performed as described above, but the exposure information relationship is displayed in the viewfinder to inform the user of the calculation results and control values. This is the viewfinder exposure display (110), which performs display using a liquid crystal element. A drive signal, a conversion circuit, and the like necessary for display are controlled by a display decoder in the viewfinder and a drive circuit (109). The camera sequence control CPU (122) and the associated multiplexer circuit (127) generate signals for controlling the entire camera sequence. This block receives a status signal of each block and a signal from the operation setting unit (104), and issues a control command for functioning as a camera. Further, in order to inform the user of the state of the camera, a camera state body display (124) is provided in an easy-to-see portion of the body separately from the viewfinder display.
The source signal for this display is also generated by this block. A drive signal, a conversion circuit, and the like necessary for driving the body display liquid crystal display element as in the viewfinder display are controlled by the body display decoder drive circuit (123). The multiplexing data generation circuit (129) performs a function such as data back in the silver halide camera.

In this circuit, a signal from a multiplexer circuit (127), a clock circuit, and the like are provided, as recording data, for discriminating field / frame recording, a track number of a track to be recorded, a signal of year, month, date, and the like. The MIX signal is generated and modulated into a recording signal (DPSK signal) for multiplex recording with a video signal on a magnetic disk, and
The signal is output to the circuit (132).

A block having a function of detecting whether or not a magnetic disk mounted on the camera has been recorded is an RF detection circuit (130). The presence or absence of recording is detected by detecting a high frequency signal (RF) in each track of the magnetic disk. The detection result is a camera sequence control CPU (122).
Is transmitted to This camera has a function of recording an image and reproducing the image recorded on the magnetic disk, and the reproducing circuit (136) fulfills the function. When the camera is set to the playback mode by the operation setting unit (104), the mounted magnetic disk is rotated and a playback output video signal is output to the terminal (138).
In addition, a method of automatically adjusting the white balance by detecting the color temperature at the time of shooting by the camera is adopted.

First, a white balance sensor (10
2) receives the light of the subject at the time of photographing, calculates the information of the color temperature, and transmits it to the white balance control circuit (113). White balance control circuit (113)
Generates a color balance adjustment signal based on the information, and adjusts the white balance to an appropriate white balance by a signal processing circuit (121) that processes a video signal from the CCD image sensor (112) to process the color signal. The white balance adjustment and the control signal are given so as to perform. If you want to fix the white balance when shooting a sunset, etc., use the operation setting section (10
In 4), it can be easily set manually for outdoor and indoor use. The block that supplies power to each of the above-described blocks is a DC-DC converter (116), which receives power from the battery (117), converts the power to the necessary voltage for each block, and supplies the required voltage. . A voltage still camera consumes an order of magnitude more power than a conventional silver halide camera, and therefore requires a highly efficient DC-DC converter.

FIG. 3 shows the operation setting unit (1) shown in FIG.
04) is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a camera operation mode setting operation switch of FIG. The operation will be described. First, when shooting, the main switch (201)
Is turned on, and then field recording or frame recording is set by the recording selection switch (202). Furthermore, in order to set the recording mode, the user may press the Record switch (203) to start shooting.

Next, when it is desired to erase the track recorded on the mounted magnetic disk and record and record the same track, the mode may be set to a track erasing mode I. To do that, we have the Record switch (203) and Eras
e Set by turning on the switch (205) at the same time. Then, by pressing the track access up / down buttons (206, 207) and moving the magnetic head to a desired track to perform a shooting operation, the selected track is first erased and a new shooting signal is recorded on that track. Operation.

It is also possible to reproduce the image on the magnetic disk, and it is sufficient to set the reproduction mode. Play button (2
04), a reproduction signal can be obtained from the loaded magnetic disk. At this time, a desired track is selected by the track access up / down buttons (206) and (207) as described above. If you want to erase the recording while watching the playback image, set the track erase mode II. By selecting a playback image to be erased in the playback mode with the track access up / down buttons (206) and (207) and pressing the Play switch (204) and the Erase switch (205) simultaneously, the video of the track is erased. Is done. The general operation in the camera operation mode has been described above, and the operation will be described later.

FIG. 4 is an example of the camera state body display (124) in FIG. For portable devices such as cameras, it is necessary to reduce power consumption as much as possible.
A display using a liquid crystal display element is suitable. The display in the normal state, that is, when the magnetic disk is mounted on the camera,
By the display unit (303) with the central seven segments,
Displays the number of remaining frames that can be taken. At this time, the display unit (30
In 2), "Remains" indicating the rest is also displayed.
Naturally, in order to calculate the number of remaining frames, whether field recording or frame recording should be performed must be input as a condition. This is determined by the recording selection switch (202) in FIG. Can be entered. Therefore, in accordance with the setting of the recording selection switch (202), either Field / Frame is displayed on the display unit (305), and the remaining number of frames that can be shot in the selection is displayed on the display unit (303) using the seven segments. indicate.

The warning display section (301) displays "Warn" indicating a warning.
In this embodiment, three items are listed.
"sk" flashes when the erroneous recording prevention claw of the mounted magnetic disk is broken, "Erase" flashes when the track erase mode I is set, and "Battery" flashes when the battery voltage falls below the specified voltage. Flashes when descending, otherwise goes off.

The setting display of the camera operation mode is displayed on the display section (3).
04) Displayed in the part indicated by “Mode”. When the recording mode is set, the display (304) indicates “Recor
d ”lights up, if set to playback mode,“ Play ”
In the state before the shooting operation with the lighting and track erasing mode I set, "Record" lights and "Erase" in the warning display section (301) blinks to call attention.

The lower bar graph (308) shows that the number of recordable tracks on the magnetic disk is 50,
It is divided into 0, and one element shows the state of one track. That is, the recorded track is the bar graph (308)
Is turned on to inform the user that recording has been completed. The numeral (309) below the bar graph (308) represents a track number.

When the track erasing mode I is set, if the track on which the magnetic head is stopped is a recorded track, an element of the bar graph (308) indicating that track blinks. Further, a double arrow (307) above the bar graph (308) indicates at which track the magnetic head is stopped. In the drawing, the position of the head is stopped at a position corresponding to tracks 33 and 34. Therefore, by viewing the bar graph (308) and the arrow (307), the user can grasp at a glance the use state of the track on the magnetic disk and the stop position of the magnetic head, and also check the remaining number of photographable frames. It is easy. Naturally, the arrow (307) indicates that there are two magnetic heads for frame recording.
07) are also two. The display (306) of the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second directly below the display unit (303) by seven segments is as follows.
Although not shown in FIG. 3, by turning on a switch for confirming and correcting the recorded contents of the multiplex data record,
Using the display unit (303) with seven segments, the contents of the data are sequentially displayed in the order of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. Although there is a distinction between field / frame recording and a track number of a recording track, there is no need for the user to input such information, and the camera sequence control CPU (12
2) generates a source signal, and generates a multiplexing data generation circuit (12).
Since the signal is modulated into a recording signal and recorded according to 9), no display for correction, confirmation, etc. is given.

Next, each operation of the electronic still camera (hereinafter abbreviated as camera) of the present embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart. FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7 are flowcharts showing each operation at the time of replacing the magnetic disk. 8, 9, and 1
0 is a flow chart of each operation when the magnetic disk is exchanged, but the operation is slightly different. However, there is no functional difference between them, and either may be adopted.
It should be determined by other constraints.

First, the operation shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 will be described. By operating the open / close knob or lever on the back cover for replacing the magnetic disk, the lock is released and at the same time the switch associated therewith is turned off. In response, the power of the control system related to the magnetic disk exchange is turned off.
N. Further, the input signal from the operation member is not received so that the operation that may cause a failure does not occur even when the electric input member of the camera is operated.

Next, the magnetic head moves and stops at a position corresponding to the innermost track. As an electrical operation, the storage of the track use state of the magnetic disk mounted so far is erased, and the accompanying body display of the track use state is also erased. After these operations, the control system power supply is turned off. The operation so far is performed instantaneously, and in time, the back lid opens. When the back cover is opened, the magnetic disk also moves, and the erroneous recording prevention claw attached to the magnetic disk is separated from the detection switch on the camera body side, so that the erroneous recording prevention switch is turned ON.

Further, the magnetic disk presence / absence switch is also turned off for the same reason. The user removes the magnetic disk, inserts a new magnetic disk and closes the back cover.At the same time, the disk presence / absence switch is turned on by the opposite operation, and the erroneous recording prevention switch is mounted on the disk. If it is marked, turn it off. The back lid is locked and the linked switch is turned ON.

Thus, the power supply of the control system is turned on, and the rotation of the magnetic disk starts. The magnetic head in the innermost track contacts the disk, and a signal is recorded for each track, or scanning starts toward the outermost track. At this time, the magnetic head detects the presence or absence of the RF signal, and stores the result and the number of the detected track in a memory in the camera sequence control CPU (122). This memory stores information on the track use state of the magnetic disk.

The magnetic head finishes scanning up to the outermost track of the magnetic disk. Erroneous recording prevention switch is ON
In this case, since the recording operation cannot be performed, the magnetic head immediately retreats from the magnetic disk, moves to the innermost track, and stops. Accordingly, the magnetic disk also stops rotating. Body display indicating the track use state is performed, and “Disk” in the warning display section flashes.

Naturally, since the photographing cannot be performed, the release is locked, but the electric input by the input member of the other camera becomes possible, and the track use state of the magnetic disk is displayed, and the exchange of the disk is completed. When the erroneous recording prevention switch is OFF, recording is possible. Therefore, whether there is a track that can be recorded by either frame or field recording according to the recording selection switch (202), whether the camera sequence control CPU (122) Searches for information in memory.

When field recording is set, tracks are searched in ascending order of track numbers with no RF signal, and when frame recording is set, two consecutive tracks have no RF signal and no track number Is to search for a track in ascending order and check for the existence of the track. If there is no such track,
Since it is not possible to take a picture, it is handled in the same manner as when the erroneous recording prevention switch is ON, and the disc replacement is completed.

If a corresponding track is found, the magnetic head moves to that track, and it is checked again whether there is no RF signal, that is, whether the RF signal has been recorded. If the data is recorded for some reason (such as a mistake in the control system), the magnetic head moves to the innermost track and scans again for the presence or absence of the RF signal of each track as described above toward the outermost track. I do.

The subsequent operation is also performed as described above, and the presence or absence of the RF signal of the corresponding track is checked again. Here, when the RF signal is detected, since the probability of the camera side malfunctioning is very high, the user is warned by performing an abnormal warning operation, for example, by flashing the display of the entire body display,
At the same time, the magnetic head is retracted from the magnetic disk, and the rotation of the disk stops.

The presence or absence of the RF signal of the corresponding track is checked.
If there is no RF signal, you can shoot and record,
At the location corresponding to the track, the magnetic head is retracted from the magnetic disk and waits. The rotation of the disk stops. The camera sequence control CPU (122) calculates from the information in the memory how many more frames can be recorded in the recording format corresponding to the recording selection switch, and displays the remaining number of recordable frames and a bar graph ( The display of the track use state of the magnetic disk, the stop position of the magnetic head, the mode and the like according to 308) are displayed.

At this time, the operation mode of the camera is automatically set to a recording mode in which a photographing operation can be performed.
Then, the electric input by the input member of the camera becomes possible, and the control system power supply required for the conventional drive is turned off, and the replacement of the disk is completed. 8, 9, and 10 are also flow charts showing the respective operations involved in disc replacement.
The magnetic head scans each track of the magnetic disk and performs RF
The operation of detecting the presence or absence of a signal and confirming it is different from those of FIGS. First, when the disk is taken out, the magnetic head moves to the outermost track and stops, and at the same time when a new magnetic disk is mounted, a signal is recorded for each track from the outermost track side to the innermost track, Is detected, and the result and the number of the detected track are stored in the memory in the camera sequence control CPU (122). This memory content is temporarily called a memory [I].

When the processing is completed up to the innermost track, the scanning is started again from the innermost track to the outermost track, and the result is similarly transmitted to the camera sequence control CPU (12).
2) It is stored in the memory. This content is called memory [II]. When the scanning is completed, the magnetic head retreats to the outermost track and stands by, and the rotation of the magnetic disk stops.

In the camera sequence control CPU (122), the memories [I] and [II] are sequentially compared for the presence or absence of an RF signal of the same track number. If they do not match, it is highly likely that the camera has failed as described in FIG.
An abnormal warning operation is performed to warn the user. If they match, memory [I] and memory [II] have the same contents, so either one (here, memory [II]) should be erased and the remaining memory contents used as camera operation control data. Becomes

In accordance with the recording selection switch (202), a recordable track is searched, and the magnetic head is moved to the corresponding track to wait. Calculate the number of remaining shootable frames,
Other operations such as displaying are the same as those in FIGS.

In the following description of the operation, the magnetic disk is shown in FIGS.
7 are attached in the operation flow. FIG. 11 shows track access up / down buttons (206) and (207) when the operation mode of the camera is set to the recording mode.
9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the camera when is pressed.

The disk is mounted by the operation shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 or FIGS. 8 to 10, and the mode is set to the recording mode. When one of the track access up or down buttons (206) or (207) is pressed (assuming here that the up button (206) is pressed), the camera sequence control CPU (122) receives the information, and at that time, The recording selection switch (20) is set to the side where the track number is higher than the track where the magnetic head is stopped.
A check is made as to whether there are tracks recordable in the recording format specified in 2) by using a memory storing the presence / absence of the RF signal of each track.

If there is no recordable track,
The magnetic head does not move and continues to stop as it is. If there is a recordable track, the magnetic head moves to that track and stops. If you continue to press the access button, the camera sequence control CPU
Step (122) searches for a recordable track with a larger number.

If there is a recordable track, the magnetic head is moved there. While the track access up button (206) is pressed, the above operation is repeated at a speed recognizable by the user until there are no more recordable tracks. Similarly, when the down button (207) is pressed, the search is performed in the direction of the smaller number, and the magnetic head is moved.

When the magnetic head moves, the arrow (307) indicating the stop position of the magnetic head in the body display shown in FIG. 4 also displays the position corresponding to the movement. 12 and 13 show the case where the operation mode of the camera is set to the track erasing mode I, and the camera operation including the operation when the track access up / down buttons (206) and (207) are further pressed. Is a flowchart. When the magnetic disk is mounted on the camera, the operation mode of the camera is automatically set to the recording mode. In this state, by further turning on the Record switch (203) and the Erase switch (205) simultaneously, the track erase mode I is set. The warning display part (30
“Erase” in 1) flashes, indicating that the mode has been set.

To select a track to be erased, the track access up / down buttons (206, 207) are operated to stop the magnetic head at a desired track position. The camera sequence control CPU (122) checks whether or not the track where the magnetic head is stopped is recorded based on the information in the memory. If the track is not recorded, an erasing operation is not necessary. When the camera is released for photographing, the magnetic disk rotates and the magnetic head contacts the magnetic disk, and the CCD image sensor ( 112) is recorded.

If the track is a recorded track, the element corresponding to the track in the bar graph (308) of the body display blinks to strongly impress the user on the number of the track to be erased. When the camera is released in this state, the magnetic disk rotates, and the magnetic head comes into contact with the magnetic disk, first erases a recording signal, and then records a signal obtained by photographing.

Since the unrecorded track is recorded by the recording operation, this information is transmitted to the camera sequence control CPU (122), and the track use state memory in the CPU is used. Is changed, that is, R of the track number corresponding to the recorded track is changed.
The F signal is changed from “absent” to “present”. Immediately after the end of the recording operation, the track erasing mode I is released, the recording mode is automatically set, the magnetic head is retracted from the magnetic disk, and the rotation of the magnetic disk stops.

During this time, the camera sequence control CPU
A step (122) searches for a track having the smallest track number among tracks recordable in a recording mode (field recording or frame recording) according to the recording selection switch (202) by using a track use state memory in the CPU. If there is no corresponding track, the magnetic head is moved to the innermost track and stopped.

The body display indicates that the remaining number of photographed frames is 0, and the apparatus stands by in the recording mode. If there is a corresponding track, the magnetic head moves to the corresponding track position, stops, and stands by in the recording mode. The above is the operation of the camera when the track erase mode I is set. FIG. 14, FIG. 15, and FIG. 16 are views showing the flow of the operation of the camera when the reproduction mode is set and the track erase mode II is set from the reproduction mode.

Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to the drawings. First, when the mounting of the magnetic disk is completed, the camera is set to the recording mode as a standard state. Therefore, in order for the camera to perform the reproducing operation, the p of the operation setting unit (104) is set.
Press the lay switch (204) to set the playback state.

When the camera is in the reproducing state, the body display indicates the number of remaining photographable frames (302) (303).
Disappears, and “play” in the mode setting display (304) lights up. The bar graph (308) and the arrow (307) indicating the stop position of the head are always displayed in the same manner as described above. In this case, the track position and number being reproduced are indicated by the user depending on the track position of the magnetic head. Can know.

When the play switch (204) is turned on, the camera sequence control CPU (122) searches the recorded track closest to the track where the magnetic head is currently stopped by the track use state memory. If there is no corresponding track, it means that the mounted magnetic disk is not recorded at all, and the reproduction mode is canceled, the recording mode is automatically set, and the apparatus enters a standby state.

If there is a corresponding track, the rotation of the magnetic disk starts, the magnetic head moves to the corresponding track position, stops, and comes into contact with the magnetic disk. Therefore, a reproduced signal is output, and a monitor or the like is connected to the terminal (1).
38), the reproduced image can be viewed. The user can move the magnetic head by pressing the track access up / down buttons (206) / (207) in order to search for the screen that he / she wants to see. Assuming that the up button (206) is pressed, the camera sequence control CPU (122) records a track having a larger track number than the track currently being reproduced by the magnetic head from the memory in the track use state. Or do a search.

If there is no recorded track, the magnetic head does not move and the reproduction is continued at the same position.
If there is a recorded track, the magnetic head moves to the corresponding track position, stops, and reproduces that track.
When the up button (206) is further pressed, the above operation is repeated.

The same operation is performed when the down button (207) is pressed, but this time, the magnetic head moves to a track having a smaller track number than the track currently being reproduced by the magnetic head and to a recorded track, thereby reproducing the track. Will be done. Also, regardless of whether recording is performed by field recording or frame recording at the time of recording, identification is performed at the time of reproduction by the field / frame identification signal in the multiplexed data of the reproduction signal, and automatic switching reproduction is performed.

The movement of the magnetic head is also controlled in accordance with the identification signal so as to make a predetermined movement during frame reproduction.
In order to let the user know whether to play the field or the frame at the time of playback, the display (305) of the body display is used.
You can see which is lit. Next, when the user is watching the reproduction surface and there is an image to be erased, the recording can be erased by setting the track erase mode II.

To do this, use the track access up / down buttons (206) and (207) to play back the video of the track that you want to erase, and use the Play switch (204) and the Era switch.
When the se switch (205) is turned on at the same time, the recording of that track is erased. When the switch is turned on, the image reproduced on the monitor or the like disappears, and the screen goes dark for several seconds to indicate that the erasing operation has been performed.

While the playback screen is dark, the camera sequence control CPU (122) erases the recorded track and becomes recordable. The RF signal is changed from “present” to “absent”. Further, the memory is searched for a recorded track on the side having a larger track number than the track where the magnetic head is currently stopped.

If there is no recorded track,
In the future, we will search for the side with the lower track number. If there is a recorded track on either side, the magnetic head is moved to that track position, the screen is darkened for several seconds as described above, and then the reproduction screen of that track is projected. When there is no recorded track or when the user presses the Record switch (203) to switch from the playback mode to the recording mode, the magnetic head retracts from the magnetic disk,
The rotation of the disk stops. Camera sequence control CP
U (122) searches for a track that can be recorded in the recording format specified by the recording selection switch (202) and that has a track number as small as possible from the memory in the track use state.

If there is no corresponding track, the magnetic head moves to the innermost track position and stops and waits. If there is a corresponding track, the magnetic head moves to the corresponding track position, stops and waits. The camera operation mode is set to the recording mode in any case. The operation of the camera when various operations are performed in each operation mode has been described with reference to the flowchart. When the track use state of the magnetic disk mounted in this way is grasped and the operation of the camera is controlled based on the information, the efficiency is extremely improved and the operability is remarkably improved.

In this embodiment, the presence or absence of an RF signal was examined as information on the track use state of the magnetic disk.
In addition to video signals, audio signals and digital data signals can be written to the magnetic disk, so not only the presence or absence of an RF signal, but also the type of recording signal is investigated, and such information is stored. The user can easily recognize what kind of signal is written on the magnetic disk through the body display.

In this embodiment, the reproducing circuit (13) shown in FIG.
6) can be realized by operating when a magnetic disk is mounted. When the magnetic head scans each track to check the track use state, the reproducing circuit (136) operates, and the signal is reproduced for the recorded track.
The camera sequence control CPU detects which kind of signal is recorded, classifies and encodes the coded information.
It is stored in the memory in (122).

According to the present invention, an image signal is recorded on a recording medium.
When searching for recorded data,
Invalidate the instruction by the operation even if the operation member is operated
The camera will not behave in a manner that could cause
First, an imaging device with good operability can be obtained.

For example, the bar graph (308) corresponding to the track where the audio is recorded is displayed in red, the bar graph (308) corresponding to the track where the digital data is recorded is displayed in green,
If the display of the element of the bar graph (308) corresponding to the track where the video signal is recorded is changed to blue or the like, it is considered easy to recognize.

In this embodiment, a recording selection switch (202) for designating field recording or frame recording.
Once the recording format is determined, it will be recorded in the specified recording format unless the switch is changed,
If the mounted magnetic disk is recorded on every other track or recorded only halfway, and recording by frame recording, a track in the middle of the disk may not be recorded and may be missed.

In order to use the magnetic disk efficiently in such a case, it is necessary to switch the recording selection switch (302) each time while viewing the bar graph (308) in the track use state, and to take a picture. It is troublesome. If you want to use the disc efficiently regardless of the recording format, select the recording selection switch (202)
In addition, auto select recording can be set,
When a switch is set at this position, recording is performed mainly by frame recording. If there is a recorded track or the like in the middle and one track cannot be recorded by frame recording and the recording is skipped, field recording is performed. Automatic switching, field recording is performed, and if there is no track omission in frame recording, the operation of returning to frame recording should be checked and stored in advance for information on track use status. Can be easily realized.

As described above, according to the present invention, after the user mounts the camera on the recording medium, the user manually operates the camera until the search of the recording state (presence or absence of an image signal) on the recording medium is completed. When a typical input member is operated, there is a fear that an operation that may cause a failure may be performed. An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with good operability without fear of the above.

[0066]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of the present invention .

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing camera operation mode setting operation switches.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a camera state body display;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of each operation when exchanging a magnetic disk.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of each operation when exchanging a magnetic disk.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of each operation when exchanging a magnetic disk.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of each operation at the time of magnetic disk replacement.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of each operation when exchanging a magnetic disk.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of each operation at the time of magnetic disk replacement.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a camera operation when a recording mode is set.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the camera operation when the track erase mode I is set.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the camera operation when the track erase mode I is set.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a camera operation when a reproduction mode and a track erasing mode II are set.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a camera operation when a reproduction mode and a track erasing mode II are set.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a camera operation when a reproduction mode and a track erasing mode II are set.

[Description of Signs of Main Parts]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical system 2 Solid-state image sensor 3 Signal processing means 4 Recording means 5 Storage means 6 Control means 7 Automatic address mechanism 8 Display means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An optical system that forms an image of a subject; a solid-state imaging device provided near an imaging surface of the optical system; a signal processing unit that processes an image signal from the solid-state imaging device; A recording unit for recording the recording medium on a removable recording medium, wherein the detecting unit detects that the recording medium is mounted, and the recording unit records the recording medium in response to a detection output from the detecting unit. Search means for searching for the presence or absence of the image signal in the recording medium, and instructing means for manually instructing the imaging device to perform various operations, after the detecting means detects the mounting of the recording medium, An imaging apparatus, wherein the instruction by the instruction unit is invalidated until the search for the presence or absence of the image signal is completed by the search unit.