JP2610237B2 - Control device for camera remote control system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for a camera remote control system, and more particularly to a flash charging control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows a basic circuit configuration of a camera with a remote control (hereinafter, referred to as a remote control) function. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a camera control circuit which controls an exposure control circuit 2 for controlling a shutter and the like, a winding circuit 3 for winding a film, and the like. Reference numeral 4 denotes a known flash circuit, and a control circuit 1
The charging of the main capacitor is started by the input of the charging start signal, and when the charging voltage of the main capacitor reaches a predetermined value, the charging completion signal is sent back, and the input of the charging stop signal sent from the control circuit 1 accordingly. Stops the charging operation. Further, at the time of flash photography, the control circuit 1 controls the shutter together with the shutter control circuit 2 at the time of film exposure, and emits flash light. Reference numeral 5 denotes a release switch, and reference numeral 6 denotes a remote control switch that is set to be turned on when performing release using a remote controller. The states of these switches are input to the control circuit 1. Reference numeral 7 denotes a remote control signal receiving circuit to which a receiving element 8 for receiving a remote control signal is connected, and notifies the control circuit 1 of the fact by receiving the remote control signal. Reference numeral 9 denotes a remote control transmitter for transmitting a remote control signal, to which a switch 10 which is turned on when transmitting a remote control signal and a light emitting element 11 for emitting a remote control signal are connected.

The operation of this type of conventional camera in the above configuration is described in the fourth.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

First, in # 1, it is checked whether or not the release switch 5 has been pressed. If it is pressed, the process proceeds to # 8, but if it is not pressed, the process proceeds to # 2. In # 2, it is checked whether the mode is the remote control mode. If the mode is the remote control mode, the process proceeds to # 4, and if not, the process proceeds to # 3. In # 3, if the remote control switch 6 is turned on, #
Proceed to 5 to set the remote control mode. If it is not turned on, the process returns to # 1. As described above, when the operation is not in the remote control mode and no operation is performed, # 1 → # 2 →
A loop of # 3 → # 1 is formed.

Next, in # 4, it is checked whether or not the remote control switch 6 is on. If it is off, the process proceeds to # 6, the remote control mode is reset, and the process returns to # 1. If it is on, the process proceeds to step # 7 to check whether a remote control signal has been received. If a remote control signal has been received, the process proceeds to # 8, as in the case where the release switch 5 was turned on in # 1.
That is, when a remote control signal is received when the camera is in the remote control mode, the same operation as when the release switch 5 is turned on is started.

It is determined that the remote control signal has been received in # 7 when the switch 10 is pressed in FIG.
That is, when the switch 10 of the remote control transmitter 9 is pressed,
A remote control signal is output from the light emitting element 11. This signal is received by the light receiving element 8, and a signal indicating that the remote control signal has been received via the remote control receiving circuit 7 is output to the control circuit 1.

Next, an operation when the release switch 5 is pressed or a remote control signal is received in the remote control mode, that is, a release operation (# 8 to # 12) will be described.

In such a state, the process first proceeds to step # 8, and photometry (luminance measurement of the subject) is performed by a photometry circuit (not shown). And #
The process proceeds to step 9, and if it is determined that the brightness is low, the process proceeds to step # 10 to charge the flash. In step # 10, the control circuit 1 sends a charge start signal to the strobe circuit 4, and when a strobe charge completion signal is sent back from the strobe circuit 4, the strobe circuit 4
Next, a charge stop signal is output, and the operation proceeds to # 11 as the completion of the operation at # 10. On the other hand, if it is not determined in step # 9 that the luminance is low, the process proceeds to step # 11. In step # 11, the exposure of the film is controlled by driving the shutter.
When the process proceeds from # 10 to # 11, that is, when the strobe is charged with low brightness, the strobe light emission is performed in # 11. When the exposure is completed in # 11, the process proceeds to # 12, where the film is wound up and the process proceeds to # 13. In # 13, it is checked whether or not the flash photography has been performed. If the flash photography has been performed, there is a high possibility that the flash photography will be performed next time, so the process proceeds to # 14. And return. # If no flash photography was performed
Return to # 1 from 13 as it is.

Here, when the flash photography is performed after the winding of the film is completed, the flash is charged and the process returns to # 1 for the following reason.

One of the problems with flash photography is that charging takes time. For example, in # 9 of FIG. 4, if it is determined that the brightness is low, the flash charging is terminated in # 10 and the exposure of # 11 is performed.
That is, proceed to the release. This is equivalent to the time from when the release switch 5 of # 1 is turned on to when the release of # 11 is performed, as compared with the case where the flash charging is not required and the procedure proceeds from # 8 to # 9 to # 11.
10 extra strobe charging times. This time is a so-called "release time lag", which misses a shooting opportunity and significantly deteriorates the operational feeling. Therefore, if the main capacitor in the strobe circuit 4 is charged in advance, the main capacitor in the strobe circuit 4 is charged to some extent when the release switch 5 is pressed to start the # 10 strobe charging. Charging is completed earlier than when the battery is not charged in advance, and the release time lag is shortened. Regarding the sequence in which this preliminary charging is performed,
Various schemes have been proposed and implemented. # 1 in Fig. 4
3, # 14 is an example of this, in which when strobe shooting is performed, strobe charging is performed after winding up.

In the conventional apparatus as described above, after the first release, in the case of flash photography, since the flash is charged after the film is wound, the release time lag due to the flash charge is set for the second and subsequent releases. Can be reduced. However, for a first release or a release in which a long time has elapsed since the flash charging, the main capacitor in the flash circuit 4 is in a discharged state, and a release time lag occurs.

As for the release time lag after the release switch 5 is pressed, a display indicating that the flash is charging is performed, so that the operator can know why the release lime lag is occurring, and only when the first release is performed. Yes, no major problems.

However, the situation is different in the case of a release using a remote control. In other words, since the operator is at a position distant from the camera in the release using the remote controller, it is not known that a release time lag has occurred due to the flash charging. For this reason, even though the operator operates the remote control transmitter 9 and sends a remote control signal, the operator does not readily release the flash because the flash is charging, and doubts whether the remote control signal was actually received. The operation cannot be performed well. For example, if a remote control is used instead of the self-timer, it is doubtful that the remote control signal was received only for the first release, and the time from reception to release would be extremely long by the strobe charging time. This makes it difficult to capture a photo opportunity.

As described above, the deterioration of the shooting operation feeling due to the release time lag at the time of the remote control release is much larger than at the time of the normal release.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a control device for a camera remote control system capable of improving operability when performing flash photography by remote control operation. It is assumed that.

(Features of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises transmitting means for transmitting a remote control signal, and receiving means for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from the transmitting means, wherein the receiving means In a control device for a remote control system of a camera for causing a camera to perform a shooting operation in response to receiving a remote control signal, the receiving unit is set to be capable of receiving a remote control signal. Determining means for judging, and control means for starting charging for strobe light emission in response to the judgment by the judging means, irrespective of whether or not the receiving means has received a remote control signal. It is assumed that.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of one embodiment of the present invention, and the circuit configuration is exactly the same as that of FIG.

In FIG. 2, operations # 1 to # 14 are exactly the same as those in FIG. The difference is after the remote control mode is set at # 5. In the conventional example of FIG. 4, the process returns from # 5 to # 1 as it is, but in this embodiment, the flash is charged at # 15 and the process returns to # 1. .

In FIG. 2, when the remote control switch 6 is off, the operation is exactly the same as in FIG.

Next, a case where the remote control switch 6 is turned on will be described. Since the remote control mode is not set until the remote control switch 6 is turned on, # 1 → # 2 → #
Proceed with 3. If it is determined in step # 3 that the remote control switch 6 is turned on, the flow advances to step # 5 to set the remote control mode. Then, the process proceeds from step # 5 to step # 15 to charge the flash as described above. When the flash charging in # 15 is completed, the process returns to # 1, and proceeds to # 1, # 2, # 4, and # 7. If a remote control signal is not detected in # 7, the process returns to # 1, and a loop of # 1 → # 2 → # 4 → # 7 → # 1 is formed. During this time, the main capacitor in the flash circuit 4 is discharged by the leak current, but the amount is small. Then, the remote control transmitter 9 is operated by the operator,
When the remote control signal is output, the remote control signal is detected in # 7, and the process proceeds to # 8. In the next # 9, it is checked whether or not the brightness is low. If the brightness is low, the process proceeds to # 10. #Ten
The flash is charged in step # 15, but charging is performed in advance in step # 15. In step # 10, charging is performed only for the amount of leakage of the main capacitor from the time the remote control mode is set to the time a remote control signal is received. That would be good. Therefore, the time required for charging the strobe at # 10 can be extremely short as compared with the case where the battery is not charged in advance.

In this way, from the reception of the remote control signal at # 7 to the exposure at # 11, even when the flash is charged, it is possible to proceed with a slight release time lag.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.

The difference from the embodiment of FIG. 2 is that in the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the remote control mode is set in # 5, the strobe charging is performed unconditionally in # 15. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, when the remote control mode is set, photometry is performed, and only when the brightness is low, strobe charging is performed.

In FIG. 3, when the remote control switch 6 is turned on from off as in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 2, # 1 → # 2 → # 3
→ Proceed to # 5, set the remote control mode, and proceed to # 16. In step # 16, photometry is performed, and the process proceeds to step # 17. If the result of photometry is determined to be low, the process proceeds to step # 18 to perform preliminary charging of the strobe. Return to # 1.

By doing so, unnecessary strobe charging is not required, for example, in a case where the remote control switch 6 is turned on in a bright outdoors and then the remote control transmitter 9 is operated to release the flash.

In FIG. 3, in # 16 and # 17, photometry was performed to determine whether or not the luminance was low, and it was determined whether or not to perform preliminary charging of the strobe in # 18. However, in addition to the above, if there is a condition for determining whether or not to perform strobe shooting in the subsequent release, it is sufficient to determine whether or not to perform the # 18 strobe charging after performing the determination. As a condition of whether or not to make the flash fire,
In the cameras shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the only condition was that the subject automatically emit light when the subject had low luminance. However, some cameras have, for example, a mode having a mode in which the strobe is forcibly emitted, and a mode having a mode in which the strobe is forcibly stopped. In order to realize the present embodiment with these cameras, it is only necessary to add a mode determination of forced flashing or flash stop of these strobes to the portion of FIG. 3 # 16, # 17 for determining the brightness of the subject.

Further, in FIGS. 2 and 3, the camera releases the remote control signal as soon as it is received. However, a remote control release camera that can set a predetermined time from the reception of the remote control signal to the release can be applied.

According to the present embodiment, the flash charging is performed in advance by setting the remote control mode. Therefore, when the flash shooting is performed by the remote control operation, the flash charging time after receiving the remote control signal can be shortened. The operator can release the remote controller at the intended timing.

In addition, if there is a means for determining whether or not to perform flash photography before performing the preliminary charging after the remote control mode is set, unnecessary preliminary flash charging can be performed.
This eliminates the inconvenience that the operation of the camera is temporarily interrupted due to the loss of the power supply battery for flash charging and the time required for flash charging.

Also, as in the present embodiment, in a camera that releases immediately after receiving a remote control signal, there is an effect of shortening the release time lag, but in a remote control release camera that releases after a certain delay time after receiving the remote control signal. By shortening the charging time of the strobe after receiving the remote control signal, there is an effect of making the delay time constant.

(Correspondence between the invention and the embodiment) In the above embodiment, the remote control transmitter 9 and the light emitting element 11 shown in FIG. 1 correspond to the transmitting means of the present invention, the light receiving element 8 and the remote control receiving circuit 7 correspond to the receiving means, and FIG. , # 2 in FIG. 3,
The part performing the operation of # 3 corresponds to the determination means, and the part performing # 16, # 17, and # 18 of FIG. 3 corresponds to the control means.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the time lag when performing flash photography by remote control operation, and to surely prepare for flash photography by remote control operation. It is possible to improve the operability of the camera remote control system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a camera with a remote control function, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the conventional camera with a remote control function. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control circuit, 4 ... Strobe circuit, 5 ... Release switch, 6 ... Remote control switch, 7 ... Remote control receiving circuit, 8 ... Light receiving element, 9 ... Remote control transmitter, 10 ...
... switch, 11 ... light emitting element.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A transmitting means for transmitting a remote control signal; and a receiving means for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from the transmitting means. In a control device for a remote control system of a camera that performs a shooting operation, a determination unit that determines that the receiving unit is set to a state in which a remote control signal can be received; Control means for initiating charging for strobe light regardless of whether the receiving means has received a remote control signal in response to the control device. .