JP2799715B2 - Interchangeable lens camera, lens unit and camera system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera system control device, and more particularly, to an automatic control system in an interchangeable lens type video camera system.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in a video camera system of this type in which a lens can be exchanged, each time the lens is exchanged, various functions (for example, white balance, shutter speed, AE
(Automatic exposure), etc.) must be changed to an appropriate state according to the lens characteristics. Further, it is necessary to initialize the lens position, the aperture value, and the like immediately after the replacement to an appropriate position so as not to cause a malfunction in the control device on the camera side.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in this type of video camera system of the related art, since the setting states of the various functions are unchanged after lens replacement, the following disadvantages have occurred. 1) Since various characteristics and photographing conditions of the lens are often different after the lens replacement, if the photographing is performed with the various function settings before the lens replacement, the lens system control system of the camera body malfunctions. Tends to occur.

2) After replacing the lens, it was necessary to turn on the power again or to provide a reset button or the like in order to reset the various functions. In addition, the user often forgets to perform the setting operation of various functions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the conventional example, and a control of this type of video camera system capable of automatically changing various function settings required at the time of lens replacement. It is intended to provide equipment.

[Means for solving the problem]

Therefore, in the present invention, the following (1)
The object is achieved by providing a camera system, a lens-interchangeable camera, and a lens unit described in any one of (3) to (3).

(1) In an interchangeable lens video camera system comprising a camera body and a lens unit detachable from the camera body, a lens attachment / detachment recognizing means for recognizing attachment / detachment of the lens unit to / from the camera body, and the camera body and the lens unit Between the information communication means for communicating control information and the lens attachment / detachment recognizing means, when the attachment of the lens unit to the camera is recognized, the initial communication of the control information by the information communication means is started. Initializing the driving means in the lens unit according to the initial communication from the camera body to the lens unit, and various functions in the camera body according to the initial communication from the lens unit to the camera body. A system that automatically adjusts to an appropriate state corresponding to the lens characteristics of the lens unit Camera system comprising: the means.

(2) A camera in which a lens unit can be attached to and detached from a camera body, wherein lens attachment / detachment recognizing means for recognizing attachment / detachment of the camera body and the lens unit, and information for communicating control information between the lens unit and the lens unit. When the mounting of the lens unit to the camera body is recognized by the communication unit and the lens attachment / detachment recognizing unit, initial communication of the control information by the information communication unit is started, and the communication from the camera body to the lens unit is started. Initializing the driving means in the lens unit in response to the initial communication, and adjusting various functions in the camera body to correspond to the lens characteristics of the lens unit in response to the initial communication from the lens unit to the camera body. Control means for automatically adjusting the camera to a proper state.

(3) a unit detachable from the camera body, the lens attachment / detachment recognition means for recognizing attachment / detachment of the lens unit to / from the camera body, and an information communication means for communicating control information with the camera body. When the mounting of the lens unit to the camera body is recognized by the lens attaching / detaching recognizing means, initial communication of the control information by the information communication means is started, and the lens unit is transmitted in response to the initial communication from the camera body. Control means for initializing the driving means in the camera body and transmitting information for automatically adjusting various functions in the camera body to an appropriate state corresponding to the lens characteristics of the lens unit to the camera body. And a lens unit comprising:

[Action]

According to the configuration of the present invention as described above, communication between the camera body and the lens unit is started according to the mounting of the camera body and the lens unit,
The drive unit on the lens unit side is initialized, and the setting on the camera body side can be automatically adjusted to a state adapted to the lens characteristics, so that both the camera body and the lens unit can be mutually optimized.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples.

(Configuration) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a video camera system control system of the present invention. 1
Is an interchangeable lens unit, 2 is a camera body unit, and the interchangeable lens unit 1 is configured to be detachable from the camera body 2 side. Reference numeral 3 denotes a focus lens, reference numerals 4 and 5 denote zoom lens groups, reference numeral 6 denotes an aperture, reference numeral 7 denotes a correction lens group for correctly forming an image on an image pickup surface, and reference numerals 8, 9, and 10 denote focus lens 3 driving sources and zoom lenses, respectively. 4/5 drive source and aperture 6 drive source, 11 is a microcomputer on the lens side (hereinafter abbreviated as microcomputer), 12 is a microcomputer on the camera side, 13, 14, 15 are
Each device having various functions used for photographing such as white balance, AE and shutter speed, 16 is a switch for recognizing the attachment / detachment of the interchangeable lens unit 1 with respect to the camera main unit 2, and 17 is a signal for transmitting a mounting recognition signal by the switch 16. A transmission line 18 for instructing the various functions to set respective initial (state) settings, and 19 indicates a switch function that is turned on during the execution of each of the above initial settings.

(Operation) FIG. 2 shows a sequence flowchart of various function initial setting processing operations of the camera microcomputer 12 in the above configuration. Step S1 indicates a program start declaration, step S2 is a program for determining whether or not lens replacement has been completed; step S4, all of the functions are initialized according to an instruction for initializing various functions in step S3. Is a program for determining whether or not the operation has been completed, step S5 is a program for putting the camera in a shooting standby state, step S6 is a program for determining whether the power is on / off, and step S7 is a declaration for terminating the program. It is.

In FIG. 1, by attaching the interchangeable lens unit 1 to the camera body unit 2, the detachable
Is turned on (or off), and a recognition signal indicating completion of mounting is transmitted to the camera-side microcomputer 12 through the transmission path 17. This signal is determined in step S2 of FIG. 2. If the lens has not been replaced, step S2 is repeated. When it is confirmed that the lens has been completely mounted, the flow shifts to step S3 to initialize the functions. Next, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the initial setting has been completed. If the initial setting has not been completed (NO), step S3 is repeated. If the initial setting has been completed, the process proceeds to step S5. Then, the camera enters a shooting standby state. These operations are repeated until the power is turned off (YES) in step S6. If it is confirmed that the power is off, the process proceeds to step S7, and this program ends. By performing the processing / operation as described above, it is possible to prevent the forgetting of the initial setting after the lens exchange and the malfunction of the camera microcomputer 12.

(Other Embodiment) FIG. 3 shows a sequence flowchart of an interchangeable lens unit initial setting operation of the camera microcomputer 12, which is another embodiment of FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the initial setting is performed on the camera side 2. FIG. 3 is an example in which the initial setting is performed on the lens side 1. In FIG. Steps (S2, S6) having the same contents as the above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 3, step S11 indicates the start of a program, step S2 is a program for determining whether or not lens replacement is completed, and step S13 is a state of each lens (aperture value, zoom lens position, focus lens position, etc.). Step S14 is a program for determining whether or not the state of the lens has been initialized. Step S15 is a program for requesting data from the lens microcomputer 11, and Step S16 is A program for determining whether or not data capture from the lens microcomputer 11 has been completed; step S17, a program for issuing a command for capturing external light; step S18, a program for adjusting white balance and the like; Step S19 is a program for judging whether or not the auto (automatic) adjustment is completed, and step S6 is a program for turning on or off the power. Or program, step S20 of determining indicates the termination declaration program.

In FIG. 3, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the lens has been replaced. If the lens has not been replaced (NO), step S2 is repeated. If the lens has been replaced (YES), step S13 has been performed.
To the lens state (aperture value, zoom lens position,
Initialize the focus lens position). Next, it is determined whether or not the initialization has been completed in step S14, and if not, the process returns to step S13. If completed (YES), the process proceeds to step S15 to request the lens-side microcomputer 11 for characteristic data relating to the color of the mounted lens. Then, in step S16, the lens microcomputer 1
It is determined whether or not the data acquisition from 1 has been completed, and if not completed (NO), the process returns to step S14. If completed (YES), the process proceeds to step S17, where external light is captured, and white balance and the like are adjusted based on the data captured from the lens in step S18. Then, it is determined in step S19 whether the adjustment has been completed. If the adjustment has not been completed (NO), the process returns to step S17. As in FIG. 2, this operation is repeated until the power is confirmed to be off. If it is determined in step S6 that the power is off (YE
S), the process proceeds to step S20, and the program ends.

(Effects) As described above, in each of the embodiments, by automatically adjusting the lens replacement, after the lens replacement,
In addition to the instantaneous shooting enabled state, shooting can be performed in an appropriate state, so that shooting failure and the like are prevented.

Note that “initialization” and “initial setting” used in each of the above-described embodiments refer to a non-standard state (for example, backlight correction, manual focus, etc.) before lens replacement, The non-standard state is cleared and includes setting to the standard state, that is, full auto (auto focus (AF), automatic exposure (AE), etc.).

In addition, the “lens detachment recognizing means” in each of the above embodiments
Is not necessarily limited to the mechanical switch 16 as shown in the figure, but the camera body 2 can confirm the ID information of the lens 1 by the communication means and recognize that the ID information has changed. Of course, it may be determined that the lens has been detached and replaced.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in an interchangeable lens type video camera system, when an arbitrary interchangeable lens is attached, the lens attachment / detachment recognizing unit recognizes the attachment of the lens, and a camera body side control circuit. As a result, since the lens is initialized and various functions are automatically adjusted, it is not necessary to readjust the lens every time the lens is changed due to a change in the lens characteristics and photographing conditions. In addition, since such initialization of the initial setting prevents forgetting to perform the initial adjustment at the time of lens replacement, it is possible to perform shooting in a good state even after the lens replacement.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a lens-interchangeable video camera system control apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of another embodiment of FIG. 2 showing an operation sequence of various functions initialization processing of the microcomputer on the camera side. 1: Interchangeable lens unit 2: Camera main unit 11/12: Microcomputer for lens / camera 13, 14, 15: Function 1, 2, 2, 16: Detach / recognition switch

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An interchangeable lens video camera system comprising a camera body and a lens unit detachable from the camera body, wherein: a lens attachment / detachment recognizing means for recognizing attachment / detachment of the lens unit to / from the camera body; Information communication means for communicating control information with the lens unit; and when the lens attachment / detachment recognizing means recognizes attachment of the lens unit to the camera, initial communication of the control information by the information communication means is performed. Starting and initializing the driving means in the lens unit according to the initial communication from the camera body to the lens unit, and the various components in the camera body according to the initial communication from the lens unit to the camera body. The function is automatically adjusted to the appropriate state corresponding to the lens characteristics of the lens unit. Camera system characterized by comprising a control unit, the to. 2. A camera in which a lens unit can be attached to and detached from a camera body, wherein lens attachment / detachment recognizing means for recognizing attachment / detachment between the camera body and the lens unit, and communication of control information between the lens unit and the lens unit. Information communication means, and when the lens attachment / detachment recognition means recognizes attachment of the lens unit to the camera body, starts initial communication of the control information by the information communication means,
Initializing the driving means in the lens unit according to the initial communication from the camera body to the lens unit, and various functions in the camera body according to the initial communication from the lens unit to the camera body. Control means for automatically adjusting the lens unit to an appropriate state corresponding to the lens characteristics of the lens unit. 3. A unit detachably mountable to a camera body, comprising: a lens attachment / detachment recognizing means for recognizing attachment / detachment of the lens unit to / from the camera body; and an information communication means for communicating control information between the camera body. When the lens attachment / detachment recognizing means recognizes attachment of the lens unit to the camera body, starts initial communication of the control information by the information communication means,
To initialize the driving means in the lens unit according to the initial communication from the camera body, and to automatically adjust various functions in the camera body to an appropriate state corresponding to the lens characteristics of the lens unit. And a control unit for transmitting the information to the camera body.