JP3199895B2 - Camera with built-in strobe - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera with a built-in strobe having a slave function for emitting light (as auxiliary light) in synchronization with a strobe light, such as a camera used for another photographing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a strobe device is built in a lens shutter camera or the like. In this kind of camera, when a strobe light of another camera is detected, for example, light is emitted as auxiliary light in synchronization with the strobe light. Nothing enables what is called a slave operation.

In order to perform a slave operation, a slave unit is attached to an external flash unit such as a single-lens reflex camera, and the flash unit of another camera is detected to start (emit) the external flash unit. Is known.

[0004]

Therefore, when an attempt is made to perform flash multi-flash photography, it is necessary to align an external flash device (single flash device) with a slave unit. However, for general users, there is not much use of the single strobe device and slave unit for other purposes.
All of these were economically burdensome.

(Object of the Invention) It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera with a built-in strobe that can easily realize multi-flash shooting with a strobe.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object,
For example, the present invention relates to a strobe that emits a strobe light during shooting.
In a built-in strobe built-in camera, a slave mode setting means for setting a slave mode, a strobe light detecting means for detecting strobe light from another strobe device, and a slave mode set by the slave mode setting means while being, stroke strobe light by the strobe light detecting means is provided and a slave operation control means for emitting the internal flash device when detected
A camera with a built-in camera.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a camera with a built-in strobe having a slave function according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU for controlling the sequence of a camera, and 2 denotes an RO storing a program.
M, 3 an external liquid crystal display (LCD) for displaying the state of the camera and data, etc., 4 a distance measuring circuit for measuring the subject distance, 5 a shutter control circuit for controlling opening and closing of a shutter (not shown), 6 a This is a film feeding circuit for winding and rewinding a film. Reference numeral 7 denotes a photometric circuit for measuring the luminance of the subject. An analog signal, which is a photometric value, is input to an A / D converter input port ADCIN of the CPU 1 and is input to a differentiating circuit 8.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a one-shot pulse circuit, 10 denotes an AND gate, 11 denotes an OR gate, 12 denotes a strobe trigger circuit, 13 denotes a charging circuit for a strobe main capacitor described later, 14 denotes a xenon tube that emits strobe light, and 15 denotes the xenon. A cathode 14 of the tube 14, 16 is an anode of the xenon tube 14, 17 is a trigger terminal, 18 is a main capacitor, 19 is a battery as a power supply, 20 is a comparator for detecting a strobe charging voltage, and 21 is a slave mode setting. The switch 22 is a slave mark indicating that the state is set in the slave mode.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera having the above configuration. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 23 denotes a flash light emitting unit, and reference numeral 24 denotes a photometry window.

Next, the operation of the CPU 1 of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the timing chart of FIG.

When the state of the slave mode setting switch 21 shown in FIG. 1 changes, the CPU 1 starts the operation from step 101. [Step 101] Slave mode setting switch 21
Is changed, the slave mode setting switch 21
Is determined, and if the slave mode is set, the process proceeds to step 102; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 110. [Step 102] The external LCD 3 turns on the slave mark 22 indicating the slave mode state. [Step 103] It is detected whether the flash charging is completed. As a detection method, the result of comparing the charging voltage of the strobe main capacitor 18 with a predetermined voltage value (Vref) by the comparator 20 is input to the input port VDCT of the CPU 1. The determination is made based on this result. If the charging voltage is equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage, the process proceeds to step 104, and if it exceeds the predetermined voltage, the process proceeds to step 107. [Step 104] The output port CGCOM for strobe charge control is set to a high level (Hi).

As a result, charging of the main capacitor 18 by the main capacitor charging circuit 13 is started. The details of the charging circuit 13 are omitted because they are not directly related to the present invention. [Step 105] The charging voltage of the main capacitor 18 is confirmed. If the charging voltage has not reached the predetermined voltage, the process remains at this step.
Proceed to 06. [Step 106] The output port CGCOM for strobe charge control is set to low level (Lo) .

Thus, the main capacitor charging circuit 1
3, charging of the main capacitor 18 is stopped.

In step 103, if the charging voltage exceeds the predetermined voltage, as described above, step 1
Proceed to 07. [Step 107] Set the output port SLAVE ENABLE to high level (see FIG. 4).

Thus, when external strobe light is subsequently input to the photometric circuit 7, the differentiating circuit 8 detects a change in the amount of light, and the one-shot pulse circuit 9 outputs a one-shot pulse having a predetermined pulse width. (See FIG. 4). In response, the output of the AND gate 10 becomes high level and the output of the OR gate 11 becomes high level, so that the trigger circuit 12 operates and the trigger terminal 1 of the xenon tube 14 is activated.
7, a predetermined trigger voltage is applied, and the xenon tube 14 emits light.

Here, the time constant of the differentiating circuit 8 is set so as not to react to a change in external light other than the strobe light. Needless to say, the pulse width output from the one-shot pulse circuit 9 is set to a length long enough to activate the trigger circuit 12. [Step 108] The built-in timer of the CPU 1 is started. [Step 109] It is determined whether or not the timer has counted for a predetermined time. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process waits in this step. I do.

In step 101, if the slave mode is not set, the process proceeds to step 110 as described above. [Step 110] Slave mark 2 on external LCD 3
2 is turned off. [Step 111] The output port SLAVE ENABLE is set to low level (see FIG. 4).

As a result, the output of the AND gate 10 does not become high level even when the photometric circuit 7 detects the external strobe light, so that the strobe does not inadvertently emit light in the non-slave mode. [Step 112] The timer is stopped, and a series of operations ends.

Next, the operation when the release switch of the camera (not shown) is pressed will be described.

In the non-slave mode, when it is detected that a release switch (not shown) is pressed, if the subject brightness is low, the CPU 1 outputs the output port TR.
A signal higher than I is output. As a result, the output of the OR gate 11 also becomes high level, and the trigger circuit 12
Is activated, a predetermined trigger voltage is applied to the trigger terminal 17 of the xenon tube 14, and the xenon tube 14 emits light in synchronization with opening and closing of the shutter, that is, strobe light emission is performed.
At this time, it goes without saying that a pulse equivalent to the pulse of the one-shot pulse circuit 9 is output from the output port TRI of the CPU 1.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a camera with a built-in strobe having a slave function according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. Description is omitted.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 25 denotes a red driver;
LE indicates that the slave mode is set
D.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the camera having the above-described configuration. As shown in FIG.
It is arranged on the upper surface of the camera so that the slave mode state can be confirmed from any direction. Further, by disposing the camera on the upper surface of the camera in this way, there is an advantage that the slave mode state can be confirmed even from a remote place as compared with the first embodiment.

According to each of the above-described embodiments, the slave mode setting switch 21 and the means for detecting the flash of the other strobe and emitting the built-in strobe (the differentiating circuit 8, the one-shot pulse circuit 9, and the AND gate 10). ), And when the slave mode is set by the slave mode setting switch 21, when the strobe light of another camera is detected, the xenon tube 14 is caused to emit light immediately. It can be used for flash photography, making it easy to perform multiple flash photography.

Further, since it is not necessary to newly provide a single strobe device and a slave unit, there is no economic burden and no loss of portability.

In the slave mode, an external LCD
Since the slave mark 3 is displayed on the LED 3 and the LED 26 is turned on, the photographer can easily know that the camera is in the slave mode, and there is no danger of erroneous operation.

[0029]

As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily realize a flash multi-flash photography
A camera with a built-in strobe can be provided.

Accordingly, it is possible to easily realize the flash multi-flash photography.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera with a built-in flash with a slave function according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the camera of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart of each circuit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera with a built-in strobe having a slave function according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 7 Metering circuit 8 Differentiating circuit 9 One-shot circuit 10 AND gate 12 Trigger circuit 14 Xenon tube 21 Slave mode setting switch 22 Slave mark indicating slave mode state 26 LED indicating slave mode state

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 15/05 G03B 15/03

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A strobe device that emits strobe light during photographing.
Mode setting means for setting a slave mode, a strobe light detecting means for detecting strobe light from another strobe device, and a slave mode setting by the slave mode setting means in a camera with a built-in strobe. while it is, especially that flash light by the flash light detecting means is provided and a slave operation control means for causing the flash device of the internal when detected
Camera with built- in flash . 2. A light emission energy of the built-in strobe device.
And the state of charge of the capacitor
If the condition is not detected and the battery is not
A charge control circuit for charging the sensor.
In this mode, the capacitor by the charge control circuit
That the charge state detection operation of the
The strobe built-in camera according to claim 1. 3. The strobe light detecting means according to claim 1, further comprising:
Detects a change in output from the optical circuit and determines whether it is another strobe device
And detecting the strobe light.
Camera with built-in strobe as described.