JP3367322B2 - Camera lens barrier control device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lens barrier control device provided on the front surface of a lens barrel to cover a taking lens.

[0002]

Conventional so-called zoom compact camera, with using the cam ring during zooming Ru alter the overall position of the plurality of lens groups, always in any focal length by relatively changing the distance between the lens groups The position of each lens group is controlled so that a state of focusing on a specific point, for example, infinity is maintained.

The lens barrier which covers the front surface of the taking lens is interlocked with a cam ring for moving the lens barrel, and the lens barrel is closed so as to cover the taking lens at the storage position most retracted to the camera body side, When the lens barrel is extended to the shooting position, it is opened to expose the shooting lens.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional zoom compact camera, since many driven members are interlocked with the cam ring that drives the lens barrel, the load on the zoom motor that drives the zoom ring is large. There is a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and is premised on a structure in which a motor for driving a lens barrier is provided separately from a motor for driving a lens barrel. An object of the present invention is to provide a lens barrier control device that can solve the following unique problems.

That is, when the lens barrier is driven by a motor different from the motor for driving the lens barrel, the opening / closing state of the lens barrier cannot be determined based on the position of the lens barrel, so that the opening / closing is controlled. In order to do this, a means for checking the position of the lens barrier is needed. When a configuration for checking the opening and closing operation of the lens barrier by an encoder for detecting the rotation of the motor, it is not possible to detect the position of the barrier statically, for example a battery from the camera
If the battery is set again after the
The control circuit can not determine whether the lens barrier is open or closed.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a lens barrier control device according to the present invention is provided with a lens barrier which is provided on the front surface of a lens barrel and which protects a taking lens and which can be opened and closed. A motor to drive,
An encoder that outputs a signal according to the rotation of the motor, and a driving amount of the motor that drives the motor in the direction to open or close the lens barrier and normally drives the lens barrier to open or close during the driving. When a predetermined signal corresponding to the above is not output, it has a drive control means for driving the motor in the opposite direction from the first driving and then driving the motor in the same direction as the first driving again. Characterize.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a lens barrier control device for a camera according to the present invention will be described below. Here, an example in which the lens barrier control device of the invention is applied to a so-called compact zoom camera is shown.

[0009] The camera embodiment, for implementing a new driving method of the zoom lens you later, and the entire moving motor Before moving in the optical axis direction and a front lens group and the rear lens group so as to be integrated, the rear lens group And a rear lens group moving motor for moving the lens group relative to the front lens group, and this rear lens group moving motor is also used as a motor for opening and closing the lens barrier. That is, when the photographing lens is located on the storage position side of the boundary between the photographing range and the storage position, the rear group moving motor functions as a motor for driving the lens barrier, and on the photographing range side of the boundary, the rear group moving motor. Function as.

The rear lens group moving motor is a DC motor, and an encoder for detecting the rotation amount is indispensable in order to accurately detect the moving amount of the rear lens group. Therefore, this encoder is also used as a means for detecting the movement of the lens barrier. First, the concept of this zoom compact camera will be described with reference to FIG. The lens configuration is the front lens group L
1 group and the rear lens group L2.

The camera main body has a whole movement motor control means 60, a rear group movement motor control means 61, and a zoom operation means 6.
2, a shutter release means 63, a distance measuring device 64, a photometric device 65, an AE motor control means 66, and a control means (CPU) 210 for integrally controlling these are provided.

When the zoom operation means 62 (zoom wide button 62WB, zoom tele button 62TB) such as a zoom lever provided on the camera body is operated, the CPU 210 instructs the whole movement motor control means 60 to operate the front lens group L1. A movement command for moving the zoom lens including the rear group lens L2 from the wide side to the tele side or a movement command for moving from the tele side to the wide side is given. The whole accepted and the movement command moving the motor control unit 60 moves the zoom lens by driving the whole unit driving motor 25 to the telephoto side from the wide side, or from the wide-angle side to the telephoto side.
The focal length is changed by the operation of the zoom operating means 62 by the photographer and is set to an arbitrary focal length. Although not shown, the image magnification of the viewfinder field changes in association with the change in the focal length by the zoom operation means 62. Therefore, the photographer can know the change in the focal length due to the operation of the zoom operation means 62 by observing the change in the image magnification of the viewfinder field. The focal length set by the operation of the zoom operation means 62 can be recognized by the numerical value displayed on the LCD display panel 224 (see FIG. 16), for example.

The CPU 210 also controls the overall movement motor control means 60 when the shutter release means 63 is operated.
Driving the whole moving motor 25 driven via the rear group moving motor 30 and driving the rear group moving motor 30 driven via the rear group moving motor control means 61 to focus the zoom lens on the subject. The shutter release means 63 is composed of a photometry switch SWS and a release switch SWR which are interlocked with the release button 217B, and when pressed one step, the photometry switch SWS is turned on to give a distance measurement command to the distance measurement device 64 and a light measurement device. A photometry command is given to 65, and the release switch SWR is turned on by two-step pressing, and the AF of the AF / AE shutter unit 21 is set to A via the AE motor control means 66.
The E motor 29 is driven to operate the shutter 27. C
The PU 210 receives the photometric output from the photometric device 65,
The AE motor 29 is driven to open the shutter blade 27a of the shutter 27 for a predetermined time.

When the zoom operating means 62 is operated, the CPU 210 drives the whole moving motor 25 to integrally move the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2. The rear lens group moving motor 30 may be operated via the rear lens group moving motor control means 61 at the same time as this movement, but an important point in this zoom lens camera is that the front lens group lens is operated by the zoom operation means 62. This means that the movement of L1 and the rear lens group L2 is not performed by the conventional zooming concept in which the focal length is continuously changed without moving the focal position. That is, when the zoom operation means 62 is operated,
(1) A mode in which only the overall movement motor 25 is operated to move the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 back and forth without changing the air gap between them, and (2) the overall movement motor 25 and the rear lens group A mode in which both of the movement motors 30 are operated to move the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 while changing the air gap between them (without considering the focal position),
And are possible.

In the mode (1), an object at a specific distance cannot always be in focus, but in a lens shutter type camera such as the present camera which does not observe the image by the photographing optical system, the shutter release is performed. Sometimes I just need to focus, so there is no problem at all. In the mode (2), the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L1 are allowed while allowing the movement of the focal position.
Move 2 Focusing is performed by operating both the overall movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 during shutter release.

According to the operation of the zoom operation means 62, the above
After executing the control mode of (1) or (2), when the shutter release means 63 is operated in at least a part of the focal length range of the focal length set by the zoom operating means 62, the whole movement motor Both 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 are operated to focus on the subject. The amount of movement of the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 by the overall movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 at this time is determined by the distance measuring device 64.
It is determined in consideration of not only the movement amount obtained by the subject distance information according to (4) but also the movement amount obtained by the focal length information set by the zoom operation means 62. Thus, when the shutter release means 63 is operated,
When both the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30 are operated to perform the focusing operation, the degree of freedom in controlling the lens position is increased and the control is facilitated.

Theoretically, when the zoom operating means 62 is operated, the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30 are operated.
The shutter release means 63 is operated by changing only the view field magnification and the focal length information of the finder without operating any of the above.
When the is operated, its focal length information and distance measuring device 64
The overall movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 are simultaneously operated according to the subject distance information according to, and the front group lens L1 and the rear group lens L2 are moved to positions uniquely determined by the focal length information and the subject distance information. You can also let it.

Next, an embodiment in which the zoom lens barrel of the above concept is embodied will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. The schematic configuration and operation of the zoom lens barrel 10 will be described first. The first movable barrel 20 and the second movable barrel 20 will be described in order from the front.
A movable lens barrel 19, a third movable lens barrel 16, and a fixed lens barrel block 12 are provided. The third movable lens barrel 16 is screwed into the tubular portion of the fixed lens barrel block 12, and advances and retreats in the optical axis direction with rotation. The third movable lens barrel 16 has a linear guide cylinder 17 whose rotation is restricted, which moves integrally in the optical axis direction, inside, and the second movable lens barrel 19 rotates relative to the linear guide cylinder 17. While moving forward and backward along the optical axis. First movable lens barrel 2
0 is restricted in rotation, and moves forward and backward in the optical axis direction due to relative rotation with respect to the second movable lens barrel 19. The whole movement motor 25 is fixed to the fixed lens barrel block 12, and the shutter mount 4 having the AE motor 29 and the rear group movement motor 30 mounted thereon.
0 is fixed to the first movable lens barrel 20. The front lens group L1 is a lens having a positive power and is supported by the lens support barrel 34, and the rear lens group L2 is a lens support barrel 5.
It is a lens having a negative power supported by 0.

The fixed lens barrel block 12 fixed to the front of the aperture plate 14 of the camera body has a female helicoid 12a and a plurality of linear guide grooves 12b parallel to the optical axis O on the inner peripheral surface of its cylindrical portion. have. A code plate 13a having a predetermined pattern is fixed to the bottom of one of the plurality of straight guide grooves 12b. This code board 13
“A” is configured as a part of the flexible printed circuit board 13 located outside the fixed barrel block 12. The aperture plate 14 has an aperture 14a that determines the exposure area on the film.

A gear accommodating portion 12c, which bulges outward in the radial direction and extends in the optical axis direction, is formed in the tubular portion of the fixed lens barrel block 12.
Are formed (see FIG. 7). This gear storage section 12c
The drive pinion 15 which is long in the optical axis direction is rotatably accommodated in the. Both ends of the shaft 7 of the drive pinion 15 are rotatably supported by the support hole 4 provided in the fixed lens barrel block 12 and the support hole 31a provided in the gear support plate 31, respectively. The tooth surface of the drive pinion 15 projects to the inner peripheral surface of the fixed barrel block 12.

A code plate 13a having a predetermined pattern is fixed to the bottom of the straight guide groove 12b ', which is one of the plurality of straight guide grooves 12b (see FIG. 7). The linear guide groove 12b 'is provided so as to be located at a substantially diagonal position of the photographing screen in the fixed lens barrel block 12. The code plate 13 a is provided parallel to the optical axis O over substantially the entire axial (optical axis) direction of the fixed lens barrel block 12, and is one of the flexible printed circuit boards 13 located outside the fixed lens barrel block 12. It is organized as a section. The flexible printed circuit board 13 has an entire movement motor 2
A photo interrupter 1 which constitutes an encoder for detecting the rotation of the overall movement motor 25 is mounted together with the rotary slit plate 2 fixed to the rotary shaft of 5 (see FIG. 12).

The cylindrical portion of the fixed lens barrel block 12 has a gear accommodating portion 12c which bulges outward in the radial direction and extends in the optical axis direction.
Are formed (see FIG. 7). This gear storage section 12c
The drive pinion 15 which is long in the optical axis direction is rotatably accommodated in the. Both ends of the shaft 7 of the drive pinion 15 are rotatably supported by the support hole 4 provided in the fixed lens barrel block 12 and the support hole 31a provided in the gear support plate 31, respectively. The tooth surface of the drive pinion 15 projects to the inner peripheral surface of the fixed barrel block 12.

A third movable lens barrel 16 is screwed onto the inner circumference of the fixed lens barrel block 12. This third movable lens barrel 16
Is a plurality of straight guide grooves 16 extending in the optical axis direction on the inner peripheral surface.
and a male helicoid 16a that meshes with the female helicoid 12a of the fixed barrel block 12 and an outer peripheral gear 16b that meshes with the drive pinion 15 (see FIG. 6). The drive pinion 15 includes a third movable lens barrel 16
Has a length in the axial direction that meshes with the outer peripheral gear 16b in the entire movement range in the optical axis direction.

On the inner circumference of the third movable lens barrel 16, a linear guide barrel 17 is supported so as to be movable integrally with the third movable lens barrel 16 in the optical axis direction and relatively rotatable around the optical axis. . The linear guide cylinder 17 has a rear end flange portion 17d provided on the outer periphery of the rear portion with a plurality of engagement protrusions 17c protruding outward in the radial direction,
The rear end flange portion 17d has a retaining flange portion 17e, which has a diameter smaller than that of the rear end flange portion 17d and is provided in front of the rear end flange portion 17d. A plurality of cutout portions 17f are formed in the circumferential direction of the retaining flange portion 17e. The third movable lens barrel 16 has a plurality of engagement protrusions 16d (FIG. 11) protruding inward in the radial direction on the inner circumference of the rear end portion.
6d is inserted from the above-mentioned notch 17f, and both flange parts 17
It is located in the gap between d and 17e, and is connected to the linear guide tube 17 by rotating relative to the linear guide tube 17. An aperture plate 23 having an opening 23a having substantially the same shape as the aperture 14a is fixed to the rear end surface of the linear guide cylinder 17.

The linear guide cylinder 17 has a plurality of engaging projections 17c.
Is slidably engaged with a linear guide groove 12b parallel to the corresponding optical axis O, and the relative rotation with respect to the fixed lens barrel block 12 is restricted. The engaging protrusion (straight guide key) 17c ', which is one of the engaging protrusions 17c, has a straight guide groove 12
A contact terminal (brush body) 9 for generating a signal corresponding to focal length information at the time of zooming is fixed by sliding contact with a fixed code plate 13a at the bottom of b '. The engaging projections 17c 'are provided so as to be located at substantially diagonal positions on the photographing screen, and are provided with a radially projecting portion 70 and the projecting portion 7.
Mounting screw hole 7 formed in 0 parallel to the axis (optical axis) direction
1 and a pair of positioning protrusions 72 protruding rearward. The engagement protrusion 17c is slidably engaged with the straight guide groove 12b parallel to the optical axis O of the fixed lens barrel block 12, and its rotation is restricted.

The contact terminals 9 are a pair of brush portions (electrical contact pieces) 9a that are substantially orthogonal to the fixed portion 9b and are in sliding contact with the code plate 13a.
And a pair of positioning holes 9d that fit into the pair of positioning protrusions 72. The pair of brush portions 9a are electrically connected to each other via the fixed portion 9b.

The code plate 13a, as shown in FIG.
It is provided with four types of electrode patterns ZC0, ZC1, ZC2, and ZC3 arranged in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. These electrode patterns ZC0, ZC1, ZC2, ZC3 are
When the pair of brush portions 9a slide in the longitudinal direction of the code plate 13a, a predetermined signal (voltage) is applied by conducting the electrode patterns ZC0, ZC1, ZC2, ZC3 that are predetermined according to the sliding position. For output, they are combined with each other to form a predetermined pattern.

The straight guide tube 17 also has an inner peripheral surface,
A plurality of straight guide grooves 17a parallel to the optical axis O and a plurality of lead grooves 17b penetrating the peripheral wall of the straight guide cylinder 17 and inclined with respect to the circumferential direction and the optical axis direction are formed.

A second movable lens barrel 19 is fitted on the inner circumference of the linear guide barrel 17. The second movable lens barrel 19 has a plurality of lead grooves 19 on the inner peripheral surface thereof, the lead grooves 19 having an inclination opposite to that of the lead grooves 17b.
c has a plurality of follower protrusions 19a having a trapezoidal cross-section, and a follower pin 18 located on the follower protrusions 19a. The follower pin 18 includes a ring member 18b and a center fixing screw 18a that supports the ring member 18b on the follower protrusion 19a. The follower protrusion 19a is
Slidably fitted in the lead groove 17b of the straight guide cylinder 17,
The follower pin 18 is the linear guide groove 1 of the third movable lens barrel 16.
6c is slidably fitted. Therefore, when the third movable lens barrel 16 rotates, the second movable lens barrel 19 rotates and moves straight in the optical axis direction.

The first movable lens barrel 20 is fitted on the inner circumference of the second movable lens barrel 19. The first movable lens barrel 20 has a plurality of follower pins 24 provided on the outer periphery of the rear end portion engaged with corresponding lead grooves 19c, and is linearly guided by a linear guide member 22. This linear guide member 22 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the annular portion 22a and the annular portion 22a
a pair of guide leg portions 22b extending in the optical axis direction from a, and a straight-moving guide groove 17a protruding outward in the radial direction of the annular portion 22a.
A plurality of engaging protrusions 28 slidably engaged with the guide leg 22b between the inner peripheral surface of the first movable lens barrel 20 and the AF / AE shutter unit 21 so as to be linearly guided. ing.

The annular portion 22a of the linear guide member 22 is
The second movable lens barrel 19 is coupled to the rear end of the second movable lens barrel 19 so as to be movable in the optical axis direction and rotatable relative to the optical axis. The straight guide member 22 has a rear end flange portion 22d provided with a plurality of engagement protrusions 28 projecting radially outward on the outer periphery of the rear portion.
And a retaining flange portion 22c having a smaller diameter than the flange portion 22d, which is provided in front of the rear end flange portion 22d, and has a plurality of cutout portions 22e in the circumferential direction of the retaining flange portion 22c. Have (see FIG. 1). The second movable lens barrel 19 has a plurality of engagement projections 19b (FIG. 11) that project inward in the radial direction on the inner circumference of the rear end portion. The linear guide member 22 is located in the gap between the flange portions 22c and 22d.
It is connected to the linear guide member 22 by rotating relative thereto. With the above configuration, when the second movable lens barrel 19 rotates in the forward and reverse directions, the first movable lens barrel 20 moves straight forward and backward with respect to the second movable lens barrel 19 while the rotation is restricted. To do.

A barrier device 35 having barrier plates 48a and 48b is attached to the front end of the first movable lens barrel 20, and a shutter having three shutter blades 27a (FIG. 5) is provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof. An AF / AE shutter unit 21 including 27 is fitted and fixed. The AF / AE shutter unit 21 has a plurality of fixing holes 40a (FIG. 3) formed at equal angular intervals on the outer periphery of the shutter mount 40. The plurality of follower pins 24 are connected to the AF /
The AF / AE shutter unit 21 also serves as a fixing means for the AE shutter unit 21, and the follower pin 24 is fitted and fixed in the pin hole 20a formed in the first movable lens barrel 20 and the fixing hole 40a. 1 moving lens barrel 20
It is fixed to (see FIG. 4). The follower pin 24 can be fixed by means such as adhesion or screwing. 41
Is a decorative plate fixed to the front end of the first movable lens barrel 20.

The AF / AE shutter unit 21 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 12, a shutter mount 40, a shutter blade support ring 46 fixed to the rear part of the shutter mount 40, and a lens support supported so as to be movable relative to the shutter mount 40. Tube 50 (rear group lens L
2) and. The front lens group L1, the AE motor 29, and the rear group movement motor 30 are supported on the shutter mount 40. The shutter mount 40 has an annular portion having a photographing opening 40d through which the lens support cylinder 34 is inserted, and three leg portions 40b extending rearward from the annular portion. Two of the gaps between the three leg portions 40b are provided in the pair of guide leg portions 2 of the rectilinear guide member 22.
It is configured as a straight-ahead guide portion 40c which slidably engages with each other and guides movement.

The shutter mount 40 further has an AE gear train 45 that transmits the rotation of the AE motor 29 to the shutter 27.
And the rotation of the rear group movement motor 30 to the screw shaft 4
Lens drive gear train 42 to be transmitted to the photonic disk 3 and the photo interrupters 56 and 57 connected to the flexible printed circuit board 6.
And rotating slit plates 58, 59 having a large number of slits extending in the radial direction in the circumferential direction are supported. By the photo interrupter 57 and the rotary slit plate 59,
A rear group moving motor encoder that detects the rotation of the rear group moving motor 30 is configured, and the photo interrupter 56 and the rotary slit plate 58 form an AE motor encoder that detects the rotation of the AE motor 29.

The shutter 2 is provided between the shutter mount 40 and the shutter blade support ring 46 fixed to the mount 40.
7, a support member 47 that pivotally supports the three shutter blades 27a of the shutter 27, and an annular drive member 49 that applies rotational force to the shutter blades 27a. The annular drive member 49 is provided with three operation protrusions 49a that engage with the three shutter blades 27a at equal angular intervals. The shutter blade support ring 46 is provided on the front wall portion with the photographing opening 4
6a and three support holes 46b provided at equal angular intervals around the photographing opening 46a, and the straight guide portion 4 is provided on the outer peripheral portion.
It has a bending restriction surface 46c exposed from 0c and slidably supporting the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of guide leg portions 22b (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

Further, the support member 47 located in front of the shutter blade support ring 46 includes a photographing opening 47a facing the photographing opening 46a and three shaft portions 47b (shown in FIG. 5) facing the three supporting holes 46b. Only shown). Each of the three shutter blades 27a has, at one end, a shaft hole 27b through which the shaft portion 47b is inserted, and at the other end, a shielding portion that shields the photographing openings 46a and 47a,
Between the one end and the other end, there is an elongated hole 27c through which the operation protrusion 49a is inserted. The support member 47 includes shafts 47b that respectively support the shutter blades 27a.
The shutter blade support ring 46 is fixed to the corresponding shutter hole support ring 46 in a state of being fitted into the corresponding support hole 46b.

The annular drive member 49 has a gear train 4 on the outer peripheral portion.
It has a gear portion 49b that receives rotation from 5. Further, the support member 47 has three circular arc grooves 47c along the circumferential direction at positions close to the three shaft portions 47b. The three operation protrusions 49a of the annular drive member 49 penetrate the three arcuate grooves 47c to form the elongated holes 27 of each shutter blade 27a.
c is engaged. The shutter blade support ring 46 is inserted from the rear side of the shutter mount 40 while supporting the annular drive member 49, the support member 47 and the shutter 27, and is screwed to the shutter mount 40.

Behind the shutter blade support ring 46, a lens support cylinder 50 is disposed on the shutter mount 40 via slide shafts 51 and 52 so as to be relatively movable. The shutter mount 40 and the lens support cylinder 50 are urged to move away from each other by the coil spring 3 fitted to the slide shaft 51, thereby removing play between them. The drive gear 42a provided in the gear train 42 is restricted from moving in the axial direction, and a female screw is formed on the inner circumference thereof. A screw shaft 43 whose one end is fixed to the lens support cylinder 50 is screwed into this female screw, and these drive gears 42a are
The screw shaft 43 and the screw shaft 43 constitute a feed screw mechanism. Therefore, when the rear group movement motor 30 is rotationally driven to rotate the drive gear 42a in either forward or reverse directions, the screw shaft 43 moves forward and backward with respect to the drive gear 42a, and is supported by the lens support barrel 50, that is, the lens support barrel 50. The rear lens group L2 then moves relative to the front lens group L1.

Pressing members 53 and 55 for pressing the motors 29 and 30 supported by the shutter mount 40 are screwed to the front of the shutter mount 40. Motors 29 and 30 and photo interrupters 56 and 57 are connected to the flexible printed circuit board 6 whose one end is fixed to the shutter mount 40. In a state where the first to third movable lens barrels 20, 19, 16 and the AF / AE shutter unit 21 are assembled, the aperture plate 23 is fixed to the rear end surface of the linear guide barrel 17, and the front end of the fixed lens barrel block 12 is fixed. An annular retaining member 33 is fitted in the portion.

A pair of driven barrier plates 4 are provided at the front of the first movable lens barrel 20 at the forefront of the zoom lens barrel 10.
8a and a barrier device 3 provided with a driving barrier plate 48b
5 are provided. An annular plate 96 is fixed to the back surface of the decorative plate 41 fixed to the front end of the first movable lens barrel 20, and both barrier plates 48a and 48b are pivotally mounted between the decorative plate 41 and the annular plate 96. . In addition, the first movable lens barrel 2 at the front end of the first movable lens barrel 20
A barrier drive ring 97 including a pair of barrier drive levers 98a and 98b is rotatably provided between the front end surface 20b of 0 and the back plate 96. The barrier drive ring 97 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions by the barrier coupling gear 92 that is rotationally driven by the rotation of the rear group movement motor 30.
The drive barrier plate 48b is opened and closed together with the driven barrier plate 48a via 8a and 98b.

In the above embodiments, the zoom lens composed of two groups, the front group lens L1 and the rear group lens L2, is shown, but the present invention can be applied to a zoom lens further including a fixed lens group. It is not limited to this embodiment. Further, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 supported by the lens supporting cylinder 50 are connected to the AF / AE shutter unit 2
The rear group moving motor 30 is mounted on the unit 21 as one of the constituent members. According to this configuration, there is an advantage that the support structure and the drive structure of the rear lens group L2 can be simplified, but the rear lens group L2 is not attached to the shutter mount 40,
Annular drive member 49, support member 47, shutter blade 27a
The present zoom lens can be realized even if it is provided as a separate member from the AF / AE shutter unit 21 having the shutter blade pressing ring 46 and the like, and is supported by a support member different from the unit.

In the present zoom lens camera, the following operation is performed by the rotation of the overall movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30. When the power switch is turned on in the lens housed state of FIG. 9 in which the zoom lens barrel 10 is most retracted, the overall movement motor 25 is driven to rotate in the positive direction by a slight amount. Then, this rotation is transmitted to the drive pinion 15 via the gear train 26 supported by the support portion 32, and the third
Since the movable lens barrel 16 is rotated in the extending direction, the second movable lens barrel 19 and the first movable lens barrel 20 are slightly extended in the optical axis direction together with the third movable lens barrel 16, and the camera sets the zoom lens wide. The camera is ready to shoot at the edge. At this time, the focus amount of the zoom lens composed of the front and rear lens groups L1 and L2 is based on the fact that the amount of advance / retreat of the linear guide tube 17 with respect to the fixed lens barrel block 12 is detected by the relative sliding of the code plate 13a and the contact terminal 9. Distance is detected.

When the zoom tele switch 62T is turned on in this photographing possible state, the whole moving motor 25 is rotationally driven in the positive direction, and the third moving lens barrel 16 is rotated in the feeding direction via the drive pinion 15 and the outer peripheral gear 16b. Let
Therefore, the third movable lens barrel 16 is used for the female helicoid 12
a and the male helicoid 16a are extended from the fixed lens barrel block 12, and at the same time, the linear guide barrel 17 is not relatively rotated with respect to the fixed lens barrel block 12 due to the relation between the engaging protrusion 17c and the linear guide groove 12b. It moves forward with the third movable lens barrel 16 toward the front of the optical axis. At this time, the second movable lens barrel 19 simultaneously engages the follower pin 18 with the lead groove 17b and the straight guide groove 16c, so that the second movable lens barrel 16 relatively rotates in the same direction as the third movable lens barrel 16. Relative to the optical axis. Further, since the first movable lens barrel 20 is guided straight by the linear guide member 22 and the follower pin 24 is moved and guided by the lead groove 19c, the second movable lens barrel 20 does not rotate relative to the fixed lens barrel block 12. From 19 together with the AF / AE shutter unit 21, advance forward of the optical axis. At this time, the focus position of the zoom lens composed of the front and rear group lenses L1 and L2 is based on the fact that the advancing / retreating position of the linear guide tube 17 with respect to the fixed lens barrel block 12 is detected by the relative sliding of the code plate 13a and the contact terminal 9. Distance is detected.

When the zoom wide switch 62W is turned on, the entire moving motor 25 is rotationally driven in the reverse direction, the third moving lens barrel 16 is rotated in the retracting direction, and the linear guide tube 1 is moved.
It is put into the fixed lens barrel block 12 together with 7. At the same time, the second moving lens barrel 19 is retracted into the moving lens barrel 16 while rotating in the same direction as the third moving lens barrel 16, and the first moving lens barrel 20 rotates. Against
/ Retracted together with the AE shutter unit 21. Even during this feeding drive, the rear group movement motor 30 is not driven, as in the feeding drive described above.

Since the rear lens group moving motor 30 is not driven while the zoom lens barrel 10 is driven during zooming, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are integrally integrated with each other while keeping a constant distance from each other. In the direction (see FIG. 8). The focal length input via the code plate 13a is L
It is displayed by the CD display panel 224.

When the release button 217B is pushed one step at an arbitrary focal length set by the zoom operating means 62, the CPU 210 measures the distance with the distance measuring device 64, measures the light with the light measuring device 65, and moves the whole moving motor 25.
Both the rear lens group moving motor 30 and the rear lens group moving motor 30 move the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 by the amount of movement obtained from the set focal length information and the subject distance information by the distance measuring device 64 to the set focal length. Along with focusing on the subject. When the release button 217B is pressed twice in this state, the AE motor 2 is driven via the AE motor control circuit 66.
9 rotationally drives the annular drive member 49 in accordance with the subject brightness information from the photometric device 65, and drives the shutter 27 so as to satisfy a predetermined exposure. After completion of the shutter release, both the whole movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 are immediately driven to return the front group lens L1 and the rear group lens L2 to the state before the shutter release.

When the power switch 212 is turned on and the power is turned off, the zoom lens barrel 10 is driven by the entire moving motor 25 which is driven to rotate as shown in FIG.
The lens is retracted to the lens storage position shown in FIG. Before that, the whole moving motor 25 is activated to move the rear lens group L2 to the home position.

14 to 16 are a front view, a rear view and a plan view showing the appearance of a lens shutter type camera to which the present invention is applied. The zoom lens barrel 10 is mounted almost in the center of the front surface of the camera body 201, and the light receiving element 65a for photometry and the AF sensor window 64 are further provided on the front surface.
a, a finder window 207a of the finder optical system, a flash light emitting portion 91a , and a self-timer display lamp 229. A battery lid 202 is provided on the bottom surface of the camera body 201.

[0049] The rear of the camera body 201, the film back cover 203 for loading and unloading a (cartridge), back cover opening lever 204 for cancel operating the locking mechanism for locking the rear cover 203 in the closed state, ranging Green lamp 228 that displays the result, red lamp 22 that displays the strobe charge status
7, eyepiece 207b of viewfinder device, power button 2
12B is provided.

On the upper surface of the camera body 201, from the left of the drawing, a midway rewind button 216B and an LCD display panel 2 are shown.
24, mode button 224B, drive button 225
B, release button 217B, zoom wide button 62
A WB and a zoom tele button 62TB are provided.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the main circuit configuration of this zoom lens camera. This camera includes a CPU 210 as a control unit that controls all the functions of the camera.

The CPU 210 controls the whole movement motor 25 via the whole movement motor control circuit 60, the rear group movement motor 30 via the rear group movement motor control circuit 61, and the AE motor 29 via the AE motor control circuit 66. Drive control of each. Further, the CPU 210 loads and winds the film via the film feeding control circuit 225,
The film feeding motor 226 for rewinding is driven and controlled. Further, the CPU 210 controls the light emission of the built-in strobe via the strobe circuit 231.

The CPU 210 becomes operable with the battery 211 loaded, and the power switch 212, the back cover switch 213, the mode switch 214, the drive switch 215, the zoom tele switch 62T, the zoom wide switch 62W, and the midway rewinding. In response to the operation of the switch 216, the photometric switch SWS, and the release switch SWR, the function according to ON / OFF of the switch is executed.

The power switch 212 is a power button 212B.
A switch interlocked, when turned on by the power-off state (cut off power) power is a (supply power) on and off when it is turned on with the power-on state. The back cover switch 213 is a switch that is turned on / off in conjunction with opening and closing of the back cover. Depending on the state change of the back cover switch 213, the film feeding motor is driven to execute the film loading process, or the number of shots counter is set. To clear. The mode switch 214 is a switch for changing the shooting mode, which is interlocked with the mode button 224B. Each time the mode switch 214 is turned on, an automatic strobe light emission mode, a strobe forced light emission mode, a strobe light emission prohibition mode, a slow shutter mode, a bulb mode, etc. are selected. Switch the mode. The drive switch 215 is linked to the drive button 225B,
It is a switch for changing the drive mode, and every time it is turned on, a mode such as a time-lapse shooting mode, a self-timer mode, a continuous shooting mode, and a multiple exposure mode is switched. The zoom tele switch 62T is a button which is interlocked with the zoom tele button 62TB, and when turned on, drives the overall movement motor 25 in the telezooming (lens extension) direction. The zoom wide switch 62W is a switch interlocking with the zoom wide button 62WB, and when turned on, drives the overall movement motor 25 in the wide zooming (lens retreat) direction.

The photometric switch SWS and the release switch SWR are switches interlocked with the release button 217B. The photometric switch SWS is turned on by pressing the release button 217B one step (half), and the release switch SWR is pressed by two steps (full). Turned on, and between the one-step push and the two-step push,
The photometric switch SWS maintains the ON state. Here, when the photometry switch SWS is turned on, photometry and distance measurement are executed, and when the release switch SWR is turned on, the overall movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 are driven based on the distance measurement result, and the front group lens L1 and The rear lens group L2 is driven to a position where the distance-measured subject is focused, and the AE motor 29 is driven to execute the exposure process based on the photometric value. When the exposure is completed, the whole movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 3
0 is driven to return the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 to the positions before the movement, and the film feeding motor 226 is activated to wind the film by one frame.

The CPU 210 has a DX code information input circuit 218 for reading information such as ISO sensitivity of the film.
Zoom code information input circuit 219 and zoom pulse input circuit 22 for reading the current lens position information from the code plate
0, AE pulse input circuit 221, A F pulse input circuit 2
22, a wind pulse input circuit 223 for detecting the travel and the travel amount of the film, an AF home position detection circuit 232.
The output of is input.

As the display means, the CPU 210 displays an LCD display panel 224 for displaying the focal length, the number of shots, the exposure mode, etc., a red lamp 227 for displaying the charging state of the strobe, and a result of distance measurement by the distance measuring circuit 64. A green lamp 228 and a self-timer display lamp 229 for displaying a self-timer operation are connected.

The EEPROM 230 stores the data at the time of assembling the camera, for example, data such as whether or not the AE adjustment has been completed, and the exposure mode and the number of shots data set when used by a general user.

The zoom code information input circuit 219 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9, four resistors connected in series are provided, the resistor R0 is grounded, and the reference voltage Vcc is applied to the resistor R3. The electrode pattern ZC0 is connected between the resistor R0 and the ground, and the resistor R0
The electrode pattern ZC1 is connected between 0 and R1, the electrode pattern ZC2 is connected between the resistors R1 and R2, and the electrode pattern ZC3 is connected between the resistors R3 and R2. Further, the resistor R3 and the resistor R2 are connected to the A / D conversion input port of the CPU 210.

As shown in FIG. 18A, the code plate 13a has four independent electrode patterns (zoom code portions) ZC0, ZC1, formed on the insulating substrate 13b.
It is equipped with ZC2 and ZC3. Each conductive plate ZC0, ZC
1, ZC2, ZC3 are connected between resistors R0, R1, R2, R3. The contact terminal 9 includes a pair of brush portions 9a and 9a that are electrically connected to each other at the conducting portion 9b. These brush portions 9a and 9a are electrode patterns ZC0 and ZC1,
It is formed so as to slide and move on the code plate 13a so that any two of ZC2 and ZC3 are brought into conduction. Therefore, the electrode patterns ZC0, ZC1, ZC2, ZC
When any two of 3 are conducted, the output voltage of the zoom code information input circuit 219 changes depending on the conducting combination ( see FIG. 18 ( C)). The CPU 210 A / D converts the output voltage into a digital value and converts the converted digital value into a corresponding zoom code. And CP
The U210 detects the position of the zoom lens based on the code.

In the present embodiment, the voltage generated according to the contact position of the brush portion 9a is set to seven codes 0, 1, 2,
It is converted into 3, 4, 5, and 6 (see FIG. 18D). Here, the zoom code 1 is the storage position, the zoom code 2 is the wide position, the zoom code 6 is the tele position, the zoom code 3 is
4 and 5 indicate the intermediate position between the wide position and the tele position .
And the zoom code 0 is in continuity with both electrode patterns.
Not shown OFF code (between storage position and wide position) . In the middle position, the zoom code is 3, 4, 5
4 times in this order, the zoom area is divided into 14 zoom steps, and the zoom step is coded. In the present embodiment, zoom step 0 is assigned to the wide end, zoom step 13 is assigned to the tele end, and zoom steps 1 to 12 are assigned between the wide end and the tele end.

19 and 20, resistors R0, R1 and R are shown.
2 shows an example of specific values of R3 and the output voltage of the zoom code information input circuit 219.

The zoom pulse input circuit 220 includes an encoder including a photo interrupter 1 and a rotary slit plate 2, and changes according to the passage of a slit of the rotary slit plate 2 which rotates in association with the rotation of the drive shaft of the overall movement motor 25. The output of the photo interrupter 1 is output as a zoom pulse.

The AE pulse input circuit 221 includes an encoder composed of a photo interrupter 57 and a rotary slit plate 59, and a photo that changes by passing through a slit of the rotary slit plate 59 that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive shaft of the AE motor 29. The output of the interrupter 57 is output as an AE pulse. The rotary slit plate 59 is configured to rotate less than one rotation.

[0065] A F pulse input circuit 222, through the slits of the rotary slit plate 59 which rotates in conjunction with rotation of the drive shaft of the photo-interrupter 56 and includes an encoder comprising a rotary slit plate 59, the rear lens group driving motor 30 The output of the photo interrupter 56, which changes due to excess, is output as an AF pulse.

The AF home position detection circuit 232 is means for detecting that the rear lens group L2 is at the reference position (AF home position) closest to the front lens group L1. In the present embodiment, the position of the rear lens group L2 is controlled by the number of AF pulses with reference to this AF home position.
The AF home position detection circuit 232 includes a photo interrupter 301, and the position where the chopper 302 (chopper plate 302a) that moves integrally with the rear lens group L2 shields the optical path of the photo interrupter 301 is set as the AF home position. , It is detected by the output change of the photo interrupter 301 that the rear lens group L2 is at the AF home position.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of the strobe circuit 231. The strobe circuit includes a ground terminal GND, a voltage input terminal VBAT, and three strobe control terminals STR.
It has G, CHEN, and RLS. Terminals VBAT and G
The battery voltage of the camera is supplied to ND. The control terminals STRG, CHEN, RLS are connected to the CPU 210, respectively. Terminal STRG is a strobe light emission signal (strobe trigger) input terminal, and is normal (when strobe light is not emitted)
The terminal STRG is at L (low) level, and an H (high) level signal is input when strobe light emission is performed. The terminal CHEN is a terminal to which the charging signal is input,
Charging is not performed in the L (low) state, and charging is performed in the H (high) state. The terminal RLS is a charging voltage output terminal and outputs a voltage corresponding to the charging voltage to the A / D converter of the CPU 210.

First, charging and monitoring of charging voltage will be described. As described above, charging is performed by setting the level of the terminal CHEN to H (charge signal: ON).
When the terminal CHEN is set to H level, the transistor 501
Becomes H level, and the transistor 501 is turned on. When the transistor 501 is turned on, the booster circuit including the transistor 502, the primary winding 511 and the secondary winding 512 of the transformer 510, and the diode 521 operates to charge the capacitor 530. In addition,
By supplying the signal of H level to the terminal CHEN, the transistors 573 and 576 are also turned on, and the Zener diode 570 causes the transistor 576 and the resistor 577.
And 578 are connected to both ends of the capacitor 530, and the charging voltage of the capacitor 530 is
When it is higher than the Zener voltage of 70, a Zener current flows.

As described above, when charging the terminal CHEN to the H level, the resistors 577 and 578 make the capacitor 5
Is connected to both ends of 30, the Zener voltage resistors 577 and voltage obtained by subtracting the fifth Zener diode 570 from the charging voltage of the capacitor 530 in this case terminal RLS
The voltage value divided by 78 is output. CPU 210
Therefore, the charging voltage of the capacitor 530 can be detected by A / D converting the output voltage of the terminal RLS. Note that the diode 507 is the transistor 501.
Is a protection diode for preventing the withstand voltage of the capacitor 503, the resistor 504 and the coil 51 from being exceeded.
The circuit composed of 3 is a circuit for stabilizing the boosting operation.

When the terminal CHEN is at L level, the transistors 501 and 502 are in the off state and the capacitor 5
30 is not charged. Further, when the terminal CHEN is at L level (charging signal: OFF), the transistors 573 and 577 are also in the OFF state, and at this time, the charging voltage of the capacitor 530 cannot be detected from the terminal RLS.

Next, strobe light emission will be described. When the charging voltage of the capacitor 530 is equal to or higher than the light emission enable level, the strobe light is emitted by inputting the strobe trigger to the terminal STRG.

When a strobe trigger signal is input to the terminal STRG (that is, an H level signal is input to STRG), the SCR (thyristor) becomes conductive.
At this time, the capacitor 544 connected to the primary winding of the transformer 550 is rapidly discharged, so that a high voltage is generated in the secondary winding of the transformer 550. The high voltage of the secondary winding of the transformer 550 is applied to the trigger electrode 551 of the xenon tube 560 to start the emission of light from the xenon tube 560.

25 to 28 show a mechanism for detecting the AF home position which is the initial position of the rear lens group L2. The AF home position is an initial position where the rear lens group L2 approaches the front lens group L1, and this position is used as a reference position for focusing, and the optical axis O is moved away from the front lens group L1. Are translated along. The rear lens group L2 is controlled to maintain the AF home position with respect to the front lens group L1 when the power is turned on, when the shutter release is completed, when stored, and at zoom step positions except zoom steps 0 to 4, Zoom Sup 0
From No. 4 to No. 4, it is moved to a position retracted from the AF home position by the predetermined pulse number AP1.

The rear lens group support barrel 50 is supported by the shutter mount 40 via a pair of slide shafts 51 and 52 so as to be movable along the optical axis. One ends of the slide shafts 51 and 52 are fixed to shaft support bosses 50b and 50c provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lens support cylinder 50 so as to project. The slide shaft 51 is slidably inserted and supported by a slide bearing 51a fixed to the shutter mount 40.

One end of the screw shaft 43 is
The lens support cylinder 50 is fixed to a shaft support boss 50a that is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lens support cylinder 50 so as to project close to the shaft support boss 50b. The screw shaft 43 is screwed to a drive gear 42a which is rotatably supported by the shutter mount 40 and the shutter 27 in a state where the axial movement thereof is restricted. When the drive gear 42a is rotationally driven by the rear group movement motor 30, the screw shaft 43 moves back and forth with respect to the drive gear 42a, and the lens support barrel 50, that is, the rear group lens L2 supported by this lens support barrel 50, moves forward. It moves relative to the group lens L1. In order to eliminate the backlash between the screw shaft 43 and the drive gear 42a, the rear group biasing coil spring 3 is fitted on one slide shaft 51 between the slide bearing 51a and the shaft support boss 50b. ing. Rear group biasing coil spring 3
Urges the lens support cylinder 50 away from the shutter mount 40 (rearward with respect to the shutter mount 40) to eliminate backlash.

At the front end (pressing member 55) of the shutter mount 40, a photo interrupter 301 and a chopper 302 forming an AF home position detection circuit 232 are mounted. The photo interrupter 301 is mounted on the flexible printed board 6 and fixed to the shutter mount 40. The chopper 302 is a shutter mount 40.
A chopper guide shaft 303 slidably supported by a pressing member 55, and a tip end portion thereof is slidably supported by a chopper urging spring 304 mounted between the pressing member 55 and the pressing member 55. It is urged (toward the rear of the optical axis O). The chopper 302 is a chopper plate 302 that has entered the slit of the photo interrupter 301.
a, and the chopper 302 has a chopper urging spring 30.
When in the retracted position by the biasing force of 4, the optical path of the photo interrupter 301 is opened, and the chopper biasing spring 304
The optical path of the photo interrupter 301 is blocked when the photo interrupter 301 moves forward to a predetermined position against the urging force of the photo interrupter 301.

A stopper plate 306 is fixed to the tip ends of the screw shaft 43 and the one slide shaft 51 via a lock washer 305. Stopper plate 3
06, when the lens support cylinder 50 moves forward, it abuts on the chopper 302, which contacts the chopper urging spring 304.
Chopper pressing portion 306 for moving forward against the biasing force of
a is formed. This chopper pressing portion 306a is
The lens support cylinder 50 that supports the rear lens group L2 comes into contact with the projection 302b of the chopper 302 when approaching the shutter mount 40 to a predetermined position, and the lens support cylinder 50
By further advancing, the chopper 302 is advanced against the urging force of the chopper urging spring 303. Then, the AF in which the lens support cylinder 50 approaches the shutter mount 40
When moving to the home position, the chopper plate 302a of the chopper 302 blocks the optical path of the photo interrupter 301. The CPU 210 checks whether or not the lens support barrel 50 that supports the rear lens group L2 is in the AF home position by checking the output of the photo interrupter 301.

The operation of the above zoom lens camera will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in the figure. This processing is performed by the CPU 210.
It is executed based on the program stored in the internal ROM.

FIG. 29 is a flow chart relating to the main processing of this camera. When the battery is loaded in the camera, the CPU 210 is activated, this main routine is started, and the camera enters a standby state waiting for some operation by the photographer.

When the main process is started, first, the reset process of step (hereinafter "S") 0001 is performed. In this reset process, initialization of hardware such as each port of the CPU 210,
RAM initialization, adjustment data reading, test function call, shutter initialization, AF lens initialization, and lens storage processing are performed.

When the reset process is completed, the error flag is set, the rewind switch 216 is turned on, the back cover switch 213 is changed, the power is on, and the power switch 212 is turned on. , The tele switch 62T is turned on, the wide switch 62W is turned on, the drive switch 215 is changed from off to on, the mode switch 214 is changed from off to on, and the photometric switch SW
It is checked whether S has changed from OFF to ON or whether the charging request flag is set, and the processing corresponding to the check result is executed (S0003 to S0057).

When the error flag is set to 1, it means that an error has occurred in one of the processes described later and the error flag is set to 1. Therefore, S000
The error initialization process of 5 to S0013 is executed to wait for the error state to be resolved and the error flag to be cleared. This error initialization process, any of the switch waits for changes (S0005), Once changed, sets 0 to the error flag, the shutter initialization process, to perform the AF lens initialization process (S0006, S 0007, S
0009). Then, in these processes, the error flag is set to 1
Is checked (S0011),
If 1 is set, the process returns to S1003 and S0005.
Repeat the process from. If the error flag is not set to 1, the error state has been resolved, so the lens storage process is executed and the process returns to S0003 (S001).
3).

When the error flag is cleared and the power is off, the rewind switch 216 is on, the back cover switch 213 is changed, the power is on, and the power switch 212 is on. Repeatedly check whether or not it changed to (S0015, S0019, S002
3, S0025, S003). Then, the following processing is executed when the rewind switch is turned on, when the state of the back cover switch 213 is changed, or when the power switch 212 is turned on from the off state.

When the rewinding switch 216 is turned on, the rewinding motor is activated to execute the film rewinding process (S0015, S0017). When the state of the back cover switch 213 changes, that is, when the back cover is closed or when the back cover is opened, the back counter related processing such as clearing the fill counter or film loading processing is executed ( S0019, S0021). Power switch 212
When the power turns from off to on, turn on the power,
The lens extension processing is executed. The CPU 210
Each time the power switch 212 is turned on, the power is turned on when the power is off, and turned off when the power is on.

When the power is turned on, S0023 to S0029
Then, the process proceeds from step S0029 to step S0053. S002
In the processes from 9 to S0053, the power switch 212 is changed from off to on, the tele switch 62T is turned on, the wide switch 62W is turned on, the drive switch is changed from off to on, and the mode switch is turned on. Changes from OFF to ON, the photometric switch SWS changes from OFF to ON, and it is checked whether the charging request flag is set.

When the power switch 212 is changed from off to on, the power is turned off, and the lens storing process is called (S0029, S0031). The lens storage process is a process of retracting the lens barrel to the storage position. When the tele switch 62T is turned on, the zoom tele movement process is called (S0033, S0035). The zoom tele movement process is a process of driving the overall movement motor 25 in the lens extension direction. When the wide switch 62W is turned on, the zoom wide movement processing is called (S0
037, S0039). The zoom wide movement process is a process of driving the overall movement motor 25 in the lens retraction direction. When the drive switch 215 changes from off to on, drive setting processing is executed (S0041,
S0043). Although details are not shown in the drive setting process, for example, the drive mode is a so-called time-lapse mode, self-timer mode, continuous shooting mode, multiple exposure mode.
This is a process of selecting from among the modes . Mode switch 2
When 14 changes from off to on, mode setting processing is executed (S0045, S0047). Although details of the mode setting process are not shown, for example, a shooting mode
In the automatic flash firing mode and the forced flash firing mode.
Mode, flash off mode, slow shutter mode
This is a process of selecting from the mode, valve mode, and the like. When the photometric switch SWS is turned on from off, the photographing process is called to execute the photographing process (S0049, S005).
1). Further, when the charging request flag is set, the main charging process is called and the strobe circuit 23
The charging process of No. 1 is executed (S0053, S0055).

When the power is off, the above S0003
The processes of to S0055 are repeated to execute the process according to the operation of the photographer, and while the operation is not performed, the image capturing state is maintained and waiting.

FIG. 30 shows a flowchart of the reset processing of S001. This reset process is performed by the CPU 2
This is processing for initializing hardware such as 10 ports, RAM initialization, test function call, adjustment data reading, shutter initialization, AF lens initialization, and lens storage processing.

When the reset process is started, first, the CPU 21
Hardware initialization for initializing the level of each port of 0 and RAM initialization for clearing the internal RAM of the CPU 210 are performed (S1101, S1103).

The test function calling process (S1105) is a process of testing various functions of the camera with an external measuring device (for example, a computer) at the time of or after assembling the camera. The test function calling process of the present embodiment is characterized in that the external measuring device outputs a command relating to the process to be tested, but the actual process is performed by the CPU 210.

In the adjustment data reading process, the adjustment data is read from the EEPROM 230 (S1107). The adjustment data includes an exposure correction value, a focus correction value, and aperture adjusted data. The exposure correction value is, for example, a value for correcting an error between a designed aperture value and an actual aperture value and a difference in lens transmittance, and is individually written before camera shipment. The aperture adjusted data is data for identifying whether or not the difference between the designed opening amount of the shutter blade and the actual opening amount is corrected with respect to the AE pulse number detected by the AE motor 29 by the AE encoder. is there. If corrected, the aperture correction value is written in the EEPROM 230 as one of the adjustment data.

In the shutter initialization process, the shutter blade 2
Perform shutter initialization processing to completely close 7a (S110
7). In this embodiment, since the shutter blade 27a is opened and closed by the AE motor 29, the battery may be removed with the shutter open and the battery may be loaded with the shutter open. Therefore, the AE motor 29 is driven in the shutter closing direction to close the shutter blade 27a, and the shutter blade 27a is brought into a closed state in which the shutter blade 27a contacts an initial position stopper (not shown).

In the AF lens initialization processing, the rear lens group L
Move 2 to the most extended initial position. In the present embodiment, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is activated to activate the rear lens group L.
2 is moved to the most forward position and moved to the initial position where it is brought close to the front lens group L1.

Then, it is checked whether or not the error flag is set, and if the error flag is set, the process returns without doing anything, and if it is not set, the lens storing process is executed and the process returns (S1111, S111).
3). The lens storage process is a process of retracting the lens barrel to the storage position inside the camera body 201 by the whole movement motor 25 and closing the barrier plates 48a and 48b. Since the error flag is cleared in the normal use state, the lens storing process is executed. 1 in the error flag
When is set in the AF initialization process,
If there is no guarantee that the rear lens group L2 is in the initial position (AF home position) and the lens is stored as it is, the rear lens group L2
Since there is a possibility that 2 collides with the aperture plate 14, the lens storage is stopped.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart relating to the lens initialization processing. In the AF lens initialization process, when the lens is in the retracted state, the whole moving motor 25 is rotated in the normal direction, the rear group moving motor 30 is connected to a barrier drive gear mechanism (not shown), and the whole group moving motor 25 causes the front group lens to move. L
1 and the rear lens group L2 are integrally extended to a wide position, and the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven to drive the rear lens group L2.
2 is a process of moving 2 to the AF home position closest to the front lens group L1. When the lens is not in the storage position, the whole moving motor 25 is driven in the normal direction, and when any one of the zoom codes is detected, the rear group moving motor 30 is activated to bring the rear group lens L2 closest to the front group lens L1. AF
To the home position Before moving. However, rear group moving motor 3
0 is connected to the barrier drive gear mechanism at the storage position and is coupled to the rear lens group drive gear mechanism at a position other than the storage position. Therefore, when driving the rear lens group L2, the entire moving motor 25 is driven to drive the front lens group. It is necessary to extend the lens L1 and the rear group lens L2 to a position other than the storage position (at the wide end or from the wide end).

When the AF lens initialization processing is started, first, the overall movement motor 25 is driven to rotate normally (rotate in the lens feeding direction) (S1201). If the lens is stored,
As a result, the barrier drive mechanism is disengaged from the barrier drive gear and meshes with the lens drive gear.
Can be driven.

The CPU 210 A / D-converts the voltage input from the zoom code information input circuit 219, converts the digital value into a zoom code, and checks the converted zoom code. If so, the whole movement motor 25 is immediately stopped (S1203, S1205, S1.
207). In the present embodiment, the zoom code 1 identifies the storage position, 2 the wide end position, 6 the tele end position, 3 and 4 identify the intermediate zoom region, and 0 identifies the OFF code. S12
The processing from 01 to S1207 is processing to extend the lens barrel 16, 19, and 20 to the position where any one of the zoom codes 2 to 6 is detected.

When the whole movement motor 25 is stopped, AF
The pulse confirmation processing is executed to move the rear lens group L2 to the AF home position (S1209). AF pulse confirmation processing
It is characterized in that the rear group movement motor 30 is driven to rotate in the forward direction and the reverse direction to remove so-called biting of mechanical components such as the cam groove and the cam follower pin. Rear lens group L2
After moving to the AF home position, return.

32 and 33 are flowcharts of the lens storing process. The lens storing process is a process of returning the lenses (the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2) to the storage position.
This is a process of returning the rear lens group L2 to the AF home position by the rear lens group drive motor 30 and retracting the lenses (the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2) to the storage position by the overall movement motor 25 to close the lens barrier.

When the lens storage process is called, the overall movement motor 25 is driven in the forward rotation direction (telezoom direction) (S1301). The zoom code input process is executed until the current zoom code (zoom code corresponding to the lens position at the time when the lens storage process is called) is detected (S130
3) If the zoom code is detected (YES: S1305), the driving of the whole moving motor 25 is stopped (S1307). Next, it is determined whether the rear lens group L2 is at the AF home position (S1309). If the rear lens group L2 is not at the AF home position (NO: S1309), AF return processing is executed to move the rear lens group to the AF home position.

When the lens retracting operation is performed in a state where the rear lens group is not located at the AF home position (that is, the rear lens group L2 is projected to the film side), the rear lens group is moved before the lens reaches the retracted position. L2 may come into contact with the aperture plate 14 of the camera body. In order to avoid this, in the above process, the rear lens group L2 is returned to the AF home position before the lens is housed (that is, before the overall movement motor 25 is driven in the reverse direction).

If the lens is located at the wide end when the lens storing process is called, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is connected to the barrier opening / closing mechanism instead of the moving mechanism of the rear lens group L2. There is a case. If the rear lens group moving motor 30 is connected to the barrier opening / closing mechanism and the rear lens group lens L2 is extended from the home position, the rear lens group lens L2 is driven even if the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven.
Will not move to the AF home position.

In the processing of S1301 to S1307, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is always driven by the rear lens group moving motor 30 after S1307 by driving the lens to the telephoto side and temporarily moving it to a position beyond the wide end (see FIG. 22). It is connected to the drive mechanism of L2. Therefore, when it is determined in S1309 that the rear lens group L2 is not at the home position, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven by the AF return processing in S1311.
The rear lens group L2 can be reliably moved.

If it is determined in S1309 that the rear lens group L2 is at the AF home position, the CPU 210
Skips the AF return process and advances the process to the storing operation starting from S1311.

Next, the whole moving motor 25 is rotated in the reverse direction to start moving the lens toward the wide end (S131).
1) Start the 2-second timer (S1313). Below, S131
From 5 to S1329, the zoom code that changes with the movement of the lens is input before the 2-second timer times out, and it is detected that the zoom lens reaches the wide end.

In S1315, the CPU 210 determines whether the timer has timed out. If the time is not up, call the zoom code input process (S132
1) Enter the zoom code. Whether or not the zoom code has changed is determined in S1323, and if the zoom code has changed, the 2-second timer is reset. If it is determined in S1323 that the zoom code has not changed, it is determined in S1327 whether the lens has reached the storage position.
If the storage position has not been reached, it is determined whether the wide end has been reached (S1329). If neither the stored code nor the wide code is detected, the CPU 210 repeats the processing from S1315.

When the time is up while the above processing is being repeated, the CPU 210 stops the whole moving motor 25 (S1317), sets 1 in the error flag indicating that an error has occurred, ends the lens storing processing, and completes the routine. Return to the position where the subroutine was called. The case where the time is up here is the case where the change of the zoom code is not detected within 2 seconds, and the case where the movement of the lens is stopped.

When a wide code is detected during the above processing (S1315 to S1329) (YES: S1329), the 4-second timer is set next (S1331) and the counter is cleared (set 0 to the counter). S1 until the 4-second timer expires
The processing from 337 to S1361 is repeated. Here, in the state where the whole movement motor 25 is continuously driven (the state where the lens passes through the wide end and further moves toward the storage position),
Processing for intermittently driving the rear group movement motor 30 is performed.

In the camera of this embodiment, as described above, the rear lens group moving motor 30 moves the rear lens group L2 and opens and closes the barrier. When the lens is located on the tele side from the wide end, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is connected to the driving mechanism of the rear lens group L2 and is not connected to the barrier opening / closing mechanism. When located on the position side, it is necessary to switch the barrier / lens switching gear mechanism so that the rear group movement motor 30 is connected to the barrier opening / closing mechanism.

The gears are switched by the cam mechanism in response to the movement of the lens. At this time, the barrier / lens switching gear mechanism must be engaged with the teeth of the barrier drive gear so that the lens is securely engaged. While the vehicle is moving from the wide end toward the storage position (that is, after S1311 when the reverse movement of the overall movement motor 25 is started), the rear group movement motor 30 is intermittently driven.

At S1337, it is determined whether the 4-second timer has timed out. There is no time up unless an abnormality occurs, and normally it is determined as N in S1337. In S1345, after waiting 1 ms, the counter is incremented (S1347), and it is determined in S1349 whether the counter value has reached 100. When the value of the counter is less than 100, it is determined to be N in S1349, and then it is determined whether or not the counter reaches 80 in S1351.

If the counter value is less than 80 (N: S1351), the zoom code input process is called to input the zoom code. If the storage code is not detected, S1 is entered.
Return to 337 and repeat the process. When the counter value reaches 80 in S1351, the rear group movement motor 30 is driven in reverse (S1353). When the counter value reaches 100, the counter is reset (the counter is set to 0) and the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped (S1355, S
1357).

Here, since the waiting time of 1 ms is provided in S1345, the above-mentioned processing has a cycle of 100 ms.
Repeated. Therefore, when the value of the counter is 0 to less than 80 (until 80 ms after the wide end code is detected), only the whole movement motor 25 is driven and the value of the counter is 80 or more and less than 100 (the wide end code is If 80 ms or more and less than 100 ms after being detected), both the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30 are driven, and when the value of the counter reaches 100 (when reaching 100 ms),
The driving of the rear group moving motor 30 is stopped, and only the whole moving motor 25 continues to be driven. Since the above processing is repeated, 100
The rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven for 20 ms every ms.

If the storage code is not detected before the 4-second timer times out, it is determined in S1337 that the time is up. The storage code is not detected within 4 seconds when the movement of the lens is blocked for some reason, the rear group movement motor 30 and the whole movement motor 25 are stopped (S1339, S1341), and an error flag is displayed. 1 is set to indicate that an error has occurred, and the process ends.

When the storage code is detected during the above processing, the CPU 210 stops the rear group moving motor 30 (S1
363), and further, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped (S136
5) After calling the barrier close processing to close the barrier, the lens storage processing is ended. The barrier closing process is a process of closing the lens barrier by the rear lens group moving motor 30.

FIG. 34 is a flow chart of lens extension processing. In the lens extension processing, the lens barrier is opened when the camera is in the power-on state (operating state) from the standby state, and the lenses (the front group lens L1 and the rear group lens L
This is a process of feeding 2) from the storage position to the wide end.

When the lens extension processing is called, the barrier opening processing is called (S1403), and the rear group moving motor 30 is driven to open the barrier. In the barrier opening process, A F from pulse input circuit 222 and the pulse is not output (i.e., the rear lens group driving motor 30 does not rotate), 1 is set to the error flag.

In S1403, it is determined whether the error flag set in the barrier opening process is 1. The error flag becomes 1 when the barrier opening process is not normally completed, and at this time, the lens extension process after S1405 is not performed (N: S1403) and the process returns.
The error flag becomes 0 when the barrier opening process is normally executed. In this case, the overall movement motor 25 is normally rotated next to the rear lens group L2 and the front lens group L1.
Starts driving in the tele direction (S1405).

The CPU 210 starts the 4-second timer at the same time when the driving of the whole moving motor 25 is started (S1407),
Monitor whether the wide end code is detected (whether the lens reaches the wide end) before the timer times out.

The CPU 210 first determines in S1409 whether or not the timer has timed out. Normally, the lens reaches the wide end within 4 seconds after the lens extension is started, and therefore the determination in S1409 is NO. Next, the zoom code input process is called (S1415), it is determined whether the input code (zoom code corresponding to the lens position) is the tele end code (S1417), and if it is not the tele end code, the wide end code It is determined whether or not (S1419).

The lens moves from the retracted position to the telephoto end within 4 seconds. Therefore, the tele end code and the wide end code are not detected before the 4-second timer expires.
For example, when the movement of the lens is hindered. Therefore, if it is determined that the time is up while the lens is moving (Y:
(S1409), the drive of the whole movement motor 25 is stopped (S141
1), the error flag indicates that an error occurred 1
Is set (S1413), and the lens extension processing is ended.

In the normal extension processing, when the lens is extended, the wide end code is first detected. When the wide end code is detected (S1419), the value 0 corresponding to the wide position is set to the zoom step which is an index indicating the lens position (S1423). After that, processing for stopping the lens is performed (S1425 and later).

If the lens is continuously extended without the wide end code being detected, the lens reaches the end of the movable area and is no longer movable. In the camera of the present embodiment, during the lens extension processing, even if the lens continues to move without the wide end being detected, if the tele end code is detected (S1417), the lens movement is stopped (S1425). Subsequent processing)
I am trying. When the lens reaches the tele end, the zoom step has a value corresponding to the tele end position of 1
3 is set (S1421). Therefore, in the lens extension processing, the correct value corresponding to the lens position is set in the zoom step even when the lens moves to the telephoto end.

As described above, the lens is extended,
After the zoom step is set corresponding to the lens position, in S1425 to S1435, processing for stopping the lens is performed. In the camera of this embodiment,
The zoom code is detected and the zoom step is set to obtain the lens position. However, when the lens is stopped, the brush portion 9a for detecting the zoom code is always positioned on the wide end side by a predetermined amount from the zoom code (standby). It is designed to stop at (position). When moving the lens for zooming or focusing, regardless of whether the moving direction is the wide end side or the tele end side,
Once the lens is moved to the tele side, the zoom code detecting brush portion 9a is brought into contact with the zoom code, and the CPU 210
The zoom code is input to the CPU 210, and the CPU 210 controls the movement amount of the zoom lens based on the position where the zoom code is input.

In S1425, the zoom pulse counter is set with the first zoom pulse ZP1 having a predetermined value, and the zoom drive process is called (see FIG. 22). In the zoom drive processing, the entire movement motor 25 is driven in the normal direction (the lens is driven in the direction of moving toward the tele side), and the zoom pulse input circuit 220 is synchronized with the rotation of the body movement motor 25.
Drive the body moving motor 25 until the number of pulses output to the CPU 210 and the count value set in the zoom pulse counter match, so that the brush portion 9a for detecting the zoom code is further moved from the position where the zoom code is detected. The lens is advanced to the tele side by a predetermined amount and stopped.

As the first zoom pulse ZP1 set in the zoom pulse counter in S1425, when the lens is moved by the zoom drive processing, the brush for zoom code detection crosses the zoom code to ensure the telephoto side. The value located in the non-conducting part is used. The first zoom pulse ZP1 is also a value that satisfies the following condition. In this camera, the magnification of the finder optical system changes in conjunction with the movement of the lens. The first zoom pulse ZP1 is set so that even if the lens moves by an amount corresponding to this pulse number, it does not affect the magnification of the finder. In this embodiment,
The lens moves when you press the release button 217B,
The zoom pulse corresponding to the moving amount of the lens at that time is set to a value that does not exceed the first zoom pulse ZP1.

After the lens is moved by the amount corresponding to the zoom pulse ZP1, it is determined whether or not the rear lens group L2 is located at the AF home position (S1429), and the rear lens group L2.
When 2 is not at the AF home position (when it is extended from the AF home position) (N: S1431), the AF return process is called to move the rear lens group L2 to the AF home position (S1431). In this way, with the rear lens group L2 positioned at the AF home position, the AF two-stage extension process (S143
3) and zoom return processing (S1435) are executed to return.

AF two-stage extension processing is performed by the rear lens group L2.
Is a process for feeding a predetermined amount from the AF home position. In this camera, the front lens group L is used during zooming.
After the first lens group L2 and the rear lens group L2 are moved at the same time, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are moved by the whole movement motor 25 at the time of photographing (when the shutter button is pressed halfway) to adjust the focus and focal length. In addition to the rear group movement motor 3
Only the rear lens group L2 is moved by 0.

Since the amount of movement of the rear lens group L2 at the time of photographing is relatively large when the lens is on the wide end side, when the lens is on the wide end side, from when the shutter button is operated until the actual exposure is performed. The release time lag, which is the time difference, becomes relatively long. In order to shorten the release time lag, in the present camera, the rear lens group L2 is previously extended by a predetermined amount when the lens is positioned on the wide side where the rear lens group L2 moves relatively large. . The AF two-stage extension process is a process for this purpose, and is a process of extending the rear group lens L2 by a predetermined amount only when the lens position is on the wide side. In the present embodiment, whether or not the lens is on the wide side is determined by whether or not the zoom step is smaller than 4 (described later).

FIG. 35 is a flowchart relating to the zoom tele process. The relationship between the positions of the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 and the code plate 13a during zoom tele processing will be described with reference to FIG. The zoom tele movement process is a process of driving the overall movement motor 25 in a direction in which the lens barrels 16, 19 and 20 project (direction in which the focal length increases), that is, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are separated from each other by an air gap. It is a process of advancing together without changing. In this zoom tele movement process, the whole moving motor 25 is driven in the normal direction to detect the zoom code corresponding to the current lens position, and when the whole moving motor 25 is stopped, the zoom code is turned on further as a reference. After the predetermined number of first zoom pulses ZP1 for the entire movement motor 25 is driven in the forward direction to move the lens forward (after the zoom code is turned off), the reverse movement is performed, and the previous zoom code is turned on / off again. Based on the time, after further performing reverse driving by the zoom pulse number ZP2, forward driving is performed by the backlash removal zoom pulse number ZP3, and then the whole movement motor 25 is stopped. By this zoom tele movement process, the zoom lens stops during the zoom code in a state where the backlash in the forward direction is removed to some extent.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the zoom step for stopping the overall movement motor 25 is 4 or less, the rear lens group L2 is moved backward by a predetermined AF pulse number (AP1). In the present embodiment, the focal length from the wide (wide end) to the tele (tele end) is divided into 14, the wide end is zoom step 0, the tele end is zoom step 13, and the focal length between them is zoom step 1. 12 to 12 are used to manage the current lens position.

When the zoom tele movement process is started, first, it is checked whether or not the lens is at the tele position (tele end position), and if the lens is at the tele position, telezooming is not necessary and the process returns as it is (S1501). If the lens is not in the tele position, the entire moving motor 25 is driven in the forward rotation direction (tele zoom direction), the zoom code input process is executed, and the process waits until the current zoom code corresponding to the zoom step is detected (S1501, S1503, S1505, S1507). When the current zoom code corresponding to the zoom step is detected, the 2-second timer that detects the state in which the overall movement motor 25 cannot rotate for the fixed time (2 seconds) is started (S1507, S
1509).

When the 2-second timer is started, it is checked whether or not the time is up. However, since the time is not up during the normal operation, the zoom code input process is executed (S1511, S1513). Then, it is checked whether or not the zoom code has changed, and if the zoom code has not changed, the record detection detection check is performed as it is, and if it changes, the two-second timer is restarted and then the record detection detection is performed (S1515, S1519). Or S1515, S1517, S1
519).

If the zoom code does not change even after the predetermined time has elapsed while the whole moving motor 25 is being driven, some abnormal state is expected, such as when the lens barrel is touching something. Therefore, after the 2-second timer is started, if the zoom code remains unchanged for 2 seconds and the 2-second timer times out, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped, 1 is set to the error flag, and the process returns (S1
511, S1537, S1539).

If the tele end code is not detected, it is determined whether or not the next zoom code is detected. If not, the process returns to S1511 and the processing of S1511 to S1519 is repeated to detect the next zoom code. Then, the zoom step is incremented by 1 and, on condition that the tele switch 62T is turned on, the process returns to S1511 and the above processing is repeated. If the tele switch 62T is turned off, the process proceeds to S1525. In other words, once this processing is entered, even if the zoom switch 62T is turned off before zooming for one zoom step, telezoom for one zoom step is performed.

When the lens reaches the tele end or the tele switch 62T is turned off, the process goes to S1529 (S1525, S1529 or S1519, S1527, S1529). When reaching the tele end and exiting, 13 is set in the zoom step (S1527).

In S1529, the zoom pulse counter is set to the first zoom pulse number ZP1 having a predetermined value. Then, the zoom drive process, the AF two-stage extension process, and the zoom return process are executed and the process returns (S1529, S1531,
S1533, S1535).

In the zoom drive processing, the total movement motor 25 is driven in the normal rotation direction (lens extension direction) by the value of the zoom pulse counter (first zoom pulse number ZP1). In the AF two-stage extension processing, when the zoom step for stopping the overall movement motor 25 is 4 or less, the rear lens group L2 is moved backward from the AF home position by a predetermined AF pulse number (AP1). After the zoom pulse number ZP2 is further driven in reverse based on when the zoom code is turned on / off, the backlash is removed by the third zoom pulse number ZP3
After the normal rotation driving for a minute, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped. With this zoom tele movement process, the zoom lens
With some backlash in the forward direction removed,
Stop during zoom code.

The zoom return processing is performed by the whole moving motor 2
5. Reverse rotation of 5 and further reverse rotation of the zoom pulse number ZP2 based on when the zoom code is turned on / off, and then forward rotation of the backlash removal zoom pulse number ZP3, and then the whole movement motor 25 is stopped. Then, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are stopped at the standby position between the zoom cords.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart relating to zoom wide processing. The positions of the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 during zoom wide processing, and the code plate 13
This will be described with reference to FIG. 22 showing the relationship with a. The zoom wide movement process is a process of driving the overall movement motor 25 in a direction in which the lens barrels 16, 19, 20 are drawn (direction in which the focal length becomes shorter), that is, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are moved to each other. This is a process of retreating together without changing the interval. In zoom wide movement process, first the whole movement motor 25 by normal rotation to reverse rotation after detection known a zoom code corresponding to the current zoom step. Then, when the whole movement motor 25 is stopped, in the zoom intermediate area, the second zoom pulse number ZP2 is further driven in the reverse rotation drive based on the time when the zoom code is turned on / off, and then the backlash removal pulse PZ3 is rotated in the forward direction. Drive and then stop. This zoom wide movement process causes the lens to stop during the zoom code with backlash in the forward direction removed to some extent.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the zoom step for stopping the overall movement motor 25 is 4 or less, the rear lens group L2 is moved backward from the AF home position by a predetermined AF pulse number (AP1). The number of zoom pulses after the zoom code is turned on / off as a reference.
After the normal rotation drive for ZP3, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped. By this zoom tele movement process, the zoom lens stops during the zoom code in a state where the backlash in the forward direction is removed to some extent.

When the zoom wide movement processing is started, first, it is checked whether or not the lens is at the wide position (wide end position), and if the lens is at the wide position, zooming is not necessary and therefore the process returns as it is (S1601).

If the lens is not in the wide position, there is a possibility that the amount of backlash may exceed the next zoom code when the lens is pushed in. Therefore, the whole moving motor 25 is rotated in the forward direction (tele-zoom direction). Drive to execute the zoom code input process and wait until the zoom code corresponding to the current zoom step is detected (S1601, S1603,
S1605, S1607). When the current zoom code is detected, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped and then reversely rotated to start the 2-second timer (S1607, S1609, S1611, S1613).

When the 2-second timer is started, it is detected whether or not the time is up. Normally, the time is not up, so the zoom code input process is executed (S161).
5, S1617). Then, check whether the zoom code has changed, and if the zoom code has changed, 2
From the re-start a second timer, to check whether it has detected the storage code without even Bana been moved to tears zoom code has not changed (S1619, S1621, S162
3 or S1619, S1623). If the storage code is not detected, it is checked whether the wide end code is detected. If the wide end code is not detected, it is checked whether the next zoom code is detected (S16).
23, S1625, S1627). If the next zoom code is not detected, the process returns to S1615 and the processes of S1615 to S1627 are repeated until the next zoom code is detected.

When the next zoom code is detected, the zoom step is decremented by 1, and when the wide switch 62W is turned on, the process returns to S1615 and the above S1615.
Through S1631 are repeated. Then, it detects the wide end code, the wide switch 62W calls the zoom return process exits the S16 35 Once off (S1625, S1633, S1635, S1637 ,
Alternatively, S1631, S1635, S1637). When the wide end code is detected and exits, the zoom step is set to 0 (S1633).

In the zoom return processing of S1635, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are returned to the standby positions before being moved by the lens drive processing in the photographing processing.

In the AF two-stage extension processing of S1637, the rear lens group L2 is moved backward from the AF home position or from the AF home position by the AF pulse AP1 according to the current zoom step.

Although the above is the normal operation, if it is checked in S1623 that the storage code has been detected, such as when the lens barrel is forcibly pushed in, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped and the lens extension processing is executed. And return (S1623, S1639, S1641). In addition, when the lens barrel is pressed and cannot move, when the 2-second timer times out, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped,
Set the error flag to 1 and return (S1615, S1
645, S1647).

In this zoom wide movement process, the current zoom code is detected, and the wide switch is checked after the next zoom code is detected. Therefore, once this zoom wide movement process is started, one zoom step is performed. Even if the wide switch 62W is turned off before zooming,
Wide zoom is performed for one zoom step.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart relating to the photographing process. The photographing process of the present embodiment is performed by the photometric switch S
Called when WS is turned on, first, it is confirmed that the front lens group L1 is in the standby position, and after the release switch SWR is turned on, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are moved to the set focus. One of the features is that the object is moved to a position where the object measured by the distance is in focus.

When the photographing process is started, first, a zoom standby confirmation process is executed to move the front lens unit L1 to the standby position corresponding to the current focal length (S1701).

Then, the distance measuring process is executed to obtain the photographing distance, the photometric process is executed to obtain the subject brightness, and the AE arithmetic process is executed to obtain the shutter speed, the aperture value, and the necessity / non-necessity of stroboscopic light emission (S1703). , S1705, S170
7). The case where strobe light emission is required is, for example, when the subject brightness is below the strobe light emission level in the automatic strobe light emission mode, or when the strobe forced light emission mode is set. Then, it is checked whether or not the stroboscopic light emission is necessary, and when it is determined that the flash light emission is necessary, the photographing charging process is executed, and when the photometric switch SWS is turned off in the photographing charging process or when the charging timer is timed out, a return However, when it is determined that sufficient charging has been completed, the flashmatic calculation process is executed and then the process proceeds to S1717 (S1709, S1711, S1713, S1715,
S1717). If the flash emission is not required, S1711
-S1715 is skipped and it progresses to S1717.

In step S1717, the photometric switch SWS is checked. If the photometric switch SWS is off, the process returns. If the photometric switch SWS is on, while the photometric switch SWS is on, it waits for the release switch SWR to turn on (S1717, S1719).

When the release switch SWR is turned on, if the self mode is not set, the lens drive calculation process is executed as it is. In the self mode, the lens drive calculation process is executed after executing the self-wait process waiting for a predetermined time (S1721). , S1725 or S1721, S1723, S172
Five).

In the lens drive calculation process, the amount of movement (zoom pulse number) of the front lens unit L1 based on the change point of the zoom code OFF / ON and the AF home signal are calculated from the distance measurement result and the current focal length. The moving amount (AF pulse number) of the rear lens group L2 is calculated with reference to the change point (AF home position) of.

Then, the lens drive processing is executed based on the movement amount of the front lens group L1 and the movement amount of the rear lens group L2 calculated by the lens drive calculation processing (S1725, S172).
7). In this lens drive processing, the rear lens group L2 is driven in parallel with the driving of the front lens group L1 and is controlled to focus on the subject.

When the lens movement is completed, in order to inform the photographer that the shutter is released, the green lamp 228 is turned on (energized) and then the exposure process is executed (S1729, S17).
31). The green lamp 228 turns off after emitting light for a short time that can be recognized by the photographer.

When the exposure processing is completed, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are moved to the lens position before the movement in S1727.
Lens return processing to restore the
3).

Then, the film winding process is executed,
If the film is not the end, the process directly returns, and if the film end is detected, the rewinding process is executed and the process returns (S1735, S1737, S1739).

FIG. 38 is a flowchart of the main charging process. The main charging process is a charging process called (executed) when the charging request flag = 1 in the main flow shown in FIG. 29 and called during the main process.

The CPU 210 determines whether or not the charge prohibition timer is 0 in S1801. The charge prohibition timer is a timer that sets the time to prohibit charging,
When the light emitting capacitor 530 of the strobe circuit 231 is fully charged, the charging inhibition time of 3 seconds is set. If the charge prohibit timer is not up (N: S1801),
The charge request flag is set to 0 (S1803), and the process ends. That is, while the charging prohibition timer is counting the charging prohibition time of 3 seconds, the CPU 210 unconditionally prohibits charging without checking the charging voltage. Strobe circuit 231
Charging can be interrupted (prohibited) by setting the terminal CHEN of the L level to L level.

When the charge inhibition timer has timed out (Y: S 1801 ), the CPU 210 determines whether the charge interruption flag is 1 (S1805). As will be described later, the charging interruption flag is set to 1 when the charging process is interrupted midway.
Is set. In the main charging process and the photographing charging process to be described later, it is assumed that the charging process ends normally when the charging voltage reaches a predetermined value or the charging time reaches a predetermined time (8 seconds in the present camera). If charging is interrupted due to operation of another switch during charging, the remaining time obtained by subtracting the time spent for charging before the interruption from the above predetermined time (8 seconds) is stored in the memory, When the charging is reunited, it is determined whether the charging voltage reaches a predetermined value during the remaining time.

Therefore, when 1 is set in the charging interruption flag, the charging interruption flag is cleared (0 is set), and the remaining time stored in the memory is set in the charging timer to perform the charging process. I do. When the charging interruption flag is not 1, that is, when the charging process is not interrupted (N: S1805), the charging timer is set to a predetermined charging time (that is, 8 seconds) to perform charging.

The CPU 210 turns on the charging signal to start charging (S1813). That is, the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 231 is set to the high (H) level to start charging. The terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 231 is H
During the level, the output (corresponding to the charging voltage) of the terminal RLS of the strobe circuit 231 is A / D converted and input to the CPU 210. The CPU 210 checks the charging voltage based on the A / D converted voltage value (S1815). If the charging voltage has reached the upper limit (Y: S1817), CP
U210 prohibits charging for 3 seconds by setting the charging prohibition timer to the charging prohibition time of 3 seconds, and stops charging by setting the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 231 to low (L) (S1821) and charging. The request flag is set to 0 and the main charging process ends.

When the CPU 210 determines in S1817 that the charging voltage has not reached the upper limit, it determines whether the charging timer has timed out (S1825). When the charge timer times out, the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 231 is set to low (L) to stop charging (S182).
1), 0 is set to the charging request flag indicating that the charging process is completed (S1823). When the charging timer times out and the main charging process ends, the charging prohibition time of 3 seconds is not set.

If the charge timer has not expired (N: S1825), the CPU 210 determines whether or not the state of any switch has changed (S1827). When a change in the switch state is detected, the charging process is interrupted and the process corresponding to the operated switch is preferentially performed. Therefore, when detecting a change in the switch state, the CPU 210 turns off the charging signal in S2819 (that is, sets the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 231 to low), stores the remaining time indicated by the charging timer in the memory (S1831), and charges the battery. The interruption flag is set to 1 to indicate that the charging is interrupted (S1835), and the main charging process is ended. The remaining time stored in the memory in S1831 and the charging interruption flag set in S1835 are referred to when the main charging process or the photographing charging process is executed next.

FIG. 39 is a flow chart relating to shutter initialization processing. The shutter initialization process of this embodiment is a process in which the AE motor 29 that drives the shutter 27 is driven in the shutter closing direction to completely close the shutter blades until they come into contact with the stopper.

Upon entering this processing, first, the AE motor 29
To rotate the shutter blade 27a in the closing direction,
Wait for the AE pulse count limit time timer to time up while starting the E pulse count limit time timer and calling the AE pulse count process to detect the AE pulse (S1901, S1903, S1905, S
1907).

When the shutter blade 27a is completely closed and the AE motor 29 becomes unrotatable, the AE pulse count limit time timer is timed up. When the time is up, the AE motor 29 is freed and the process returns (S1).
907, S1909).

Through the above processing, the shutter 27 is set to the initial position where the shutter blade 27a is completely closed.

FIG. 40 is a flowchart of the zoom code input process. The zoom code input process is performed by the CPU 210.
Is a process of setting the zoom code based on the A / D conversion value of the voltage from the zoom code information input circuit 219 input to the A / D input terminal.

In S3201, a voltage is input from the zoom code information input circuit 219 to the A / D terminal of the CPU 210. The CPU 210 displays the A / D converted value of the input voltage as shown in FIG.
Set the zoom code corresponding to the input voltage by comparing with the threshold voltages Va to Vf shown in. The setting of the zoom code is performed as follows.

The CPU 210 compares the A / D converted value of the input voltage with the threshold voltage Va (S3203).
When the A / D converted value of the input voltage is larger than the threshold voltage Va (Y: S3203), 0 is set as the zoom code (S3205), and the process returns.

A / D converted value of input voltage is Va or less (N: S320
If it is 3) and is larger than Vb (Y: S3207), 5 is set to the zoom code (S3209).

A / D converted value of input voltage is Vb or less (N: S320
7) and when it is larger than Vc (Y: S3211), 4 is set to the zoom code (S3213).

A / D converted value of input voltage is Vc or less (N: S321
If it is 1) and it is larger than Vd (Y: S3215), 3 is set to the zoom code (S3217).

A / D converted value of input voltage is Vd or less (N: S321
5) and when it is larger than Ve (Y: S3219), 6 is set to the zoom code (S3221).

The A / D converted value of the input voltage is Ve or less (N: S321
9) and if it is larger than Vf (Y: S3223), the zoom code is set to 1 (S3225).

A / D converted value of input voltage is Vf or less (N: S322
In the case of 3), 2 is set to the zoom code (S32
twenty one).

Here, the lens storage position (zoom code = 1), which is the reference point of the lens position with respect to the code identified by Vd, Ve, and Vf in which the interval between the threshold voltages is relatively large, Wide end (zoom code =
2), tele end (zoom code = 6) is assigned. By doing this, the CPU can be
Even if there is a slight deviation in the input voltage to 210, the correct zoom code will be set, at least with respect to the reference point.

FIG. 41 is a flowchart relating to the AF pulse confirmation processing. The AF pulse confirmation process is a process of alternately rotating the rear group movement motor 30 in the forward and reverse directions. For example, when the rear group moving motor 30 cannot be rotated even if the rear group moving motor 30 is driven for some reason, the rear group moving motor 30 is alternately rotated in the forward and reverse directions to move the rear group moving motor 30. The obstructing cause is removed and the rear lens group can be moved. In the present embodiment, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is alternately rotated in the forward and reverse directions, and after confirming that the rear lens group moving motor 30 has rotated by a predetermined amount or more, the rear lens group L2 is moved to the AF home position. When this confirmation cannot be made even after repeating the forward and reverse driving five times, or when the rear group lens L2 does not move to the AF home position within the predetermined time even if it is confirmed, the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped. Then, the error flag is set to 1.

When the AF pulse confirmation processing is entered, the value of the counter that defines the maximum number of times the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven alternately in the forward and reverse directions is set to 5 (S3301).

First, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is started in the forward direction (rear lens group rearward direction), the value of the AF pulse counter is set to 50, the AF pulse count process is performed, and the AF pulse is detected. Wait for 50 to be output (S3
303, S3305, S3307). When the value of the AF pulse counter becomes 0, the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped (S330
9).

If the OK flag is checked and the OK flag is set, that is, if the AF pulse is output 50 times, it is checked whether the rear lens group L2 is at the AF home position (S3311, S3329). If it is in the AF home position, the process returns. If it is not in the AF home position, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is reversely driven (the direction in which the rear lens group L2 is moved toward the AF home position) to start the 500 ms timer (S3331). , S3335). Normally, the rear lens group L2 reaches the AF home position before the 500 ms timer times out, so when the rear lens group L2 reaches the AF home position, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is stopped and the process returns (S3335, S3337, S3339). Here, if the rear lens group L2 does not reach the AF home position before the 500 ms timer times out, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is stopped, the error flag is set to 1 and the process returns (S3).
335, S3341, S3343).

The above is the normal processing, but if the rear lens group L2 does not move easily, the following processing is executed. In the AF pulse count processing of S3307, if the AF pulse is not output for the predetermined time even though the rear group movement motor 30 is being driven, the rear group movement motor 30 cannot rotate due to biting or the like.
Clear the flag. Therefore, the process proceeds from S3311 to S3313. Go to S3313, wait 100ms, then
The rear group movement motor 30 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction (S3315). Then, the value of the AF pulse counter is set to 50, AF pulse counting processing is performed, and the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped (S3317, S3319, S3321). In the AF pulse counting process, the OK flag is set when 50 AF pulses are output, and the OK flag is cleared when no AF pulse is output for a predetermined time. Therefore, when the rear lens group L2 is moved by the reverse rotation of the rear lens group moving motor 30, the process proceeds to step S3329, and when the rear lens group L2 is not moved, step S3329 is performed.
Continue to 3325.

In S3325, the counter is decremented by 1, and if the counter is not 0, the process returns to S3303 and the processing from S3303 is repeated. When the counter reaches 0, that is,
If the rear lens group L2 does not move even after the forward / reverse driving of the rear lens group moving motor 30 is repeated five times, some abnormality may have occurred in the lens driving system, so the rear lens group moving motor 30 is stopped. Then, the error flag is set to 1 and the process returns (S3327, S3341, S3343).

FIG. 42 is a flow chart of AF return processing. In the AF return process, the rear lens group L2 is set to A
This is a process of returning to the F home position.

In the AF return processing, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven in the reverse direction (lens advancing direction) to move the rear lens group L2 forward toward the AF home position, and the rear lens group L2 is moved to the AF home position. Wait until it reaches (S3401, S
3403).

When it is detected via the photo interrupter 301 that the rear lens group L2 has reached the AF home position,
The driving of the rear group movement motor 30 is changed to the low speed reverse rotation driving, the counter is set to 10, and the counter is decremented by 1 every time the rising edge of the AF pulse is counted, and the counter value becomes 0. Wait (S3405, S340
7, S3409, S3411, S3413).

When the counter reaches 0, the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped (S3413, S3415). This allows
The rear lens group L2 surely stops at the AF home position.

In the present embodiment, the rear lens group L2 is the AF
After the pulse reaches the home position, the driving of the group moving motor 30 is continued for another 10 pulses, but this is because the driving pulse count of the rear group lens L2 is based on the switching of the AF home signal. This is to reliably bring the rear lens group L2 to the AF home position in this state (see FIGS. 26 to 28).

FIG. 43 is a flowchart of the barrier closing process. The barrier closing process is a process for closing the barrier when the lens is stored. First, the counter is set to 3, which is the number of repetitions of the opening / closing process executed when a defect described later occurs. In the present embodiment, whether or not the barrier closing process is normally completed is determined by whether or not the rear group moving motor 30 has rotated in the forward direction by a predetermined amount (that is, the rear group moving motor 30).
Is driven normally and whether or not a predetermined number of AF pulses have been counted).

[0193] state for a predetermined number of AF pulses when driven forward rear lens group driving motor 30 if the if not input from A F pulse input circuit 222, the barrier or barriers for some reason was not closed already closed It is conceivable that the barrier closing process is executed in.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the rear group moving motor 30 is driven in the normal direction and the predetermined number of AF pulses are not counted, the rear group moving motor 30 is once moved in the reverse direction by the predetermined amount ( Drive only enough to open the closed barrier) and then again the rear group move motor 3
0 is normally driven. The number of times set in S3501 is a value for limiting the number of executions of the process of once driving the rear group movement motor 30 in the reverse rotation direction and then again driving it in the forward rotation direction.

In S3503, the rear group movement motor 30 is driven in the normal direction (driving in the direction in which the barrier is closed), the AF pulse counter is set to 300 (S3505), and the AF pulse counting process is called (S3507). AF pulse counting process, A F pulse input circuit 222 in synchronism with the rotation of the rear lens group driving motor 30 is based on the pulse signal output to the CPU 210, AF which is set in S3505
This is a process of decrementing the pulse counter.

In the AF pulse count processing, when no pulse is output or the decremented count value of the AF pulse counter becomes 0 within a predetermined time, the processing is ended.

When the AF pulse count processing is completed, the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped (S3509), and it is determined whether the remaining AF pulse count decremented by the AF pulse counter processing is less than 100 (S3511).

In S3511, if the value of the AF pulse counter is less than 100 (that is, if the AF pulse count processing is decremented by 200 or more),
The barrier closing process is terminated by determining that the barrier is normally closed. If the value of the AF pulse counter is 100 or more (N: S3511), it is considered that the rear group moving motor 30 does not rotate for some reason, and the rear group moving motor 30 is once moved in the reverse direction (barrier opening direction). The obstacle is removed by rotating it to the normal direction and rotating it again in the forward direction.

The counter is decremented in S3513, and unless the counter becomes 0, the process proceeds to S3519. In S3519, the rear group movement motor 30 is rotated in the reverse direction, the AF pulse counter is set to 300, and the AF pulse count process is called. When the AF pulse counting process is completed, the rear group moving motor 30 is stopped, and the process returns to S3503 to rotate the rear group moving motor 30 in the normal direction, set the AF pulse counter, execute the AF pulse counting process, and perform the rear group moving motor 3
The stop of 0 is executed (S3503, S3505, S3507, S3509), and it is determined again based on the value of the AF pulse counter whether the barrier is closed (S3511). In the present embodiment, S35
Since the counter is set to 3 in 01, if the barrier does not close, the above retry processing is repeated twice.

[0200] If the barrier is closed in the meantime, in S3511 A
The F pulse counter becomes less than 100 (Y: S3511), and the barrier closing process ends. Further, if the AF pulse counter does not become less than 100 to the end of the repetition (Y: S3515), it is determined that the barrier has not been closed, 1 is set to the error flag indicating an abnormal occurrence, and the barrier is closed. The process ends.

FIG. 44 is a flowchart of the barrier opening process. The barrier opening process is a process for opening the barrier when the lens is extended from the storage position. First, the number of times the process is repeated, 3 is set in the counter (S360
1). Normally, the barrier open process is called with the barrier closed. However, for example, when the battery of the camera is replaced with the lens extended (that is, the barrier is open), the barrier opening process is executed with the barrier open. Alternatively, the barrier opening process may be called without closing the barrier when the lens is stored due to some obstacle. When driving the rear lens group motor 30 to open the barrier while the barrier is open, already A F pulse input circuit 222 without the rear lens group driving motor 30 is rotated to the barrier is open generates a pulse Will not do.

[0202] Therefore, in the process, firstly drives the lens group driving motor 30 rear to open the barrier, if not confirmed that the barrier is open (A F pulse input circuit 222
Does not output a pulse to the CPU 210), the rear group moving motor 30 is driven in the direction to close the barrier and then the rear group moving motor 30 is driven in the direction to open the barrier again. The number of times the counter is set in S3601 is
This is a value for limiting the number of executions of the above-mentioned process of closing the barrier once and then opening the barrier again when it is not confirmed that the barrier is opened when the rear group movement motor 30 is first driven. is there.

First, in step S3603, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is rotated in the reverse direction (driven in the direction in which the barrier is opened), the AF pulse counter is set to 300 (step S3605), and the AF is started.
The pulse count process is called (S3607). AF
Pulse count processing is synchronized with the rotation of the rear lens group driving motor 30 based on the pulse signal outputted from the A F pulse input circuit 222 is a process of decrementing the the set AF pulse counter.

[0204] In the AF pulse counting process, A F Pas preceding pulse input circuit 222 to the CPU210 pulse is not outputted for a predetermined time, the count value of the AF pulse counter which is decremented reaches 0, the processing is terminated. When the AF pulse count process is completed, the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped, and it is determined whether the remaining AF pulse count decremented by the AF pulse counter process is less than 100.

If the value of the AF pulse counter is less than 100 (that is, if the count value is decremented by 200 or more in the AF pulse counting process), it is determined that the barrier has normally opened, and the barrier opening process is performed. finish.

If the AF pulse counter value is 100
In the above case, it is considered that the rear group moving motor 30 does not rotate for some reason, and the rear group moving motor 30 is once rotated in the normal rotation direction (the direction in which the barrier is closed) and then reversely rotated again to remove the obstacle. I am trying.

First, the counter is decremented (S361
3), unless the counter reaches 0 (N: S3615), S3619
Proceed to. In S3619, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is reversed, the AF pulse counter is set to 300, and the AF pulse counting process is called (that is, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven so as to close the barrier). A of S3623
When the F pulse count processing is completed, the rear group movement motor 3
0 is stopped (S3625), the process returns to S3603, the reverse rotation of the rear group movement motor 30 is performed, the AF pulse counter is set, the AF pulse count process is executed, the rear group movement motor 30 is stopped, and the AF pulse counter is restarted. It is determined whether the barrier is opened based on the value.

In this embodiment, since the counter is set to 3, if the barrier does not open (N: S361
In 1), the processing from S3619 to S3625 through S3609 is repeated twice. If the barrier is opened during this time, the AF pulse counter becomes less than 100 in S3611, and the barrier opening process ends. If the AF pulse counter does not become less than 100 until the end of the repetition, it is determined that the barrier has not been opened, the error flag is set to 1 indicating an abnormal occurrence, and the barrier opening process ends.

FIG. 45 is a flowchart of the zoom drive processing. The zoom drive processing is performed by the front lens group L1.
In order to focus the rear lens group L2 on the subject distance, the entire movement motor 25 is moved by the value of the zoom pulse counter.
Is a process for controlling the drive in the normal rotation direction (lens extension direction) (see FIG. 22).

When the zoom drive processing is started, first, the value of the zoom pulse counter is stored as a zoom pulse (3701). Then, the zoom sequence is set to 0, the whole movement motor 25 is started in the normal direction (driving in the forward direction), the drive check process is performed and the zoom sequence becomes 5 and then the process returns.
(S3703, S3705, S3707, S3709).

The zoom sequence is an identifier for identifying the state of the operation sequence of the overall movement motor control circuit 60, where 0 is the zoom code switching detection state that is the zoom pulse count reference, and 1 and 2 are the zoom pulse. Shows the state of counting, 3 is the reverse brake drive state, 4 is the short brake state, and 5 is the terminal open state (inactive state), which indicates that the series of zoom drive sequences has ended (Fig. 23, 24).

FIG. 46 is a flowchart of the AF two-stage feeding process. The AF two-stage extension process is a process executed when the focal length of the lens is changed, and when the lens is positioned on the wide side, the rear lens group L2 is set to A
This is a process of feeding a predetermined amount (AP1) from the F home position.

When the AF 2-stage feed processing is called,
The CPU 210 determines whether or not the rear lens group L2 is currently in a state of being extended by a predetermined amount by the AF two-stage extending process (S3801). The lens moved to the wide-angle end side (zoom step 4
(Less than 1), the rear lens group is extended by a predetermined amount and 1 is set in the two-stage extension flag. Also,
If the zoom step is 4 or more when the AF two-stage extension processing is executed last time, the rear lens group is not extended (positioned at the AF home position), and the two-stage extension flag is set to 0. ing.

If the AF 2-stage feed-out process is called and the 2-stage feed-out flag is set to 1 (Y: S
3801), and then the CPU 210 determines whether or not the zoom step corresponding to the current lens position is larger than 4 ( S3805 ). When the zoom step is larger than 4 (when the rear lens group and the front lens group are on the tele side), A
The F-return processing is called to return the rear group lens L2 already extended to the AF home position, clear the two-stage extended flag (set 0), and return (S).
3807, S3809). When the current zoom step is 4 or less, it is necessary to extend the rear lens group L2, but the rear lens group L2 has already been extended when the AF two-step extension process was executed last time. Return without doing anything.

If the two-stage feed-out flag is not 1 in S3801 (that is, 0 is set),
The rear lens group is located at the AF home position at the time when the previous two-stage AF process is completed. In this case, the CPU 210 determines whether the zoom step is 4 or less (S3803), and when the zoom step exceeds 4 (N: S3803), it is not necessary to extend the rear lens group L2 ( (Because the AF home position can remain the same),
The process of extending the rear lens group L2 is not performed, and the process directly returns. If the zoom step is 4 or less (that is, the lens is located on the wide side), use (Y: S380
9) The processing for extending the rear lens group L2 is performed. At this time, the processing method differs depending on whether or not the lens is at the wide end.

First, it is determined whether or not the zoom step is 0 (that is, whether or not the lens is located at the wide end) (S3811). When the lens is located at the wide end, the rear lens group moving motor 30 may be connected to the barrier opening / closing mechanism and may not be connected to the rear lens group moving mechanism. That is, when the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven with the lens positioned at the wide end, the rear lens group L2 may not be driven and the barrier may be opened and closed.

On the other hand, when the lens is on the telephoto side from the wide end, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is always connected to the rear lens group driving mechanism. Therefore, when the lens is not located at the wide end (that is, when the zoom step is not 0) (N: S3811), the AF pulse counter is set to the predetermined value AP1 (S3823) and the AF drive processing is called. As a result (S3825), the rear lens group can be made to protrude from the AF home position by an amount corresponding to the AF pulse number AP1. After out-click the rear lens group, CPU210, and then returns set a 1 to 2-stage repeatedly leaving Shi flag.

When the zoom step is 0 (that is, when the lens is located at the wide end) (Y: S3811), the rear lens group moving motor 30 may be connected to the barrier opening / closing mechanism as described above. There is. However, the rear lens group moving motor is guaranteed to be connected to the rear lens group moving mechanism only when the AF two-stage feeding process is called during the lens return process. Therefore, in S3813, the process is branched by the zoom return flag indicating whether or not the AF two-stage extension process being executed is the process called in the lens return process. When the AF two-stage extension process being executed is called in the lens return process, 1 is set in the zoom return flag. In this case, only the rear lens group is driven (S3823, S3825).

On the other hand, if the AF two-stage extending process being executed is called in a routine other than the lens return process, the zoom return flag is set to 0.
Is set, and the CPU 210 executes the processing from S3815.

The CPU 210 sets the predetermined values ZP1 and AP1 in the zoom pulse counter and the AF pulse counter, respectively (S3815, S3817), calls the lens drive processing (S3819), and first drives the overall movement motor 25 to drive the front group. Then, the rear lens group is driven by an amount corresponding to the zoom pulse ZP1, and the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven to drive the rear lens group by an amount corresponding to the AF pulse AP1. Then, in the zoom return process (S3821), Drives the whole movement motor 25 to ZP
The front lens group and the rear lens group are returned by an amount corresponding to 2. That is, the lens is once moved to the tele side by a predetermined amount so that the rear lens group moving motor 30 is surely engaged with the drive mechanism of the rear lens group L2, and then the rear lens group moving motor is driven to extend the rear lens group. After that, by returning the lens to the wide side by a predetermined amount, as a result, only the rear lens group L2 is moved to the wide side.

As described above, at the time when the AF two-stage extension processing is completed, when the lens is on the wide side (when the zoom step is 4 or less), the rear lens group L2 is extended by a predetermined amount and two stages are extended. 1 is set in the done flag. When the lens is on the tele side (zoom step is 4
(When it is larger), the rear lens group L2 is located at the AF home position and 0 is set in the two-stage extended flag.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart of the zoom return process. The zoom return process is performed by the front lens group L1.
And a process of returning the rear lens group L2 to the standby position before being moved in the lens drive process in the photographing process. That is, the total movement motor 25 is reversed by the second zoom pulse number ZP2 from the storage position switching point of the current zoom code to return the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 to the standby position, and the whole movement motor 25 is moved to the first position. 3 Zoom pulse number ZP
This is a process in which the lens is normally rotated for 3 minutes and stopped with the backlash being removed to some extent (see the lens drive portion in FIG. 22 and FIG. 24).

When the zoom return processing is started, it is checked whether or not the number of pulses stored in the zoom pulse memory is less than the first zoom pulse number ZP1. Direction rotation), the number of pulses obtained by subtracting the number of drive pulses stored in the zoom pulse memory from the first zoom pulse number ZP1 is set in the zoom pulse counter, the zoom pulse count processing is executed, and the zoom pulse counter becomes 0. When it reaches 0, that is, when the first zoom pulse number ZP1 has been driven from the switching point of the current zoom code, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped (S3901, S3905, S3907, S3909, S391).
1). This is because when the lens is stopped near the tele-side switching point of the current zoom code, the zoom code may become unstable at the beginning of energization of the overall movement motor 25 and the standby position may be displaced, so this is prevented. In order to ensure that the zoom code is turned off, the first zoom pulse number ZP
Rotate forward for 1 minute. Then, if 1 is set in the error flag, the process returns, and if 1 is not set in the error flag, the process proceeds to S3915 (S3911, S3913).

If the number of drive pulses stored in the zoom pulse memory is equal to the first zoom pulse number ZP1, the lens has moved to the position where the current zoom code is turned off. Is skipped (S3901 , S3915).

At S3915, the whole moving motor 25 is rotated in the reverse direction (rotated in the wide direction). Then, the zoom code input process is called to detect the zoom code, and it is checked whether the wide code, the storage code, or the current zoom code is detected (S3917, S3923, S392).
9). When the wide code is detected, the lens wide position is set, when the storage code is detected, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped, the lens feeding process is executed, and then the process returns (S3919, S3921, S3923, or S3923, S392).
5, S3927).

When the current zoom code is detected, zoom code input processing is executed (S3929, S3931). And OFF
Wait for the code to be detected (the current zoom code is OFF), and when the OFF code is detected, set the second zoom pulse number ZP2 in the zoom pulse counter, call the zoom pulse count process, and set the zoom pulse counter to 0. Wait until it becomes (S3931, S3933).

Upon returning from the zoom pulse count processing, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped (S3937, S
3939). When the error flag is set to 1 (when the zoom pulse counter returns without becoming 0)
Returns as it is, and when the error flag is not set (when the zoom pulse counter has returned to 0), the whole movement motor 25 is rotated in the normal direction, the backlash removal pulse number ZP3 is set in the zoom pulse counter, Wait for the zoom pulse counter to reach 0 after calling the zoom pulse count process (S3941, S3943, S394
5, S3947). When the process returns from the zoom pulse counting process, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped and the process returns (S3947, S3949).

As described above, by the zoom return process, the front lens group L1 is moved to the standby position (OFF position) retracted by the second zoom pulse number ZP2 from the trailing edge of the current zoom code. At this standby position, there is backlash when the overall movement motor 25 rotates in the tele direction.
Have been removed.

FIG. 48 is a flow chart relating to zoom standby confirmation processing. The zoom standby confirmation process is a process that is called in the shooting process, confirms whether the lens is in the correct standby position when the photometric switch SWS is turned on, and moves the lens to the correct standby position if the lens is not in the correct standby position. . Note that the processing after S3931 of the zoom confirmation processing is the same as the zoom return processing.

When entering the zoom standby confirmation processing, first, the zoom code input processing is called to input the zoom code,
If the current zoom code cannot be detected, it is considered that the lens is in the correct standby position, and the process directly returns (S4001, S4003). If the current zoom code can be detected, the lens is moving from the correct standby position, so the whole moving motor 25 is rotated in the reverse direction (rotation in the wide direction), the process proceeds to S3931, and the zoom code input process is executed (S4003, S4005,
S3931).

Then, it waits until the OFF code of the zoom code is detected. When the OFF code is detected, the second zoom pulse number ZP2 is set in the zoom pulse counter, the zoom pulse count processing is called, and the zoom pulse counter becomes 0. Wait until it becomes (S3931, S3933).

When the process returns from the zoom pulse counting process, the whole moving motor 25 is stopped (S3937,
S3939). When the error flag is set (when the zoom pulse counter returns without becoming 0), it returns as it is. When the error flag is not set (when the zoom pulse counter becomes 0 and returns), it returns as a whole. The moving motor 25 is driven in the forward direction, and the backlash removal pulse ZP is applied to the zoom pulse counter.
3 is set, the zoom pulse count process is called, and the zoom pulse counter becomes 0 (S394).
1, S3943, S3945, S3947). And
When the process returns from the zoom pulse counting process, the whole movement motor 25 is stopped and the process returns (S3947 ,
S3949).

As described above, in the zoom standby confirmation processing, the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 are set to a predetermined position more than the wide side switching position of the current zoom code on condition that the current zoom code corresponding to the zoom step is detected. Move it to the shooting standby position that has moved backwards.

FIG. 50 is a flowchart relating to the focus adjustment processing. In the focus adjustment process, the overall movement motor 25 is driven in the forward rotation direction (lens extension direction) based on the overall movement motor drive pulse number and the rear group movement motor drive pulse number calculated by the lens drive calculation process, and the rear group movement is performed. The moving motor 30 is rotated in the forward direction (the rear lens group L2
Lens group L1 by driving in the lens retracting direction).
And processing for moving the rear lens group L2 to the in-focus position (see lens drive in FIG. 22). The focus adjustment process is characterized by simultaneously driving (parallel driving) both the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30.

When the focus adjustment process is started, first, the zoom pulse counter value (calculated by the lens drive calculation process,
The total movement motor 25 writes the drive pulse number from the storage side switching point of the current zoom code) to the zoom pulse memory (S4201). Then, the zoom sequence is set to 0, the whole movement motor 25 is started in the forward rotation direction, and the drive check process is performed to set the zoom sequence to 1.
That is, it waits for detection of the current zoom code (ON from OFF), and when the zoom sequence becomes 1, the AF sequence is set to 0 (S4203, S4205, S4207, S4209, S4211).

After driving the rear lens group moving motor 30 in the forward direction, it is checked whether the AF pulse counter value is less than 50. If it is less than 50, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is controlled at low speed. If it is 50 or more, the process proceeds to the zoom drive check process (S4213, S4215, S4217, S4219 or S4213, S421).
5, S4219).

Wait for both the zoom sequence and the AF sequence to become 5, and when both become 5 (when the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30 stop)
Return (S4219, S4221, S4223, S4225).

As described above, since the focus adjusting process drives both the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30 at the same time, the front group lens L1 and the rear group lens L2 are moved to the in-focus position, which is necessary for focusing. Time is reduced.

51 to 53 are flowcharts relating to the exposure processing. For exposure processing, release switch S
Called (executed) when the WR is turned on. In this exposure processing, correction processing related to the shutter, initial position confirmation processing of the shutter, and the like are executed, and then the shutter is opened and exposure is performed.

Upon entering the exposure processing, first, it is checked whether or not the AE adjustment is completed. If the AE adjustment is not completed or if the AE data is less than 10 Ev even if the AE adjustment is completed, based on the AE data obtained by the AE calculation processing. , AE timer time is selected from fixed data stored in ROM (S
4301, S4305 or S4301, S4303, S4305). If the AE adjustment is completed and the AE data is 10 Ev or more, the AE timer time is determined from the adjustment data read in the reset processing based on the AE data obtained in the AE calculation processing (S4301, S4303, S4307). When the AE data is less than 10Ev, the fixed data on the ROM is used is 10E.
This is because when it is less than v, the shutter opening time is long, the influence of the error is extremely small, and the data on the ROM can be processed in a shorter time.

Next, it is checked whether FM adjustment has been completed,
If FM adjustment has not been completed, RO based on FM data
Select the FM timer time from the fixed data on M, and
If the adjustment has been completed, the data read in the adjustment data reading process during the reset process is used (S4309, S4311 or S4309, S4313).

When the timer setting is completed, first, shutter initial position confirmation processing is executed (S4315, S4).
317, S4319, S4321). That drives the shutter blades 27a in the closing direction by reversing the AE motor, to start the AE pulse count limit time timer and waits for the data Imuappu running AE pulse count process (S4315, S4317, S431
9, S4321). When the shutter blades 27a are completely closed and cannot move, the AE motor cannot rotate and the time increases.

When the time is up, the AE motor 29 is normally rotated to drive the shutter in the opening direction, and the AE pulse count limit time timer is started (S4323, S).
4325). Then, the AE pulse count process is executed, and while checking whether or not the AE pulse count limit time timer has timed out, it waits until the counting of the reference pulse is completed by the AE pulse count process (S4327, S4329, S4331). Although not described in detail AE pulse count process, if the AE pulse is output within the limit time AE pulse count limit time timer is Lister bets.

Here, if the AE pulse count limit time timer expires, A
Since the rotation of the E motor 29 is blocked, the shutter error flag is set, the AE motor 29 is set free (non-energized), and the process returns (S4329, S4333 ,
S4335). Time count of the reference pulse has been completed Ah
Since the shutter blades 27a starts to open from Tari, to start the AE timer and FM timer, clears the light-emitting end flag (S 4331, S4337, S433
9, S4341).

Then, it is checked whether the light emission end flag is set or in the light emission mode. When the strobe does not emit light, the light emission end flag remains cleared and is not in the light emission mode, so the AE timer times up. Wait for (S4343, S4345, S4347).

When the AE timer times out, the AE motor 29 is reversely rotated (shutter closing direction rotation) to start the shutter blade closing operation, and the AE pulse count limit time timer is started (provided that the valve mode is not set). S4371, S4373). Then, waiting for the AE pulse counter to time up while executing the AE pulse count process, that is, for the shutter blade 27a to close and the AE motor 29 to stop, and when the time has expired, the AE motor 29 is freed and then the return is performed. Yes (S4375, S4377, S4379). In the bubble mode, while the photometric switch SWS is on, the AE motor 2
In order to prevent an overload on 9, the AE motor 29 is freed and the photometric switch SWS is turned off (S436
5, S4367, S4369).

Since the flash mode is the flash mode, the process advances from step S4345 to step S4349 to check if the flash is emitting. Since it is not flashing initially,
Wait for the FM timer to time out (S434
9, S4351, S4347, S 4343 , S434
5). Normally, the FM timer is shorter than the AE timer, so the FM timer times up first. F
When the M timer times up, start emitting light,
Start the 2ms timer (S4351, S435
3, S4355). This 2ms timer is a timer to wait for the strobe to finish firing completely,
The waiting time varies depending on the characteristics of the strobe and is not limited to 2 ms.

When the light emission is started, the light emission is started, so wait for the 2 ms timer to time up (S434
9, S4357, S4347, S4343, S4345). When the 2ms timer times out, the light emission is stopped, the light emission end flag is set, and the charge request flag is set (S4357, S4359,
S4361, S4363). Then, since the light emission end flag is set, it waits for the AE timer to time up (S4343, S4347).

FIG. 49 is a flowchart of the photographing charging process. The shooting charging process is a charging process performed when the photometric switch is turned on, and is a charging process that is called when it is determined in the shooting process that strobe light emission is necessary.

When the photographing charging process is called, the CPU 21
In 0, it is determined whether the charge prohibition timer is 0 in S4101. The charging prohibition timer is a timer for measuring a charging prohibition period, and in the main charging process of FIG. 29, when the light emitting capacitor 530 of the strobe circuit 231 is fully charged, the charging prohibition time of 3 seconds is set. That is, when the charge prohibition timer has not timed out (not 0), the charging of the strobe light emitting capacitor 530 is prohibited and the capacitor 530 is prohibited.
Is almost fully charged and is ready for flash firing. Therefore, if the charge prohibition timer has not timed out (N: S4101), the charge OK flag is set to 1 (S4103) and the charge request flag is set to 0. (S4104),
The shooting charging process is terminated and the process returns.

If the charge inhibition timer has timed out (N: S4101), it means that the strobe circuit 231 has not been fully charged, or has been three seconds or more after being fully charged. At this time, since the charging is not prohibited, CPU 210 after setting the zero charge OK flag S 4102, to execute processing for the subsequent S4105 charged.

The CPU 210 determines in S4105 whether or not 1 is set in the charging interruption flag. If the switch operation is performed during the execution of the main charging process, the charging process is interrupted and the process corresponding to the operated switch is performed. At that time, the charge interruption flag is set to 1.

When the charge interruption flag is set to 0, that is, when the main charging process is not interrupted (N: S4105), the charge timer is limited to a predetermined time limit (8 seconds) in order to limit the charge time. ) Is set. If the charge interruption flag is set to 1 (Y: S4105), charging is restarted, so the charge interruption flag is cleared (set to 0), and when the charging timer interrupts charging. Set the remaining time of the charging time limit of (S4107, S410
9). That is, when the charging is interrupted, a predetermined charging time limit (8 seconds) is already set in the charging process before the interruption.
Since some of them have already been spent on charging, a predetermined charging time limit (8
By setting the remaining time of the already spent time out of the second) as the charging time, as a result, when the charging is performed for a predetermined charging time, the charging is ended by the time-up.

When the time is set in the charging timer in S4111 or S4109, the CPU 210 next sets the red lamp blinking flag to 1 and causes the red lamp 227 to blink. In the main charging process, the charging of the condenser 530 for stroboscopic light emission is executed without being recognized by the photographer, but the charging in the photographing charging process is executed with the photographer half-pressing the release button 217B. It is preferable to indicate to the photographer that charging is in progress.
For this reason, in the photographing and charging process, the red lamp 227 is made to blink so that the photographer can recognize that the battery is being charged.

When the charge timer is set, the charge signal is turned ON (that is, the terminal CHE of the strobe circuit 231).
(The N level is set to H) and charging is started (S4115).
The output (corresponding to the charging voltage) of the terminal RLS of the strobe circuit 231 is A / D converted and input to the CPU 210. C
The PU 210 checks the A / D converted charging voltage (S4117). If the charging voltage has reached a level at which strobe light can be emitted (Y: S4119), the CPU 210
The charging OK flag is set to 1 to indicate that strobe emission is possible (S4121), charging is stopped by setting the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 500 to low (L) (S4123), and the red lamp blinking flag is set. Is set to 0 and the blinking of the red lamp is stopped (S4125), and the photographer is made aware that the charging process is completed (that is, the state in which the flash cannot be fired-the image is ready).

When the CPU 210 determines in S4119 that the charging voltage has not reached the voltage value capable of strobe light emission, the CPU 210 next determines whether or not the charging timer has timed up (S4127). When the charging timer times out, the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 500 is set to low (L) to stop charging (S4123) and the red lamp blinking flag is set to 0.
To stop blinking the red lamp (S4125).
It should be noted that when the time is up in S4127, the charging voltage has not reached the level at which light can be emitted, so the charging OK flag is not set to 1.

If the charge timer has not expired (N: S4127), the CPU 210 determines whether or not the photometric switch has been turned off (S4129). If the photometric switch is in the ON state, the processing from S4117 to S4129 is repeated. That is, while the release button 217B is pressed at least halfway, charging is performed until the charging voltage reaches a level at which light emission is possible or the charging time limit (8 seconds) elapses.

If it is determined in S4129 that the photometric switch is off, that is, the release button 2
When the half-pushed state of 17B is released (N: S412
9) The CPU 210 turns off the charging signal in S4131 (that is, sets the terminal CHEN of the strobe circuit 500 to low), stores the remaining time indicated by the charging timer in the memory (S4133), and sets 1 to the charging interruption flag. Indicates that charging has been interrupted (S4135), and further sets 1 to the charging request flag (S4137) and 0 to the red lamp blinking flag in order to execute the continuation of the charging process that was interrupted in the main charging process. The red lamp 227 stops blinking and the photographing and charging process ends. As described above, the remaining time stored in the memory in S4133, the charging interruption flag, and the charging request flag are referred to when the main charging process is executed.

FIG. 54 is a flowchart of lens return processing. The lens return processing is performed by the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L1 which are moved to the in-focus position during the photographing processing.
2 is a process of returning the position 2 to the position before the photographing process. The front lens group L1 moves from the wide-side switching point of the zoom code corresponding to the zoom step for identifying the current focal length to the second
When the zoom step is 5 or more, the rear lens group L2 is returned to the AF home position, and when the zoom step is 0 to 4, the AF pulse is AP1 minute from the AF home position. This is the process of moving to the extended (retracted) position.

Upon entering this lens return processing, the AF return processing is called to return the rear lens group L2 to the AF home position, and then the zoom return flag is set to A.
When the zoom code is 5 or more, the rear lens group L2 is called as it is, and when the zoom code is 4 or less, the AF pulse AP1 is extended (retracted) and the zoom return flag is cleared (set to 0). A zoom return process is called to move the front lens unit L1 to the standby position of the current zoom code and return (S440).
1, S4403, S4405, S4407, S440
9).

FIG. 55 is a flow chart of lens drive calculation processing. The lens drive calculation process corresponds to the current zoom step the number of pulses for driving the overall movement motor 25 and the rear group movement motor 30 based on the subject distance (or shooting distance) and the current zoom step obtained by the distance measurement processing. This processing is performed as the number of zoom pulses from the wide side switching point (OFF / ON point) of the current zoom code and the number of AF pulses from the AF home position.
In the focus adjustment of the present embodiment, the driving direction of the overall movement motor 25 is the direction in which the front lens group L1 is moved forward (extended), and the driving direction of the rear group movement motor 30 is:
This is a direction in which the rear lens group L2 is retracted from the AF home position (away from the front lens group L1).

Further, in this embodiment, at the wide end, the whole moving motor 25 performs the whole focusing by moving the front lens group L1 and the rear lens group L2 integrally.
At the tele end, rear group focusing is performed in which only the rear group lens L2 is moved according to the subject distance, and between the wide end and the tele end, the whole movement motor 25 causes the front group lens L1.
Also, the rear lens group L2 is moved, and front lens group focusing motor 30 is used to move the rear lens group L2 (so that the absolute position with respect to the camera does not change).

When the lens drive calculation processing is started, the reference lens movement amount (pulse number) Δ2T is calculated based on the subject distance obtained by the current zoom step and distance measurement processing (S4501). Next, it is determined whether the current zoom step is 0 (wide end), 1 to 12 (wide end), or 13 (tele end), and pulse calculation processing according to the zoom step is executed (S4503). , S4505, S4507, S4509,
S4511, S4513, S4515). At the wide end, the entire focusing is performed, so the zoom pulse counter has (a × Δ
X2T) and 0 are set in the AF pulse counter (S4505, S4507). If it is in the middle, front group focusing is performed, so the zoom pulse counter has (b × ΔX2T).
And (c × ΔX2T) is set in the AF pulse counter (S4509, S4511). At the tele end, rear group focusing is performed, so 0 is set in the zoom pulse counter and AF
Set (ΔX2T) to the pulse counter (S451
3, S4515).

When the setting of the pulse counter is completed, A
Correction value X2 according to the focal length to the value of the F pulse counter
f is added (S4517). Furthermore, EEPROM2
The adjustment data is read from 30 and the adjustment data is added to the AF pulse counter and the zoom pulse counter (S
4519, S4521). Further, it is checked whether or not the AF two-stage extension completed flag is set. When it is set, the rear lens group L2 has already been extended (retreated) from the AF home position by the AF pulse AF1. AF1 is subtracted from the pulse counter.

By the above processing, the number of drive pulses of the whole moving motor 25 and the rear group moving motor 30 for moving the front group lens L1 and the rear group lens L2 to the lens position where the object is focused at the current focal length. The setting of the number of drive pulses of is completed.

FIG. 56 is a flowchart of the test function calling process. The test function calling process is a process for testing the function of the camera, and is called in the state where the measuring device is connected to the camera and executes each function of the camera.

Conventionally, when a test is performed by connecting a measuring device to the camera, the command input from the measuring device to the camera is predetermined, and the camera corresponds to each command input from the measuring device. Then, a predetermined process is executed. However, when the test is performed by such a method, only a predetermined operation can be executed, and other operations cannot be executed. Therefore, the test operation can be performed only for the test items that were taken into consideration when creating the program, and the test items cannot be added thereafter. In the camera of this embodiment, a program for controlling the operation of the camera can be specified and executed in function units from the measuring device. In addition,
Here, the function means the CPU 210 in the present embodiment.
It refers to each module of the program stored in the internal ROM, and by designating the address of the ROM, the program module stored at that address is executed.

The test function calling process is called during the reset process when the reset process is executed. That is, this is executed by mounting a battery on the camera with a measuring device (not shown) connected to the camera.

When the test function calling process is called, a handshake is performed between the camera CPU 210 and the measuring device connected to the camera (S7101), and communication conditions are set. If an error occurs during the handshake or if the measuring device is not connected to the camera, the handshake fails (N: S7103), the test function call process is aborted, and the process returns. When the handshake succeeds and communication becomes possible (Y: S7103), command input from the measuring instrument side to the CPU 210 side becomes possible.

When the CPU 210 receives command data from the measuring instrument side through serial communication (S7105), C
The PU 210 determines whether the command data has a value 0 indicating the end of the test function calling process (S7107).
When the command data has a value 0 indicating the end of the test function calling process (Y: S7107), the test function calling process is ended and the process returns. If the command data is not 0 (N: S7107), the upper and lower addresses of the function to be called are received from the measuring instrument by serial communication (S7109, S7111) and the function stored at that address is executed (S7113). ). By repeating the above until the command data 0 is received, the process related to the required test item is executed.

As described above, in the camera of this embodiment, the control program of the camera can be specified and executed in function units by the data input from the measuring instrument, so that a detailed test can be performed. .

FIG. 57 is a flowchart of AF pulse count processing. The AF pulse counting process decrements a preset AF pulse counter by 1 when an AF pulse change is detected within a predetermined period,
When the F pulse counter reaches 0, the OK flag is set to 1. If the AF pulse counter does not become 0 during the above-mentioned predetermined period, the OK flag is set to 0.

When the CPU 210 starts the AF pulse count processing, it first sets 200 ms in the timer as a period for monitoring changes in the AF pulse (S7201). In the following processing, if there is no change in the AF pulse within 200 ms, the CPU 210 sets 0 in the OK flag as described above.

First, the CPU 210 determines whether or not the 200 ms timer has timed out (S720).
3). If not time-up, based on the output signal from the A F pulse input circuit 222 to the CPU 210, AF
It is determined whether the pulse has changed (S720
7). Whether the AF pulse has changed here is determined by the change of the pulse from H (high) to L (low) and L (low).
The determination is made by detecting both the change from H to high.

If there is no change in the AF pulse (N: S720
7), the CPU 210 returns the processing to S7203. Therefore, 20
If no change in AF pulse is detected within 0 ms, S720
In 3, it is determined that the time is up, the OK flag is set to 0, and the processing is ended (S7205). That is, when the same number of pulses as the value set in the AF pulse counter cannot be detected before the AF pulse counting process is called during the AF pulse counting process, 0 is set in the OK flag. Will be.

When the CPU 210 detects that the AF pulse has changed (Y: S7207), it resets the timer and sets 200 ms again (S7209). If the change in the detected AF pulse is the rise of the AF pulse (Y:
S7211), the AF pulse counter is decremented by 1 (S7213). Here, the AF pulse counter is set to a value to be counted, that is, a value corresponding to the amount of driving the rear lens group by the rear lens group moving motor before the AF pulse counting process is executed. If the decremented AF pulse counter is 0, the CPU 210 sets the OK flag to 1 and ends the process. That is, AF
When the same number of pulses as the value set in the AF pulse counter before the pulse count process is called are counted, the OK flag is set to 1.

[0277] As described above, in the AF pulse counting process is set 1 to the OK flag if previously the same number and value set to AF pulse counter A F from pulse input circuit 222 to the CPU210 pulse output, AF
Pulse input circuit 222 is set to 0 OK flag when you stop the output of the pulse before outputting the values as many pulses set in the AF pulse counter CPU 210.

FIG. 58 is a flowchart of the zoom drive check processing. In addition, FIG.
5 is a timing chart showing the relationship between the drive state of No. 5 and the zoom sequence. The zoom drive check process is a process of determining at what stage the lens is driven by the overall movement motor 25 for focusing on the subject distance and performing drive control of the overall movement motor 25.

When the zoom drive check processing is executed, the processing branches depending on the value (0 to 5) of the zoom sequence which is an index showing the driving state of the whole moving motor 25 (operating state of the whole moving motor control circuit 60). . When the zoom drive check process is called, the whole movement motor 25 is driven in the normal direction, and the zoom sequence is set to 0.

If the zoom sequence is 0, the CPU 210 calls the zoom code input process and inputs the value of the zoom code (S7303). The zoom code detection terminal is located on the wide side of the zoom code when the lens is stopped. When the overall movement motor 25 is driven in the normal direction, the zoom code detecting terminal first contacts the zoom code corresponding to the current lens position. If the zoom code input in the zoom code input process is equal to the value stored in the memory as the current zoom code (Y: S730
5), 1 is set to the zoom sequence (S7307). When the zoom code set in the zoom code input processing is different from the value stored as the current zoom code (N: S7305), the zoom sequence remains 0 and the zoom drive check processing ends.

If the zoom sequence is 1, that is, after the current zoom code is detected, the CPU 210 monitors the rise of the zoom pulse output from the zoom pulse input circuit 220 (S7311). Only when the rise of the zoom pulse is detected, the zoom pulse counter is decremented (S7311, S7313), and when the zoom pulse counter becomes less than 20 (Y: S7315), the CPU 210 switches the whole moving motor 25 to the low speed control (S7317). , The zoom sequence is set to 2 (S7319). When the zoom pulse counter is 20 or more (N: S7315), the zoom sequence remains at 1 and the zoom drive check process ends.

Therefore, when the whole moving motor 25 is activated, based on the pulse output from the zoom pulse input circuit 220 to the CPU 210 with the current zoom code as a reference,
The zoom pulse counter is decremented. Until the zoom pulse counter reaches 20, the whole moving motor 25 is driven by normal DC drive. Whole movement motor 25
The zoom sequence is 1 while is driven at normal speed. If the driving is continued in the DC driving state, the lens may move more than a desired number of pulses when the whole moving motor is stopped due to inertial force or the like. Therefore, when the zoom pulse counter becomes less than 20, the total movement motor 2
5 is controlled at a low speed. The low speed control is PWM (Pulse Width M
odulation) control. Whole movement motor 25
When the driving of is switched to the low speed control, 2 is set in the zoom sequence.

When the zoom drive check process is called when the zoom sequence is 2, that is, when the overall movement motor 25 is controlled at a low speed, the processes from S7321 are executed. Here again, the CPU 210 monitors the rising edge of the zoom pulse (S7321), and when it detects the rising edge of the zoom pulse, decrements the zoom pulse counter (S7323). If the rising edge of the zoom pulse is not detected (N: S7321), the process of S7323 is skipped.

Until the zoom pulse which is decremented by 1 while the overall movement motor 25 is controlled at a low speed and the lens is driven reaches 0, the processing of S7321 and S7323 is executed every time the zoom drive check processing is called. To be done. In that case, the zoom sequence remains 2. When the zoom pulse becomes 0, the whole moving motor 25 is driven in reverse (S7327) to perform the braking process (reverse braking). After the reverse rotation of the whole moving motor 25 is started, 5 ms, which is the reverse driving period, is set in the timer (S7328), and 3 is set in the zoom sequence. That is, when the zoom sequence is 3, the whole movement motor 25 is in the reversely driven state for braking.

When the zoom drive check process is called when the zoom sequence is 3, the CPU 210
It is determined whether or not 5 ms, which is the period for reverse driving of the whole moving motor 25, has elapsed (S7331), and if 5 ms has not elapsed, the zoom sequence remains at 3 and returns.
After 5 ms, which is the reverse rotation drive period of the total movement motor 25, has passed (Y: S7331), the brake is applied by shorting both terminals of the total movement motor 25 for 20 ms.
Start the timer, set the zoom sequence to 4 (S7333, S7335, S7337) and return.

When the zoom drive check process is called when the zoom sequence is 4, the CPU 210
Monitor whether the zoom pulse changes (S734
1). That is, it is determined whether or not the overall movement motor 25 is rotating while the brake is applied, based on whether or not the zoom pulse changes within 20 ms.

When the CPU 210 determines in S7341 that the zoom pulse has not changed, and in S7345 that the 20 ms timer has timed out, it terminates the control of the overall movement motor 25 and opens the terminals of the motor (non-operation). Drive state) and set 5 to the zoom sequence (S734
7, S7349). If it is detected in S7341 that the zoom pulse has changed, the 20 ms timer is restarted to monitor whether or not the next zoom pulse change is detected within 20 ms after the zoom pulse change. Note that S734
Until it is determined at 5 that the 20 ms timer has timed out, the whole movement motor 25 is braked, and the zoom sequence remains at 4 and returns.

[0288] When the zoom drive check process when the zoom sequence of 5 is called, as shown in the flowchart, the zoom drive check processing returns without being processed at all.

As described above, in the zoom drive check processing, the lens is first moved to the position of the current zoom code which is the reference position (zoom sequence = 0), and when the zoom pulse counter is 20 or more, the normal speed is set. When the lens is moved (zoom sequence = 1), when the zoom pulse counter is less than 20, the lens is moved at a low speed (zoom sequence = 2), and when the zoom pulse counter is 0, the whole movement motor 25 is reversely driven for 5 ms. (Zoom sequence = 3) After that, the terminals of the overall movement motor 25 are short-circuited and the brake is applied (Zoom sequence = 4), and when the overall movement motor 25 is completely stopped, the control is terminated (Zoom sequence = 5), After that, the value is newly set in the zoom pulse counter and the zoom sequence is set to 0. Not performed control of the entire driving motor 25 until (a non-driven state).

FIG. 59 is a flowchart of AF drive processing. The AF drive processing is processing for driving and controlling the rear lens group moving motor 30 in the lens retreating direction in which the rear lens group L2 retracts in order to focus on the subject distance. A
When the F drive processing is started, the AF sequence is first set to 0 (S7401). Then, after the rear group moving motor 30 is driven in the normal direction (driving in the backward direction), it is checked whether or not the value of the AF pulse counter is less than 50. Control (PWM control)
If it is 50 or more, the AF drive check process is called as it is (S7403, S7405, S7407, S7409).
Or S7403, S7405, S7409). Then, while the AF drive check process is being performed, the AF sequence becomes 5 and the process returns when the AF sequence becomes 5 (S
7409, S7411).

The AF sequence is an identifier for identifying the state of the operation sequence of the rear group movement motor control circuit 61. As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, 0 is the AF home signal which is the AF pulse count reference. Switching detection state, 1 and 2 indicate a state of counting AF pulses, 1 is a DC drive state, 2 is a low speed control state, 3 is a reverse brake drive state, 4 is a short brake state, and 5 is a terminal. The open state (non-operating state) indicates that the series of sequences has ended.

When the value of the AF pulse counter is less than 50 (Y: S7403), the AF sequence changes from 0 to 1 and then immediately shifts to 2. Therefore, the AF sequence apparently changes from 0 to 2. It shifts (refer to Drawing 23).

AF which should drive the rear group movement motor 30
When the number of pulses is small, when the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven by DC, the AF that should be driven due to the influence of inertial force or the like.
There is a risk of driving more than the number of pulses. So A
When the number of F pulses is less than 50, it is decided to start and drive at the same low speed as the AF sequence 2 from the beginning.

FIG. 60 is a flowchart of the zoom pulse counting process. In the zoom pulse count processing, when a change in the zoom pulse output from the zoom pulse input circuit 220 is detected within a predetermined period, the preset zoom pulse counter is decremented by 1 and the zoom pulse counter becomes 0. Then, the process ends.
If no change in the zoom pulse is detected during the predetermined period, 1 is set in the error flag.

When the CPU 210 enters the zoom pulse count processing, it first sets 200 ms in the timer as a period for monitoring changes in the zoom pulse (S7501). In the following processing, if there is no change in the zoom pulse within 200 ms, the CPU 210 sets 1 in the error flag as described above. First, the CPU 210 determines whether or not the 200 ms timer has timed out (S750
3). If the time is not up (N: S7503), it is determined based on the output pulse of the zoom pulse input circuit 220 whether the zoom pulse has changed (S7507).
If the zoom pulse has changed here, the pulse will change to H
The determination is made by detecting the change from (high) to L (low) and the change from L (low) to H (high).

If there is no change in the zoom pulse (N: S750
7), the CPU 210 returns the process to S7503. Therefore, 20
If no change in the zoom pulse is detected within 0 ms, S7
In 503, it is determined that the time is up, the error flag is set to 1, and the process ends (S7505). That is, when the same number of pulses as the value set in the zoom pulse counter cannot be detected before the zoom pulse counting process is called during the zoom pulse counting process, the error flag is set to 1 and the process returns. To do.

When the CPU 210 detects that the zoom pulse has changed (Y: S7507), it resets the timer and sets 200 ms again (S7509). If the detected change is the rise of the zoom pulse (Y: S7511),
Decrement the zoom pulse counter by 1 (S751
3). Here, the zoom pulse counter has a value to be counted before the zoom pulse counting process is executed, that is, a value corresponding to the amount of driving the lens by the overall movement motor 25 (the count of the pulse output from the zoom pulse input circuit 220 Number) is set. CPU 210
Ends the process when the decremented zoom pulse counter becomes zero. That is, when the same number of pulses as the value set in the zoom pulse counter before the zoom pulse counting process is called is counted, the process normally ends.

As described above, in the zoom pulse counting process, when the same number of zoom pulses as the value set in advance in the zoom pulse counter is counted, the process returns as it is, and the zoom pulse input circuit 220 is set in the zoom pulse counter. If the same number of pulses as the current value cannot be counted, the error flag is set to 1 and the process returns.

FIG. 61 is a flowchart of AF drive check processing. In addition, in FIG.
A timing chart shows the relationship between the drive state of the and AF sequence. The AF drive check process is performed by the rear lens group L.
2 is a process of controlling the rear lens group moving motor 30 so that 2 is driven based on the value set in the AF pulse counter.

When the AF drive check processing is executed, the AF sequence value (0 to 0) which is an identifier for identifying the state of the operation sequence of the rear group movement motor control circuit 61.
The process branches due to 5). When the AF drive check process is executed for the first time, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven and the AF sequence is set to zero. Figure 2
3 shows the relationship between the driving state of the rear group moving motor 30 and the AF sequence.

When the AF sequence is 0, the CPU 210 changes the AFH (AF home) signal from H (high) to L.
It is determined whether it has changed to (low) (S7603). A
The FH signal is H (high) when the rear lens group is located at the home position, and changes to L (low) when the rear lens group moves and moves away from the home position. AF described below
The movement of the rear lens group based on the pulse counter is performed with reference to the position where the AFH signal changes to L. When the AFH signal changes from H to L (Y: S7603), the CPU 210 sets the AF sequence to 1 and returns (S7605). A
While the FH signal is H, the AF sequence remains 0 and the process returns.

If the AF sequence is 1, that is, AF
After the change of H signal from H to L is detected, the CPU2
10 monitors the rising edge of the AF pulse (S7611).
Only when the rising edge of the AF pulse is detected, the AF pulse counter is decremented (S7611, S7613), and when the AF pulse counter becomes less than 200 (Y: S7615) CPU2
10 switches the rear group movement motor 30 to the low speed control (S761
7), the AF sequence is set to 2 (S7619). If the AF pulse counter is 200 or more (N: S7615), the AF drive check process is terminated with the AF sequence remaining at 1, and the process returns. If the rear lens group moving motor 30 is continuously driven by DC, the desired AF pulse number may be exceeded due to the influence of inertial force and the like. Therefore, when the remaining number of AF pulses reaches 200, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven at a low speed by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control.

As described above, when the rear lens group moving motor 30 is activated, the AF pulse counter is decremented with reference to the point where the AFH signal changes from H to L, and the normal DC voltage is maintained until the AF pulse counter reaches 200. The rear group moving motor 30 is driven by the driving. The AF sequence is 1 while the rear lens group moving motor 30 is driven by normal DC driving. When the AF pulse counter becomes less than 200, the rear group movement motor 30 is driven at low speed (PWM control)
To be done. When the rear lens group moving motor 30 is controlled at a low speed, the AF
2 is set in the sequence.

If the AF drive check processing is called when the AF sequence is 2, that is, when the driving of the rear lens group moving motor 30 is controlled at a low speed, S7621
The processing from is executed. Again, the CPU 210
The rising edge of the F pulse is monitored (S7621), and when the rising edge of the AF pulse is detected, the AF pulse counter is decremented (S7623). If the rising edge of the AF pulse is not detected (N: S7621), the process of S7623 is skipped.

[0305] the rear lens group driving motor 30 is decremented by 1 while the rear lens group are low-speed control is driven AF
Until the pulse reaches 0, the processing of S7621 and S7623 is executed every time the AF drive check processing is called. In that case, the AF sequence remains 2. When the AF pulse becomes 0, the rear group moving motor 30 is driven in reverse (S7627) to perform the braking process (reverse braking). After the reverse drive of the rear group movement motor 30 is started, the timer is set to the reverse drive period of 5 ms (S7628), and the AF sequence is set to 3
Set. That is, when the AF sequence is 3, the rear lens group moving motor 30 is in the reversely driven state for braking.

When the AF drive check process is called when the AF sequence is 3, the CPU 210 determines whether or not 5 ms, which is the reverse drive period of the rear group movement motor 30, has elapsed (S7631), and 5 ms If it has not elapsed, the AF sequence remains at 3 and returns. After 5 ms, which is the reverse driving period of the rear group moving motor 30, has passed (Y: S7631), the terminals of the rear group moving motor 30 are short-circuited and the brake is activated, the 20 ms timer is started, and 4 is set in the AF sequence. Set (S7633, S763
5, S7637) Return.

When the AF drive check process is called when the AF sequence is 4, the CPU 210
It is monitored whether the pulse changes (S7641). That is, the rear group moving motor 30 is operated with the brake applied.
Is determined by whether the AF pulse changes within 20 ms. CPU 210
Determines in S7641 that the AF pulse has not changed, and in S7645 that the 20 ms timer has timed out, the control of the rear group moving motor 30 is terminated and the voltage application terminal of the motor is opened (non-driving). Then, the AF sequence is set to 5 (S7647, S7649). Hello S764
If it is detected that the AF pulse has changed in 1, 2
After restarting the 0 ms timer, the AF pulse will change to 20
It is monitored whether a change in the next AF pulse is detected within ms. It is to be noted that, until it is determined in S7645 that the 20 ms timer has timed out, the rear group movement motor 30 is braked and the AF sequence remains at 4, and the process returns.

When the AF drive check process is called when the AF sequence is 5, as shown in the flowchart, the AF drive check process returns without any processing.

As described above, in the AF drive check processing, first, the lens is moved to the position where the AFH signal, which is the reference position, becomes L (AF sequence = 0), and the AF
When the pulse counter is 200 or more, the rear lens group is moved by normal DC drive (AF sequence = 1), and when the AF pulse counter is less than 200, the rear lens group is moved by PWM at a low speed (AF sequence = 2). , When the AF pulse counter reaches 0, the rear group moving motor 30 is reversely driven for 5 ms (AF sequence = 3), and then the rear group moving motor 30 is braked (AF sequence = 4).
When the rear group movement motor 30 is completely stopped, the control is terminated (AF sequence = 5), and thereafter, the value is newly set in the AF pulse counter and the rear group movement motor 30 is set until the AF sequence is set to 0. Control is not performed (it becomes a non-driving state).

Next, a switching mechanism for switching the drive of the rear lens group and the drive of the barrier in the camera of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 62 is an exploded perspective view showing the shutter mount 40 portion shown in FIG. 5 in an enlarged manner. The switching mechanism is rotatably supported on a fulcrum side of a main gear 42g fixed to the shutter mount 40 and rotatable about an axis, and a movable arm 52 rotatably provided around a rotation axis of the main gear 42g. The planetary gear 42h meshed with the main gear 42a and the driven shaft 52a projecting from the fulcrum side of the movable arm 52 are engaged with each other to move the movable arm 52 as the linear guide member 22 moves in the optical axis direction. A driving member 54 for moving is generally configured. The pressing member 5
When the planet gear 42h is meshed with the drive gear 42a for moving the rear lens group, the projection 53b formed on
It has a function of fixing the position of the driving member 54.

The driving member 54 has a central portion 5 in which a shaft hole through which the rotary shaft 53a formed in the pressing member 53 passes is formed.
4a and a guide formed on the linear guide member 22 whose relative position is displaced with respect to the movement of the shutter mount 40 in the optical axis direction.
A guide portion 54b that engages with the leg portion 22b and a pressing member 53
And a holding portion 54c for holding the driven shaft 52a of the movable arm 52 protruding through the through hole 53c formed in the.

FIG. 63 is a perspective view showing a part of the arrangement of gear trains provided on the shutter mount 40 shown in FIG. Although the movable arm 52 is not shown here, the main gear 42g meshes with a gear train (42e, 42f) that transmits a driving force from a rear group movement motor (not shown),
In the state shown in FIG. 63, the planet gear 42h is the rear group lens L.
2 is in mesh with a drive gear 42a for moving.
Reference numeral 45 in the drawing denotes an AE gear train 5 for transmitting the driving force from the AE motor 29 to a shutter mechanism (not shown).
Reference numeral 9 is a rotary slit plate for detecting the rotation of the AE motor.

The cooperation between the movable arm 52 and the drive member 54 is shown in FIG. 64A to 64C show operations in time series when the lens group returns from the photographic position to the storage position. When the lens group approaches the storage position,
The drive member 54 rotates about the shaft portion 54a in the direction shown by the arrow (B) when the guide portion 54b is pressed, and a rotational force in the same direction to the driven shaft 52a that is engaged by the holding portion 54. To act. The movable arm 52 is the main gear 4
The rotation shaft of the planet gear 42h is rotated about the rotation shaft of 2 g.

65 and 66 show the planetary gear 42, respectively.
h is Ru Tei shows a case where the meshing engagement with the drive gear 42a for driving the case where the meshed with the barrier-driving gear train 42i and the rear lens group for transmitting the driving force to the drive gear 42j for opening and closing the barrier . The pinion 42b attached to the rotary shaft of the rear group movement motor 30 has a gear train 42c, 43 for transmitting driving force to the main gear 42g of the switching mechanism.
d, 42e, 42f and a gear train 42k for rotating the rotary slit plate 58 for detecting the rotation amount of the rear group movement motor 30 mesh with each other from both sides. Reference numeral 56 is a photo interrupter that generates a pulse by rotating the rotary slit plate.

By using the switching mechanism as described above, the driving force of the rear lens group moving motor 30 is switched and distributed between the rear lens group driven at the photographing position and the barrier device driven at the storage position. be able to. Moreover, since the switching is performed by changing the moving position of the lens group, it is not necessary to separately provide a driving means for switching.

[0316] Next, the description of the flowchart in the above embodiments, batteries may be explained by extracting the operation related to the control of the lens barrier when it is set. When the battery is set, the CPU 210 executes S0 of the main process (FIG. 29).
The reset process (FIG. 30) is executed in 003, and the AF lens initialization process (FIG. 3) executed in S3111 is executed.
Zoom code 2 in S1201 to S1207 of 1)
The lens barrel is extended to the telephoto side until any one of to 6 is detected.

Subsequently, S1301 to S1307 of the lens storing process (FIGS. 32 and 33) executed in S0115 of the reset process.
However, when the lens storing process is executed from the reset process, the lens barrel already has one of the zoom codes 2 to 6 by the AF lens initialization process. Since it has been extended to the detected position, the overall movement motor immediately reverses and S1
The lens barrel is pulled toward the storage side from 312 to S1365. When the lens barrel is retracted to the storage position, the barrier closing process is performed in S1367 (see FIG. 4).
3) is executed.

In the barrier closing process, S3503 to S350
9 drives the rear group drive motor in the direction of closing the barrier, and outputs a predetermined signal from the encoder, here 200 or more AF points.
When the pulse is output, it is determined that the barrier is closed, and the process returns from S3511 to the main process through the lens storage process and the reset process. When the predetermined signal is not output, that is, the movement amount of the rear group motor is 2
When the number of pulses is less than 00, S3519 to S3
At 525, the barrier is once driven to open, and then S350
In 3 to S3509, the barrier is driven in the closing direction. Here forward in accordance with the value of the counter "3" set in the rear lens group driving motor S3501 is reversed repeated twice, if the predetermined signal is not obtained even when the rotated forward to third time As an error, the process returns from S3517 to the main process through the lens storage process and the reset process.

When the lens barrel moves and the barrier opens and closes normally without any hindrance, the camera operates under the control described above as follows.

In other words, when the lens barrel is in the storage position and the barrier is closed when the battery is set, the lens barrel is extended to the wide end with the barrier kept closed,
The barrier is pulled back to the storage position again, the barrier is opened and closed once, and the barrier is kept closed at the storage position until the power switch is operated. On the other hand, when the battery is set and the lens barrel is not in the storage position and is stopped between the wide end and the tele end, the lens barrel will have a zoom code between the wide end and the tele end. After being extended to the tele side until it is detected, it is pulled back to the storage position and the barrier closes.

[0321] By thus actually check the operation based on the AF pulse moves the barrier, in a case where unplugged the battery information about the barrier state is lost
Also, it is possible to confirm whether or not the barrier opening / closing drive has been correctly performed . Therefore, even when the rear group moving motor used for moving the rear group lens is used for opening and closing the barrier as in the embodiment, the rear group lens does not have to be provided with a dedicated sensor for detecting the opening and closing of the barrier. The AF pulse encoder provided to detect the movement of the barrier can also be used to detect the opening and closing of the barrier.

[0322]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when only the dynamic information regarding the opening / closing of the lens barrier can be detected, the battery is removed from the camera and the control circuit detects the lens barrier. When the information about the open / closed state is lost, the drive amount is managed by the barrier drive direction and the number of output pulses from the encoder to determine whether the barrier open control or barrier close control has been performed properly. You can

Therefore, the lens barrier can be controlled without providing a sensor for detecting static position information in addition to the encoder. For example, when the motor used for driving the lens is also used for driving the lens barrier. The encoder provided for detecting the lens movement can also be used for controlling the lens barrier, without separately providing a sensor for detecting the position of the lens barrier.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of a zoom lens barrel portion of a compact camera of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a perspective view showing a part of the zoom lens barrel in a state different from that in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an enlarged part of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where the AF / AE shutter unit of the zoom lens barrel is assembled to the first moving lens barrel.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing main members of an AF / AE shutter unit of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 6 is a perspective external view showing a third moving lens barrel of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a fixed lens barrel block of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 8 is an upper half sectional view showing a maximum extended state of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 9 is an upper half sectional view showing a main part of the same zoom lens barrel in a lens housed state.

FIG. 10 is an upper half sectional view showing a main part of the zoom lens barrel in the maximum extended state.

FIG. 11 is an upper half sectional view showing a lens housed state of the entire zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a control system for controlling the operation of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing an appearance of a compact camera to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 15 is a rear view of the compact camera.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the compact camera.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a main part of a control system of the compact camera.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a zoom code plate and a brush unit, and a configuration for identifying a position of the zoom code with which the brush unit contacts, as a detection unit that detects a lens position of the compact camera.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit for identifying a zoom code with which a brush unit contacts as a voltage.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a table for converting a voltage obtained by contact of a brush portion into a code.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a strobe circuit.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a manner of movement of the front lens group and the rear lens group in the same compact camera.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an operation sequence of a whole moving motor and a rear group moving motor of the compact camera.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an operation sequence of the overall movement motor and the rear group movement motor of the same compact camera.

FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view showing a rear lens group peripheral mechanism of the zoom lens barrel.

FIG. 26 is a plan view showing a main part of an embodiment of an initial position detecting mechanism for the rear group lens.

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view showing the initial position detection mechanism of the rear group lens in a state where the rear group lens is at the initial position.

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view showing the initial position detection mechanism of the rear group lens in a state where the rear group lens is not in the initial position.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a flowchart of main processing of a compact camera to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a reset process of the compact camera.

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to AF lens initialization processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 32 is a view showing a flowchart relating to lens storage processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing, together with FIG. 32, a flowchart relating to lens storage processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 34 is a view showing a flowchart relating to lens extension processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing a flowchart of zoom telephoto movement processing of the compact camera.

FIG. 36 is a view showing a flowchart relating to zoom wide movement processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to shooting processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 38 is a diagram showing a flowchart of main charging processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 39 is a view showing a flowchart relating to shutter initialization processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 40 is a view showing a flowchart relating to zoom code input processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 41 is a view showing a flowchart relating to AF pulse confirmation processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 42 is a diagram showing a flowchart of AF return processing of the compact camera.

FIG. 43 is a view showing a flowchart relating to barrier opening processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 44 is a view showing a flowchart relating to barrier closing processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 45 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a zoom drive process of the compact camera.

FIG. 46, together with FIG. 47, AF2 of the same compact camera
It is a figure which shows the flowchart regarding stage delivery processing.

FIG. 47 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to zoom return processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 48 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to zoom standby confirmation processing of the same compact camera.

[Fig. 49] Fig. 49 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a shooting charging process of the compact camera.

FIG. 50 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to focus adjustment processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 51 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to exposure processing of the same compact camera.

52 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to exposure processing of the compact camera together with FIG. 51. FIG.

FIG. 53 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to exposure processing of the same compact camera together with FIG. 51.

FIG. 54 is a view showing a flowchart relating to lens return processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 55 is a view showing a flowchart relating to lens drive calculation processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 56 is a view showing a flowchart relating to a test function calling process of the same compact camera.

FIG. 57 is a diagram showing a flowchart of exposure AF pulse count processing of the compact camera.

FIG. 58 is a diagram showing a flowchart regarding a zoom drive check process of the same compact camera.

FIG. 59 is a diagram showing a flowchart of AF drive processing of the compact camera.

FIG. 60 is a diagram showing a flowchart relating to zoom pulse count processing of the same compact camera.

FIG. 61 is a diagram showing a flowchart of AF drive check processing of the compact camera.

FIG. 62 is an exploded perspective view showing the shutter mount portion shown in FIG. 5 in an enlarged manner.

63 is a perspective view showing a part of the arrangement of gear trains provided on the shutter mount shown in FIG. 62. FIG.

64 is a perspective view showing the cooperation between the movable arm and the drive member shown in FIG. 62.

FIG. 65 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where the planetary gears shown in FIG. 62 mesh with a drive gear train for opening and closing the barrier, which is in mesh with a pariah drive gear train.

66 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where the planetary gear shown in FIG. 62 meshes with a drive gear 42a for driving the rear group lens. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

L1 front lens L2 rear group lens 29 AE motor 56 photo interrupter 57 Photointerrupter 58 Rotating slit plate 59 Rotating slit plate 210 Control means (CPU) 221 AE pulse input circuit 230 EEPROM

Front page continued (72) Inventor Takuma Sato 2-36-9 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaaki Kishimoto 2-3-6 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Optical Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Nomura 2-36 Maenocho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Optical Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-7-20369 (JP, A) JP-A-1- 314226 (JP, A) Actual Kaihei 5-90461 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 11/04

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lens barrier that is provided on the front surface of a lens barrel and that can open and close to protect a taking lens, a motor that drives the lens barrier to open and close, and an encoder that outputs a signal as the motor rotates. The motor is driven in the direction of opening or closing the lens barrier, and at the time of driving, the encoder does not output a predetermined signal corresponding to the drive amount of the motor for normally opening or closing the lens barrier. And a drive control means for driving the motor in a direction opposite to that in the first driving, and then driving the motor in the same direction as in the first driving again. Barrier control device. 2. The drive control means, when the predetermined signal is not output from the encoder when the motor is driven in a direction to close the lens barrier, the drive control means drives in a direction to open the lens barrier, and the lens barrier. The lens barrier control device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein driving in a closing direction is repeated a plurality of times. 3. The encoder is a pulse encoder that generates a pulse according to the rotation of the motor, and the drive amount of the motor for normally driving the lens barrier to open or close is defined by the pulse encoder. Corresponding to a predetermined reference value of the number of pulses output, the drive control circuit, when driving the motor in the direction of closing the lens barrier, the number of pulses output from the pulse encoder is the predetermined reference value If it is smaller, it is determined that the predetermined signal has not been output, and the lens barrier is driven in the opening direction. 4. The lens of the camera according to claim 1, wherein the motor is used by being switched between opening and closing driving of the lens barrier and driving of a part of the photographing lens in an optical axis direction. Barrier control device. 5. The lens barrel is movable in an optical axis direction of the photographing lens between a photographing position and a storage position,
When it is determined that the lens barrel is in the photographing position when a battery is set, the drive control unit moves the lens barrel to the storage position and then drives the motor. The lens barrier control device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein. 6. A lens barrier which is provided on the front surface of a lens barrel movable between a photographing position and a storage position to protect a photographing lens, a motor which opens and closes the lens barrier, and the motor. And a pulse encoder that outputs a pulse signal in accordance with the rotation of the lens barrel. (1) The lens barrel is retracted to the storage position, and (2) The lens barrier is retracted when the lens barrel is retracted to the storage position. (3) When the number of pulses output from the pulse encoder within the predetermined period by driving in the closing direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value, the lens barrier is driven. Is determined to be closed, and (4) the number of pulses output from the pulse encoder within the predetermined period by driving in the closing direction becomes a predetermined reference value. If not, the opening / closing operation of driving the lens barrier in the opening direction and then driving the lens barrier in the closing direction for the predetermined period is performed by driving the lens barrier in the closing direction for the predetermined period. According to the above (1), the number of pulses output from the pulse encoder becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined reference value within the predetermined period, and the lens barrier is closed a plurality of times. A lens barrier control device for a camera, comprising drive control means configured to perform the operation (4) when a battery is set in the camera.