JP3386082B2 - Viewfinder in imaging equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a viewfinder which is used by being attached to a photographing apparatus such as a camera or a video camera. The present invention relates to a viewfinder that allows selective viewing of an expression video with the same finder. 2. Description of the Related Art A viewfinder for viewing a plurality of images of this type is, for example, a video camera of a so-called twin lens system having a wide angle lens and a zoom angle lens. Is incorporated. Conventionally, a viewfinder that includes a color liquid crystal panel that forms one electronic viewfinder screen, electronically combines and displays the images of the two cameras on the color liquid crystal panel, and views the combined image is known. Known as an example. In this conventional example, wide shooting and zoom shooting are individually performed by operation buttons, and an image of a zoom angle is established in a certain range in an image area of a wide angle. Instead, they are interrupted with priority. In other words, since both images are electronically combined and displayed on the color liquid crystal panel, the screen is displayed small when the zoom magnification is low, and the screen gradually widens as the magnification increases. When the zoom magnification is increased, the entire viewfinder becomes a zoom angle image, and the wide angle image becomes completely invisible. In the prior art, since two cameras are incorporated, not only is it expensive, but also only a color liquid crystal panel that forms one electronic viewfinder screen. Since it does not have, when shooting at a zoom angle, the field of view seen through the viewfinder becomes extremely narrow, and especially for a dynamic subject, the position where the image is actually taken and its vicinity In other words, there is a problem that the entire situation seen at a wide angle cannot be understood. In addition, the display on the color liquid crystal panel has a problem that not only the screen is coarse and the visibility is poor but also the sense of reality is poor compared to the optical display. Therefore, in the conventional example, the cost can be reduced, the visibility of the screen is improved, the wide angle of view is ensured, and the photographing can be performed while observing the positional relationship of the zoom angle and observing the surrounding situation. There are issues that need to be solved. [0005] As a specific means for solving the problems of the prior art, a viewfinder in a photographing apparatus of the present invention comprises an optical viewfinder, an electronic viewfinder, and the optical viewfinder. An optical system that guides an image obtained by a finder and an image obtained by the electronic viewfinder to the same finder; and a transmittance that is interposed in an optical path of the optical viewfinder to adjust light transmittance entirely or partially. With respect to the adjustment member and the image by the electronic viewfinder,
Control means for controlling the transmittance adjusting member to adjust the transmittance of a part of the image by the optical viewfinder. A transmittance adjusting member for adjusting the transmittance of the light interposed in the optical path of the optical viewfinder in whole or in part in relation to the image by the electronic viewfinder by the control means. By controlling and adjusting the transparency of part of the image with the optical viewfinder,
The image of the electronic viewfinder is superimposed or sectioned on the image of the optical viewfinder, so that the image can be visually recognized simultaneously and clearly. Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a camera body, in which a video camera section and a VTR section are incorporated. It is an integrated VTR. An object lens 2 of an optical viewfinder and a camera lens 3 for imaging of a video camera are vertically disposed on the front side of a portion corresponding to the video camera section of the camera body 1, and on the rear side. An eyecup 4 for a viewfinder and a diopter adjustment knob 5 are provided. An operation button group 17 for reproducing as a VTR is mounted on the back side of the VTR unit, a zoom lever 6 is provided, and a start / stop button 7 is provided on the upper surface. . Reference numeral 8 denotes a battery. The video camera section, that is, the viewfinder section, is shown in detail in FIGS. In the figure, a predetermined angle (45 °) is provided on the back side of the objective lens 2.
An inclined plane mirror 9 is disposed, and a monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 is disposed at a position perpendicular to the optical path reflected by the plane mirror 9 and at a position where a picture passing through the objective lens 2 reflects and forms an image. I do. Above the black-and-white liquid crystal panel 10, a half mirror 11 is disposed at a predetermined angle (45 °) and inclined. The half mirror 11 is connected to the plane mirror 9.
The optical path reflected by the plane mirror 9 is reflected again so as to be directed to the eyecup 4 side. A light source 12, such as a fluorescent tube, a reflector 13, a diffusion plate 14, and a color liquid crystal panel 15 are provided on the back side of the half mirror 11, and on the front side of the half mirror 11, An eyepiece 16 is disposed between the eyecup 4 and the eyecup 4. The eyepiece 16 is provided at a position where the color liquid crystal panel 15 and the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 are in focus. The black-and-white liquid crystal panel 10 is a transmittance adjusting member for adjusting the transmittance of light over the entire surface or a part thereof. (Semi-transparent) ← → Black (opaque), so that the amount of light entering from the objective lens 2 is appropriately limited, and partially transparent or opaque to partially hide the light. Can be. In addition, 18
Denotes an image processing and control unit in the camera. The image processing and control section 18 is schematically shown in a block diagram in FIG. In this block diagram, 19 is a controller circuit, 20 is a graphic / character generator, 21 is an image processing and mixing circuit, 22 is a color RGB process / controller driver circuit, 23 is a graphic generator, and 24 is a controller driver circuit. In the video processing and control section 18,
A control signal from a camera or a VTR and a zoom state of the camera are calculated by a control circuit 19 to display an image frame, a character, a character, or the like on the color liquid crystal panel 15, and to control the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10. , The ratio of transmitted light, the color liquid crystal panel 15
The user is instructed to block the light according to the shape of the display frame or the like displayed on the screen. At the time of reproduction or zooming, a video signal is projected on the color liquid crystal panel 15.
The video signal from the TR can be used to enlarge or reduce the video image via the image processing and mixing circuit 21 and to place the electronic viewfinder screen at an arbitrary position on the optical viewfinder screen. It is. The operation of the viewfinder according to the present invention will now be described with reference to a screen that can be actually seen through the viewfinder. First, in FIG. 5, reference numeral 30 denotes a screen of the optical viewfinder, which is a screen of the outside world that is viewed through the objective lens 2 and through the plane mirror 9 and the half mirror 11. Reference numeral 31 denotes a screen of the electronic viewfinder, which is converted into a video signal through the camera lens 3 and projected on the color liquid crystal panel 15, and a screen corresponding to so-called shooting or recording. In this case, the optical viewfinder screen 30 allows the outside world to be viewed in a normal state with respect to the positional relationship between the subject and the camera, but the electronic viewfinder screen 31 operates the camera lens 3. It is possible to shoot from a wide angle to a telephoto, and the photographable range extends over a plurality of frames (four in the drawing but is infinite in the drawing) corresponding to the operated zoom magnification. It is shown. This principle is shown in FIG. That is, the optical viewfinder screen 30 formed on the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 through the objective lens 2 is defined as a screen A, and the degree of light transmission adjustment of the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 is defined as a screen B. Alternatively, when the electronic viewfinder screen 31 to be recorded is screen C, A + B + C = D (where B = transparent or translucent)
As shown in the figure, both screens can be visually recognized in an overlapping state. In the following description, the overlapping of the screens is substantially the same, and therefore, the description of the expression in which the screens overlap is omitted. In the case of visual recognition of the D screen, the user can confirm the area where the photographable area is actually located in the field of view through the viewfinder by using the image frame 32. Is not viewed by superimposing the image displayed on the black-and-white liquid crystal panel 10 with the image displayed on the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10. In other words, the visual field viewed through the viewfinder is displayed as an image on the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10, and in the display, which part is actually zoomed up and photographed is indicated by the range of the image frame 32. The range can be arbitrarily selected by the zoom operation. As shown in FIG. 7, a display of an actually photographed image, a display of a visual field viewed through a viewfinder,
That is, the optical viewfinder screen can be superimposed and displayed together. In this case as well, the screen B of the degree of light transmission adjustment of the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 is transparent or translucent, and the screen C displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 15, which is the electronic viewfinder screen 31, is half-screened. The image can be seen through the mirror 11, and as a result, can be visually recognized by a so-called picture-in-picture, which overlaps the optical viewfinder screen 30. By adjusting the light transmittance of the screen B, the screen of the optical viewfinder 30 can be made brighter or darker. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, when the screen B of the degree of light transmission adjustment of the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 is made opaque, the optical viewfinder screen 30 becomes invisible and is displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 15. Only the displayed electronic viewfinder screen 31 becomes visible. This is particularly convenient for playback after shooting. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a case where a part of an image is displayed on one side of the picture-in-picture display. That is, an image captured by the camera and displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 15 is image-processed by the controller circuit 19 and the image processing and mixing circuit 21 on the electronic viewfinder screen 31 of the screen C among the respective screens. The display screen 31a is a small display screen 31a that is viewed over the screen A. In this case, both screens are doubled and both can be seen through, but as shown in FIG. 10, a part of the screen B, that is, a part corresponding to the display screen 31a is made an opaque part 10a. When both screens are superimposed, it is possible to prevent the screen A from being seen through on the display screen 31a, and to allow the display screen 31a to be clearly recognized without duplication of both screens. In this case, the controller circuit 19
However, based on various signals from a camera or a VTR, the graphic generator 23 is associated with an image (display screen 31a) displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 15 via the image processing and mixing circuit 21, the graphic / character generator 20, and the like. By driving, the opaque portion 10a having a position and a width corresponding to the display screen 31a is formed on the monochrome liquid crystal panel 10 which is the screen B. Further, an example of using the above-mentioned image frame 32 is shown in FIG.
And in FIG. The example shown in FIG.
In the above, an image frame 32 is formed in a portion captured by the camera, and an image of the image frame portion is displayed as a display screen 31a at one corner. In FIG. 12, an opaque frame 10b is further formed on the screen B at a portion corresponding to the image frame 32. In this case, the portion of the image frame is also clearly displayed, and the distinction becomes clear without duplication with other portions. In any case, the optical viewfinder screen in a natural state, which is easy to see and has a large amount of information, is overlapped or divided with an electronic viewfinder having an actual photographing range, information, and the like, and at the same time, sharply. By making them visible and controlling or manipulating them arbitrarily by a predetermined controller circuit, an interesting photographing can be performed. As described above, the viewfinder in the photographing apparatus according to the present invention is interposed in the optical path of the optical viewfinder by the control means in association with the image obtained by the electronic viewfinder. By controlling the transmittance adjustment member and adjusting the transmittance of a part of the image by the optical viewfinder, the range of the actual shooting range and the natural view of the optical viewfinder with a large amount of information are easy to see. Images of the electronic viewfinder with information etc. can be superimposed or divided and clearly visible at the same time. The excellent effect that you can shoot while viewing the actual situation and positional relationship on the electronic viewfinder screen to be shot. Play a fruit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera equipped with a viewfinder according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of the viewfinder. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view of the viewfinder portion. FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing a drive circuit of the viewfinder. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen from a wide angle to a telephoto viewed with a viewfinder according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of a display screen viewed through the viewfinder. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of a display screen in another first example viewed through the viewfinder. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of a display screen in another second example viewed through the viewfinder. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of a display screen in another third example viewed through the viewfinder. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of the display screen in another fourth example viewed through the viewfinder. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of a display screen in another fifth example viewed through the viewfinder. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the configuration of a display screen in another sixth example viewed through the viewfinder. [Description of Signs] 1 Camera body 2 Objective lens 3 Camera lens 4 Eye cup 5 Diopter adjustment knob 6 Zoom lever 7 Start / Stop button 8 Battery 9 Flat mirror 10 Monochrome liquid crystal panel 10a Opaque part 10b Opaque frame 11 Half mirror 12 Light source 13 Reflector 14 Diffusion plate 15 Color liquid crystal panel 16 Eyepiece 17 Operation button 18 Image processing and control unit 19 Controller circuit 20 Graphic / character generator 21 Image processing and mixing circuit 22 RGB process / controller driver circuit 23 Graphic generator 24 Controller driver circuit 30 Optical Viewfinder screen 31 Electronic viewfinder screen 31a Display screen 32 Frame

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Naoki Kamagaya 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (56) References JP-A-3-292067 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/225-5/247

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical viewfinder, an electronic viewfinder, an image obtained by the optical viewfinder, and the electronic viewfinder.
Same viewfinder as the viewfinder image
And an optical system that guides the light to the optical viewfinder.
Transmittance adjustment to adjust the transmittance of the whole or part of the
Adjusting member and an image associated with the electronic viewfinder.
Controlling the transmittance adjusting member to control the optical view
Control means to adjust the transparency of a part of the image by the viewfinder
And a step in the photographing apparatus.
Indah.