JP3473636B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus suitable for use in a video camera or the like. 2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional video camera having a zoom function, as shown in FIG. 7A, for example, a zoom view angle display bar 2 indicating a zoom view angle is provided at a left end of a screen 1 in a viewfinder. When the zoom switch is pressed as shown in FIG.
Usually moves to the TELE (telephoto) side or the WIDE (wide angle) side. FIG. 1A shows the wide-angle end, and FIG. 1B shows the telephoto end. In the conventional method of displaying the zoom angle of view, the zoom angle of view indicated by the cursor 3 and the actual angle of view in the viewfinder 1 are not directly related. , Cursor 3 in zoom view angle display bar 2
The position was only a guide, and it could not be used to determine the composition of the screen. That is, the screen is configured by operating the zoom switch and stopping the operation of the zoom switch at an appropriate size while watching the image in the screen 1 of the viewfinder being enlarged or reduced. However, in this case, the size of the image cannot be compared between the wide-angle end and the telephoto end and between them, so that there is a problem that it is difficult to determine the configuration of the screen. Particularly, recently, the number of video cameras equipped with a high-magnification zoom lens has increased, and in such a case, the difference between the wide-angle end and the telephoto end is large, so that it has become difficult to determine the screen configuration. Therefore, there is a problem that the operability is deteriorated because the operation of the zoom switch must be repeated. In view of the above, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and proposes an imaging apparatus which improves operability and facilitates determination of a screen configuration. According to the present invention, there is provided a zoom lens, comprising: a zoom lens;
A zoom switch that controls the zoom angle of view of the zoom lens, a viewfinder that displays an image of the zoom angle of view of the zoom lens corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch, and a zoom preview.
Button when the zoom preview button is pressed.
Moves the zoom angle of view of the zoom lens to the wide-angle end, and displays the angle- of-view display symbol indicating the angle of view corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch at the wide-angle end in the viewfinder.
In the imaging apparatus having a Luz over beam angle checking means to display in association with the image of the angle of view, zoom preview button Zoom
Place the switch where the fingers of the
And from the zoom preview button
When you release your hand, the original zoom switch is displayed on the viewfinder.
The zoom angle of view of the zoom lens corresponding to the
An image is displayed . As shown in FIG. 1, the video camera 10 is provided with a zoom preview button 15 in addition to the zoom switch 12. When the zoom preview button 15 is pressed, as shown in FIG.
The zoom angle of view of the screen 1 is at the wide-angle end, and a zoom angle display symbol indicating the zoom angle of view corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch 12, in this example, the frame 16 is displayed at the center of the screen 1. The figure shows a case where the zoom switch 12 is set to the telephoto end, and the cursor 3 of the zoom view angle display bar 2 points to the telephoto end. In this state, when the operation of the zoom switch 12 is stopped and the hand is further released from the zoom preview button 15, the zoom angle of view of the screen 1 becomes the telephoto end as shown in FIG. In the video camera 10, when the configuration of the screen is determined, the zoom angle of view can be set as compared with the screen at the wide-angle end, so that the setting is facilitated. Next, an embodiment in which an imaging apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a video camera will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a video camera 1 to which the present invention is applied.
0 shows the appearance. The video camera 10 is provided with a viewfinder 11 and a zoom switch 12. The zoom switch 12 controls the zoom angle of view of the zoom lens.
A seesaw-type switch for operation is used. The subject side is a TELE (telephoto) button 13 and the operator side is WIDE (wide-angle).
Button 14. The video camera 10 is provided with a zoom preview button 15. The zoom preview button 15 is a button for comparing and showing an image when the zoom angle of view is at the wide angle end and an image size at other angles of view as described later. The preview button 15 is located near the zoom switch 12 because it is related to the zoom switch 12. However, the preview button 15 is arranged at a position where the finger of the hand operating the zoom switch 12 cannot reach so as not to erroneously operate the zoom switch 12 and the zoom preview button 15. Therefore, for example, when the zoom switch 12 is operated with the right hand, the zoom preview button 15 is operated with the left hand. Now, in this video camera 10,
When the zoom preview button 15 is not pressed, the image of the subject is displayed on the screen 1 of the viewfinder 11 at a zoom angle of view corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch 12, as in the related art. That is, at the wide-angle end, an image as shown in FIG. 7A is obtained, and at the telephoto end, an image as shown in FIG. 7B is obtained. Further, a zoom view angle display bar 2 and a cursor 3 are also displayed. Further, in the video camera 10, when the zoom preview button 15 is kept pressed, a zoom preview mode is set. As shown in FIG. 2A, the zoom angle of view is first set to the wide angle end, and the image at that time is displayed on the screen. 1 is displayed. Then, a zoom angle display symbol indicating a zoom angle of view corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch 12 at that time, for example, a rectangular frame 16 is displayed at the center of the screen. That is, the zoom preview button 15 functions as a zoom angle-of-view confirmation unit. When the WIDE button 14 of the zoom switch 12 is pressed while the zoom preview button 15 is pressed, the size of the frame 16 is reduced, and when the TELE button 13 is pressed, the size is increased. FIG. 4 shows a case where the operation position of the zoom switch 12 is set at the telephoto end, and the cursor 3 of the zoom view angle display bar 2 points to the telephoto end. Thereafter, when the operation is stopped with the zoom switch 12 at the telephoto end, and then the hand is released from the zoom preview button 15, the zoom angle of view of the screen 1 is changed to the telephoto end as shown in FIG. And the image is enlarged. When the operation position of the zoom switch 12 is at a position other than the telephoto end, the image is enlarged and displayed according to the size. For example, when the zoom angle of view is set between the wide-angle end and the telephoto end, the zoom switch 12 is operated so that the frame 16 is about half the size of the screen as shown in FIG. With this, it is possible to immediately determine how much range of the entire image is captured. Thereafter, when the user releases the zoom preview button 15, an image as shown in FIG. When the zoom preview button 15 is erroneously pressed when the zoom switch 12 is originally operated, the zoom angle of view of the screen 1 is at the wide angle end. The operation position of the switch 12 is stored, and a frame 16 indicating the zoom angle of view is displayed at the center of the screen 1. Then, if the user releases the zoom preview button 15, the image is displayed on the screen 1 at the original zoom angle of view. In this embodiment, the zoom preview mode is set only when the zoom preview button 15 is pressed. This is to prevent the following misunderstanding by always making the user aware of the zoom preview mode. That is,
For example, when the zoom preview button 15 is pressed once to turn it on and then pressed again to turn it off, even if the zoom switch 12 is operated without noticing that the zoom preview mode is set, the view is not changed. This is to prevent the user from erroneously reporting that the screen 1 in the viewfinder 11 remains at the wide-angle end and does not move as a malfunction. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the frame line 16 is used as the zoom view angle display symbol has been described.
As shown in (A), hook marks 17 can be displayed at the four corners of the range indicating the zoom angle of view. Also, as shown in FIG. 3B, vertical and horizontal center lines 18 and 19 are displayed on the screen 1,
A cursor 20 indicating a zoom angle of view can be displayed thereon. Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, a marking or a reduced brightness portion 21 can be provided outside the range indicating the zoom angle of view. FIG. 5 shows the procedure of the zoom angle-of-view setting process 30 of the video camera 10. Here, it is first determined whether or not the zoom preview button 15 has been pressed (step 31). If the zoom preview button 15 has been pressed, the image on the screen 1 is set to the wide-angle end (step 32). Subsequently, a zoom view angle display symbol such as a frame 16 is displayed at the center of the screen 1 according to the operation position of the zoom switch 12 (step 3).
3) Next, it is determined whether or not the zoom preview button 15 has been released (step 34). When the zoom preview button 15 is released, an image is displayed in a size corresponding to the zoom angle of view displayed in step 33 (step 35). This ends the zoom angle-of-view setting processing 30. Step 31
When it is determined that the zoom preview button 15 has not been pressed, the normal zoom mode is set, and an image is displayed at a zoom angle of view corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch 12,
This ends the zoom angle-of-view setting processing 30. If it is determined in step 34 that the zoom preview button 15 has not been released, step 3
In step 3, a zoom angle display symbol is displayed.
Steps 4 and after are performed. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the video camera 10 provided with the seesaw type zoom switch 12 has been described. However, as shown in FIG. The present invention can be applied to a video camera 10 having a type of zoom switch. [0021] As described above, according to the present invention, a zoom switch for operating a zoom lens, the zoom angle of the zoom lens, zoom corresponding to the operating position of the zoom switch
A viewfinder for displaying an image with a zoom angle of view of the zoom lens, and a zoom preview button.
When the view button is pressed, the zoom angle of view of the zoom lens is moved to the wide-angle end , and an angle- of-view display symbol indicating the angle of view corresponding to the operation position of the zoom switch is displayed at the wide-angle end in the viewfinder. Displayed in association with the image of the zoom angle of view
In the imaging apparatus having a Luz over beam angle confirmation means, Zoo
The preview button is the finger of the hand operating the zoom switch.
Is located out of reach of
When you release the zoom preview button, the viewfinder
The zoom corresponding to the original operation position of the zoom switch
It is configured to display an image with a zoom angle of view of a lens . Therefore, according to the present invention, the image pickup range at each zoom angle of view becomes clear for the image at the wide-angle end, so that the screen configuration can be easily determined and the enlargement / reduction of the image is repeated many times. This eliminates the necessity, so that operability is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a video camera 10 to which an imaging device according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display when a telephoto end is set by a zoom preview button 15; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display when an intermediate zoom angle of view is set by a zoom preview button 15; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a zoom angle of view display symbol. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a zoom angle of view setting procedure. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of another embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional example of a zoom angle of view display. [Description of Signs] 1 Viewfinder screen 2 Zoom angle of view display bar 3, 20 Cursor 10 Video camera 11 Viewfinder 12 Zoom switch 12A Zoom lever switch 13 TELE (telephoto) button 14 WIDE (wide angle) button 15 Zoom preview button 16 Frame line 17 Hook mark 18, 19 Center line 21 Marking or reduced brightness part

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/222-5/257

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] A zoom lens, a zoom switch for operating a zoom angle of view of the zoom lens, and a zoom lens corresponding to an operation position of the zoom switch
A viewfinder for displaying an image having a zoom angle of view, and a zoom preview button. When the zoom preview button is pressed, the zoom angle of view of the zoom lens is moved to the wide angle end, and the zoom switch is The angle-of-view display symbol indicating the angle of view corresponding to the operation position is displayed at the wide-angle end in the viewfinder.
In the imaging apparatus having a Luz over beam angle checking means to display in association with the image of the over arm angle, the zoom preview button manipulates the zoom switch
The fingers of your hand
And release the zoom preview button, the view
The position of the zoom switch is
Display the image of the zoom field of view of the zoom lens
Imaging apparatus characterized by being configured to.