JP3912915B2 - Video camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a video camera provided with a liquid crystal display means that can be opened and closed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, many video cameras include a liquid crystal display means having a liquid crystal screen mounted on a camera body that captures, records, and reproduces a subject.
[0003]
This liquid crystal display means is normally used for displaying a reproduced image in the reproduction mode and viewing the subject in the photographing mode. The liquid crystal display means is attached to the camera body so that it can be opened and closed. Usually, the liquid crystal display means is used in an open state, is stored in the camera body in a closed state, and subject confirmation is provided in the camera body. And an electronic viewfinder (hereinafter referred to as “EVF”).
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional video camera, no operation means for performing shooting, recording, and reproduction operations is arranged on the back of the liquid crystal display means. This is because the operability of the operating means is good in the closed state, but is poor in the open state. In addition, due to the recent miniaturization of the camera body and the increase in the size of the liquid crystal screen, the dead space has expanded and the degree of freedom in design and design has decreased. Furthermore, in order to save power or when photographing outdoors in a bright place, EVF is often used instead of liquid crystal display. In such a case, the conventional video camera has poor operability. This is because operation means used at the time of shooting, such as fading, backlight correction, manual focus, etc., are not necessarily arranged in a place where the user can operate most easily.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a video camera that is easy for a user to operate.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a video camera provided by the present invention comprises a camera body for photographing, recording and reproducing a subject, and a liquid crystal display means having a liquid crystal screen attached to the camera body so as to be opened and closed. The camera body is provided with first operation means for performing photographing and recording / reproducing operations on the opposite surface of the liquid crystal display means of the liquid crystal display means, and the liquid crystal screen of the liquid crystal display means in the closed state faces the camera body. Provided on the side surface is a second operating means for performing shooting and recording / reproducing operations, and has an operating means that allows the first operating means to operate the second operating means when the liquid crystal display means is closed. When the liquid crystal display means is open, the first operation means cannot be operated. However, when the liquid crystal display means is closed, the first operation means cannot be operated. When the liquid crystal display means is closed, the first operation means can be operated. Second by operating the operating means Operations for shooting, depending on to perform the operation means that is possible is characterized in.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of examples with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0009]
Example 1
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a video camera with the liquid crystal display means in an open state, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the video camera with the means in a closed state.
[0010]
The video camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 automatically performs display of the subject in the camera mode, display of the reproduced image in the VTR mode, and switching of the EVF in conjunction with opening and closing of the liquid crystal display means. Yes.
[0011]
This video camera detects opening / closing of the camera body 11, the lens unit 12, the EVF unit 13, the liquid crystal display means 14, the open / close / tilt mechanism 15, the power switch 16, the trigger switch 17, and the liquid crystal display means. An open / close detection means 18, a battery 19, a first operation means 20, a second operation means 21, and a liquid crystal screen 23.
[0012]
The camera body 11 is provided with an imaging unit that captures a subject, a recording / reproducing unit that records and reproduces a video signal, a control unit that controls each unit of the video camera, and the like. The lens unit 12 has a function of guiding the subject image to the imaging unit. The EVF unit 13 is used for the user to view the subject in the shooting mode. The liquid crystal display means 14 includes a liquid crystal screen 23 used for displaying recorded images and reproduced images. On the liquid crystal screen 23, a subject image is displayed in the camera mode, and an image represented by a video signal reproduced from the video tape is displayed in the VTR mode.
[0013]
The liquid crystal display means 14 is attached to the camera body 11 via an opening / closing / tilting mechanism 15. Therefore, the liquid display means 14 can be opened and closed in the direction of the arrow about the opening and closing axis, and can be rotated in the direction of the arrow about the axis perpendicular to the opening and closing axis. When the liquid crystal display means 14 is in the closed state, the liquid crystal display means 14 is stored in the recess 11 a on the side surface of the camera body 11, and when in the open state, the liquid crystal display means 14 is projected from the side surface of the camera body 11. At this time, the liquid crystal screen 23 faces toward the EVF unit 13 side. The battery 19 is attached to the rear end of the camera body 11 and supplies power to the camera body 11.
[0014]
The power switch 16 is a switch for the user to switch between the camera mode and the VTR mode. The trigger switch 17 is a switch for the user to switch start and stop of shooting in the camera mode. The open / close detection means 18 of the liquid crystal display means is a switch provided in the camera body 11 for detecting the open / closed state of the liquid crystal display means 14. This switch can also be provided on the liquid crystal display means 14 side.
[0015]
The first operation means 20 is provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal display means 14, that is, on the opposite surface of the liquid crystal screen 23. This is an operation means used at the time of shooting in the camera mode and at the time of recording and reproduction in the VTR mode. For example, it is an operation button such as fade, backlight correction, and manual focus. The second operation means 21 is an operation button that is provided in the recess 11 a on the side surface of the camera body 11 and has the same function as the first operation means. The second operating means 21 is provided at a position where it does not overlap (do not face) the liquid crystal screen 23 when the liquid crystal display means 14 is closed (stored). The first operating means 20 and the second operating means 21 are in a positional relationship that overlaps when seen from the direction A in FIG. 2 when the liquid crystal display means 14 is stored.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, when the power switch 16 enters the camera mode and the liquid crystal display means 14 is in the retracted state, that is, when the subject is confirmed using the EVF unit 13, the back of the liquid crystal display means 14 is displayed. The photographing operation can be performed by the first operation means 20 provided in the camera.
[0017]
Further, when shooting with the liquid crystal display means 14 opened as shown in FIG. 1, the second operation means 21 provided on the side surface of the camera body 11 at substantially the same position as the first operation means 20 The same photographing operation as that of the first operation means 20 can be performed.
[0018]
Further, in the video camera of the first embodiment, when the liquid crystal display means 14 is in the open state by the open / close detection means 18, the operation given to the second operation means 21 is validated and the first operation means 20 is activated. The configuration is such that a given operation can be invalidated. When the liquid crystal display means 14 is in the closed state, the operation given to the second operation means 21 is invalidated, and the operation given to the first operation means 20 can be validated.
[0019]
According to the present embodiment, since the first operation means 20 is disposed on the back surface of the liquid crystal display means 14, when the liquid crystal display means 14 is photographed in the closed state, the operation means comes to an optimal position in terms of operation. become. For this reason, according to the video camera of the first embodiment, it is possible to provide comfortable operability to the user, and the design and the degree of freedom in design are greatly increased.
[0020]
Further, since the first operating means 20 and the second operating means 21 are arranged at the overlapping positions when seen through from the side, the same is true regardless of whether the liquid crystal display means 14 is open or closed. Operability can be obtained.
[0021]
(Example 2)
In the first embodiment, when the liquid crystal display unit 14 is in the open state, the operation given to the first operation unit 20 is invalid, but this operation may be switched to another operation.
[0022]
For example, as operations used during playback, operations such as adjustment of the brightness of the liquid crystal, adjustment of the volume of the speaker, and switching of the screen display can be considered.
[0023]
The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0024]
In S101 (hereinafter, S means a step), the power switch 16 selects whether the video camera is in the camera mode or the VTR mode. When S101 is in the camera mode, the open / close state of the liquid crystal display means 14 is detected at S102, and when the liquid crystal display means 14 is in the open state, the process proceeds to S103. Here, the second operation means 21 provided in the camera body 11 is validated, and the process proceeds to S104 where the first operation means 20 provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal display means 14 is invalidated. In S102, when the liquid crystal display means 14 is closed, the process proceeds to S105, the first operation means 20 is validated, and the process proceeds to S106, where the second operation means 21 is invalidated.
[0025]
Up to this point, the same applies to the case of the first embodiment.
[0026]
If it is the VTR mode in S101, the process proceeds to S111. When the liquid crystal display means 14 is in the open state, the process proceeds to S112, the first operating means 20 is switched to the VTR system, and the second operating means 21 is validated in S113. If the liquid crystal display means 14 is closed in S111, the first operation means 20 is invalidated in S114, and the second operation means 21 is invalidated in S115.
[0027]
(Example 3)
The third embodiment is an example in which the first operation unit 20 of the first embodiment is not provided with an electrical detection unit.
[0028]
FIG. 4 shows a video camera according to the third embodiment. The overall configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. In the third embodiment, the liquid crystal display means 14 is provided with a hole 22 that communicates with the second operation means 21 when stored. The liquid crystal screen 23 is located below the hole 22. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the liquid crystal display means 14 of the third embodiment, and the first operation means 20 and the liquid crystal screen 23 do not overlap in the vertical relationship.
[0029]
If the first switch operator 24 is pushed into the hole 22 from the outside of the liquid crystal display means 14 in the closed state, the switch 26 on the substrate 27 is pushed via the second switch operator 25 of the camera body 11. A switch operating mechanism is provided.
[0030]
FIG. 6 shows this switch operating mechanism. This figure shows a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display means 14 in the housed state. Reference numeral 24 denotes a first switch operator of the first operating means 20, which is inserted through the hole 22 and is an elastic body (coil spring) 28. By this, it is urged to the outside of the housing 29. The second operating means 21 of the camera body 11 is provided with a second switch operator 25, and the switch 26 is provided on the substrate 27 of the camera body 11. In this state, when the first switch operator 24 is pressed, the second switch operator 25 provided on the camera body 11 is pressed, and the switch 26 on the substrate 27 is pressed.
[0031]
In the first embodiment, the same two operating means 20 and 21 are simply provided. However, in the third embodiment, although a plurality of operation means 20 and 21 are provided, a comfortable operation can be realized without increasing the cost.
[0032]
In the above embodiment, a video camera has been described as an example, so that a tape is used as a recording medium, but a disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like can also be used as a recording medium.
[0033]
In addition to the above, the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to this onset bright, when the liquid crystal display unit is open, you can not operate the first operation means, enabling operation for shooting at a second operating means, the liquid crystal display means When closed, an operation for photographing can be performed by operating the second operating means by operating the first operating means .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a video camera according to Embodiment 1 with liquid crystal display means in an open state.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the video camera according to Embodiment 1 with the liquid crystal display means in a closed state.
FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the video camera according to the second embodiment.
4 is a perspective view of a video camera according to Embodiment 3 in which a liquid crystal display unit is in an open state. FIG.
5 is a rear view of liquid crystal display means in Embodiment 3. FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a video camera according to Embodiment 3 in which a liquid crystal display means is in a closed state. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Camera main body 12 Lens part 13 EVF part 14 Liquid crystal display means 15 Open / close / tilt mechanism 16 Power switch 17 Trigger switch 18 Open / close detection means 19 Battery 20 First operation means 21 Second operation means 22 Hole 23 Liquid crystal screen 24 First Switch operator 25 second switch operator 26 switch 27 substrate 28 elastic body (coil spring)

Claims (7)

A video camera comprising a camera body for photographing, recording and reproducing a subject, and a liquid crystal display means having a liquid crystal screen attached to the camera body so as to be freely opened and closed, on the opposite surface of the liquid crystal screen of the liquid crystal display means, First operation means for performing shooting and recording / playback operations is provided , and second operation means for performing shooting and recording / playback operations is provided on the side of the camera body facing the liquid crystal screen of the liquid crystal display means in the closed state. Provided with an operating means capable of operating the second operating means with the first operating means in the closed state of the liquid crystal display means, and the first operating means when the liquid crystal display means is open. However, when the liquid crystal display means is closed, the second operation means is operated by operating the first operation means. operation for photography it is possible to Te Video camera, wherein the door.   2. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the first operation means is provided at a position that does not overlap the liquid crystal screen in a vertical positional relationship. The camera body or the liquid crystal display means includes an opening / closing detection means for detecting opening / closing of the liquid crystal display means, and the opening / closing detection means switches between operation and non-operation of the first and second operation means. The video camera according to claim 1 . 4. The video camera according to claim 3, wherein the operation content of the first operation means is switched by the opening / closing detection means. The recording of the object, claim 1 Symbol placement of the video camera, wherein the medium for the reproduction is a tape. The recording of the object, claim 1 Symbol mounting video cameras medium for reproduction is characterized in that it is a disc. The recording of the object, claim 1 Symbol placement of the video camera, wherein the medium for the reproduction is a semiconductor memory.

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