JP4569006B2 - Auto focus camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an autofocus camera that detects a focus adjustment state of a photographing lens in a plurality of focus detection areas in a photographing screen.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is known an autofocus camera that detects a focus adjustment state of a photographing lens in a plurality of focus detection areas in a photographing screen and automatically focuses based on a detection result. In this type of autofocus camera, a plurality of focus detection areas L, C, and R are discretely arranged in the shooting screen as shown in FIG. 7A, or one as shown in FIG. 7B. Is divided into a plurality of focus detection areas C1, C2, and C3, or the horizontal detection area H and the vertical detection area V are overlapped in a cross shape as shown in FIG. Some are arranged together. The photographer can select an arbitrary area from a plurality of focus detection areas.
[0003]
In addition, in the autofocus camera in which a plurality of focus detection areas shown in FIG. 7A are discretely arranged, the position of the selected focus detection area is displayed so as to overlap the finder image (hereinafter referred to as finder screen display). ) There is a camera. In this finder screen display system camera, for example, a focus detection area pattern is irradiated onto the finder screen by an LED light source, and the position of the selected area is displayed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of an autofocus camera in which a plurality of focus detection areas are close as shown in FIG. 7B or the focus detection areas are overlapped as shown in FIG. If an area is to be displayed, the number of LEDs increases or the irradiation optical system becomes complicated, resulting in an increase in cost. Depending on the arrangement of the focus detection areas, there are cases where display on the viewfinder screen is impossible.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a selection area of a plurality of focus detection areas Fort focus camera to be displayed in optimal form.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An autofocus camera according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a focus detection unit that detects a focus adjustment state of a photographing lens in a plurality of focus detection areas in a photographing screen, and at least one focus detection area from the plurality of focus detection areas. And a group display pattern which can be displayed corresponding to each of the groups. The selection means for selecting the image, the finder for optically observing the image by the photographing lens, and the plurality of focus detection areas are divided into a plurality of groups. Finder screen display means for superimposing and displaying the group display pattern of the group including the focus detection area selected by the selection means on the image of the finder , and each of the plurality of focus detection areas The area display pattern that can be displayed correspondingly is set and selected by the selection means. And an external display means for displaying the area display pattern of the focus detection areas outside of the viewfinder, characterized in that it comprises a.
[0007]
In the section of the means for solving the above-described problem, a diagram of an embodiment is used for easy understanding of the description. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an autofocus camera according to an embodiment. A replaceable lens barrel 2 is attached to the camera body 1. In a state in which the lens barrel 2 is mounted on the camera body 1, the photographing light flux from the subject enters the camera body 1 through the photographing lens 3. Then, a part of the photographic light flux is reflected by the main mirror 4 and guided to the finder 5, and further reaches the photographer's eyes through the screen 6, the pentaprism 7, and the eyepiece lens 8, and a finder screen image (hereinafter simply referred to as a finder screen image) Called a viewfinder image). On the other hand, another part of the photographic light beam passes through the main mirror 4 and is reflected by the sub-mirror 9, and is guided to the focus detection unit 10 as a light beam for focus detection. The focus detection unit 10 detects the focus adjustment state of the taking lens 3, that is, the defocus amount, and the motor drive control unit 11 performs drive control of the motor 12 based on the defocus amount, and moves the taking lens 3 in the optical axis direction. And focus. At the time of shooting, the main mirror 4 and the sub mirror 9 are retracted in the direction of the viewfinder 5, and the light image formed by the shooting lens 3 is formed on the image sensor 13.
[0009]
An LED group 14 and an optical system 15 are provided in the finder 5, and a selected area among a plurality of focus detection areas is displayed on the finder screen.
[0010]
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of focus detection areas according to an embodiment. The focus detection unit 10 includes a focus detection area having an arrangement obtained by combining the arrangements shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C. At the center of the shooting screen, one long horizontal focus detection area is divided into areas CL, CH, and CR. Further, the horizontal focus detection area CH at the center of the shooting screen has a vertical focus detection area. CVs are stacked to form a cross shape. Further, on the left and right sides of the shooting screen, cross-shaped areas are arranged by overlapping the vertical focus detection areas LV and RV on the horizontal focus detection areas LH and RH. Furthermore, horizontal focus detection areas TH and BH are discretely arranged above and below the shooting screen.
[0011]
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the camera according to the embodiment. The photographer can observe the viewfinder image from the eyepiece 16 on the back of the camera. The external display unit 17 is composed of an LCD or the like, and displays a photographed image and a selection area. The area selection member 18 is an operation member for selecting an arbitrary area from the plurality of focus detection areas shown in FIG. 2, and includes switch buttons SWC, SWL, SWU, SWR, and SWD. The position of the selected area can be moved in the left direction by pressing SWL, in the upward direction by pressing SWU, in the right direction by pressing SWR, and in the downward direction by pressing SWD.
In addition, for the vertical and horizontal cross-shaped focus detection areas, either one can be selected by pressing SWC.
[0012]
FIG. 4A shows a display pattern of the focus detection area of the external display unit 17. Since the display on the external display unit 17 (hereinafter referred to as “external display”) electrically forms a pattern, any pattern can be displayed finely and accurately. Accordingly, display patterns PLH, PLV, PCL, PCH, PCV, PCR, PRH corresponding to the focus detection areas LH, LV, CL, CH, CV, CR, RH, RV, TH, and BH in the shooting screen. , PRV, PTH, PBH are prepared, and the selected areas are individually displayed.
[0013]
FIG. 4B shows a display pattern on the finder screen. As described above, since the display on the finder screen is an optical display method using LED irradiation or the like, it is difficult to individually display the adjacent area and the overlapping area. Therefore, in this embodiment, a plurality of focus detection areas are divided into a plurality of groups. Specifically, adjacent areas and overlapping areas are grouped into one group, and a display pattern is set for each group. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the display pattern FC is set by grouping the areas CV that overlap with the adjacent areas CH, CL, and CR into one group, and each of the overlapping areas CH and CV, LH and LV, and RH and RV is set as one. Display patterns FC, FL, and FR are set together as a group. When the focus detection area LH or LV is selected, a display pattern FL in which those areas are combined into one group is displayed. When the focus detection area RH or RV is selected, these areas are displayed as one group. Are displayed, and when any one of the focus detection areas CL, CH, CR, and CV is selected, a pattern FC in which those areas are combined into one group is displayed. When the focus detection area TH or BH is selected, the selected pattern FT or FB is displayed.
[0014]
In the cruciform focus detection area, which of the detection areas in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is selected depends on the state of the switch button SWC of the area selection member 18. For example, when the switch button SWL is operated in a state where the selection detection area is CL, LH is selected if the SWC is in the “horizontal direction selected state”, and LV is selected if the SWC is in the “vertical direction selected state”. Each time the SWC is operated in this state, LH and LV are switched.
[0015]
The photographer can select both the horizontal and vertical areas of the cruciform focus detection area, and the focus detection unit 10 calculates the defocus amount in both areas and automatically selects the appropriate one. It is also possible. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, every time the SWC is operated, switching is performed in the order of the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, both directions, and the horizontal direction.
[0016]
The difference between the display on the finder screen and the external display will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 6, the left side shows the display state of the selection area in the viewfinder screen display and the right side shows the external display. (a) shows a display when the focus detection area CV is selected, FC on the finder screen display and PCV on the external display. When the selected area is moved to CL by operating the switch button SWL from this state, the external display is switched to PCL while FC is displayed on the finder screen as shown in FIG. Further, when the selection area is moved to LV by the operation of the switch button SWL, the display on the finder screen is switched to FL and the external display is switched to PLV as shown in (c). Subsequently, when the selection area is moved to LH by the operation of the switch button SWC, the external display is switched to PLH while FL is displayed on the finder screen as shown in (d).
[0017]
In this way, on the viewfinder screen display, a plurality of focus detection areas that are close or overlapped are grouped into one group, and a display pattern is set for each group to display a display pattern of the group including the selection area. Thereby, the display on the finder screen can be realized without increasing the cost. On the other hand, the external display provides detailed selection area information to the photographer by setting a display pattern for each focus detection area and individually displaying the selection area with the display pattern even if they are close or overlapping. be able to. The photographer can surely select a desired focus detection area while viewing the external display, and the position of the selected area can be roughly visually confirmed by the display on the finder screen at the time of photographing.
[0018]
In the embodiment described above, the horizontal or vertical detection area can be switched by the switch button SWC in the cruciform focus detection area. However, the switch button SWC is omitted, and the cruciform focus detection area is one area. You may make it select as. In this case, the camera automatically selects one of the directions based on the defocus amounts in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Then, the display of the selected area on the external display unit 17 displays the focus detection areas LH and LV, CH and CV, and RH and RV, respectively, in the same manner as the FL displayed on the finder screen.
[0019]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the focus detection area is switched by the photographer's operation of the area selection member 18 has been described. However, the defocus amount is detected in all the focus detection areas, and the plurality of defocuses are detected. The camera may automatically select any focus detection area based on the amount.
[0020]
In the above-described embodiment, the digital still camera using the image pickup device 13 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to a camera that exposes a silver salt film, and similar effects can be obtained. Obtainable.
[0021]
In the configuration of the above embodiment, the photographic lens 3 is a photographic lens, the focus detection unit 10 is a focus detection means, the area selection member 18 is a manual area selection means, the finder 5 is a finder, and the LED group 14 and the optical system. The system 15 constitutes finder screen display means, and the external display unit 17 constitutes external display means.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
(1) As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to display the position of the focus detection area selected from the plurality of focus detection areas, the plurality of focus detection areas are displayed on the finder screen display. Is divided into multiple groups, and the display pattern is set for each group, and the display pattern of the group that includes the selected area is displayed superimposed on the viewfinder image, so it can be displayed on the viewfinder screen without increasing costs. The position of the selected area can be roughly visually confirmed by the display on the finder screen during shooting.
(2) According to the invention of claim 2, since the plurality of adjacent focus detection areas are grouped into one group and displayed on the finder screen, areas close to each other are included in the plurality of focus detection areas. Even if it exists, the position of the rough selection area can be visually recognized on the finder screen without increasing the cost.
(3) According to the invention of claim 3, since a plurality of overlapping focus detection areas are grouped into one group and displayed on the finder screen, there are overlapping areas among the plurality of focus detection areas. However, the position of the rough selection area can be visually recognized on the finder screen without increasing the cost.
(4) According to the invention of claim 4, in the external display, a display pattern is set for each of the plurality of focus detection areas, and the display pattern of the selected area is displayed outside the viewfinder. Detailed selection area information can be provided to the photographer, and the photographer can reliably select a desired focus detection area while viewing the external display.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an autofocus camera according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of focus detection areas according to an embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the camera according to the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display pattern of a focus detection area for display on a finder screen and external display.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for switching individual areas of a cruciform focus detection area.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a difference between a finder screen display and an external display.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement example of focus detection areas in a photographing screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
5 Finder 10 Focus Detection Unit 14 LED Group 15 Optical System 17 External Display Unit 18 Area Selection Member

Claims (3)

Focus detection means for detecting the focus adjustment state of the photographic lens in a plurality of focus detection areas in the shooting screen;
Selecting means for selecting at least one focus detection area from the plurality of focus detection areas;
A viewfinder for optically observing an image by the taking lens;
The plurality of focus detection areas are divided into a plurality of groups, a group display pattern that can be displayed corresponding to each of the groups is set, and the group display pattern of the group including the focus detection area selected by the selection unit Display means on the viewfinder screen for displaying the image superimposed on the image of the viewfinder,
An external display unit that sets an area display pattern that can be displayed corresponding to each of the plurality of focus detection areas, and displays the area display pattern of the focus detection area selected by the selection unit outside the finder; An autofocus camera characterized by comprising: The autofocus camera according to claim 1,
The finder screen display means collects a plurality of adjacent focus detection areas into one group, and sets the group display pattern for each group . The autofocus camera according to claim 1,
The finder screen display means collects a plurality of overlapping focus detection areas into one group, and sets the group display pattern for each group .

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