JP4696330B2 - Flash device, camera, imaging device, flash method, and imaging method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flash device improved so that it can be used in common among digital cameras represented by a video camera recorder, a digital still camera, and the like, a corresponding digital camera, an imaging device comprising the same , and a flash method And an imaging method .
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an example of the configuration of a conventional digital camera, a digital camera 10 schematically shown in FIG. 3 will be described. Incident light input from the subject to the imaging lens 11 is converged by the imaging lens 11 and output to the charge coupled device 12.
[0003]
The charge coupled device 12 is usually called a CCD (charge coupled device), and converts incident light incident on the elements arranged in an array into an electric signal having an intensity corresponding to the brightness. The converted electrical signal is converted into a digital signal by the analog / digital converter 13 and output to the image signal processing circuit 14.
[0004]
The image signal processing circuit 14 converts the digital signal output from the analog / digital converter 13 into an image signal, and the converted digital image signal is output to the signal processing circuit 16.
[0005]
The signal processing circuit 16 performs a data compression process on the digital signal output from the image signal processing circuit 14 in a compression format such as a JPEG (Joint Picture Expert Group) method, for example, and displays the liquid crystal via the LCD driving circuit 17. An image of the subject is displayed on the device 18.
[0006]
The converted digital signal is subjected to necessary processing such as compression by the signal processing circuit 16, displays an image of the subject on the liquid crystal display 18, and then is written to the memory card 20 via the connector 19 to be digitally displayed. To be recorded.
Conversely, the image data read from the memory card 20 via the connector 19 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 18 via the signal processing circuit 16 and the LCD driving circuit 17.
[0007]
In the operation unit 21, not only shutter operation but also setting of an aperture value, setting of distance to a subject, setting of shutter speed, etc., setting of shooting conditions by selection operation on a menu screen for selecting various camera functions, and selection The photographing information PI is transmitted to the control unit 22.
[0008]
Further, the digital camera 10 has a built-in flash unit 23. The built-in flash unit 23 is a light receiving element 24 and an A / D converter that performs analog / digital conversion on the reflected light from the subject detected by the light receiving element 24. 25, a light emitting unit 26 for flashing light on the subject, a light emitting circuit 27 for driving the light emitting unit 26, a light control circuit 28 for receiving light from the light receiving element 24 and emitting a predetermined light. ing.
[0009]
The light control circuit 28 uses the built-in light emission amount 閥 1 that determines the brightness as a reference value for comparison, and compares the amount of light input from the light receiving element 24 with the light emission unit 26 when the light emission amount 閥 1 exceeds the light emission amount LS1. , And the light emission time is controlled by the light emission stop signal from the control unit 22 to stop the light emission in the light emitting unit 26.
[0010]
In addition, a communication terminal 29 exists. This communication terminal 29 is a terminal for connection to an external flash device, and is connected to the control unit 22 by a communication line or the like. Used for control.
[0011]
Further, the control unit 22 is constituted by a microprocessor or the like, and takes in the image signal from the image signal processing circuit 14 and also stores the color stored in the predetermined area LA1 of the memory 30 in which a program necessary for calculation is stored. A predetermined image processing calculation is executed using the temperature information CT1 and the photographing information PI input from the operation unit 21 and output to the image signal processing circuit 14 to perform image correction, and a liquid crystal display is displayed via the signal processing circuit 16. An appropriate image is displayed on the device 18.
[0012]
In addition, the control unit 22 performs, for example, compression calculation control in the signal processing circuit 16, communication control with the external flash device, and data recording / reproduction control on the memory card 20 .
[0013]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The conventional digital cameras as described above perform image processing by automatically adjusting the light with only the digital camera itself based on a fixed color temperature. When an external flash device is attached to the digital camera itself, the digital camera itself is used. The flash is performed in a form that matches the color temperature.
[0014]
However, since there is a variation in color temperature of about ± 500 ° K between flash devices, it is difficult to obtain a beautiful image by simply mounting the conventional flash device.
[0015]
In video camera recorders and the like, the color temperature is usually adjusted to 3600 ° K indoors, but in the case of a flash, image processing is performed in accordance with the color temperature close to sunlight, which is 5500 to 6000 ° K. .
Therefore, there is a problem that one flash device cannot be used in common for a digital camera and a video camera recorder.
[0018]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a camera for photographing a subject as a configuration of an imaging device including a flash device and a corresponding camera for solving the above problems, and a light receiving element that receives reflected light from the subject from a light emitting unit. wherein and a flash unit that performs flush to the object, an imaging apparatus for data transmission by connecting the said camera flash unit at a communication line, wherein the camera, the flash device via the communication line Communication means for obtaining stored unique color temperature as color temperature information, photographing information set including all or one or more of distance data to the subject, aperture value, shutter speed, and the color temperature information. used to determine the light amount information of the calculated flash, equipped with control means for delivering the light amount information to the flash device, said flash Location sets the light emission amount threshold value to control the flash emission time using a communication unit for obtaining the light amount information from the camera side through the communication line, the light intensity information obtained by the communication unit Control means and light control means for controlling the flash of the light emitting unit based on the light emission amount threshold value based on the amount of reflected light received by the light receiving element.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of an imaging apparatus that can embody a flash device, a camera, a flash method, and an imaging method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of the present invention. In order to facilitate understanding, the same parts as those in the conventional digital camera will be described with the same reference numerals.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging device 31 includes a digital camera 32 and a flash device 33. Of these, the configuration of the digital camera 32 is as follows .
[0021]
An imaging lens 11 that takes in reflected light from the subject is disposed in the center of the front surface of the body, and a light receiving element 24 that receives the reflected light from the subject and an amount of light received by the light receiving element are disposed obliquely above the imaging lens 11. A light emitting unit 26 for flashing is disposed corresponding to the above, and the light receiving element 24 and the light emitting unit 26 constitute a part of the built-in flash.
[0022]
Further, a shoe 32A is provided on the upper portion of the digital camera 32, and a leg 33A of an external flash device 33 is attached to the shoe 32A. Further, a communication terminal 29 and a flash device 33 provided on the side surface of the digital camera 32 are attached. A communication line 49 connects to the provided communication terminal 48 to transmit a signal related to the flash.
[0023]
The light receiving element 42 and the light emitting unit 47 are disposed on the front surface of the flash device 33. However, these light receiving and light emitting functions can be performed up to a longer distance to the subject as compared with the built-in flash.
[0024]
The configuration shown in the block diagram of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and light incident from the imaging lens 11 shown in FIG. 1 enters a charge coupled device 12, which is abbreviated as CCD. The
[0025]
The charge coupled device 12 converts incident light incident on the photodiodes arranged in an array into an electric signal having a strength corresponding to the brightness, and outputs the electric signal as an electric signal. The electrical signal is converted into a digital signal by the analog / digital converter 13 and output to the image signal processing circuit 34.
[0026]
The image signal processing circuit 34 converts the digital signal output from the analog / digital converter 13 into an image signal, and the converted digital image signal is output to the signal processing circuit 35.
[0027]
The signal processing circuit 35 compresses the digital signal in a compression format such as JPEG, and displays an image of the subject on the liquid crystal display 18 via the LCD driving circuit 17.
[0028]
The digital signal from the image signal processing circuit 34 is subjected to necessary processing such as compression by the signal processing circuit 35, displays an image of the subject on the liquid crystal display 18, and can be exchanged via the connector 19. Is written and recorded.
[0029]
Conversely, the image data stored in the memory card 36 is read through the connector 19 and displayed on the liquid crystal display 18 through the signal processing circuit 35 and the LCD driving circuit 17.
[0030]
The memory card 36 only needs to be a rewritable storage element. For example, any type of medium such as an IC memory, a magnetic memory, or a tape may be used, and the mechanism of the memory card 36 is replaceable or fixed. But it ’s okay.
[0031]
In the operation unit 21, not only shutter operation but also setting of an aperture value, setting of distance to a subject, setting of shutter speed, etc., setting of shooting conditions by selection operation on a menu screen for selecting various camera functions, and selection However, the photographing information PI obtained by the setting / selection is transmitted to the control unit 37 functioning as a control unit.
[0032]
The digital camera 32 has a built-in flash unit 38. The built-in flash unit 38 receives the reflected light from the subject and converts it into an electrical signal, and converts the analog electrical signal into a digital signal. An A / D converter 25 for conversion, a light emitting unit 26 for flashing light to the subject, a light emitting circuit 27 for driving the light emitting unit 26, and light from the light receiving element 24 are input to adjust the light emission. It is composed of an optical circuit 39 and the like.
[0033]
The dimming circuit 39 compares the light amount input from the light receiving element 24 with the built-in light emission amount 閥 value LS2 that determines the brightness as a reference value for comparison, and when the light emission amount 閥 value LS2 is exceeded, the light emitting unit 26 The light emission is started, and the light emission time is controlled by the light emission stop signal from the control unit 37 to stop the light emission in the light emitting unit 26.
[0034]
In addition, there is a communication terminal 29. This communication terminal 29 is a terminal for connection to an external flash device. The communication terminal 29 is connected to the control unit 37 by a communication line or the like, and the flash of the external flash device 33 is connected. Used for control.
[0035]
Further, the control unit 37 is constituted by a microprocessor or the like, and captures an image signal from the image signal processing circuit 34 and stores it in a predetermined area LA2 of the memory 40 in which a program necessary for calculation is stored. A predetermined image processing operation is executed using the color temperature information CT1 and the photographing information PI input from the operation unit 21 and output to the image signal processing circuit 34 to perform image correction, which is appropriate for the liquid crystal display 18. Display an image.
[0036]
In addition, the control unit 37 performs, for example, compression calculation control in the signal processing circuit 35, communication control with the flash device 33, data recording / reproduction control on the memory card 36 , and the like.
The power source of the digital camera 32 is not shown, but can be driven by a video camera battery or an AA battery.
[0037]
Next, the configuration of the flash unit 33 is as follows. The memory 41 is composed of, for example, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) which is an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory, and color temperature information unique to the flash device 33 is stored in a predetermined memory area in the memory 41. CT2 is stored.
[0038]
An analog electrical signal by reflected light from the subject detected by the light receiving element 42 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 43 and output to the dimming circuit 44. The dimming circuit 44 integrates this digital signal. The light amount signal is calculated.
[0039]
On the other hand, since the controller 45 outputs a light emission amount threshold value LS3 that is a threshold value that determines the brightness of the flash, the light amount signal input from the light receiving element 42 is the light emission amount threshold value LS3. , The light emitting unit 47 emits light through the light emitting circuit 46 and flashes on the subject. The control of the light emission time is executed by the control signal DT related to the photographing information PI from the control unit 45.
Further, the control unit 45 sends a timing signal for controlling the timing of digital conversion in the A / D converter 43 to control the timing of digital conversion.
[0040]
The flash device 33 is provided with a communication terminal 48, which is connected to the communication terminal 29 of the digital camera 32 through a communication line 49 and also connected to the control unit 45.
[0041]
In the configuration as described above, first, when the flash device 33 is connected to the communication terminal 29 of the digital camera 32 via the communication line 49, the control unit 45 of the flash device 33 detects this connection and is built in the memory 41. The color temperature information CT2 unique to the flash device 33 is read out.
[0042]
Since the read color temperature information CT2 is transmitted to the digital camera 32 via the communication line 49, the control unit 37 uses the color temperature information CT2 to store the digital camera 32 stored in the predetermined area LA1 of the memory 40. The contents of the color temperature information CT1 unique to the are temporarily rewritten.
[0043]
Further, the control unit 37 calculates the optimum flash light amount information QI using the photographing information PI such as the distance from the operation unit 21 to the subject and the color temperature information CT2 stored in the memory 40, and the calculation result Is transmitted to the image signal processing circuit 34, subjected to image processing, displayed on the liquid crystal display 18, and sent to the controller 45 of the flash device 33 via the communication line 49.
[0044]
As this calculation, for example, taking the shooting distance as the shooting information PI, if the shooting distance is set long, a calculation for increasing the light amount of the flash is executed, and conversely, if the shooting distance is set short, the light amount is reduced. And so on.
[0045]
The control unit 45 controls the light emission of the light emitting unit 47 by setting the light emission amount threshold value LS3 using the light quantity information QI. The light quantity information QI is updated so as to correspond to the photographing information PI changed by the operation unit 21 by a communication check between the control unit 37 and the control unit 45 performed twice, for example, once every 30 seconds. The
[0046]
In this way, even if the color temperature unique to the digital camera 32 is different from the color temperature unique to the flash device 33, the model is obtained by exchanging information between them via the communication line. Automatic dimming can be performed in a form that removes the dependency.
[0047]
Since these can be applied to the video camera recorder in the same manner as the digital camera 32, the flash device 33 is used in common for both the video camera recorder and the digital still camera, and is used for automatic dimming. Can control.
[0048]
Since the built-in flash unit 38 is present in the digital camera 32, the brightness of the flash by the built-in flash unit 38 is set by the light emission amount low value LS2. In the case of the built-in flash, the flash device 33 is used. Compared to the case of using the flash, the flash reach is considerably short.
[0049]
Further, the control unit 37 captures the light emission amount threshold value LS2 and transmits it to the control unit 45 via the communication line 49, and the control unit 45 sets the light emission amount threshold value LS3 as the light emission amount threshold value LS2, thereby incorporating the light emission amount threshold value LS2. The brightness of the flash may be the same as that of the external flash device 33.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the photographing apparatus according to the present invention, the camera can communicate with the communication unit that obtains the unique color temperature stored in the flash device via the communication line as the color temperature information , and the distance to the subject. Control means for determining flash light amount information calculated using shooting information and color temperature information set including all or one or more of data, aperture value, and shutter speed, and sending the light amount information to the flash unit The flash device includes a communication unit that obtains light amount information from the camera side via a communication line, and sets a light emission amount threshold value using the light amount information obtained by the communication unit, and controls a flash light emission time. and control means, since to have a light control means for controlling the flash light emitting unit as a base a light emission amount threshold based on the reflected amount of light received by the light receiving element, a camera Regardless of whether the configuration is a digital still camera or a video camera recorder with different color temperatures, it can be used for automatic light control, enabling flash photography with the correct color temperature and improved versatility. Can provide a convenient tool for the user.
[0051]
Further, according to the photographing apparatus of the present invention, the camera includes a communication unit that obtains, as color temperature information, a specific color temperature stored in an external flash device via a communication line , distance data to a subject, aperture, and control means for determining the light amount information of the flash which is calculated by using the whole or one or more contains photographic information is set in the color temperature information of the shutter speed, and sends the light amount information to the flash unit A flash unit comprising: a communication unit that obtains light amount information from the camera side via a communication line; and a control unit that sets a light emission amount threshold by using the light amount information obtained by the communication unit and controls a flash light emission time. When, since to have a light control means for controlling the flash light emitting unit and light emission amount threshold, based on the basis of the amount of reflected light received by the light receiving element, even if external Even if there is variation in the color temperature rush device can perform flash to the matched image processing and the object in the flash device, it is possible to take a clear image.
[0052]
Furthermore, according to the imaging apparatus for realizing the imaging method according to the present invention, the color temperature unique to the flash can be shared as color temperature information between the flash apparatus and the digital camera. A combination of digital cameras can be freely selected, and there is an advantage that these can be efficiently operated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an imaging apparatus according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional digital camera.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10; Digital camera, 11; Imaging lens, 12; Charge-coupled device, 13; Analog / digital converter, 14; Image signal processing circuit, 16; Signal processing circuit, 17; LCD drive circuit, 18; Memory card, 21; operation unit, 22; control unit, 23; built-in flash unit, 24; light receiving element, 26; light emitting unit, 27; light emitting circuit, 28; dimming circuit, 29; 31; Imaging device, 32; Digital camera, 33; Flash device, 34; Image processing circuit, 35; Signal processing circuit, 36; Memory card, 37; Control unit, 38; Built-in flash unit, 39; Memory 41; memory 42; light receiving element 44; dimming circuit 45; controller 46; light emitting circuit 47; light emitting unit 48; communication terminal 49;

Claims (2)

A camera that shoots a subject; and a flash device that receives light reflected from the subject by a light receiving element and performs flash on the subject from a light emitting unit ; and the camera and the flash device are connected by a communication line. An imaging device for data transmission,
The camera
Communication means for obtaining, as color temperature information, a unique color temperature stored in the flash device via the communication line;
The light amount information of the flash calculated using the shooting information set including all or one or more of the distance data to the subject, the aperture value, and the shutter speed and the color temperature information is determined, and the light amount information is Control means for sending to the flash device,
The flash device is:
Communication means for obtaining the light amount information from the camera side via the communication line;
Control means for setting a light emission amount threshold using the light quantity information obtained by the communication means and controlling the light emission time of the flash;
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a light control unit configured to control a flash of the light emitting unit based on the light emission amount threshold based on a reflected light amount received by the light receiving element. A camera that shoots a subject; and a flash device that receives light reflected from the subject by a light receiving element and performs flash on the subject from a light emitting unit ; and the camera and the flash device are connected by a communication line. Configure the imaging device to transmit data,
The camera
A unique color temperature stored in the flash device via the communication line is obtained as color temperature information, and is set including all or one or more of distance data to the subject, aperture value, and shutter speed. by shooting information and using said color temperature information determines the light amount information of the calculated flash were, so as to send the light amount information to the flash unit,
The flash device is:
The light amount information from the camera side is obtained via the communication line, a light emission amount threshold value is set using the obtained light amount information, and the light emission time of the flash is controlled. An image pickup method comprising: controlling a flash of the light emitting unit based on the light emission amount threshold based on a received reflected light amount.

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