JPH03248684A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain necessary information even without switching a picture during photographing by displaying video camera internal information on the same picture by selecting the kind and the displaying position of the video camera internal information to be displayed on a viewfinder. CONSTITUTION:When the selection switch 2 of an operating part 1 is pushed, the picture in a display setting mode part 7 or a usual mode part 8 is outputted by a display control part 9 and a character display generating part 11 through a taking-in part 6, and is mixed together with video image taken by a lens 13 and an image pickup element 14 by a mixer 16, and is displayed on the viewfinder 17. Every time the switch 2 is pushed, each picture of the display setting mode part 7 and the picture of the usual mode part 8 are switched.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention is a method for recording video images (video signals) while checking internal information of a video camera in order to record video images (video signals) using a video tape recording device (VTR) or the like. This relates to a video camera that takes pictures.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in order for a cameraman to know the internal information of a video camera such as the setting status and operating status of the video camera while shooting with a video camera, the content of the information is written in text or in the electronic viewfinder of the video camera. Displayed as characters such as symbols and codes.

Specifically, some video cameras display all information on the viewfinder, but especially for professional video cameras, there are many types of video camera internal information.
- It is not possible to display all information at once.

Therefore, we select some of the many types of information and display it on one screen, and then select another type of information that is different from the selected information and display it on another screen, creating multiple patterns. Screens were prepared and information could be obtained by using a switch to select the screen that displayed information that the cameraman would not see.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In the case of conventional video cameras that display all information on one screen of the viewfinder, unnecessary information may always be displayed depending on the individual photographer's preference or the shooting situation. As the amount of information increases,
It becomes difficult to focus only on the image to be photographed (subject screen) and necessary information, making it difficult to take good photographs.

In addition, in the case of a video camera that displays information on screens with multiple patterns, not all of the necessary information is displayed on the same screen, and the information displayed on other screens at this time If a cameraman wanted to know what information he wanted, he had to press a switch to change the screen while filming, searching for the screen that displayed the information he needed, and switching from one screen to the next, making it difficult to concentrate on the image being shot.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides "necessary information" that changes depending on the shooting situation and the preferences of individual photographers.
By selecting individual information in advance and combining them so that they are displayed at any position on the viewfinder screen, the necessary information is displayed on the same screen, thereby eliminating the need for photographers to switch screens during shooting. To provide a video camera that allows you to obtain necessary information even when the camera is in use, and allows you to concentrate on the image to be photographed (object screen).

(Means for Solving the Problems) As a means for achieving the above object, in a video camera that performs shooting by displaying a video to be shot and video camera internal information on a viewfinder, a display on the screen of the viewfinder is provided. An operation section for selecting some of the many types of video camera internal information to be displayed on the screen together with the position, and an output of this operation section is supplied, and the video camera internal information selected by the operation section is a control device for detecting, a storage section for storing the type and display position of the video camera internal information selected by the operation section supplied from the control device, and a storage section for storing the type and display position of the video camera internal information supplied from the control device; It is an object of the present invention to provide a video camera characterized by comprising: a character display generation section that generates a character corresponding to the video camera internal information and outputs it to the viewfinder.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the video camera of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

The operation unit 1 includes a menu selection switch 2 for switching between at least one display setting mode screen and a normal mode screen, and a display setting mode screen in order to display internal information of the video camera on the viewfinder 17. A cursor up switch 3 that moves the cursor displayed on the screen upward to select the type of information when displayed, and a cursor down switch 4 that similarly moves the cursor downward are provided.

Each of the switches 2 to 4 of this operating section 1 is connected to a switch intake section 6 within the control device 5.

The control device 5 is composed of this switch import section 6, a display setting mode section 7, a normal mode section 8, and a display control section 9. The type of internal information is output together with its display position, and the storage section 10 outputs the stored contents to the normal mode section 8.

Further, the display control section 9 outputs the signals from each mode section 7.8 to the character display generation section 11, and the character display generation section 11 generates a character in response to the output from the display control section 9.
Characters such as symbols and codes are generated and output to the mixer 16.

Furthermore, the image to be photographed (optical image of the subject) enters the image sensor 14 via the lens 13, is photoelectrically converted into a video signal, and is output to a video processing section (image processing section) 15. The video processing section 15 performs various processing on the supplied video signal and outputs it to the mixer 16.
2 and video signal output terminal 18, respectively.

Further, the mixer 16 mixes (superimposes) the output signal (character) from the character display generating section 11 with this video signal, outputs the mixed signal, and displays the mixture on the viewfinder 17.

Further, internal information of the video camera such as the setting state and operating state of the video camera outputted from the video process processing section 15 and the video tape recording section 12 is supplied to the normal mode section 8 in the control device 5.

Next, the operation of the video camera having such a configuration will be explained.

When the menu selection switch 2 of the operation section 1 is pressed, the screen prepared in the display setting mode section 7 or the normal mode section 8 is changed by the display control section 9 and the character display generation section 11 via the switch import section 6. output, lens 13
The image captured by the image sensor 14 is mixed (superimposed) by the mixer 16 and displayed on the viewfinder 17, and each screen of the display setting mode section 7 and the normal mode section 8 are displayed on the viewfinder 17 each time the menu selection switch 2 is pressed. The screen can be changed.

An example of the screen displayed on the viewfinder 17 is shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B). In addition, this figure 2 (A), (B
), a character superimposed on the photographed video is actually displayed, but here, for the sake of simplicity, the photographed video is omitted and output from the character display generation unit 11. Only character representations are shown.

In FIG. 2 (A>, each time the menu selection switch 2 is pressed, the display on the viewfinder 17 changes from a to b-> (
-+d-1-a→... Note that screens a to C are the inner surfaces for setting the display type of video camera internal information, and are screens prepared in the display setting mode section 7. Screen d is a screen used when actually photographing, etc., and is a screen prepared in the normal mode section 8. Screen a is a screen for setting the type of video camera internal information to be displayed at the lower left position 20 of screen d, and screen A is a screen for setting the type of video camera internal information to be displayed at the lower right position [21] of screen d. Screen C, which is a screen for setting, is a screen for setting whether or not to display the audio indicator 22 on screen d.

In addition, as a method of setting the type of information to be displayed on each of the above screens a to C, in each screen a to C of the display setting mode, move the cursor 19 using the cursor up switch 3 and cursor down switch 4 to display the information you want to display. By placing it next to the type of information, you can set the display of any information. Then, on screen a, r
1. BATTERYJ, the screen is already r 2. TAPE
(Old N) J, on screen C, ``Screen d is an example of the normal mode screen when 1°ONJ is set, and the battery voltage is 12V and the voltage is shown in the lower left position 20.''BATT12
V j , r40HIN indicating that the tape recording time is 40 minutes are displayed at the lower right position 21, and an audio indicator 22 is displayed.

Also, on screen a, '4. GAINJ, the screen is already r 2.
TAPE (MIN) J, r2. on screen C. OFF
An example of the normal mode screen when setting each of , is shown in Figure 2 (
This is the screen shown in B), and the gain is 18d at the bottom left position 20.
r18dBJ indicating that it is B - r40MTN J indicating that the tape recording time is 40 minutes at the lower right position 21
are displayed respectively, and the audio indicator is not displayed.

Next, the flowchart showing the switching of screens a to d is shown in the third section.
Each screen a to C in the display setting mode shown in Figure (A)
The flowcharts of the setting operations are shown in Figure 3 (B) ~
3(D), and a flowchart of the operation in the normal mode is shown in FIG. 3(E), and each mode will be explained in order below.

In FIG. 3(A), when the menu selection switch 2 is pressed while the normal mode screen d is displayed on the viewfinder 17, the mode shifts to the lower left display setting mode (step 200) and the view The finder 17 switches to screen a, and this screen a is displayed until the next time the menu selection switch 2 is pressed. Then, when the menu selection switch 2 is pressed (step 300), the mode shifts to the lower right display setting mode (step 400), the screen is displayed on the viewfinder 17, and when the menu selection switch 2 is pressed, (Step 5)
00), the audio indicator display setting mode (step 600) is entered, and the screen C is displayed on the viewfinder 17.
is displayed. Then, when the menu selection switch 2 is pressed next (step 700), the mode returns to the normal mode (step 800), and screen d is displayed on the viewfinder 17.

In the above process, the lower left display setting mode (step 2
00) is shown in FIG. 3(B).

In this lower left display setting mode (step 200), screen a is displayed on the viewfinder 17, and an attempt is made to select the internal information of the video camera indicated by the current position of the cursor 19. If the cursor 19 does not move (N in step 201), the current cursor 19
The type of video camera internal information indicated by the digit i is stored in the storage unit 10.
is already memorized, so just exit. and,
If the cursor 9 is moved by the cursor up switch 3 and cursor down switch 4 in an attempt to select information different from the video camera internal information indicated by the current position of the cursor 19,
), the position of the cursor 19 is determined, and if the position of the cursor 19 is at the battery position (1, BATTERY) (Y in step 202), the display at the lower left position 20 of the normal mode screen d is as follows. "Display battery voltage" is stored in the storage unit 10 (step 206),
If the cursor 19 is not at the battery position (N in step 202), the tape (time) digit! (2
, 7APE (MIN)), step 203).
Tape (counter) position (3, TAPE (cout)
) (Step 204>, and if the cursor 19 is located at the tape (counter) position, "Display the tape recording time as a counter").
Please remember step 208), if not, move cursor 1
It is determined whether the position of 9 is at the gain position (4, GAIN) (step 205), and if it is, it is memorized to "display gain" (step 209); if it is not, it is determined (5, null). It is determined that it is in the position of ``display'', and it is stored as ``no display J'' (step 210), and the process ends.

Note that the lower left display setting mode (step 200) is always in a loop until the selection switch 2 is pressed next (Fig. 3 (A) step 200 → 300 → 200 →
), you can move the cursor 19 as many times as you like to change the settings.

The lower right display setting mode (step 400) can be set in exactly the same manner as the lower left display setting mode (step 200). This operation flowchart is shown in FIG. 3(C), and will be similarly explained below.

In this lower right display setting mode (step 400), the screen is displayed on the viewfinder 17, and in an attempt to select the video camera internal information indicated by the current position of the cursor 19, the cursor up switch 3 and cursor down switch 4 If the cursor 19 is not moved by (N in step 401), the current cursor 19
The storage unit 10 stores the type of video camera internal information indicated by the position of
is already memorized, so just exit. and,
If the cursor 19 is moved by the cursor up switch 3 and cursor down switch 4 in an attempt to select information that differs from the video camera internal information indicated by the current position of the cursor 19 (Y in step 401),
), the position of the cursor 19 is determined, and if the position of the cursor 19 is at the battery position (1,8 ATTERY), then Y of step 402), the display at the lower right position 21 of the normal mode screen d is as follows. “Display battery voltage” is stored in the storage unit 10 (step 406);
If the cursor 19 is not at the battery position (N in step 402), the tape (time) position (2,
TAPE (MIN)) is present (step 403), if so, it is stored as "Display tape recording time" (step 407); if not, tape (counter) (3, TAPE(cout)) (step 404), and
If the cursor 19 is located at the tape (counter) position, remember that "tape recording time will be displayed on the counter" (step 408), otherwise the cursor 1
Step 405) to determine whether the position of 9 is at the gain position (4, 0 AIN), if yes, remember to "display gain" step 409), otherwise, (5, no display) ), it is stored as "no display" (step 410), and the process ends.

Note that the lower right display setting mode (step 400) is always in a loop until the selection switch 2 is pressed next (see Fig. 3 (A > Step 400 → 500 → 400 →
), you can move the cursor 19 as many times as you like to change the settings.

Next, FIG. 3(D) shows an operation flowchart of the audio indicator display setting mode (step 600), which will be described below.

In this audio indicator display setting mode (step 600), screen C is displayed on the viewfinder 17, and if the cursor 19 does not move (N in step 601), the content indicated by the current position of the cursor 19 is displayed. Since the storage unit 10 has already stored the information, the process ends immediately and if the cursor 19 moves (step 6).
01 Y), determine whether the cursor 19 is at the (1, ON) position (step 602), and if it is at this position, "display audio indicator".
is stored in the storage unit 10 (step 603), and if there is no audio indicator, it is stored as "do not display audio indicator" (step 604), and the process ends.

Note that in this case as well, the cursor 19 can be moved any number of times.

Finally, the operation in the normal mode (step 800) is shown in a flowchart in FIG. 3(E) and will be described below.

In the normal mode (step 800), a screen similar to the screen d prepared in the normal mode section 8 and the screen shown in FIG. 2(B) is displayed on the viewfinder 17.

Then, the aforementioned lower left display setting mode (step 200)
Alternatively, in the lower right display setting mode (step 400), it is determined whether "display battery voltage" has been set and stored in the storage unit 10 (step 801).
, if it is not set (no need to display), step 804
However, if either mode is set (display is required), this normal mode section will display whether or not there has been a change in battery voltage using a signal indicating the battery voltage supplied from the videotape recording section 12. If there is a change, the battery voltage after the change is detected at the set position of the viewfinder 17 (step 802).
If there is no change, the voltage is displayed as it is and the process moves to step 804.

Similarly, it is determined whether or not "Display tape recording time" has been set (step 804), and if it has been set, whether or not there has been a change due to the signal supplied from the videotape recording section 12. Step 805
), if there is a change, the tape recording time after the change is displayed (step 806).

Next, it is determined whether or not "tape recording time counter display" is set (step 807), and if it is set, whether or not there is a change due to the signal supplied from the videotape recording section 12. Step 80
8) If there is a change, the counter value of the tape recording time after the change is displayed (step 809).

Furthermore, it is determined whether or not "gain display" is set (step 810), and if it is set, it is detected whether or not there is a change in gain based on the signal supplied from the video processing unit 15. Step 811), and if there is a change, display the gain after the change (Step 8
12).

Then, in the audio indicator display setting mode (step 600), it is determined whether or not "audio indicator is displayed" is set (step 813).
), if it is not set, the process ends and is not displayed; if it is set, it is detected whether or not there is a change in the audio level (step 814), and if there is a change, the audio level after the change is displayed. indicator 22
(step 815).

An embodiment in which the lower left position 20, lower right position 21 and audio indicator 22 of the viewfinder 17 are displayed has been described above, but the number and position to be displayed may be changed to a different number from this embodiment. Further, in this embodiment, the case where the video camera internal information to be displayed at the lower left position 20 and the lower right position 21 is selected from four types is shown, but even if the number of types of information to be selected increases, it can be realized in exactly the same manner. . Furthermore, in this embodiment, settings are made by moving the cursor 19 in the display setting mode, but if a switch is provided for each type of information, the settings can be made directly without moving the cursor 19 up or down. You can specify the type of information.

(Effects of the Invention) The video camera of the present invention is capable of displaying necessary information on the same screen by arbitrarily selecting and combining the type of video camera internal information to be displayed on the viewfinder and the display position on the screen. This eliminates the need for camera operators to change the display screen for the internal information of the video camera to search for the information they want to see while shooting, and also prevents them from losing concentration due to unnecessary information being displayed. This has the effect of allowing you to focus on the image you are shooting and take good pictures.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the video camera of the present invention, FIGS. 2(A) and (B) are views showing examples of viewfinder display, and FIGS. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Operation part, 5... Control device, 10... Storage part, 11... Character display generation part, 17... View finder.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A video camera that displays images to be shot and internal information of the video camera on a viewfinder for shooting, including a display position on the screen of the viewfinder as well as a large number of types of videos displayed on the screen. an operating section for selecting some of the camera internal information; a control device to which the output of the operating section is supplied and detecting the video camera internal information selected by the operating section; a storage unit that stores the type and display position of the video camera internal information selected by the operation unit; and a storage unit that is supplied with the video camera internal information from the control device and generates a character corresponding to the video camera internal information. , and a character display generation unit outputting to the viewfinder.