JPH04373368A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the zoom function operated at an arbitrary speed up to a high speed exceeding the limit of an optical zoom speed by providing a zoos control part and simultaneously operating optical (mechanical) zoom and electronic zoom. CONSTITUTION:The light made incident from a lens 1 is converted to an electric signal by an image reception sensor 3 and is converted to a video signal by a picture processing part. A zoom control part 5 controls both of optical zoom and electronic zoos by information inputted from a zoom operation part 11 to perform zooming.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a zoom device for a video camera, and more particularly to a video camera using an electronic zoom function.

0002

[Prior art] As a conventional technology, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-22
There is an imaging device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 0679. This conventional example includes an imaging means for imaging a subject, a zoom lens for changing the magnification of an image incident on the imaging means, and a scanning range variable means for varying the scanning range of the imaging means,
An imaging device is disclosed that detects that either the zoom lens or the scanning range variable means has reached the end of its magnification variable range and operates the other.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional video camera described above, optical zoom and electronic zoom operate continuously, so it is possible to zoom up to the maximum zoom magnification of both with a natural zoom feeling. The time it takes to do this depends on the motor speed of the optical zoom, so it takes an extremely long time.

An object of the present invention is to shorten this time and provide a video camera with good zoom characteristics.

[0005]

[Means for solving the problem] In order to solve the above problem,
The present invention is characterized in that optical zoom and electronic zoom are operated simultaneously.

[0006]

[Operation] Based on the information from the zoom operation unit, the zoom control unit operates both the optical zoom function and the electronic zoom function, and also arbitrarily controls the operating speed of each zoom function to solve the above problem. do.

[0007]

[Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. Figure 1 shows the configuration of a video camera, with a variable focus lens 1
The image passing through the image sensor 3 is converted into an electrical signal, and the image processing section 7 processes the image into a video signal that can be used on a television or VTR. Reference numeral 5 denotes a zoom control section which controls the variable magnification mechanism drive section 2 and the electronic zoom section 6 based on information from the zoom operation section 11 to operate optical zoom and electronic zoom. The magnification mechanism drive section 2 moves the variable focus lens 1 by motor drive to perform zooming, and the electronic zoom section 6 acts on the image processing section 7 and the sensor drive section 4.
Zooming is performed by varying the number of pixels from which signals are read or by interpolating signals. 9 is the display section, zoom
Information such as zoom magnification and zooming speed is received from the control unit 5 and displayed on the viewfinder 8 and external display device 10 to notify the operator.

Next, the system of the first embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. 15 is zoom up/down determination processing, 1
6 performs zooming speed determination processing. 17 deceleration processing,
At step 21, acceleration processing is performed. At 19, a zoom value is detected, and at 20, display processing is performed. First, when the operator performs a zoom operation, it is determined at step 15 whether the user wants to zoom up or zoom down, and at step 16 it is determined whether he or she wants to accelerate or decelerate. Deceleration or acceleration processing is performed at steps 17 and 21, and the state of the zoom operation is detected at step 19.
In step 20, display processing is performed and the operator is notified.

Next, how to operate the optical zoom and electronic zoom of the present invention (zooming mode (type)) will be explained with reference to FIG. The shaded area indicates zooming by electronic zoom, and the area other than the shaded area indicates zooming by optical zoom. 12
13 is an example of the present invention in which optical zoom and electronic zoom are operated in series, 14 is an example of the present invention in which both are operated in parallel, and 14 is a case in which the optical zoom speed is increased from state 13 and the electronic zoom speed is also increased. The zoom can be driven faster than the speed limit of optical zoom. The zooming speed is in the order of 14>13>12, and the speed can be further reduced arbitrarily from each state of 13 and 14. As is clear from the figure, the time to maximum zoom-in is longer than the example of the present invention (
It will be understood that cases 13 and 14) are much shorter than conventional example (12).

A method for selecting the type of zooming will be explained with reference to FIG. 5, and step 16 in FIG. 3 will be explained in more detail below. 15 performs zoom up/down determination processing. 44 is mode 13, 45 is mode 14
zooming speed determination process, 48 is mode 13, 50
49 performs mode 14 deceleration processing, 51 performs mode 14 acceleration processing. A zoom value is detected in step 19, and the information is sent to mode determination processing in step 28. At 28, the mode (zooming type) closest to the operator's request is determined based on the information from 15 and 19. Modes 13 and 14 referred to here correspond to modes 13 and 14 explained with reference to FIG. For example, when the operator lightly presses the zoom operation switch, 13 is selected, in which both zooms operate in parallel, and when the operator presses the switch strongly, 14 is selected.

Next, the relationship between speed control of optical zoom and electronic zoom will be explained with reference to FIG. Below is 17 in Figure 3.
, 21 will be explained in more detail. 38 is an optical zoom section speed determination process, 40 and 55 are deceleration processes, 4
1 and 56 perform acceleration processing, and 39 is electronic zoom unit speed determination processing, in which information detected by optical zoom speed detection 37 is reflected in electronic zoom control. This controls the speed when optical zoom and electronic zoom are operated in parallel. For example, suppose you want to increase the zooming speed when optical zoom and electronic zoom are operating in parallel. The operator increases the force with which the operating switch is pressed. Then, first, the judgment to accelerate the optical zoom is made by 3.
8 is performed and zooming is accelerated. When the operator wants to increase the speed even further from this state, if the operator presses the switch more forcefully, but the optical zoom speed reaches its limit, this is transmitted from 37 to 39, and the electronic zoom is accelerated this time.

Next, a display example of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 26A and 26B are graphical displays, with the left end being the wide end and the right end being the telephoto end, and the graph increases or decreases as you zoom. That is, the color of the graph changes depending on the driving ratio of both optical zoom and electronic zoom. A graph for electronic zoom is provided at the top, and a graph for optical zoom is provided at the bottom, so that the status of both zooms can be seen at a glance. 27 is a display using alphabetic characters and numbers, and when the alphabet is at least, the electronic zoom is activated, and the magnification is displayed using numbers. According to this embodiment, two types of zooming modes with different speeds can be arbitrarily selected, and furthermore, the zooming speed can be arbitrarily changed in each type, so that various zoom operations are possible.

Next, a second embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. This embodiment has a function of instantaneous zoom. It is determined at 34 whether the instantaneous zoom has been selected, and at 35 the instantaneous zoom processing is performed by acting on the acceleration processing at 54 of the electronic zoom section 25. This function is a function that, when instantaneous zoom is selected during zooming, zooms instantly from the magnification at that point to the maximum or minimum magnification of the electronic zoom. Next, an example of a switch for performing an instantaneous zoom operation will be explained with reference to FIG. When the button 29 is pressed, the contact 30 slides on the slide volume 31 to control the zooming speed by changing the resistance value. 32 is a cushion and the contact stops once it hits 32.
However, if you press 29 with more force, 32 deforms and the contact reaches the switch 33, which turns on to activate the instantaneous zoom. According to this embodiment, the magnification of the electronic zoom area can be set to the maximum or minimum magnification in an instant, and is more convenient to use.

[0014]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to perform a high-speed zoom operation as described above, a zoom operation at any speed,
This has the effect of providing users with a zoom function that is easier to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between zooming magnification and time.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart representing the system of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a zooming type selection method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing operation switches of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart representing the instantaneous zoom system of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between speed control of optical zoom and electronic zoom in the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

2...Optical zoom, 4...Sensor drive unit, 5...Zoom control unit, 6...Electronic zoom, 34...Instantaneous zoom determination processing, 35...Instantaneous zoom processing, 36...Optical zoom, electronic zoom distribution processing, 37...Optical zoom speed Detection, 38...Optical zoom section speed determination process, 39...Electronic zoom section speed determination process.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video camera comprising an optical zoom means and an electronic zoom means, and is configured to operate both at the same time.