JPH0438189B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a photographing device that can be used in a video camera or the like.

Conventional configuration and its problems In recent years, home video cameras have become popular.
There is a need for something small, lightweight, and easy to operate that allows for easy photography.

A conventional photographing device will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional photographing device, in which a photographing lens 2 is screwed onto the front of a video camera body 1, a viewfinder eye cap 3 is mounted on the rear surface, and a hand grip is mounted on the bottom surface. 4 is provided. Further, on the left side surface 1a of the video camera body 1, a color temperature switch 5, a white balance switch 6, a hue control knob 6, an iris control knob 8, etc. are arranged. Furthermore, on the left side surface 2a of the photographic lens 2, index lines 9 for focusing and zooming are engraved, and a zoom lever 10 is also provided. Therefore, during normal use, the hand grip is held with the right hand, the right eye is placed on the eye cap 3 of the viewfinder, and the left eye is used to read the distance scale of the photographic lens 2 and the various switches 5, 6, 7, etc. arranged on the left side 1a of the video camera body. While checking 8, operate the photographing lens 2 with your left hand to photograph the subject.

However, for left-handed users, the above eyes and hands are all reversed, making it difficult to see the distance scale of the photographic lens, the various switches 5, 6, 7, 8, and operating the zoom lever 10. had.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a photographing device that can be operated by a left-handed user in the same manner as by a right-handed user.

Configuration of the Invention The photographing device of the present invention includes a photographing lens for photographing a subject, a photoelectric conversion means for converting an optical image formed by the photographing lens into an electrical signal, and a camera for confirming the image photographed by the photographing lens. a finder; an exterior case having a first surface and a second surface facing each other and housing the photoelectric conversion means and the finder; This device includes a holding part provided in the exterior case that allows the device to be held with the left hand when the side of the device is facing down. It has exactly the same operability as the user of .

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a photographing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of its main parts. In those drawings, the camera body 11
A photographic lens 12 for photographing a subject is built in the front part of the camera, and an image of the subject is formed on an image sensor 13 such as a charge transfer device (CCD) arranged at the rear of the photographic lens 12. Further, a small viewfinder cathode ray tube 14 is built into the rear of the camera body 11 for checking the image to be shot. The image projected on the cathode ray tube 14 can be viewed through a magnifying lens 15 and an eye cap 16. Further, on the left side surface 11a of the camera body 11, there is a focus lever 17 for focusing the photographic lens 12, a zoom lever 18 for zoom control, a color temperature switch 19, a white balance switch 20, a hue control knob 21, and an iris control knob. Control knobs 22 and the like are arranged. Also, focus lever 1
A scale number 23 indicating the focusing distance is printed or engraved near 7, and a scale number 24 indicating the focal length of the photographing lens 12 is printed or engraved on the zoom lever 18.

As shown in FIG. 3, a detection element 25 for vertical direction detection is installed inside the camera body 11. As shown in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 4, this detection element 25 is provided with a pair of contacts 27a and 27b on the upper and lower sides of a glass case 26, and mercury 28 is sealed inside the glass case 26. Therefore, when the contact point 27a is located downward, the contact point 27a becomes conductive due to the mercury 28, and the camera body 11 is turned upside down, as when the camera body 11 is turned over, and the contact point 2
When the contact point 7b comes downward, the attitude of the camera body 11 can be detected by making the contact point 27b conductive. The detection element 25 is connected to a scanning direction conversion circuit 30 via a manual operation circuit 29, and is configured to be able to convert the scanning direction of the image pickup element 13 and the cathode ray tube 14 upside down. In addition, the image sensor 13
The output is converted into a normal television signal by a signal processing circuit 31 and supplied to an output terminal 32 and a cathode ray tube 14. Incidentally, the cathode ray tube 14 and the photographing lens 12 are located approximately at the vertical center of the camera body 11, as shown in FIG.

The operation of the photographing apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

First, when a right-handed user takes a picture, he holds the camera body 11 with his right hand from the right side 11b of the camera body 11, and his right thumb touches the bottom surface 11c of the camera body 11, and his other fingers touch the top surface 11d. By supporting the camera body 11, the camera body 11 can be gripped securely. Place your right eye on the eye cap 16 to check the image on the cathode ray tube 14, and use your left eye to check the image of the subject.
Various switches 19, 2 arranged on the left side surface 11a
0, 21, 22, focus number 23, zoom number 24, etc. while checking the focus lever 17,
Operate the zoom lever 18 to take a picture.

Next, when a left-handed user wants to take a picture, he or she uses the camera body 11 upside down as shown in FIG. The positions of the left and right hands and eyes are opposite to those for right-handed people, and the thumb of the left hand is placed at 11d of the video camera body 11.
The video camera main body 11 is held by supporting the surface 11c with the other fingers, and the focus lever 17, zoom lever 18, etc. are operated with the right hand. Also, the user places his left eye on the eye cap 16 and takes pictures while checking the subject, switches, etc. with his right eye. At this time, the detection element 25 detects the front and back directions of the camera body, and the scanning direction converting means 30 turns the scanning direction (deflection direction) of the image sensor 13 and cathode ray tube 14 upside down, so that the output terminal 32 , a television signal whose vertical positional relationship is in the same direction as the subject is output. Further, a manual changeover switch 33 provided near the eye cap is connected to a manual operation circuit 29, and by operating the manual changeover switch, it is possible to turn the photographed image upside down, and the detection element Regardless of the detection result of 25, the vertical direction of the image can be set arbitrarily.

In addition, although the above-mentioned embodiment explained the case where the scanning direction conversion circuit was used, even if the image sensor and the cathode ray tube are rotated upside down, it is relatively the same and has the same function. It is.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides a photographic lens for photographing a subject, a photoelectric conversion means for converting an optical image formed by the photographic lens into an electrical signal, and a photographing lens for photographing a subject. a finder for confirming an image to be displayed; an exterior case having first and second surfaces facing each other and housing the photoelectric conversion means and the finder; and a case held in the right hand when the first surface is downward. However, since the structure includes a holding part provided on the exterior case that allows the user to hold the case with the left hand when the second surface is facing down, a left-handed user can enjoy the same operability as a right-handed user. Since the camera is configured to hold the case while taking pictures, it is compact and has excellent portability and storage when shooting outdoors, and provides excellent effects. Additionally, since the camera body is held directly in the hand, there is no need to change the hand grip.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional imaging device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of its main parts, and FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the vent element used, and is a perspective view showing the direction when the photographing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is used with the left hand. 12...Photographing lens, 13...Image sensor, 14
... Braun tube, 25 ... Detection element, 29 ... Manual operation circuit, 30 ... Scanning direction conversion circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photographic lens for photographing a subject, a photoelectric conversion means for converting an optical image formed by the photographic lens into an electrical signal, a viewfinder for confirming the image photographed by the photographic lens, and a second lens facing opposite to each other. an exterior case that has a first surface and a second surface and houses the photoelectric conversion means and the finder; and an exterior case that is held with the right hand when the first surface is facing down and with the left hand when the second surface is facing down; A photographing device comprising a holding portion provided in the exterior case that allows holding.