JPH05150387A - Camera capable of panoramic photography - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent panoramic photography with undesirable composition by inhibiting a panoramic photographic mode and a self-timer photographic mode from being set at the same time. CONSTITUTION:With a panoramic photographic mode setting button, switching between the panoramic photographic mode wherein a panoramic photograph is taken and a normal photographic mode of normal photography is commanded and with a self-timer photographic mode setting button, the setting of the self- timer mode for self-timer photography is commanded. Further, a self-timer lamp, a driving circuit 22 for panoramic lamp 7 and an LCD 8, a range finding circuit 23, a timer circuit 24, and a panoramic state setting circuit 25 are connected to a control circuit (CPU) 22 which constitutes an inhibiting means. Then the CPU 21 inhibits the panoramic photographic mode and self-timer photographic mode from being set at the same time. Consequently, the panoramic photography with undesirable composition is prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera capable of panoramic shooting and self-timer shooting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various cameras capable of panoramic photography have been proposed. In the panoramic photography, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, only the horizontally long area (panorama area) 51 excluding the upper and lower portions of the normal photography screen 50 is exposed on the film, and thus, the horizontally long or the ordinary print is obtained. Get a portrait print.

[0003]

Now, let us consider a camera capable of performing the panoramic photography and self-timer photography. For self-timer shooting, it is desirable to fix the camera on a tripod, etc., but when there is no tripod, it is often placed on a structure with poor stability such as a handrail or a chair, and in this case , The camera may move in an unexpected direction due to the influence of wind or vibration, and the composition intended by the photographer may not be obtained. On the other hand, in panoramic photography,
As shown in FIG. 15, the vertical shooting angle θp is smaller than the normal shooting angle θn, and the vertical shooting range is considerably narrowed. For this reason, if the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set at the same time and shooting is performed, the main subject may be cut off as shown in FIG. 14 due to instability of the composition and narrow vertical shooting range. The possibility of undesired composition increases. And Figure 1
As can be seen from 5, such a phenomenon is more likely to occur as the distance to the object OB (object distance) is shorter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera capable of panoramic shooting while preventing panoramic shooting with an undesired composition.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a panoramic shooting mode for performing panoramic shooting in which a visible screen is an area excluding upper and lower portions of a normal shooting screen and a self-timer shooting mode for performing self-timer shooting can be set. Applied to various cameras. The invention according to claim 1 includes a prohibition unit for prohibiting simultaneous setting of the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems. According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the panorama shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set at the same time, the distance measuring means for outputting subject distance information related to the distance to the subject is output. Is less than the predetermined distance, the mode canceling unit cancels the panoramic shooting mode.

[0006]

(1) The invention according to claim 1 The prohibiting means prohibits the panoramic photographing mode and the self-timer photographing mode from being set at the same time. This prevents panoramic photography with an undesired composition. (2) Invention of Claim 2 When the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set at the same time, and the subject distance information output from the distance measuring means is less than the predetermined distance, the control means
Cancel the panorama shooting mode. That is, when the subject distance is short and the composition tends to be undesired, panoramic photography is forcibly prohibited, and the same effect as described above can be obtained.

[0007]

【Example】

-First Embodiment- A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a camera capable of panoramic photography according to the present invention as seen from the front. Reference numeral 1 denotes a camera body, and a photographing lens 2 and a self lamp 3 are provided on the front surface thereof, and a release button 4, a panoramic photographing mode setting button 5, a self-timer photographing mode setting button 6 are provided on the upper surface of the camera body 1. , Panoramic lamp 7 and liquid crystal display device (hereinafter,
LCD) 8 is provided. Reference numeral 9 is an eyepiece of the finder. The panorama shooting mode setting button 5 is for instructing switching between the panorama shooting mode for performing the panorama shooting described above and the normal shooting mode for performing the normal shooting,
The self-timer shooting mode setting button 6 is used to instruct the setting of the self-mode for performing self-timer shooting.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of the above-mentioned camera, which is a control circuit (hereinafter, C) constituting a prohibition means.
The PU) 21 is connected to the display driving circuit 22 for the self-lamp 3, the panoramic lamp 7, and the LCD 8, the distance measuring circuit 23, the time counting circuit 24, and the panorama state setting circuit 25. The display drive circuit 22 responds to a command from the CPU 21, and outputs the self-lamp 3 and the panorama lamp 7.
Is turned on and off, and various displays are displayed on the LCD 8. The distance measuring circuit 23 detects the distance to the subject and detects the CPU 21.
To enter. The timing circuit 24 measures the time of self-timer photographing.

The panorama state setting circuit 25 includes a CPU 21.
A pair of upper and lower panorama frames 32 and 33 are driven by a motor 31 in response to a command from the camera to form a shooting opening for panoramic shooting or a shooting opening for normal shooting.
That is, normally, the panorama frames 32 and 33 are retracted from the aperture to form a shooting aperture for normal shooting, and when the motor 31 is rotated in the predetermined direction by a predetermined amount in this state,
The rotation of the motor 31 causes the panorama frame 3 to pass through the gear train GT.
2 and 33, and the panorama frames 32 and 33 cover the upper and lower parts of the aperture, thereby setting the photographing opening for panoramic photographing.

The CPU 21 has a half-press switch SW1 which is turned on by half-pressing the release button 4, a full-press switch SW2 which is turned on by fully-pressing the release button 4, and a panoramic shooting mode setting button 5 which is turned on. The panorama setting / cancel switch SW3 and the self-setting / cancel switch SW that is turned on by operating the self-timer shooting mode setting button 6
4 and 4 are connected.

Next, the procedure of control by the CPU 21 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a panorama setting / cancellation process. When the panorama setting / cancel switch SW3 is turned on, this program is started. If it is determined in step S1 that the panorama flag is not currently set, the process proceeds to step S2, and if it is determined that the self-flag is not set in step S2, the panorama flag is set in step S3 and the step S4 is performed. LCD display 8 via display drive circuit 22
Is displayed in the panorama shooting mode.

When it is determined in step S2 that the self-flag is set, the panorama shooting mode setting impossible display is started in step S5. This display is
For example, blinking the panorama lamp 7 or LC
This is done by blinking the panorama shooting mode display on D8. In step S6, the timer is started, and in step S7, a predetermined time elapses (until the time is up), and then, in step S8, the panorama shooting mode non-setting display is canceled.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S1 that the panorama flag is set, the panorama flag is reset in step S9, and step S1
At 0, the display of the panoramic shooting mode is reset and the processing is ended.

In this embodiment, the setting of the panorama flag corresponds to the setting of the panoramic photography mode, and the resetting of the panorama flag corresponds to the cancellation of the panorama flag.
Further, setting the self-flag corresponds to setting the self-timer shooting mode, and resetting the self-flag corresponds to releasing the self-timer shooting mode. Therefore, according to the procedure of FIG. 3 described above, when the panorama shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are not set, and the panorama setting / cancel switch SW3 is turned on, the panorama shooting mode is set and the panorama shooting mode is set. If the switch SW3 is turned on while the is set, the panoramic shooting mode is released. Further, even when the panorama shooting mode is released, if the self-timer shooting mode is set, the panorama shooting mode is not set even if the switch SW3 is turned on, and in this case, the fact that the setting is impossible is displayed.

FIG. 4 shows the setting / setting of the self-timer photographing mode.
The release procedure is shown, and this program is started when the self-setting / release switch SW4 is turned on. Step S
When it is determined in 11 that the self-flag is not currently set, the process proceeds to step S12, and when it is determined that the panorama flag is not set in step S12, the self-flag is set in step S13, and in step S14. The self-lamp 3 via the display drive circuit 22
Lights up (displays the setting of the self-timer shooting mode). The LCD 8 also displays a message indicating that the self-timer shooting mode is set.

When it is determined in step S12 that the panorama flag is set, the self-timer photographing mode setting impossible display is started in step S15. This display is performed by, for example, blinking the self-lamp 3 or blinking the self-timer shooting mode display on the LCD 8. In step S16, the timer is started, and in step S17, a predetermined time elapses (until the time is up), and then, in step S18, the self-timer shooting mode setting impossible display is released.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that the self-flag is set, step S19
Reset the self-flag in step S2
At 0, the self-timer shooting mode display is reset and the processing is terminated.

According to the procedure of FIG. 4 described above, if the self-setting / cancelling switch SW4 is turned on when neither the panoramic shooting mode nor the self-timer shooting mode is set,
The self-timer shooting mode is set, and when the switch SW4 is turned on while the self-timer shooting mode is set, the self-timer shooting mode is released. Further, even when the panorama shooting mode is set even when the self-timer shooting mode is released, the self-timer shooting mode is not set even if the switch SW4 is turned on, and in this case, the fact that the setting is impossible is displayed. ..

FIG. 5 shows the procedure of the photographing process. When the half-push switch SW1 is turned on, this program is started.
First, when it is determined in step S31 that the panorama flag is set, the process proceeds to step S32. Here, the setting of the panorama flag (the panorama shooting mode is set) as described above means that the self-timer shooting mode is released. In step S32, the panoramic lamp 7 is turned on and the process proceeds to step S33 in FIG. If it is determined in step S33 that the halfway press switch SW1 is off, the panoramic lamp 7 is turned off in step S34 to end the process, and if it is determined that the halfway press switch SW1 is on, the process proceeds to step S35. If it is determined in step S35 that the full-press switch is off, the process returns to step S33, and if it is determined to be on, the process proceeds to step S36.

In step S36, the panorama setting (aperture)
(Cha setting). That is, the panorama state setting circuit 2
The motor 31 is rotated via 5, and the panorama frames 32, 3
3 is inserted into the aperture from above and below to form a photographing opening for panoramic photographing. After that, photographing is performed in step S37, and then panoramic lamp 7 is photographed in step S38.
Is turned off, and the panorama setting is canceled in step S39. That is, the panorama frames 32 and 33 are retracted from the aperture and returned to the shooting aperture for normal shooting. Further, the panorama flag is reset in step S40, and the panorama display is reset in step S41 to end the process.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S31 in FIG. 5 that the panorama flag is not set, the process proceeds to step S41, and if it is determined that the self-flag is not set in step S41, the process proceeds to step S42.
If the half-push switch SW1 is determined to be off in step S42, the process ends, and if it is determined to be on, step S42.
At 43, it is determined whether the full-press switch SW2 is on or off.
If it is off, the process returns to step S42, and if it is on, shooting is performed and the process ends in step S44.

When it is determined in step S41 that the self-flag is set, the process proceeds to step S45, and in steps S45 and S46, the steps S42,
The same process as in S43 is performed, and when it is determined in step S46 that the full-press switch SW2 is turned on, the self-lamp 3 is blinked in step S47, and the time counting circuit 24 is started in step S48 to start counting a predetermined time. .. Next, in step S49 of FIG. 6, the process waits until a predetermined time elapses, and then, in step S50, the self-lamp 3
Is turned off, and shooting is performed in step S51.
Next, in step S52, the self-flag is reset, and in step S53, the self-display on the LCD 8 is canceled and the process ends.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the setting of the self-timer shooting mode is prohibited when the panoramic shooting mode is set, and the setting of the panoramic shooting mode is prohibited when the self-timer shooting mode is set. That is, it is prohibited to set the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode at the same time.

In the above description, the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode, whichever is set first, is given priority, but the mode instructed to set later may be given priority. That is, when the self-timer shooting mode setting command is issued when the panorama shooting mode is set, the panorama shooting mode is canceled and the self-timer shooting mode is set, and the panorama shooting mode setting command is issued when the self-timer shooting mode is set. If so, the self-timer shooting mode may be canceled and the panoramic shooting mode may be set.

Alternatively, for example, if the self-timer shooting mode is prioritized and a command for setting the self-timer shooting mode is issued when the panorama shooting mode is set, the panorama shooting mode is canceled and the self-timer shooting mode is set. When a panoramic shooting mode setting command is issued when the timer shooting mode is set, the setting of the self-timer shooting mode may be held and the setting of the panoramic shooting mode may be prohibited. On the contrary, the panoramic shooting mode may be prioritized.

-Second Embodiment- Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode can be set at the same time, but if the shooting distance is less than a predetermined value at this time, the panoramic shooting mode is canceled.

FIG. 7 shows the procedure for setting / releasing the panoramic shooting mode, which starts when the panorama setting / releasing switch SW3 is turned on. If it is determined in step S61 that the panorama flag is not currently set, step S
The panorama flag is set in 62, and the panorama shooting mode is set and displayed in step S63. If it is determined in step S61 that the panorama flag is currently set, the panorama flag is reset in step S64, and the panorama display is reset in step S65 to end the process.

FIG. 8 shows a procedure for setting / releasing the self-timer photographing mode, which starts when the self-setting / releasing switch SW4 is turned on. If it is determined in step S71 that the self-flag is not currently set, step S
The self-flag is set at 72 and step S
At 73, the self-timer shooting mode setting is displayed. If it is determined in step S71 that the self-flag is set, the self-flag is reset in step S74, and the self-display is reset in step S75 to end the process.

9 to 13 show the photographing process, and when the half-push switch SW1 is turned on, this program is started. First, distance measurement processing is performed in step S81 of FIG. That is, the distance measuring circuit 23 is operated and the object distance information L which is the detection result is read. When it is determined in step S82 that the shooting distance information L is equal to or greater than the predetermined value L2, the process proceeds to step S83, and in step S83 it is determined that the panorama flag is reset, and when it is determined in step S84 that the self-flag is reset, the step of FIG. Proceed to S42. Then, the processing of steps S42 to S44 described in FIG. 5, that is, the normal photographing processing is performed, and the processing ends. When it is determined in step S84 in FIG. 9 that the self-flag is set, the process proceeds to step S45 in FIG. 10 and the processes in steps S45 to S53 described in FIGS. To finish.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S83 in FIG. 9 that the panorama flag is set, the process proceeds to step S85, and if it is determined in step S85 that the self-flag is reset, then the process shown in FIG. Step S
32, and the steps S32 to S described with reference to FIGS.
The process of 41, that is, the panoramic shooting process is performed, and the process ends. If the self-flag is set in step S85 of FIG. 9, that is, both the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set, panorama self-timer shooting is performed in steps S91 to S104 of FIG. .. That is, the panorama lamp 7 is turned on, the panorama setting is performed when the full-press switch SW2 is turned on, and then the self-timer lamp 3 is blinked.
Shooting is performed after a predetermined time has elapsed. After that, the panorama lamp 7 is turned off, the panorama setting is canceled, the panorama flag and the self-flag are cleared, and the panorama and the self-display are canceled. The above is the processing when the shooting distance information L is L2 or more.

Next, the processing when the photographing distance information L is less than L2 will be described. In step S82 of FIG. 9, L <L
If it is determined to be 2, the process proceeds to step S86 and step S8.
When the reset of the panorama flag is determined in 6 and the reset of the self-flag is determined in step S87, the processes of steps S42 to S44 in FIG. 10 described above (normal photographing process) are performed and the process ends. In addition, step S87 in FIG.
If it is determined that the self-flag is set in, the process of steps S45 to S53 (self-timer photographing process) of FIG. 10 is performed and the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S86 in FIG. 9 that the panorama flag is set, the process proceeds to step S88, and if it is determined in step S88 that the self-flag is reset, the above-mentioned procedure is performed. The processing of steps S32 to S41 of FIG. 11, that is, the panoramic shooting processing is performed, and the processing ends. When it is determined in step S88 that the self-flag is set, the process proceeds to step S101 in FIG.

In step S101 of FIG. 13, a message indicating that the panoramic shooting mode cannot be set is displayed, then in step S102 the panorama flag is reset, in step S103 the panoramic shooting mode display is canceled, and in step S45 of FIG. The process from S53 to the self-timer photographing process is performed, and the process ends.

According to the above procedure, if the detected subject distance L is less than the predetermined distance L2 when the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set at the same time, the panoramic shooting mode is set. It will be canceled. That is, when the subject distance is short and the composition tends to be undesired, panoramic photography is forcibly prohibited. When the subject distance L is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance L2, the possibility of undesired composition is low, and therefore panorama self-timer photography is allowed.

[0035]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the simultaneous setting of the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode is prohibited, so that panoramic shooting with an undesired composition can be prevented. According to the invention of claim 2,
When the panoramic shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set at the same time, if the subject distance information is less than the predetermined distance, the panoramic shooting mode is canceled, so that the subject distance is short and undesired. If the composition is likely to be taken, panoramic shooting is forcibly prohibited, which prevents the panoramic shooting from being performed with an undesired composition as described above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera seen from the front.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting / cancelling a panoramic shooting mode.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting / releasing a self-timer shooting mode.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure at the time of shooting.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart following FIG.

FIG. 7: Panorama shooting mode setting / according to the second embodiment
It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of cancellation.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of setting / releasing a self-timer shooting mode.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure at the time of shooting.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart following FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart following FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart following FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart following FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a panoramic shooting screen.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between subject distance and subject head cutout.

[Description of symbols] 1 camera body 3 self-lamp 4 release button 5 panorama shooting mode setting button 6 self-timer shooting mode setting button 7 panoramic lamp 8 liquid crystal display (LCD) 21 CPU 22 display drive circuit 23 ranging circuit 24 timing circuit 25 panorama state setting circuit 31 motor 32, 33 panorama frame

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A camera capable of setting a panoramic shooting mode for performing panoramic shooting in which a region other than upper and lower portions of a normal shooting screen is used as a visualization screen, and a self-timer shooting mode for performing self-timer shooting, wherein the panoramic shooting mode is set. A camera capable of panoramic shooting, which is provided with a prohibition unit that prohibits simultaneous setting of the self-timer shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode. 2. A distance to a subject in a camera in which a panorama shooting mode in which a panorama shooting in which the upper and lower parts of a normal shooting screen are excluded as a visualization screen is set and a self-timer shooting mode in which self-timer shooting is set can be set. When the panorama shooting mode and the self-timer shooting mode are set at the same time with the distance measuring unit that outputs the subject distance information related to, when the output subject distance information is less than the predetermined distance, A camera capable of panoramic photography, comprising: a control unit for canceling the panoramic photography mode.