JPH0652362B2 - Camera with self-mode function - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera with a self-mode function, and more particularly, to a camera with a self-mode function for a photographer to take a picture of himself / herself.

[Prior Art] When the photographer wants to take a picture of himself / herself, the self-timer of the camera is activated. A self-timer is a device that starts exposure after a certain time has elapsed since the shutter button was pressed, and there are mechanical ones in the old days, and electronically controlled ones are currently the mainstream. As for the function of the timer, all of them have a simple mechanism that ignores the presence or absence of the subject and the control of the angle of view and starts the exposure after a certain period of time. There has been no progress other than a self-warning, which means that there is something, and a preparation warning, which is given just before the start of exposure.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, it is very difficult for the photographer himself / herself as the subject to actually predict the composition in which he / she will be photographed. Regardless of whether or not the decision is made, that is, in an extreme case, even if the subject does not enter the photographing frame, the photographing is performed as it is.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and in the self-photographing mode, it is possible to predict in advance the state in which the photographer himself / herself will be photographed, so that the photographer can surely photograph with the predicted composition. An object of the present invention is to provide a camera with a self mode function.

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems] In the camera with a self-mode function of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the ratio r of the size of the main subject in the shooting image frame is set by a changeover switch or the like. Setting means 1 is provided. The ratio r set by the setting means 1 is input to the CPU (central processing unit) 2 and the ratio r
The composition determined by the setting is graphically displayed on the display device 3 such as a liquid crystal display panel, so that the photographer can see the composition displayed on the display device 3 before taking a picture of himself. Select the ratio r. Further, this camera includes a distance measuring unit 4 and a motor drive circuit 5
An electric zoom lens 6 for zooming is provided. After the ratio r is set, one of the distance d at which the photographer who is the subject is photographed and the focal length f (angle of view θ) of the zoom lens 6 is set to release in the self mode. After operating the button,
The CPU 2 determines the other from these pieces of information, and when the photographer himself / herself is in a state of determining a composition that matches the ratio r as the subject, the CPU 2 issues a signal for starting exposure.

[Embodiment] First, prior to the description of the embodiment of the present invention, a description will be given of a ratio of a main subject occupied in a shooting image frame in self-mode shooting. This ratio has individual differences when the subject is a human. In any case, it is uniquely determined by the focal length f of the photographing lens and the subject distance d. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 (A) to (C), the camera 1
Even if the distance d from 1 to the subject 10 changes, a similar composition can be obtained by the focal length f of the taking lens. Here, FIGS. 2 (A) to 2 (C) respectively show the case where the distance d is short and the case where the distance d is gradually increased. In all cases, the ratio of the subject 10 in the photographing image frame is equal in the left-right direction. That is, if this ratio is r, the following equation holds.

However, in the equation (1), w is a half length of the subject 10 in the left-right direction, and θ is a shooting angle of view. Since w can be considered to be substantially constant, if the ratio r is set in the above formula (1), if either the distance d or the angle of view θ is determined, the other is determined by itself.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the angle of view θ and the focal length f. From this graph and the above equation (1), it is clear that the focal length f to the subject distance d and the subject distance d to the focal length f are obtained by the above-mentioned ratio r, that is, a functional relationship if the composition is determined. Therefore, in the self mode, in order to obtain a predetermined composition, a method of first determining the subject distance d and a method of first determining the focal length f (that is, the angle of view θ) can be considered. Here, the former will be referred to as a distance priority self mode, and the latter will be referred to as a view angle priority self mode. In the embodiment described in detail below, either the distance priority or the angle of view priority self mode can be selected.

FIG. 4 (A) is a plan view of a camera with a self-mode function showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 (B) is a front view of the same camera. An electric zoom lens 13 is mounted on the front surface of a main body 12 of the camera 11 with a self-mode function, and a PCV (for giving a warning to the photographer himself who is the subject in the self mode is mounted on the side thereof. A sounding element 14 made of a piezo ceramic vibrator and a light emitting element 15 made of an LED are provided. On the upper surface of the camera body 12, a shutter button 17 and push button type changeover switches 18, 19 and 20 are arranged at positions where the right hand can operate while looking through the finder window 16 on the rear surface. A changeover switch 18 is a photographing mode changeover switch for changing over various photographing modes, and a changeover switch 19
Is a self-mode changeover switch for setting the self-mode and switching between the distance-priority self-mode and the angle-of-view priority self-mode, and the change-over switch 20 is a ratio changeover switch for changing the ratio r of the subject occupied in the photographing image frame. Is. In addition, on the upper surface of the camera body 12,
A liquid crystal display panel 21 is provided on the left-hand side opposite to the side on which the changeover switches 18 to 20 are provided. The liquid crystal display panel 21 has an electrode pattern structure as shown in FIG. 5, and a graphic composition display portion 21a is formed in a large area in the approximate center of the panel 21.
Are formed. The composition display portion 21a is provided with a ratio r occupied by the main subject by the ratio changeover switch 20.
When the switching selection is made, any one of the three types of predicted shooting compositions shown in FIGS. 6 (A) to (C) is displayed. In addition, in the lower right of the display panel 21,
The degree-of-freedom display portion 21b is formed so that, as shown in FIG. 7, when the proportion r occupied by the main subject is selected to be small, the distance representing the left-right degree of freedom of the main subject is indicated by a numerical value. Has become. Further, in the lower left of the display panel 21, in the self mode, a mode display section 21c for identifying whether the distance priority or the angle of view priority is given.
Are formed.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the entire electric circuit in the camera 11 with the self-mode function, which is mainly viewed from the power supply. In this electric circuit, the voltage V _CC of the power battery 31 is DC / D when the power switch 32 is closed.
Boosted by C converter 33, is supplied between the line _l 0, _{l 1} voltage V _DD between the line _l 0, _{l 1} is constant voltage. The constant power supply voltage V _DD is the main CPU 34, which corresponds to the CPU 2 shown in FIG.
The voltage is applied to the bipolar IC 35, the head amplifier 36 for photometry, and the warning drive circuit 31, and the power supply voltage V _CC is applied to the AF (autofocus) motor drive circuit 38 and the zooming motor drive circuit 39. The power supply control to the bipolar IC 35 is performed by a signal from the power control circuit of the main CPU 34, and the power supply control to the head amplifier 36, the warning drive circuit 37, the AF motor drive circuit 38 and the zooming motor drive circuit 39 is bipolar. This is performed by the control signal of IC35.

Focus sensor 40, A / D converter 41 and AF C
The PU 42 is an AF corresponding to the distance measuring means 4 shown in FIG.
Power supply control transistor 4 that constitutes a block
It is connected via lines 3 between lines l ₀ and l ₁ . The main CPU 34 controls the power supply to this AF block.
From the AF power control circuit of
This is performed by turning on and off the transistor 43 with a signal supplied to the base of No. 3. AF CPU 42
Is a circuit for performing AF algorithm calculation.
The main CPU 34 controls the exposure sequence and the camera body 12
It is the central processing unit of the entire camera system, which also performs mechanical control and detection and processing of inputs. An LCD drive circuit 44 for driving the liquid crystal display panel 21 under the control of the main CPU 34 is connected to the main CPU 34. In addition, the changeover switch 18
A mode change-over switch circuit 45 including .about.20 is connected to the main CPU 34.

The bipolar IC 35 controls the photometric control together with the head amplifier 36 which measures the subject light and outputs the photometric integrated output and the luminance value signal, and also controls the film winding / rewinding motor, the lens drive and the shutter control. It is a circuit including various drive circuits. Further, the bipolar IC 35 monitors the state of the power supply voltage V _DD ,
When the power supply voltage V _DD drops below a specified voltage, a system reset signal is sent to the main CPU 34 to supply power to the head amplifier 36 and the drive circuits 37 to 39, as well as the focus sensor 40, A / D converter 41 and AF. C
The power supply to the AF block composed of the PU 42 is cut off. The power supply to the main CPU 34 is performed even at a specified voltage or less.

FIG. 9 is a block system diagram showing signal transmission / reception centered on the AF block in FIG.
2 and the main CPU 34 exchange data via a serial communication line, and the communication direction is controlled by the serial control line. The contents of this communication are lens information such as zoom ratio and F number obtained through the bipolar IC 35, and absolute distance information. Also, from the main CPU 34 to the AF CP
Information regarding each mode of the self mode (distance priority self mode, view angle priority self mode) and other modes of the camera during normal use is decoded in the U42 through the mode line. Furthermore, from the main CPU 34 to A
The AFENA (AF enable) signal guided to the F CPU 42 is a signal for controlling the start and stop of AF, and is used by the AF CPU 42 to the main CPU.
The EOFAF (end-off AF) signal led to 34 is A
This signal is issued at the end of the F operation and permits the next operation.

The bipolar IC 35 decodes the signal of the AF motor control line from the AF CPU 42,
The F motor drive circuit 38 is driven. When the AF motor (focus lens drive motor) 46 is rotated by the output of the AF motor drive circuit 38, the slits 47 provided at equal intervals in the rotating member of the lens barrel rotate, and the passage of the slit 47 is sandwiched. Light emitting portion 48a and light receiving portion 48b
The photo interrupter 48, which is arranged to face each other, counts the slit 47. That is, the slit 47 and the photo interrupter 48 constitute an address generator 49, and the address signal (count signal of the slit 47) emitted from the address generator 49 is waveform-shaped and AF-processed.
It is taken in by the CPU 42 for use. This AF CPU
A clock oscillator 50 and a reset capacitor 51 are connected to 42.

The AF CPU 42 and the A / D converter 41 exchange data via a bus line, and the control thereof is controlled by a bus line control signal. In addition, CP for AF
A sensor switching signal and a system clock signal are sent from the U42 to the A / D converter 41. A /
The D converter 41 supplies a CCD drive clock signal to the focus sensor 40 composed of a CCD (charge coupled device), a CCD
A control signal is sent to read the CCD output from the focus sensor 40, and the read CCD output of the analog value is converted into a digital value and sent to the AF CPU 42. The distance is detected by the AF CPU 42 based on the CCD output from the focus sensor 40 and the lens information from the bipolar IC 35 using such a system. Here, the lens information is performed via the bipolar IC 35, but the focal length, the open F number, etc. of the lens information of the zoom lens change due to zooming. Since such information is uniquely determined by the zooming position, it can be obtained by detecting the position of the zoom ring rotated by the zooming motor 52 by the digital encoder 53. In other words, as the zoom ring rotates, the same number of conductive layers on the zoom ring side are formed on the plurality of rows of electrode substrates that are formed in a ring shape in the circumferential direction of the lens barrel and that are electrically conductive and non-conductive in a comb pattern. By configuring the contact piece to slide, it is possible to perform electric digital position detection. The lens information is obtained by shaping the information of the digital encoder 53 in the bipolar IC 35 and reading it into the main CPU 34.
It is received by the CPU 42 for AF through 34. At the same time, the main CPU 34 also reads angle-of-view information.

The distance information calculated by the AF CPU 42 is transferred to the main CPU 34 through the serial communication line.
Entered in.

Here, the shooting mode is set while looking at the liquid crystal display panel 21, and the mode setting will be described next. The self-mode changeover switch 19 (see FIG. 4A) is connected between the common output terminal 34a and the input terminal 34b of the main CPU 34, and the ratio changeover switch 20 (is provided between the common output terminal 34a and the input terminal 34c. Fig. 4
(See (A)) is connected, and the strobe signal is output from the common output terminal 34a at a constant cycle of, for example, about 100 msec. Therefore, when the changeover switches 19 and 20 are turned on, the input terminals 34b and 34c are connected to the above-mentioned. The strobe signal is input, and the main CPU 34 switches the changeover switch 1
Recognize that 9 and 20 are turned on. When the self mode changeover switch 19 is turned on once, the camera is automatically set to the distance priority self mode, and when the self mode changeover switch 19 is turned on again, the camera is set to the view angle priority self mode. When the self-mode changeover switch 19 is turned on again, these self-modes are released. Also, the ratio changeover switch 20
As for, if this is not operated even once, the composition as shown in FIG. 6 (A) is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 21,
The horizontal occupation ratio of the person pattern in the center of the image frame is set to r = 1/8. The ratio changeover switch 2
When 0 is turned on once, the display on the liquid crystal display panel 21 changes to the composition as shown in FIG. 6 (B), and the horizontal ratio of the person pattern is set to r = 1/4. When the ratio changeover switch 20 is turned on again, the display on the panel 21 has a composition as shown in FIG. 6 (C), and the ratio of the person pattern is set to r = 1/2. When the ratio changeover switch 20 is turned on again, the above sixth
After returning to the composition shown in FIG. 6A, similarly, each time the switch 20 is turned on, the composition display cyclically changes in the above order. When the composition shown in FIG. 6 (A) is selected and the angle-of-view priority mode is selected, as shown in FIG. 7, from the person pattern in the center to the end of the photographic image frame. The distance is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 21 based on the processing result of the main CPU 34. The display information obtained by the processing result of the main CPU 34 is input to the LCD drive circuit 44 as serial data, and the liquid crystal display panel 21 is driven thereby. The main CP
A serial data synchronizing signal, a transfer clock signal, and a clock signal are led from the U34 to the LCD drive circuit 44.

Next, the operation of the camera 11 with the self-mode function in the self mode will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when the power is turned on, the power-on reset state is set, and the self-mode setting switch 19 determines the self-mode setting state. At this time, if the distance-priority self-mode is set by the self-mode changeover switch 19, the distance-priority self-mode is read into the main CPU 34, and the liquid crystal display panel 21 displays this self-mode as described above. , The composition is displayed. As shown in FIG. 6 (A), the composition displayed first is a composition with a small human pattern occupancy ratio, r = 1/8. Therefore, at this time, as described above, by the ratio change switch 20, Fig. 6 (B), (C)
As shown in FIG. 3, the occupation ratio of the human pattern is large, r = 1
A composition of / 4, r = 1/2 can be arbitrarily selected.

When the composition is displayed, the camera waits for the release signal to be input. Therefore, when the shutter button 17 is pressed to issue the release signal, the timer is set and the distance measurement is started. Therefore, here, the photographer himself is the subject
When standing at an arbitrary position in front of 11 , the distance d to the subject is obtained by the distance measuring operation described above. Then, an appropriate angle of view θ is calculated from the distance d and the ratio r based on the equation (1). After this, a distance measurement warning operation is started, and a warning is issued according to the distance to the subject. This warning operation is performed by sound and light by the sounding element 14 and the light emitting element 15 being activated by the output of the warning driving circuit 37. At this time, the driving frequency of the sounding element 14 and the light emitting element 15 is
If the angle of view θ obtained by the above calculation is realized by zooming, as shown in FIGS. 11 (A) to (E), there are five levels depending on the distance from the longest distance to the shortest distance. It is divided and becomes gradually lower from the far side to the near side of the distance, for example, 5 kHz, 4 kHz, 3 kHz, 2 kHz, 1.5 kHz. The sound and light of these frequencies are repeated at an ON time of 250 ms and a cycle of 500 ms. If it is determined that the angle of view θ according to the subject distance d is appropriate, the operations of the distance measurement, the angle of view calculation, and the distance measurement warning are repeatedly performed for 15 seconds after the timer is set, and then the final operation is performed. Based on the distance measurement results, the angle of view θ
Is zoomed to the position where is obtained.

By the way, if the subject distance is too far or too close, the desired composition is used.
When the zoom ratio of 3 is not obtained, that is, when it is determined that the angle of view θ obtained by the above calculation cannot be realized by zooming, the operation of the distance warning is as follows. The sounding element 14 and the light emitting element 15 are driven at the same highest frequency or lowest frequency as in the case of the longest distance or the shortest distance. Then, the angle of view θ
If it is determined to be inappropriate, the distance measuring operation does not end even after 15 seconds, and the distance warning by sound and light is continued at the highest driving frequency or the lowest driving frequency. In such a case, if the photographer who is the subject approaches or goes away from the camera side and appropriately changes the distance, the calculated angle of view θ can be realized by zooming. When this occurs, this can be known by the change in the timbre emitted from the sound producing element 14. Also, when the subject enters the distance measuring zone from a position outside the distance measuring zone in the center of the shooting frame, the sounding element 1
Since the timbre from 4 changes, it can be confirmed that the subject has entered the center of the image frame.

When zooming is performed up to the position where the calculated angle of view θ is obtained, a preparation warning prior to shooting is given thereafter. This warning is issued by the sounding element 14 and the light emitting element 15 described above.
As shown in Fig. 11 (F),
It is performed for 5 seconds by repeatedly issuing an on-time of 00 ms at a cycle of 400 ms. Since the subject can know that it is a preparation warning by recognizing the warning operation of the sound emitting element 14 and the light emitting element 15 whose duty ratio is different from that in the case of the distance measurement warning, a pose at the time of shooting should be created during this time. You can

Focusing is performed after the preparation warning for 5 seconds. When the focusing is completed, the shutter release is triggered and the integration is started at the same time as the exposure is started, as in the normal shooting. When the integration is completed, the exposure is finished at this point and the shooting in the distance priority self mode is finished.

Next, the case where the view angle priority self mode is set will be described. When the view angle priority self mode is set by the self mode changeover switch 19, the view angle priority self mode is read by the main CPU 34, and the liquid crystal display panel 2 is displayed.
This self-mode display and composition display are displayed at 1. Similarly, the composition displayed first is as shown in FIG. 6 (A), where the occupation ratio of the central person pattern is small, r =
The composition is ⅛, and the composition can be switched to a composition with a large occupancy ratio by r = 1/4 and r = 1/2 by the ratio changeover switch 20. Here, when r = 1/8 is set, the human pattern in the image frame has a high degree of freedom in the left-right direction, so that the distance that can be moved left and right is displayed as shown in FIG. . In the angle-of-view priority self mode, the photographer first sets an appropriate angle of view θ. Therefore, based on the result of setting the angle of view, the horizontal direction displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 21 is changed. The movable distance of the subject is determined. This movable distance l is shown in Fig. 2 (A).
As is clear from (C), it can be obtained by the following equation: l = d tan θ. That is, the degree of freedom of the moving distance of the subject in the left-right direction is calculated by the main CPU 34 based on the angle-of-view information and the selected composition information and displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 21. By looking at this displayed degree of freedom information, the subject can know how much to move to the left and right, but it will not go out of the shooting frame, and will move to the left and right during the preparation warning time described later to change the composition. can do.

After that, when the shutter button 17 is pressed and a release signal is issued, distance measurement is started, and based on the result, as in the case of the distance-priority self mode, the sound emitting element 14 and the light emitting element 15 generate a frequency corresponding to the distance. (Figure 11 (A) ~ (E)
Distance measurement warning is issued. Distance measurement is also 5
It is performed at a cycle of 00 msec. Therefore, when the photographer stands in front of the camera 11 as a subject and moves in the front-rear direction, the above distance measurement and distance warning are performed until the subject reaches an appropriate distance determined by the set angle of view θ. . Then, when the subject enters the proper distance, the timer is set and the preparation warning is given for 10 seconds. As in the case of the distance priority self mode, the preparation warning is issued by the sounding element 1
4 and the light emitting element 15 are driven by a frequency signal having a duty ratio different from that in the distance warning.
Focusing is performed at the same time as the preparation warning, and exposure starts when the warning ends.

After the photographing in the distance-priority self-mode or the angle-of-view priority self-mode described above ends, the flow returns to the self-mode determination state again. This state means that the self-mode state set by the self-mode changeover switch 19 has been released. Normal shooting can be performed when the self-mode is released, and it is also possible to configure a camera that has a similar automatic angle-of-view setting device in other than self-mode. In this case, prior to shooting When the release is started, distance measurement is started and the set angle of view is read. Also in this case, if the ratio r occupied by the subject in the image frame is selected by looking at the liquid crystal display panel 21 prior to photographing, the distance r is determined when the subject distance d is obtained by distance measurement. From d and the preset angle of view θ, the ratio of the subject to the photographing image frame can be obtained by converting the equation (1),
If this matches a preset ratio, shooting is performed. Therefore, even in a mode other than the self mode, it is possible to shoot a composition close to the prediction as long as the subject is a person or the like without looking through the finder window 16.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes easy for the photographer to predict in advance the state in which he / she will be photographed when performing self-mode photography, and it will be possible to determine any position or any image. You can easily take the picture according to the composition set with the corner,
Also, since exposure does not start until a proper situation is obtained, self-mode shooting with few failures can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a camera with a self-mode function of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (A) to (C) are cameras for explaining the relationship between the subject distance d and the angle of view θ. And a plan view of the subject, FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the focal length f and the angle of view θ, and FIGS. 4 (A) and 4 (B) are self-mode functions showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view and a front view of the attached camera, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an electrode pattern structure of the liquid crystal display panel on the camera body shown in FIG. 4 (A), and FIGS. 6 (A) to 6 (C). FIG. 7 is a plan view showing each pattern of the composition displayed on the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 shows the ratio of person patterns to the minimum in the liquid crystal display panel in the view angle priority self mode. Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the composition pattern displayed when the settings are made. Fig. 8 shows the pattern shown in Fig. 4 (A) and (B) above. Fig. 9 is a block diagram of an electric circuit viewed mainly from the power supply of a laser, Fig. 9 is a block system diagram showing signal transmission / reception centered on the AF block in Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 is Fig. 4 mentioned above. FIGS. 11A to 11F are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the camera shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. FIGS. 11A to 11F show signals for distance measurement warning and preparation warning signals having different frequencies depending on the distance. It is a waveform diagram. 1 ... Ratio setting means 2 ... CPU (calculation means) 3 ... Display element (display means) 4 ... Distance measuring means 5 ... Motor drive circuit (electrical focal length variable photographing lens) 6, 13 ... Zoom lens (electrically variable focal length shooting lens) 10 ...... Main subject 11 ...... Camera with self-mode function 19 ...... Ratio change switch (ratio setting means) 20 ...... Self mode change switch 21 ...... Liquid crystal display panel ( Display means) 34 ... Main CPU (calculation means) 38 ... AF motor drive circuit 39 ... Zooming motor drive circuit 40 ... Focus sensor (distance measuring means) 41 ... A / D converter (distance measuring means) ) 42 ... AF CPU (distance measuring means)

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. In a camera with a self-mode function in which exposure is started after the shutter release button has been operated, a fixed time sufficient to photograph the photographer himself, up to a main subject located approximately in the center of the photographing frame. Distance measuring means for measuring the distance, ratio setting means for presetting the ratio of the size of the main subject in the image frame, display means for displaying the ratio set by this ratio setting means, and electric focal length A state in which the variable photographing lens and the lens information from the photographing lens and the output information of the distance measuring unit and the ratio setting unit are calculated, and the ratio of the actual subject in the photographing image frame matches the ratio of the ratio setting unit. A camera with a self-mode function, comprising: an arithmetic means for controlling so that photographing is carried out in.