JPH07199286A - Range-finding direction variable camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce space for attachment without using a lever and moving a finger by attaining the driving control of the range-finding direction of a range-finding direction setting means in the relative positional direction of the pressed pressure sensor out of plural sensors provided at two or more places with a driving control means. CONSTITUTION:When the pressure sensor 1 of the right is strongly pressed, an AF target is moved to the right. When the pressure sensor 1 of the right is not strongly pressed, the AF target is moved to the left. Just after a photographer focuses the AF target on a target object, he or she half depresses a shutter release button 3. A focus locking state is obtained by the half depressing of the shutter release button 3. After that, the photographing processing of the camera 50 is executed in the focus locking state in the position of an AF target position. Thus, the AF target (range-finding direction) is moved to the side of the strongly gripped sensor out of the pressure sensors 1 and 2 provided on both sides of a grip, to set the AF target.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a variable distance measuring direction camera capable of changing the position of a distance measuring target of the camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional variable distance measuring direction camera of this type, there has been one in which an AF target (distance measuring target) is changed by a lever (JP-A-3-257438-257442).
issue).

[0003]

The conventional range-finding direction variable camera has the following problems. (1) A lot of space is required to install a lever for changing the AF target. (2) In order to change the AF target, it is necessary to move the finger to the lever, which may miss the photo opportunity. (3) In (2), moving the finger may worsen the holding and cause camera shake.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and provides a variable distance measuring direction camera which does not use a lever and therefore does not need to move a finger and requires almost no mounting space. The purpose is to

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is provided with two or more distance measuring direction setting means for setting the distance measuring direction to the left and right and / or the up and down direction, and to the front or back of the camera. The pressure sensor is provided, and a drive control unit that drives and controls the distance measuring direction of the distance measuring direction setting unit based on the output of the pressure sensor.
Of the pressure sensors provided at two or more locations, the distance measurement direction of the distance measurement direction setting means is driven and controlled in the relative position direction of the pressed pressure sensor.

[0006]

In the variable distance measuring direction camera having the above structure, 2
Since the distance measuring direction of the distance measuring direction setting means is driven and controlled in the relative position direction of the pressed pressure sensor among the pressure sensors provided at more than one place, for example, it is provided on both sides of the grip of the camera. By moving the AF target (distance measuring direction) to the side of the pressure sensor that has a strong grip, it is possible to determine the AF target with the camera held. This makes it possible to provide a variable distance measuring direction camera that does not use a lever and therefore does not need to move a finger and requires almost no installation space.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a variable distance measuring camera according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, pressure sensors 1 and 2 are provided on a grip portion of a camera body 50. An operation switch 5 for the pressure sensors 1 and 2 is provided on the upper portion of the body 50.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the photographer holds the camera provided with the pressure sensors 1 and 2. The pressure sensor 1 or 2 is held by the finger 20 or 21.
It shows the state of applying pressure to.

FIG. 3 is a block connection diagram of a variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention. The pressure applied to the pressure sensor 1 or 2 is detected by the CPU circuit 6. CPU
The circuit 6 operates according to the program described in the flowchart below, and sends the calculation result to the AF target movement display circuit 7 to display the movement of the AF target.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the initial value processing of the pressure sensors 1 and 2 performed by the CPU circuit 6. The initial value processing of the pressure sensors 1 and 2 is started by turning on the operation switch 5 with the photographer releasing his / her hand from the pressure sensors 1 and 2. When the program starts, the operation switch 5 is turned on in step S1. In step S2,
The pressure detected by the pressure sensors 1 and 2 when the photographer releases the hand is input as an initial value. In step S3, the detected pressure is set as an initial value in a memory (not shown) in the CPU circuit 6.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the CPU circuit 6 (FIG. 3) and constitutes a part of the photographing program of the camera 50.

The program of FIG. 5 is premised on that the above-mentioned initialization processing has already been performed. Step S
At 11, it is determined whether or not the right pressure sensor 1 is strongly pressed. When the pressure sensor 1 on the right side is strongly pressed, the AF target 10 is moved to the right as shown in FIG. 6 (step S12). Right pressure sensor 1
When is not pressed strongly, as shown in Fig. 6,
The AF target 10 is moved to the left (step S1)
3). The photographer half-presses the shutter release button 3 when the AF target matches the target subject. In step S14, the shutter release button 3 is pressed halfway. By half-pressing the shutter release button 3, the focus is locked (step S15), and the program ends. After that, the photographing process of the photographing program (not shown) of the camera 50 is performed in the state where the focus is locked at the position of the AF target 10.

After the shutter release (photographing process), A
When the F target 10 is reset, that is, brought to the center position, it is realized by moving the AF target 10 to the center position by the pressure sensors 1 and 2 or turning off the operation switch 5. When the operation switch 5 is off, the AF target 10 is at the center position as in a normal camera, the body 50 is moved to focus lock at the center position, the composition is determined, and then the shutter is released.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Although it has been described that the AF target is moved only in the horizontal direction, the AF target can be moved not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction by dividing the pressure sensor into multiple parts.

According to the embodiment described above, since it is built in the original camera body, the space can be reduced to the minimum and the device can be downsized. In addition, since the operation is performed with the camera body held, the effect of preventing camera shake can be obtained.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, of the pressure sensors provided at two or more places, the distance measuring direction of the distance measuring direction setting means is driven in the relative position direction of the pressed pressure sensor. Since the control is performed, for example, the AF target (distance measuring direction) is moved to a direction where the pressure sensors provided on both sides of the camera grip have a strong grip, and the AF target is held with the camera held. Can be determined. This makes it possible to provide a variable distance measuring direction camera that does not use a lever and therefore does not need to move a finger and requires almost no installation space.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an embodiment of the variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block connection diagram showing an embodiment of a variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing one embodiment of a variable distance measuring direction camera according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pressure Sensor 3 Shutter Release Button 5 Operation Switch 6 CPU Circuit 7 AF Target Movement Display Circuit 10 AF Target 20 Finger 50 Camera Body

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G02B 27/16

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A distance measuring direction setting means for setting the distance measuring direction to the left and right and / or the up and down direction, pressure sensors provided at two or more positions on the front or back of the camera, and based on the output of the pressure sensor. Drive control means for driving and controlling the distance measurement direction of the distance measurement direction setting means, the drive control means being one of the pressure sensors provided at two or more locations, A variable range-finding direction camera characterized by drivingly controlling the range-finding direction of the range-finding direction setting means in the relative position direction. 2. The variable distance measuring direction camera according to claim 1, further comprising distance measuring direction display means for displaying the distance measuring direction of said distance measuring direction setting means. 3. A pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the pressure sensor, and an initial value setting means for setting an initial value of the pressure sensor, wherein the pressure detecting means uses the initial value as a threshold value for the pressure. 2. The variable distance measuring direction camera according to claim 1, wherein a pressing force of a sensor is detected.