JPH075537A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a shutter chance from being lost by enabling shutter releasing operation in the case the power source battery of a camera is deteriorated and feeding film becomes impossible but the shutter releasing operation is possible. CONSTITUTION:Whether or not the voltage of a secondary battery 2 in which electricity of a solar battery 1 is accumulated exceeds voltage required for performing the shutter releasing operation is compared in a comparator 10. In the case it is high enough to perform the shutter releasing operation but it is lower than the voltage required for feeding the film, which is compared in the comparator 11, only a shutter driving part 18 is operated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera which performs at least shutter release and film feeding, or at least shutter release and flash emission by electric energy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a camera that uses electric energy to at least perform shutter release and film feeding, or at least shutter release and flash emission, checks the power supply state and, according to the result, includes automatic film feeding. Prevents a malfunction when the power supply voltage drops by prohibiting a series of shutter release operations, or prohibiting a flash operation, or displaying the power status.
It is configured to give a warning to the user.

[0003]

However, in the above conventional example, the shutter release, the automatic film feeding,
In addition to the flash operation, all camera operations can be guaranteed at all times. However, even if the shutter release operation alone can be adequately executed, shutter release is prohibited along with other operations, and you miss a shutter chance. was there.

[0004]

According to the present invention, a shutter release operation different from a comparison level for detecting whether or not a power supply state in which all camera operations such as automatic film feeding and shutter release operation are possible is possible. It has a comparison level for detecting whether or not it is possible only in the power state, and by detecting the power state, and by shifting the flash metering level to the dark side when the power state drops, flash emission By reducing the frequency of, the power consumption by the flash operation is suppressed, and the shutter release is prioritized and executed even when the power supply state is lowered, thereby providing a camera that does not miss a shutter chance.

[0005]

1 is a block diagram of an electric system of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is
A solar battery 2 which converts light energy into electric energy and supplies it as an operating power source of a camera, a secondary battery 2 which stores electricity generated by the solar battery 1 and supplies it as an operating power source of a camera, and a secondary battery 2 To prevent backflow from the solar cell 1 to the solar cell 1, the comparators 10, 11, 12, 1
3 is a reference power source for applying the reference voltage V to the reference voltage 3.

5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are resistance values r5 and r5, respectively.
The resistors r6, r7, r8, and r9 constitute a voltage divider that divides the power supply voltage E supplied from the solar battery 1 and the secondary battery 2 that are the power supplies of the camera, and the divided voltage v10 = E
・ (R6 + r7 + r8 + r9) / (r5 + r6 + r7 +
r8 + r9), v11 = E · (r7 + r8 + r9) /
(R5 + r6 + r7 + r8 + r9), v12 = E · (r
8 + r9) / (r5 + r6 + r7 + r8 + r9), v1
3 = E. r9 / (r5 + r6 + r7 + r8 + r9)
It is applied to the comparators 10, 11, 12, and 13, respectively.

Reference numerals 10, 11, 12, and 13 are comparators with hysteresis, which are the reference voltage V generated by the reference power source 4.
And the divided power supply voltage v10, v1 supplied by the voltage divider composed of the resistors 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
1, v12, v13 are compared with each other, and the comparison result is supplied to the microcomputer 14.

Power supply voltage E and divided voltages v10, v11,
v12, v13 and reference voltage V, comparators 10, 11, 1
2, 13 hysteresis v, and each comparator 10, 1
1, 12 and 13 normal rotation comparison levels e0, e1, e2 and e
3 and the inversion comparison levels e4, e5, e6 and e7 are as shown in FIG.

E0 and e4 are levels at which only the shutter release of the camera can be executed if the power supply voltage E is higher than this, and e1 and e5 are levels at which the film feeding can be executed if the power supply voltage E is higher than this. And e
2 and e6 are the lower limit levels of the power supply voltage E that can guarantee the execution of the flash operation, and e3 and e7 are the power supply voltage E that makes it impossible to execute the non-flash photography sooner or later if the flash photography is performed any more. Is the level of.

Reference numeral 15 is a buzzer which is driven and controlled by the microcomputer 14 to generate a warning sound, and 16 is
A liquid crystal display unit 17 for displaying data according to the data from the microcomputer 14 performs photometry for determining exposure according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14, and a photometry unit 18 for giving a photometric value to the microcomputer 14.
Is a shutter drive unit that opens and closes the shutter according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14, 19 is a film feeding unit that feeds a film according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14, and 20 is a flash that performs a flash operation according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14. It is an operating part.

Reference numeral 21 is a shutter release switch, the switch state of which is input to the microcomputer 14, and 23 is from the switch 21 to the microcomputer 1.
4 is a pull-up resistance of the signal line to 4.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer 14 of FIG.

Step 301: The state of the comparator 10 is monitored, and it is checked whether the power supply voltage E is larger than e0. If it is larger, the routine proceeds to the next step 302. If it is small, do nothing else.

Step 302: It is checked whether the shutter release switch 21 is on or off, and if it is on, the process proceeds to the next step 303. If it is off, the process returns to step 301 again.

Step 303: The photometric unit 17 is used to perform photometry for determining the exposure to obtain the exposure EV.

Step 304: If the exposure EV is larger than the value SH1 that does not require any flash if it is brighter than this, that is, if no flash is required, go to Step 309, and if it is smaller, go to Step 305.

Step 305: If the exposure EV is darker than this, it is better to shoot with a flash. If it is larger than a desired value SH0, that is, if it is more desirable to shoot with a flash, go to step 307. If it is smaller, go to step 306. move on.

Step 306: When the power supply voltage E is higher than the lower limit levels e2, e6 of the power supply voltage E that can guarantee the execution of the flash operation, that is, when the flash operation is possible, go to step 308, and when it is smaller, step 309.
Go to.

Step 307: If the flash photography is further performed, the power supply voltage E becomes higher than the power supply voltage levels e3 and e7 which makes it impossible to execute the non-flash photography early or later.
When is large, the process proceeds to step 308, and when it is small, that is, when the non-flash photography is not executable sooner or later, the process proceeds to step 309.

Step 308: Use the flash 20 to cause the shutter drive section 18 to perform shutter release, and then proceed to step 310.

Step 309: According to the exposure value EV, the shutter drive section 18 is caused to perform shutter release without using the flash 20, and the routine proceeds to step 310.

Step 310: Levels e1 and e5 at which film feeding can be performed if the power supply voltage E is higher than this
If it is larger, that is, if film feeding is possible, go to step 315. If it is smaller, that is, if film feeding is not possible, go to step 311.

Step 311: A warning sound is emitted by the buzzer 15, and the process proceeds to step 312.

Step 312: The display of the liquid crystal display section 16 is set to the warning display state, and the process proceeds to step 313.

Step 313: Levels e1 and e5 at which film feeding can be executed if the power supply voltage E is higher than this
If it is larger, that is, if the film can be fed, step 314 is repeated. If it is smaller, that is, if the film cannot be fed yet, step 313 is repeated.

Step 314: The display of the liquid crystal display unit 16 is set to the non-warning display state, and the process proceeds to step 315.

Step 315: The film is fed by the film feeding section 19, the film is advanced to the next photographing frame, and the process proceeds to step 316.

Step 316: The liquid crystal display section 16 is used to update the display of the number of films. It returns to step 301 again.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electric system of a camera according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, reference numerals 1 to 21 and 23
As in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, 1 is a solar cell that converts light energy into electrical energy and supplies it as an operating power source for the camera, 2 is electricity stored by the solar cell 1, and the operating power source for the camera The secondary battery 3 supplied as a diode is a diode for preventing backflow from the secondary battery 2 to the solar cell 1,
Reference numeral 4 is a reference power source for applying a reference voltage V to the comparators 25, 26 and 27.

Reference numerals 28, 29, 30, and 31 denote resistance values r, respectively.
28, r29, r30, and r31, which constitute a voltage divider that divides the power supply voltage E supplied from the solar battery 1 and the secondary battery 2 that are the power supplies of the camera, and the divided voltage v2
5 = E · (r29 + r30 + r31) / (r28 + r2
9 + r30 + r31), v26 = E · (r30 + r3)
1) / (r28 + r29 + r30 + r31), v27 =
E · r31 / (r28 + r29 + r30 + r31)
It is applied to the comparators 25, 26 and 27, respectively.

Reference numerals 25, 26, and 27 are comparators with hysteresis, which are supplied by being divided by a reference voltage V generated by the reference power source 4 and a voltage divider composed of resistors 28, 29, 30, and 31. Voltage dividing power source v25, v26,
v27 is compared with each other, and the comparison result is supplied to the micro computer 14.

Power supply voltage E and divided voltages v25, v26,
v27 and the reference voltage V, the hysteresis v of the comparators 25, 26, 27, and the normal comparison levels e0, e3, e8 and the inverted comparison levels e4, e of the respective comparators 25, 26, 27.
The relationship between 7 and e9 is, for example, as shown in FIG.

Similar to the first embodiment, e0, e4, e2, and e6 are the levels at which only the shutter release of the camera can be executed if the power supply voltage E is higher than e0, e4, and e8, e9. Is: If the power supply voltage E is smaller than this, it is a level at which shooting can be repeated only slightly,
e2 and e6 are the lower limit levels of the power supply voltage E that can guarantee the execution of the flash operation.

Reference numeral 16 is a liquid crystal display section for displaying data according to the data from the microcomputer 14, and 17 is a light meter for determining the exposure according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14, and the photometric value is calculated by the microcomputer 14.
A photometry section 18 for giving a shutter drive section for opening and closing the shutter in accordance with an instruction from the microcomputer 14.
Reference numeral 9 denotes a film feeding unit that feeds a film according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14, and 20 denotes a flash operation unit that performs a flash operation according to an instruction from the microcomputer 14. Reference numeral 21 is a shutter release switch, and 22 is a release prohibition release switch for canceling the release prohibition. Both switch states are input to the microcomputer 14, and 23 and 24 are respectively from the switches 21 and 22 to the microcomputer 14. Is a pull-up resistance of the signal line of.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer 14 of FIG.

Step 601: The state of the comparator 25 is monitored, and it is checked whether the power supply voltage E is larger than e0. If it is larger, the process proceeds to the next step 602. If it is small, do nothing else.

Step 602: It is checked whether the shutter release switch 21 is on or off, and if it is on, the process proceeds to the next step 603. If it is off, the process returns to step 601 again.

Step 603: The photometric unit 17 is used to perform photometry for determining the exposure to obtain the exposure EV.

Step 604: If the exposure EV is larger than the value SH1 that does not require any flash when it is brighter than this, that is, if no flash is required, go to Step 609, and if it is smaller, go to Step 606.

Step 606: When the power supply voltage E is higher than the lower limit level e2, e6 of the power supply voltage E that can guarantee the execution of the flash operation, that is, when the flash operation is possible, go to step 608, and when it is smaller, step 609.
Go to.

Step 608: The flash drive 20 is used to cause the shutter drive unit 18 to perform shutter release, and the process proceeds to step 610.

Step 609: According to the exposure value EV, the shutter drive section 18 is caused to perform shutter release without using the flash 20, and the routine proceeds to step 610.

Step 610: The film is fed by the film feeding section 19, the film is advanced to the next photographing frame, and the process proceeds to step 611.

Step 611: The liquid crystal display section 16 is updated to display the number of films. Go to step 612.

Step 612: If the power supply voltage E is smaller than this level, the level e8 at which the photographing can be repeated only slightly,
If it is larger than e9, the process proceeds to step 601 again if still sufficient shooting is possible, and to step 613 if it is smaller, that is, in the power supply state in which shooting will soon be impossible.

Step 613: The display of the liquid crystal display unit 16 is set to the warning display state, and the process proceeds to step 614.

Step 614: If the release prohibition release switch 22 for releasing the release prohibition is turned on, the process proceeds to step 615, and if it is in the off state, step 61
Return to 2.

Step 615: The display of the liquid crystal display unit 16 is set to the non-warning display state, and the process proceeds to step 601 again to prepare for the next photographing.

[0050]

As described above, the power supply state is lowered by detecting the power supply state at a plurality of levels and setting the shutter release operation prohibition level lower than the other operation prohibition levels such as feeding. Sometimes the shutter release operation is executed with priority over other operations such as feeding,
Detects the power status at multiple levels and, in addition to the flash operation prohibition level, changes the subject brightness that switches whether or not to automatically fire the flash according to the power status level, and lowers the brightness of the subject that flashes when the power status drops. This reduces the frequency of flash emission when the power state is low, suppresses power consumption, and secures a power source for shutter release operation, enabling shutter release without missing a shutter chance even when the power state is low. it can.

Therefore, the present invention is particularly effective in a camera using a rechargeable secondary battery whose power source is rechargeable, and a camera in which a solar battery is combined with the secondary battery.

Further, the power supply state is detected at a plurality of levels,
A warning level is provided separately from the operation prohibition level such as the shutter release operation, and the shutter release operation is prohibited when the power supply is lowered or when the warning level is reached. In this state, by operating the prohibition release operation member, the shutter release operation prohibition is temporarily released to enable shutter release, and when the shutter release switch is turned on, the shutter release operation is performed, and after those operations are completed, By prohibiting the shutter release operation again, it becomes possible to surely notify the camera user of the power supply state deterioration.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a chart showing the relationship between the power supply voltage and the comparison voltage of the camera of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer 14 of the camera of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electric system of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a chart showing the relationship between the power supply voltage and the comparison voltage of the camera of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer 14 of the camera of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Solar cell 2 ... Secondary battery 3 ... Diode 4 ... Reference power source 5,6,7,8,9 ... Resistance 10,11,12,13 ... Hysteresis comparator 14 ... Microcomputer 15 ... Buzzer 16 ... Liquid crystal Display unit 17 ... Photometry unit 18 ... Shutter drive unit 19 ... Film feeding unit 20 ... Flash operation unit 21 ... Shutter release switch 22 ... Release prohibition release switch 23, 24 ... Signal line pull-up resistance 25, 26, 27 ... Hysteresis With comparator 28, 29, 30, 31 ... Resistance

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. At least an operation switch for starting a shutter release, a shutter release means for performing a shutter release, a feeding means for performing a film automatic feeding, and an operation of the operation switch, In a camera having at least a shutter release means and a feeding means, and a sequence control means for automatically performing shutter release and feeding, a power state for detecting a state of an operating power supply of the camera including the shutter release means and the feeding means. Based on the detection result of the detection means and the power supply detection means, the release prohibition means and the power supply state detection means for prohibiting the operation of the shutter release means when the detection result of the power supply state detection means is lower than the first comparison level. Detection result is smaller than the second comparison level in which the power supply state is different from the first comparison level A camera having a feed prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation of the feed means. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the second comparison level is higher than the first comparison level. 3. The release prohibiting means according to claim 1, wherein the release of the shutter release means is released when the detection result of the power supply state detecting means indicates that the power supply state is higher than the first comparison level. camera. 4. The feeding prohibition unit according to claim 1, wherein the prohibition of the operation of the feeding unit is released when the detection result of the power supply state detection unit is larger than the second comparison level in the power supply state. camera. 5. The release inhibiting means according to claim 1, wherein the detection result of the power supply state detecting means indicates that the power supply state is the first.
The camera is characterized in that the prohibition of the operation of the shutter release means is released when the shutter release means is larger than the third comparison level. 6. The feeding prohibition means according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the feeding means is prohibited when the detection result of the power supply state detection means is larger than a fourth comparison level in which the power supply state is larger than the second comparison level. A camera characterized by being released. 7. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the sequence control means does not execute the next operation until an operation to be executed in the sequence prohibited by each prohibiting means is executed and completed. 8. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera has a display means and displays an operation when an operation to be executed in a sequence is prohibited and is not executed. 9. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising display means, wherein the display is performed for a period from a time when the operation to be executed in the sequence is prohibited and is not executed to a time when the operation is executed after the prohibition is released. camera. 10. At least a first operation switch for starting a shutter release, a shutter release means for performing a shutter release, and at least a shutter release means for controlling a shutter release due to an operation of the operation switch. In a camera having a sequence control means for automatically performing the operation, a power supply state detecting means for detecting a state of an operating power supply of the camera including the shutter release means, and a detection result of the power supply state detecting means is a power supply state at a fifth comparison level. A first release prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation of the shutter release means when it is smaller;
The first and second operation switches are operated.
Release prohibition canceling means for canceling the release prohibition of the release prohibiting means, and second release prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation of the shutter release means when the detection result of the power supply state detection means is lower than the sixth comparison level. A camera having a release prohibition canceling means having the above. 11. The camera according to claim 10, wherein the release prohibition canceling means has release prohibition canceling means for canceling the shutter release prohibition canceling state after the shutter release operation is completed. 12. An operation switch for starting a shutter release, a shutter release means for performing a shutter release, a photometric means, and a flash control means for controlling flash light emission based on a photometric result of the photometric means. In a camera having a flash device that emits a flash light according to a light emission signal from a flash control means, a power supply state detection means for detecting a state of an operating power supply of the camera including the shutter release means and the flash device, and a detection result of the power supply detection means. Based on the above, the flash prohibition means for prohibiting the operation of the flash device when the detection result of the power supply state detection means is lower than the first comparison level and the detection result of the power supply state detection means is the power supply state for the first comparison level. Flash when less than a second comparison level different from A camera having means for switching a photometric amount for emitting light.