JPH0763298A - Camera supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize easy manipulation of a video camera with one finger of one hand to practice a shooting standby and shooting start/stop and adjust angel of view besides panning and tilting manipulations of the video camera. CONSTITUTION:A recess 12b is formed to the left side of the top surface 12a of a grip 12 of a pan bar 10 of a camera supporting device. A start/stop button 13 as a shooting button is arranged in the center of the recess 12b and a standby button 14 is arranged inside the recess 12b in the longitudinal direction in a freely sliding manner. Furthermore, a ring shaped zooming button 15 is arranged rotatably on the position adjacently parallel to the opposition of the standby button 14 of the right side 12c of the grip 12 of the pan bar 10. Thus the start/ stop button 13, the standby button 14 and the zooming button 15 can be manipulated with one finger of one hand.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera support capable of performing panning and tilting operations of a camera such as a video camera supported by a pan head and operations such as starting and stopping photographing and adjusting an angle of view with one hand. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, there is a so-called tripod as a device for supporting a video camera or the like. Put the tripod on this tripod up and down,
By moving left and right, you can perform panning and tilting operations of the video camera supported by the platform, and use the buttons on the pan to start and stop the video camera and adjust the angle of view. The present applicant discloses, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-125496, a camera support device that can be performed with one hand. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 11. Reference numeral 1 denotes a camera support device, which includes three support legs 2 that are extendable and retractable.
2 and 2, a supporting base 3 to which the upper ends of the supporting legs 2, 2 and 2 are rotatably connected, respectively, and a center pole 4 vertically inserted through the center of the supporting base 3. It comprises a pan head 5 supported on the upper end of the center pole 4 and a pan stick 10 connected to the pan head 5.

The platform 5 has a camera base support 5a supported by the center pole 4 so as to be rotatable about its axis, and a camera base supported tiltably in the front-rear direction with respect to the camera base support 5a. And part 5b. Thus, the camera base 5b is supported with respect to the center pole 4 so as to be rotatable about its axis and tiltable in the front-rear direction. Further, a camera mounting portion 6b of the camera platform 5 is provided with a camera mounting screw 6 and a positioning pin 7 which detachably support the video camera 50.

The bread stick 10 comprises a main rod 11 having one end connected to the platform 5, and a substantially cylindrical grip 12 provided at the other end of the main rod 11. The start / stop button (shooting button) 53 and the standby button 5 of the video camera 50 are provided on the front right flat surface of the grip 12.
A start / stop button (shooting button) 13 and a standby button 14 having the same functions as those of No. 4 are arranged, and at a rear position a little away from the position of the front start / stop button 13 on the upper surface of the grip portion 12. Has a zooming button 15 having the same function as the zooming button 55 of the video camera 50.

The start / stop button 13 is a grip 1
The start / stop switch (not shown) incorporated in the camera 2 is brought into contact with and separated from the start / stop switch to instruct the video camera 50 to start / stop shooting. Also, the standby button 1
4 is provided so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and when the start / stop button 13 is covered, the grip portion 1 is provided.
The power switch (not shown) built in 2 is turned off, and the power switch is turned on when the start / stop button 13 is exposed (the power supply circuit of the video camera 50 is turned on and a shooting standby state). It is something to do.

The zooming button 15 is tilted in a seesaw shape in the left-right direction with the central portion in the longitudinal direction as a fulcrum. The zooming button 15 is held in the neutral position when not pressed, and when one end is pressed, a command (WIDE command) to operate a switch (not shown) to move the zoom lens of the video camera 50 forward is issued. When the other end is pressed, a switch (not shown) is operated to output a command (TELE command) for moving the zoom lens backward.

A start / stop button 13, a standby button 14, and a zooming button 1 inside the grip portion 12
The switches and the control terminal 56 of the video camera 50 which are respectively operated by the operation of 5 are connected by the connecting means 30. The connecting means 30 includes the buttons 13, 1 of which the grip 12 is provided at one end.
A cable 31 introduced into the inside of the grip portion 12 from the end portion on the side where 4 and 15 are arranged and connected to each of the above switches.
And a plug 3 connected to the other end of the cable 31 and fitted into the control terminal 56 of the video camera 50.
It is composed of 2 and.

The platform 5 on the bottom of the video camera 50
A screw hole 51 and a positioning hole 52 are formed at positions facing the camera mounting screw 6 and the positioning pin 7. 11 and 13, reference numeral 57 is a lens barrel, 58 is a microphone, and 59 is a viewfinder.

When the video camera 50 is used by mounting it on the camera platform 5 of the camera support device 1, after mounting the video camera 50 on the camera platform 5, the cable 31 of the pan rod 10 of the camera support device 1 is used. The plug 32 of the video camera 5
0 control terminal 56. Next, bread stick 1
By holding the grip portion 12 of 0 with the right hand and moving the pan stick 10 in the vertical and horizontal directions, panning and tilting operations of the video camera 50 can be performed. In addition, the start / stop button 13 and the standby button 1 are operated by the index finger of the right hand holding the grip portion 12 of the bread stick 10.
By operating the zooming button 15 with the thumb, the operations of shooting standby, shooting start / stop, and angle of view adjustment can be performed.

[0010]

However, in the camera support device 1 of the prior art, as shown in FIG. 12, the zooming button 15, the start / stop button 13 and the standby button 14 are separated from each other, so that the bread stick 10 is not provided.
Zooming button 1 with the thumb of the right hand holding the grip 12
5, it is necessary to operate the start / stop button 13 and the standby button 14 with the index finger. This change operation is not stable because the gripping state of the pan stick 10 is not stable at the time of changing operations such as shooting standby, shooting start / stop and zooming operation. It was hard to do. Further, the zooming operation performed with the thumb of the right hand is a seesaw type in which the zooming button 15 is tilted in the left-right direction, and therefore requires skill in adjusting the zooming speed, particularly in the low-speed range. When the bread stick 10 was held with the left hand, the start / stop button 13 and the standby button 14 could hardly be operated.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the start of photographing by the camera /
(EN) Provided is a camera support device which can easily perform operations such as stop and angle of view adjustment with one finger of one hand.

[0012]

A pan button for performing panning and / or tilting operation of a camera supported by a pan head is provided with a photographing button and a zooming button, and is operated by operating each of these buttons. A camera support device having a connecting means for connecting a switch to a control terminal of a camera supported on the pan head, the photographing button being provided on the upper surface of the grip portion of the bread stick, and the grip portion. The zooming button is provided on the side surface of the camera in a side-by-side position close to the shooting button.

[0013]

The panning and tilting operations of the camera while holding the pan stick and the operations such as starting and stopping the photographing and adjusting the angle of view can be easily performed with one hand. Further, since the photographing button and the zooming button can be operated with one finger of one hand holding the bread stick, the change operation of these can be simplified.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those of the prior art will be described with the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a camera support device, which is composed of three extendable and retractable support legs 2, 2, 2 and upper end portions of the respective support legs 2, 2, 2. Are rotatably connected to each other, a center pole 4 is inserted vertically through the center of the footrest 3, a platform 5 supported by the upper end of the center pole 4, and the cloud. It is composed of a bread rod 10 and the like attached to the table 5, and this bread rod 10 is composed of a main rod 11 and a substantially cylindrical grip portion 12 provided at the other end of the main rod 11. Point
On the grip 12 of the bread stick 10, a start / stop button (shooting button) 13 for instructing the video camera 50 to start / stop shooting, a standby button 14 and a zooming button 15 for putting the video camera 50 in a shooting standby state. That each is arranged, each button 1 above
Each switch operated by the operation of 3, 14 and 15 and the control terminal 56 of the video camera 50 can be connected by the connecting means 30. The connecting means 30 is composed of a cable 31 and a plug 32. In some respects, it is similar to the prior art.

Here, the upper surface 1 of the grip portion 12 of the bread stick 10
A start / stop button (photographing button) 13 is arranged in the center of a recess 12b formed near the left side surface of 2a, and is slidable in the front-rear direction in the recess 12b to provide the start / stop. When the button 13 is covered, the power switch (not shown) built in the grip 12 is turned off, and when the start / stop button 13 is exposed, the power stop is turned on (the video camera 50 Standby button 1 to turn on the power circuit and switch to the shooting standby state)
4 are arranged.

The right side surface 1 of the grip portion 12 of the bread stick 10
A zooming button 15 is arranged at a close parallel position facing the standby button 14 of 2c. The zooming button 15 is formed in an annular shape and is rotatable about the cylindrical convex portion 12d formed on the right side surface 12c of the grip portion 12 in the front-rear direction which is the same as the sliding direction of the standby button 14. It is supported. Further, large and small operation protrusions 15a, 15a and 15b are integrally formed on both upper sides of the outer peripheral surface of the zooming button 15 and in the center thereof, and the center operation protrusion 15b is always in a neutral position such as a spring member (not shown). It is designed to be restored by the urging force of. That is, in the zooming button 15, the central operation protrusion 15b is held in the neutral position when the zooming button 15 is not rotated in any of the front-rear direction, and when the zooming button 15 is rotated rearward, a switch (not shown) is operated to operate the video camera 5.
A command for moving the zoom lens of 0 forward (WIDE command) is a command for moving the zoom lens backward by operating a switch (not shown) when the zoom lens is rotated forward (TELE).
Commands) are output respectively. The zooming speed (angle of view adjusting speed) for zooming up / down by the zooming button 15 is variable.

The tip end 11a side of the main rod 11 of the pan rod 10 is detachably attached to a cylindrical portion 5c protruding from the right side surface of the camera base portion 5b of the platform 5. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the tip portion 11a of the main rod 11 of the bread rod 10 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 5c of the platform 5 to form the shank portion 40a of the screw (fastening member) 40 on the tip portion 11a. The head portion 40 of the screw 40 is screwed into the screw hole 11b.
The b is brought into contact with the end surface of the cylindrical portion 5c so that the bread rod 10 is fastened and fixed to the platform 5. Also, the screw 40
The pan bar 10 can be removed from the pan 5 by removing the pan rod 10 from the screw hole 11b of the tip portion 11a. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, the connection means 30 allows the button 13 inside the grip portion 12 of the bread stick 10,
When the switches respectively operated by the operations of 14 and 15 are not connected to the control terminal 56 of the video camera 50, the plug 32 connected to the tip of the cable 31 of the connecting means 30 is connected to the head 40b of the screw 40. It can be housed in the two-step recess 40c.

According to the camera support device 1 of the above embodiment,
When the video camera 50 is mounted on the pan head 5, the video camera 50 is mounted on the pan head 5, and then the plug of the cable 31 protruding from the grip portion 12 of the bread stick 10 as shown in FIG. 32 is connected to the control terminal 56 of the video camera 50. Then, the grip portion 1 of the bread stick 10
The pan 2 and the tilting operation of the video camera 50 are performed by gripping 2 with the right hand and moving the pan rod 10 in the vertical and horizontal directions.

To start shooting with the video camera 50, the standby button 14 is changed from the state shown in FIG. 8 to the state shown in FIG. 6 with the thumb of the right hand while holding the grip 12 of the bread stick 10 with the right hand. To slide forward. As a result, the power supply circuit of the video camera 50 is turned on to enter the shooting standby state. Next, when the start / stop button 13 is pressed once with the thumb of the right hand, shooting is started, and when the start / stop button 13 is pressed again from this shooting state, shooting is stopped. The angle of view is adjusted by rotating the zooming button 15 with the thumb of the right hand. Since the zooming button 15 is a rotary neutral return type and is provided with large and small operation projections 15a, 15a, 15b, it can be zoomed up and down in the zoom direction (W
← → T) can be easily identified only by the tactile sensation of the fingertip of the thumb, and fine adjustment of the angle of view adjustment speed becomes extremely easy.

Thus, the bread stick 1 of the camera support device 1
8 is provided with a start / stop button 13 and a standby button 14 on the upper surface 12a of the grip 12 of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, on the right side surface 12c of the grip portion 12, the operation protrusions 15a, 15a, 15b are provided at substantially the same height as the standby button 14, and in addition, the rotary zooming button 15 is provided in close proximity to and in parallel with the standby button 14. Because
While holding the grip portion 12 of the pan stick 10, panning and tilting operations of the video camera 50, shooting standby, shooting start / stop, and angle of view adjustment can be freely performed with the right hand. It is possible to greatly improve the shooting efficiency such as shooting angle, angle of view and shot. In addition, with the thumb of the right hand holding the bread stick 10, the standby button 14 and the start / stop button 1
3 and the zooming button 15 can be operated respectively, and the standby operation for shooting, the start / stop of shooting and the change operation for zooming operation can be performed easily and quickly. Further, even when the bread stick 10 is operated with the left hand, the standby button 14, the start / stop button 13 and the zooming button 15 can be operated with one thumb of the left hand.

Further, since the zooming button 15 is a rotary type which is provided so as to be rotatable back and forth around the convex portion 12d of the right side surface 12c of the grip portion 12 from the neutral position, the adjustment of the zooming speed is easy. Can be done.
In particular, fine adjustment of the zooming speed in the low speed range can be performed very easily. Further, since the bread rod 10 is detachably provided on the cylindrical portion 5c of the platform 5, the screw 40 screwed into the screw hole 11b of the tip portion 11a of the bread rod 10 is screwed.
By removing the pan rod 10, the pan rod 10 can be easily removed from the pan head 5, and the pan rod 10 can be replaced with a pan bar of a pan head of a different camera support device. In this way, since the pan stick 10 can be easily removed from the platform 5, the pan stick 10 can be used for remote operation such as shooting of the video camera 50 even in a place where the camera support device 1 cannot be used (for example, on the floor). it can. Furthermore, when the camera support device 1 is not used, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, the plug 32 is recessed in the head portion 40b of the screw 40 in which the plug 32 is screwed into the screw hole 11b of the tip portion 11a of the bread rod 10. It can be stored in 40c. This allows the cable 31
It is possible to reliably prevent the accidental breakage of the plug and the contamination of the terminal surface of the plug 32.

Although the camera supporting device for supporting the video camera has been described according to the above embodiment, the camera is not limited to the video camera and can be applied to the camera supporting device for supporting the still camera.

[0024]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a pan button for performing panning and / or tilting operation of a camera supported by a platform is provided with a photographing button and a zooming button. A camera support device including a connecting means for connecting a switch operated by operating each of these buttons and a control terminal of a camera supported on the platform, the upper surface of a grip portion of the bread stick. The shooting button is provided on the side of the grip and the zooming button is provided on the side surface of the grip portion in a side-by-side position adjacent to the shooting button. / It is possible to freely perform each operation such as stop and angle of view adjustment, and it is possible to greatly improve the image quality and mobility of the camera's shooting. Kill. Moreover, the shooting button and the zooming button can be operated with one finger of one hand holding the bread stick, and the shooting start / stop and the zooming operation change operation can be easily performed.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the zooming speed can be easily adjusted by providing the zooming button so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction from the neutral position. In particular, fine adjustment in the low speed range becomes extremely easy.

Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, since the pan rod is detachably attached to the pan head, the camera support device cannot be used in a place where the pan bar is detached from the pan head. In such cases, the pan stick can be used for remote control such as photographing with a camera.

Further, according to the invention of claim 4, the connecting means is composed of a cable and a plug, and the plug can be housed in the recess of the fastening member for fastening and fixing the pan rod to the pan. Therefore, when the camera support device is not used, by storing the plug in the recess of the fastening member, it is possible to reliably prevent accidental breakage of the cable and contamination of the terminal surface of the plug.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a camera support device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a pan bar of the camera support device.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the bread stick.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the bread stick.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the bread stick.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial plan view of the bread stick.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged right side view of the bread stick.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial perspective view of an essential part of the bread stick.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which a video camera is attached to a platform of the camera support device.

FIG. 10 is a partial explanatory view showing a state in which the bread stick is fastened and fixed to a platform.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a prior art camera support device.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an essential part of a pan rod of the camera support device of the above-mentioned prior art.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a video camera supported by a platform of the camera support device of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera support device 5 ... Platform 11 ... Pan stick 12 ... Grip part 12a ... Top surface 12c ... Right side surface (side surface) 13 ... Start / stop button (shooting button) 15 ... Zooming button 30 ... Connection means 31 ... Cable 32 ... Plug 40 ... Screw (fastening member) 40c ... Recess 50 ... Video camera (camera) 56 ... Control terminal

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pan rod for panning and / or tilting operation of a camera supported on a platform is provided with a photographing button and a zooming button, and a switch operated by operating each of these buttons and the above. A camera support device comprising connecting means for connecting to a control terminal of a camera supported on a platform, wherein the photographing button is provided on the upper surface of the grip portion of the bread stick, and the side surface of the grip portion A camera support device, wherein the zooming button is provided in a juxtaposed position near a shooting button. 2. The camera support device according to claim 1, wherein a zooming button is provided so as to be rotatable in a front-back direction from a neutral position. 3. The camera support device according to claim 1, wherein the pan rod is detachably provided on the platform. 4. The camera support device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means is composed of a cable and a plug, and the plug can be stored in a recess of a fastening member for fastening and fixing the pan rod to the pan. A camera support device characterized by the above.