JPH10186487A - Variable focus lens device for camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To rapidly photograph a subject with desired visual field from an initial position just after a power source switch is turned on and to execute photographing without perplexing a photographer. SOLUTION: The initial position of the variable focus lens 12 just after the power source switch 16 is operated, is set to almost middle position between the wide end position and the telephone end position of the lens 12. Thus, since the camera rapidly can cope with either wide angle photographing or telephotographing just after setting the initial position by operating and turning on the switch 16, an instantaneous changing moving subject, etc., is rapidly photographed with desired visual field. Since the composition does not change much from the composition at the initial position set by turning on the switch 16 to a wide side or a telephoto side, photographing is executed without perplexing the photographer whichever the composition is set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a varifocal lens device used in a camera, and more particularly, to turning on a power switch.
The present invention relates to a varifocal lens device of a camera in which a varifocal lens moves from a collapsed position in a camera body to an initial position by an operation, and a varifocal lens moves in a desired direction from the initial position by operating a zoom switch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG.
Is turned on, the lens barrel 4 of the varifocal lens 3 extends from the collapsed position in the camera body to the wide-angle photographing side and stops at the initial position (wide end position) indicated by the two-dot chain line A in the figure.

By operating a zooming switch 5 of the camera, the lens barrel 4 is moved toward the telephoto side, and is located near the telephoto position indicated by a two-dot chain line B in the drawing or at a telephoto end indicated by a two-dot chain line C in the drawing. It is located at a desired visual field photographing position such as a position. Then, shooting is performed by a release operation of the shutter button 6. In the variable focus lens device, when the power switch 2 is turned off, the lens barrel 4 is retracted to the retracted position and stored in the camera body.

[0004]

However, the conventional variable-focus lens device for a camera has a power switch 2 which is turned on.
When the subject is to be telephoto-photographed immediately after the operation, since the initial position of the varifocal lens 3 is set to the wide end position, the subject can be photographed while the varifocal lens 3 moves to the telephoto position. However, this has a drawback that it is not possible to quickly capture an instantaneous change of a moving subject.

In the varifocal lens device, when the subject is telephotographed immediately after the power switch 2 is turned on, the surrounding scenery in the composition of the wide field of view at the time of wide field photographing is changed to the small field of view at the time of telephotography. Since the composition is cut off, the photographer may be confused, and there is a case where the composition is selected again and the photographing is time-consuming.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and can immediately shoot an object in a desired field of view immediately after operating a power switch, and can shoot an image without giving a photographer an embarrassment. An object of the present invention is to provide a variable focus lens device for a camera.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a power switch for a camera and a variable focus movably provided within a range from a retracted position to a telephoto end position in a camera body. A lens, driving means for moving the varifocal lens within the range, and when the power switch is operated, controlling the driving means to move the varifocal lens from a collapsed position in the camera body, And control means for positioning the variable focus lens at an initial position which is a substantially intermediate position between the wide end position and the tele end position.

According to the present invention, the initial position of the variable focus lens is set at a substantially intermediate position between the wide end position and the tele end position of the variable focus lens. It can respond quickly to both wide shooting and telephoto shooting. Therefore, in the present invention,
Instantaneous changes of a moving subject or the like can be quickly taken in a desired field of view.

Further, according to the present invention, since the composition that changes from the initial position by operating the power switch to the wide side or the tele side does not change much more than in the past, any composition setting may cause confusion to the photographer. You can shoot without any. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a timer is provided, and when the timer measures a certain period of time after the photographing is completed, the controller controls the drive to return the varifocal lens to the initial position. It is. Thus, according to the present invention, even at the time of the next photographing, an instantaneous change of a dynamic subject or the like can be quickly photographed in a desired visual field, and the photographing can be performed without giving the photographer an embarrassment. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the initial position of the varifocal lens is set to a focal length position that becomes a standard angle of view. When the standard angle of view is set to 46 °, which is substantially equal to the angle of the visual field range of a person, the subject viewed through the camera has substantially the same size as the subject when directly viewed. You can see it in Therefore, the photographer can shoot without hesitation.

By the way, the focal length position which becomes the standard angle of view varies according to the screen size of the film to be used. For example, when the standard angle of view is 46 °, in a variable focal length lens device of a camera using a 135 film, the initial focal length position is 50 mm. In a variable focus lens device for a camera that uses a film having a screen size of 17 mm in vertical dimension and 30 mm in horizontal dimension, the initial focal length position is 4 mm.
0 mm, and the vertical dimension is 60 mm and the horizontal dimension is 45
In a varifocal lens device of a camera using a film having a screen size of millimeters, the initial focal length position is 75 mm.
Millimeters.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the initial position is set based on a focal length (photographing tendency) often used by photographers at the time of photographing. This variable focus lens device
The storage device includes a storage unit, a determination unit, a driving unit for the variable focus lens, and a control unit. The storage unit stores focal length data at the time of each photographing, and the photographing tendency of the photographer is determined by the determining unit based on the stored focal length data. Then, the control means controls the driving means based on the determination result by the determination means,
The initial position of the varifocal lens is located at a position corresponding to the shooting tendency. That is, as described in claim 9, the shooting tendency determined by the determining means is controlled to the wide end in the case of the wide side, the tele end in the case of the tele side, and the standard position in the case of the standard side. Means controls the driving means to move the variable focus lens. Therefore, in the present invention, the initial position is set to the focal length position most preferred by the photographer, so that the subject can be photographed with the desired focal length immediately after the power switch of the camera is turned on.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a variable focus lens device for a camera according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view including a partly broken view of a camera using a 35 mm film applied to a variable focus lens device for a camera according to the present invention.

The varifocal lens 12 of the camera 10 shown in FIG. 1 is held by a lens barrel 14 shown by a dotted line in the figure. The lens barrel 14 has a cam barrel 16 indicated by a solid line in the drawing.
Are movably arranged in the direction of the optical axis P, and are engaged with a cam groove 18 formed in the cam barrel 16 via a driven pin 20. Further, the lens barrel 14 and the cam barrel 16 are configured such that a projection (not shown) protruding from an outer peripheral portion of the barrel 14 slides into a groove (not shown) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cam barrel 16 in parallel with the optical axis P. By being movably engaged, they are connected via the protrusion and the groove.

A gear 22 is provided on the outer periphery of the rear end of the cam cylinder 16.
Is engraved. The gear 22 is meshed with a gear 26 of the variable power motor 24. Therefore, when the cam barrel 16 is rotated about the optical axis P by the driving force from the variable power motor 24, the lens barrel 14 moves along the cam groove 18 by the straight-forward action of the protrusion and the groove. Move back and forth in the direction of the optical axis P. The W end position of the lens barrel 14 indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure is the position of the wide end of the variable focus lens 12, and the T end position is the position of the tele end of the variable focus lens 12.

On the other hand, when the power is not turned on, the lens barrel 14 is collapsed in the camera body 11.
By turning on the power switch 28 of the camera, A
The motor is moved to the initial position indicated by the position and stopped. This initial position A is set at a substantially intermediate position between the wide end position and the tele end position. And the lens barrel 14 is
The zoom switch 30 of the camera 10 is moved stepwise or steplessly in the wide end direction or the tele end direction.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a drive control system of the varifocal lens 12. As shown in FIG. The camera 10 has a built-in central processing unit (CPU) 32 for controlling and controlling the camera. The CPU 32 controls the driving of the variable power motor 24 based on signals from a power switch 28 and a variable power switch 30. The lens barrel 14 is moved by the driving force of the variable power motor 24, and the movement position of the lens barrel 14 is always detected by a position sensor 34 built in the camera body. Then, a signal indicating the moving position of the lens barrel 14 is output from the position sensor 34 to the CPU 32, and the CPU 32 stops the variable power motor 24 when a predetermined position signal is output from the position sensor 34. I do.
As a result, the varifocal lens 12 is positioned at a desired visual field photographing position.

A timer circuit 36 is provided in the drive control system.
Is provided. When the CPU 32 enters the no-signal input state, the timer circuit 36 outputs a timer start signal to the timer circuit 36 and starts counting time. Then, the signal non-input state is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds).
After elapse, a signal is output to the CPU 32. CPU3
2, when the signal is output from the timer circuit 36, the variable magnification motor 24 is drive-controlled to return the varifocal lens 12 to the initial position A shown in FIG.

Next, according to the varifocal lens device configured as described above, when an operation signal is output from the power switch 28 to the CPU 32, the CPU 32 controls the driving of the variable power motor 24 to control the lens barrel 14 to move. It is fed out to the initial position A shown in FIG. Then, the variable power switch 30 to the CPU 32
When an operation signal is output to the lens barrel 14, the CPU 32 controls the drive of the variable power motor 24 based on the signal, and
Is moved in the wide end direction or the tele end direction to be positioned at a desired visual field photographing position. Here, the camera 10 performs automatic exposure shooting by a release operation of the shutter button 38.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the initial position A of the variable focus lens 12 is set at a substantially intermediate position between the wide end position and the tele end position of the variable focus lens 12, so that the power switch 28 It is possible to quickly respond to both wide shooting and tele shooting immediately after the initial position is set by the ON operation. Therefore, in the present embodiment, an instantaneous change of a moving subject or the like can be quickly taken in both the desired wide visual field and the telescopic visual field. Further, in the present embodiment, since the composition that changes from the initial position by the ON operation of the power switch 28 to the wide side or the tele side does not change much more than in the past, any composition setting may be confusing to the photographer. Shooting can be performed without giving.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the CPU 32 enters the no-signal input state, a timer start signal is output to the timer circuit 36, and the timer circuit 36 starts counting time. Then, the signal non-input state is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds).
After elapse of (seconds), a signal is output from the timer circuit 36 to the CPU 32, and the varifocal lens 12 returns to the initial position A.

Thus, in the present embodiment, even at the time of the next photographing, an instantaneous change of a dynamic subject or the like can be quickly photographed in a desired visual field, and the photographing can be performed without giving the photographer an embarrassment. It can be performed. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the varifocal lens device according to the second embodiment. The CPU 50 of the varifocal lens device controls the driving of a variable power motor 56 based on signals from a power switch 52 and a variable power switch 54. The lens barrel 58 is moved by the driving force of the variable power motor 56, and the movement position of the lens barrel 58 is always detected by a position sensor 60 built in the camera body. Then, a signal indicating the moving position of the lens barrel 58 is output from the position sensor 60 to the CPU 50, and the CPU 50 stops the variable power motor 56 when a predetermined position signal is output from the position sensor 60. As a result, the varifocal lens held by the lens barrel 58 is positioned at a desired focal length position.

Incidentally, the CPU 50 is provided with a nonvolatile memory (for example, an EEPROM) 62.
The memory 62 stores data for setting the initial position of the varifocal lens to a focal length position at a standard angle of view when the power switch 52 is turned on. here,
The standard angle of view is an angle of view that allows a subject viewed through a camera to be viewed with substantially the same size as the subject when viewed directly, i.e., an angle of view substantially equal to the angle of the human visual field range. is there. In the present embodiment, the angle is set to 46 °, but is not limited to this angle.

On the other hand, the focal length position at which the standard angle of view (46 °) varies depending on the screen size of the film to be used. For example, in a varifocal lens device of a camera using a 135 film, the initial focal length position is 50 mm. Also, the vertical dimension is about 17 mm and the horizontal dimension is about 30
A variable focal length lens device for a camera using a new photo film having a screen size of millimeters has a focal length position of 40 mm at an initial position, and has a screen size of 60 mm in vertical dimension and 45 mm in horizontal dimension. In the variable focus lens device of the camera using the brownie film, the initial focal length position is 75 mm.

Therefore, the data indicating 50 mm in the camera using the 135 film, the data indicating 40 mm in the camera using the new photo film, and the data indicating 75 mm in the camera using the brownie film, It is stored in the memory 62 in advance. The data stored in the memory 62 is read out by the CPU 50 when the power switch 52 is turned on. And CPU
50 controls the driving of the variable power motor 56 so that the lens barrel 58 is located at the focal length position indicated by the data.

Next, the operation of the varifocal lens device configured as described above will be described. For example, in a camera using a 135 film, when the power switch 52 is turned on, the CPU 50 reads out data indicating the focal length of 50 mm from the memory 62 and controls the driving of the variable power motor 56 to move the lens barrel 58 to the focal length of 50 mm. Position. Also,
For cameras using the new photo film, the power switch 5
When 2 is turned on, the CPU 50 reads data indicating the focal length of 40 mm from the memory 62, controls the driving of the variable power motor 56, and positions the lens barrel 58 at the position of the focal length of 40 mm. Further, in the camera using the brownie film, when the power switch 52 is turned on, the CPU 50 reads out data indicating the focal length of 75 mm from the memory 62 and drives and controls the variable power motor 46 to move the lens barrel 58 to the focal length of 75 mm. Position.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the initial position is set to the focal length position which is the standard angle of view, so that the subject viewed through the camera has substantially the same size as the subject when viewed directly. You can see. Therefore, the photographer can shoot without hesitation. The screen size of the film is not limited to the above three sizes, and the focal length position is set to a position corresponding to the screen size.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a drive control system of the varifocal lens device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
The CPU (discriminating means and control means) 70 of the variable focus lens device shown in the same figure controls a variable power motor (driving means) 7 based on signals from a power switch 72 and a variable power switch 74.
6 is drive-controlled. The lens barrel 78 is moved by the driving force of the variable power motor 76, and the movement position of the lens barrel 78 is constantly detected by a position sensor 80 built in the camera. The CPU 70 includes the position sensor 8.
A signal indicating the moving position of the lens barrel 78 is output from 4 and
Then, when a predetermined position signal is output from the position sensor 80, the CPU 70 stops the variable power motor 76. As a result, the varifocal lens held by the lens barrel 78 is positioned at a desired visual field photographing position.

The CPU 70 is provided with a non-volatile memory (for example, an EEPROM) 82.
Each time the shutter 84 is released, the memory 82 stores focal length data at the time of shooting. Also,
The memory 82 can store 100 shots of focal length data, and deletes the oldest first shot focal length data and updates the focal length data every time the focal length data of 101 shots or more is output. .

The CPU 70 creates a histogram indicating the number of shots for each focal length data from the 100 focal length data stored in this way, and obtains a focal length position with a high shooting frequency from the histogram. And
The CPU 70 controls the driving of the variable power motor 76 so that the lens barrel 78 is located at the focal length position obtained as described above.

Next, the operation of the varifocal lens device configured as described above will be described. FIG.
2 is a histogram of the focal length data stored in FIG. 2, and a curve C in the figure is a normal distribution created from the histogram. The focal length position indicating the maximum value of the normal distribution is defined as the initial position. The photographer using this camera,
As shown in the histogram of FIG. 5, the image tends to be taken on the wide side in the range of 30 mm to 50 mm, and the peak of the normal distribution is 45 mm. In this case, the power switch 7
2 is turned on, the focal length 45 mm of the peak of the normal distribution is detected by the CPU 70, and
Drives and controls the variable power motor 76 to position the lens barrel 78 at a position with a focal length of 45 mm.

FIG. 6 shows a histogram and normal distribution of focal length data stored in the memory 82 of another camera. The photographer using this camera tends to photograph on the standard side in the range of 55 mm to 70 mm as shown in the histogram in FIG. 3, and the peak of the normal distribution is 65 mm. In this case, when the power switch 72 is turned ON, the focal length of the normal distribution peak is 65 mm.
Is detected by Then, the CPU 70 controls the driving of the variable power motor 76 to position the lens barrel 78 at a position with a focal length of 65 mm.

FIG. 7 shows a histogram and normal distribution of focal length data stored in the memory 82 of another camera. There is a tendency to shoot on the tele side in the range of 110 mm, and the peak of the normal distribution is 80 mm
It is. In this case, when the power switch 72 is turned on, the focal length 80 mm of the peak of the normal distribution becomes equal to the CPU 70.
Is detected by Then, the CPU 70 controls the driving of the variable power motor 76 to position the lens barrel 78 at a position with a focal length of 80 mm.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the initial position is set to the focal length often used by the photographer at the time of photographing, it is possible to photograph the subject immediately after turning on the power switch of the camera. Although the normal distribution is applied as the probability distribution in the present embodiment, the peak focal length position may be obtained using another probability distribution.

In the present embodiment, the peak of the normal distribution is set at the initial position. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the photographing tendency is wide, the varifocal lens is moved to the wide end. In the case of the tele side, it may be moved to the tele end, and in the case of the standard side, it may be moved to the standard position. The varifocal lens device of the present embodiment
Although the photographing tendency is determined using 00 focal length data, the number of data is not limited to this.

In the present embodiment, the photographing tendency is determined based on the focal length data from the 100th lens.
Until the 0th shot, for example, the initial position of the first shot is set to the wide end similarly to the conventional shot, and from the second shot to the 99th shot, the average value of the focal length data or the normal distribution is used. May be set to the initial position.

In this embodiment, the second embodiment and the third embodiment are described separately. However, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the third embodiment are applied to a varifocal lens device of one camera. Both functions can be provided. In this case, a memory 62 (see FIG. 3) and a memory 82 (see FIG. 4) are provided in the control system of the varifocal lens device, and data stored in one of the memories 62 and 82 is selected. Switch may be provided.

When the memory 62 is selected by the changeover switch, the initial position is set to the focal length position of the standard angle of view. Also, when the memory 82 is selected by the changeover switch, the photographer is set to the focal length position often used by the photographer during photographing.
The initial position is set. A zoom lens device may be applied as the variable focus lens device described in the present embodiment.

[0038]

As described above, according to the varifocal lens device for a camera according to the present invention, the initial position of the varifocal lens is set to a substantially intermediate position between the wide end position and the tele end position of the varifocal lens. As a result, the instantaneous change of the moving subject or the like immediately after the initial position is set by the operation of the power switch can be quickly photographed in a desired field of view, and the composition of the initial position by the operation of the power switch changes to the wide side or the tele side. Since the composition to be performed does not change much more than in the related art, it is possible to perform photographing without giving any confusion to the photographer in any of the composition settings.

In the variable focus lens device according to the present invention,
Since the initial position is set to the focal length position that becomes the standard angle of view, the subject viewed through the camera can be viewed at substantially the same size as the subject when directly viewed. Therefore, the photographer can shoot without hesitation. Further, in the variable focus lens device of the present invention, the photographer sets the initial position to the focal length often used in photographing, so that the subject can be photographed with a desired focal length immediately after turning on the power switch of the camera. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view including a partially broken view of a camera to which a variable focal length lens device for a camera according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a drive control system of the varifocal lens device of the camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a drive control system of a varifocal lens device of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a drive control system of a varifocal lens device of a camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a histogram in which a focal length position at the time of a shot is distributed on a wide side and a normal distribution.

FIG. 6 is a histogram in which a focal length position at the time of a shot is distributed on a standard side and a normal distribution.

FIG. 7 is a histogram in which a focal length position at the time of a shot is distributed on the tele side and a normal distribution.

FIG. 8 is a side view including a partially broken view of a camera to which the conventional variable focus lens device is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Camera 12 ... Variable focus lens 14 ... Barrel 24 ... Magnification motor 28 ... Power switch 30 ... Magnification switch 32 ... CPU

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Iwasaki 3-11-46 Izumi, Asaka-shi, Saitama Prefecture Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A power switch of a camera, a variable focus lens movably provided within a range from a collapsed position to a telephoto end position in a camera body, and a driving means for moving the variable focus lens within the range. When the power switch is operated, the control means controls the driving means to position the varifocal lens at an initial position substantially intermediate between the wide end position and the tele end position of the varifocal lens. A variable focus lens device for a camera, comprising: 2. A timer means for starting time measurement immediately after photographing is completed, and said control means controls said drive means when said time measured by said timer means has passed a predetermined time, and said variable means is provided. 2. The variable focus lens device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the focus lens is moved back to the initial position. 3. A power switch of a camera, a variable focus lens movably provided in a range from a collapsed position to a telephoto end position in a camera body, and driving means for moving the variable focus lens in the range. When the power switch is operated, the control unit controls the driving unit to move the varifocal lens from the collapsed position in the camera body, so that the varifocal lens is positioned at an initial position which is a focal length position at a standard angle of view. And a variable focus lens device for a camera. 4. The variable focus lens device for a camera according to claim 3, wherein said standard angle of view stored in said control means is approximately 46 °. 5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera uses a 135 film, and the initial position of the focal length position stored in the control means of the varifocal lens device of the camera is:
5. The varifocal lens device for a camera according to claim 4, wherein the distance is approximately 50 mm. 6. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera uses a film having a screen size of 17 mm in length and 30 mm in width, and the initial position stored in the control means of the varifocal lens device of the camera. 5. The variable focal length lens device for a camera according to claim 4, wherein the focal length position of the camera is approximately 40 mm. 7. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera uses a film having a screen size of 60 mm in length and 45 mm in width, and the initial position stored in the control means of the varifocal lens device of the camera. 5. The variable focal length lens device for a camera according to claim 4, wherein the focal length position of the lens is approximately 75 mm. 8. A power switch of a camera, a variable focus lens movably provided in a range from a collapsed position to a telephoto end position in a camera body, and driving means for moving the variable focus lens in the range. Storage means for storing focal length data at the time of shooting for each shooting; determining means for determining a shooting tendency based on the focal length data stored in the storing means; and a determination result by the determining means. Control means for controlling the driving means so that the variable focus lens is located at an initial position corresponding to a shooting tendency. A variable focus lens device for a camera, comprising: 9. The control means moves the varifocal lens to the wide end when the shooting tendency determined by the determination means is on the wide side, and moves to the tele end when the shooting tendency is on the tele side. To move to the standard position in the case of the standard side,
9. The varifocal lens device for a camera according to claim 8, wherein the driving unit is controlled.