JPH10319481A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively evade a photographing error by making a photographer clearly recognize that a camera is in a photographing mode where a stroboscope device does not emit light because the light emitting part of a pop-up type stroboscope device is depressed. SOLUTION: A CPU 1 detects whether the light emitting part of the stroboscope device 8 is depressed or not based on a stroboscope position detecting switch SW6. In the case that the stroboscope position detecting switch SW6 is turned off, a LCD 4 displays a stroboscope forcedly turning off mark. The CPU 1 judges whether to use the stroboscope device 8 or not at the point of time when exposure control information is calculated, and in the case of judging that the stroboscope device 8 is used, the charging of the stroboscope device 8 is executed. The CPU 1 sets the lens barrel position of a photographing lens in a focusing state by a lens barrel control circuit 7 based on information obtained by an AF circuit 2. The opening/closing operation of a shutter is executed by a shutter control circuit 5 based on photometric information obtained by a photometric circuit 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera equipped with a strobe device (electronic flash),
In particular, the present invention relates to a camera provided with a so-called pop-up type flash device in which a light-emitting portion of the flash device projects from the camera body during shooting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, miniaturization and automation of cameras have been advanced, and so-called compact cameras characterized by simplicity have often incorporated a strobe device as an illumination light source. As a method of incorporating a strobe device into a camera, a completely built-in type in which a strobe device is integrated into a camera body and a detachable type in which a strobe device unitized in a camera body is detachable are general. In addition, the light-emitting portion of the strobe device is provided with a photographic optical axis of a photographic optical system of a camera in order to prevent a so-called red-eye phenomenon and to prevent a photograph having little shadow and an unnatural and poor three-dimensional effect. It is desirable to arrange them as far apart as possible.

[0003] Therefore, in any of the above-mentioned types, the light emitting portion of the strobe device is disposed at the end of the camera away from the photographing optical axis, or the light emitting portion of the strobe device is disposed so as to protrude from the camera body. doing. In particular, in a small camera, to make the distance from the optical axis sufficient,
Only when the strobe device is used, a pop-up type in which the light-emitting portion of the strobe device is protruded from the camera body and made to pop up, that is, pops up, and is embedded in the camera body when not in use is often used.

In the past, this type of pop-up type flash device used to pop up a light-emitting portion in conjunction with turning on a power switch of the flash device, charge a main capacitor of the flash device to enable flashing, and perform flash photography. Then, in many cases, the power of the strobe device is turned off to make it impossible to emit light by pushing down the light emitting portion that has popped up, that is, by pushing down.
However, in recent years, with the progress of automation of shooting operation, in this type of pop-up type flash device, the light emitting portion pops up in conjunction with turning on of a power switch of a camera to charge a main capacitor of the flash device. There are many devices that can emit light.

As described above, in a camera with a built-in flash device that enables the flash unit to emit light by popping up the flash unit, light emission of the flash is performed based on the setting conditions of a photographing mode by automatic exposure and a photometric result, such as insufficient light quantity of a subject. When it is determined that flashlight is necessary, the flash is fired to perform shooting, and when it is determined that flashlight is not necessary, shooting is performed without flashing. In this case as well, the power switch of the strobe device is turned off by forcibly pressing down the light-emitting unit that has popped up, that is, pushing down, so that light emission is forcibly disabled.

Further, it is clearly shown that the flash unit is popped up only when the strobe light is necessary according to the setting conditions of the photographing mode by automatic exposure and the photometry result to enable the strobe light emission and at the same time to perform the strobe shooting. Some have been suggested. In general, in a camera having an automatic exposure function and equipped with a pop-up strobe device, at the time of shooting, in conjunction with a power switch or the like,
The flash unit of the strobe device is popped up, and the strobe device emits light in accordance with photometric conditions. At this time, there is a camera that forcibly turns off the strobe device when the light emitting unit is pushed down regardless of the shooting mode and performs shooting without emitting light.

When the flash unit is pushed down to stop the flash unit from emitting light as described above, the exposure conditions when the flash unit emits light may be changed due to the difference in the camera or the difference in the setting of the automatic exposure shooting mode. There are a case where the photographing is performed with only the emission of the strobe device being blocked, and a case where the photographing is performed by changing the exposure condition without using the strobe based on the photometry result. An example of this type of camera is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-59319. That is, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-59319, in a camera having a built-in or mountable pop-up strobe device, if the photographer presses down the strobe device by hand after the strobe device automatically pops up, the camera is left as it is. It shows that the camera can be used for non-flash photography immediately.

Conventionally, in a camera having a pop-up strobe, even if the photographer determines that he does not want to use the strobe, the strobe device always emits light if the camera mode setting is left as it is. Sisters,
As a result, a photograph different from what the photographer intended was taken. In order to prevent the flash device from emitting light, it was necessary to always switch the shooting mode setting. However, this operation requires a considerable amount of time, so that a shutter chance is missed.

On the other hand, the camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-59319 has a brightness information reading device for reading brightness information of a shooting screen and a shooting condition determining means for determining shooting conditions based on the brightness information. When the photographing condition determining means determines that a strobe device is required, a strobe device that automatically rises to a light emitting enabled state can be mounted, or a built-in camera requires a strobe by the photographing condition determining means. When the photographer depresses the strobe after the strobe is raised, another photographing condition that does not require a strobe device is set by the photographing condition determining means. Therefore, in the camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-59319, when the photographer depresses the strobe device, another photographing condition that does not require the strobe device is set by the photographing condition determination means. It is possible to quickly switch to the flash photography mode.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
In a camera including a conventional pop-up strobe device including the publication No. 59319, no indication that the light-emitting portion of the strobe device is pushed down and in a non-light-emission state is not displayed at all, However, there has been a shooting error due to forgetting that the strobe device does not emit light.

For this reason, even if the photographer presses down the light-emitting portion of the flash device to prohibit the light emission of the flash device after the photographing conditions requiring the flash device are determined based on the photometric results and the like, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-27138 is also disclosed. As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 59319, it is not clear whether the photographing mode is changed to a photographing mode that does not use a flash device or whether the flash device is simply prohibited from emitting light.

In addition, even if there is no intention not to use the flash device, there is a possibility that the light emitting section of the flash device is erroneously depressed, and shooting is performed in that state.
Such a tendency is particularly remarkable in a camera having a small operation stroke of a pop-up of a light emitting unit of a flash device. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and it has been determined that the light emitting unit of the pop-up type flash device is pressed down, regardless of the photographer's intention.
Make sure the photographer clearly recognizes the shooting mode in which the flash device does not emit light without forgetting the photographer,
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a camera capable of effectively avoiding a shooting mistake.

In particular, the object of claim 1 of the present invention is to
An object of the present invention is to provide a camera that clearly indicates that the light emitting unit of a pop-up type flash device is depressed, prompts a photographer to recognize the state of the flash device, and allows the photographing mode to be accurately grasped. A further object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of visually and clearly recognizing a strobe state. A third object of the present invention is to provide a camera that enables a photographer to simultaneously grasp the state of a strobe device when checking a photographing mode, and to allow the photographer to recognize the photographing mode and the strobe device in association with each other. Is to provide. A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a camera which has an automatic exposure control function and allows a photographer to simultaneously recognize a shooting mode including the automatic exposure control and a state of the strobe device. It is in.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a long-time shooting control function, and to allow a photographer to simultaneously recognize the shooting mode including the long-time shooting mode and the state of the strobe device. It is to provide a camera capable of. The object of claim 6 of the present invention is to make the photographer recognize the state of the strobe device at the time when the photographer starts the photographing operation,
An object of the present invention is to provide a camera that allows a photographer to recognize the state of a flash device in accordance with an actual photographing situation. In particular, the object of claim 7 of the present invention is to interrupt the photographing operation after the photographer starts the photographing operation and recognizes the state of the strobe device,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera capable of changing conditions such as a shooting mode.

It is an object of the present invention that the display state is returned to the initial state when a series of photographing operations is completed, and the photographing is performed under a new photographing mode or the like as desired. It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera capable of performing such operations. An object of the ninth aspect of the present invention is to provide a camera which enables a photographer to clearly recognize the state of the strobe device, particularly when the light-emitting unit has a strobe device which pops up in conjunction with a power switch of the camera. It is in.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the photographer can simultaneously grasp the state of the strobe device when confirming the photographing mode, so that the photographer can recognize the photographing mode and the strobe device in association with each other. Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of correctly recognizing a display when a flash is pushed down even when a shooting mode is set to a mode not using a flash.

[0017]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to attain the above-mentioned object, in particular, the first object, when the light-emitting portion pops up, the camera becomes a pop-up state in which light can be emitted. A strobe device that is in a push-down state where light emission is impossible when the light-emitting unit is pressed down, a strobe state detection unit that detects whether the light-emitting unit of the strobe device is in a pop-up state or a push-down state, and the strobe state detection unit Display means for displaying that the flash device does not emit light when a push-down state is detected.

A camera according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the display means includes a liquid crystal display. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera according to the third aspect, wherein setting means for setting shooting modes corresponding to different shooting conditions as desired, a pop-up state in which light emission is possible when the light emitting unit pops up, and the light emitting unit is pressed down. A flash device that is in a push-down state in which the flash device cannot emit light when pressed, a flash state detection unit that detects whether the light-emitting unit of the flash device is in a pop-up state or a push-down state, and a shooting mode set by the setting unit. When a push-down state is detected by the detection means,
Display means for canceling the display of the photographing mark and displaying a photographing mark indicating that the strobe device is not used.

A camera according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the camera further comprises an exposure control means for automatically performing exposure control in a shooting mode corresponding to the display of a shooting mark on the display means. . A camera according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the setting means and the exposure control means include means for performing photographing in a long time photographing mode in which a shutter is opened for a long time.

In the camera according to the present invention, the display means does not use the strobe device for the first time in an intermediate operation state where the pop-up light emitting unit is pushed down to a push-down state and the release switch is operated halfway. It is characterized by including means for displaying a message to the effect. In the camera according to the present invention, when the display means opens the release switch before the photographing operation, the strobe light can be detected even if the detecting means detects that the light emitting unit is in the push-down state. It is characterized by including means for canceling the display indicating that the device is not used.

In the camera according to the present invention, when the display means completes the photographing operation, the strobe device is used even if the light emitting unit is detected to be in the push-down state by the detecting means. It is characterized in that it includes means for canceling the display of not doing so. The camera according to the ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the light emitting unit of the strobe device pops up in conjunction with the power switch of the camera. The display means of the camera according to the present invention as set forth in claim 10, wherein when the setting means of the photographing mode by the setting means is a mode not using a strobe, the photographing is performed even if a push-down state is detected by the strobe state detecting means. The display of the mark is not canceled.

[0022]

The camera according to claim 1 of the present invention has
When the light-emitting unit pops up, the light-emitting unit enters a pop-up state in which light can be emitted, and when the light-emitting unit is pressed down, a push-down state in which light emission is impossible is detected by the strobe state detection unit whether the light-emitting unit of the strobe device is in the pop-up state or the push-down state. When the push-down state is detected, the fact that the flash device does not emit light is displayed on the display unit. With such a configuration, the push-down state of the flash unit of the flash unit is detected by the flash state detection unit and displayed on the display unit. Therefore, regardless of the photographer's intention, the flash unit of the pop-up type flash unit is used. It is possible for the photographer to clearly recognize that the shooting mode in which the flash device does not emit light without forgetting that the camera is pressed down, and to avoid a shooting mistake beforehand.

In the camera according to the second aspect of the present invention, the display unit includes a liquid crystal display. With such a configuration, the strobe state can be displayed on the liquid crystal display, and the strobe state can be visually recognized clearly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera having setting means for setting photographing modes corresponding to different photographing conditions as desired. When the flash unit is depressed, the flash unit becomes a push-down state in which light emission is disabled. The flash state detection unit detects whether the flash unit is in a pop-up state or a push-down state, and displays a shooting mark corresponding to the setting state of the shooting mode. At the same time, when the push-down state is detected, the display of the photographing mark is released, and a photographing mark indicating that the strobe device is not used is displayed on the display unit. With this configuration, when the photographer checks the photographing mode, the display on the display unit can simultaneously grasp the state of the strobe device, and allows the photographer to recognize the photographing mode and the strobe device in association with each other. .

A camera according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is provided with an exposure control section for automatically performing exposure control in a shooting mode corresponding to the display of a shooting mark on the display section. With such a configuration, the photographer can have the automatic exposure control function and can simultaneously recognize the photographing mode including the automatic exposure control and the state of the strobe device. The camera according to claim 5 of the present invention has a function in which the setting means and the exposure control section perform photographing in the long-time photographing mode in which the shutter is opened for a long time. With such a configuration, in particular, the photographing mode including the long time photographing mode and the state of the strobe device can be displayed on the display unit so that the photographer can recognize the photographing mode.

In the camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the display means presses down the pop-up light-emitting portion to put it in a push-down state, and further displays a message that the strobe device is not used for the first time in an intermediate operation state in which the release switch is operated halfway. It is characterized by doing. With such a configuration, the state of the strobe device is not displayed until the photographer starts the photographing operation, and the photographer is made aware of the state of the strobe device when the photographing operation is started, so that the photographer can immediately recognize the actual photographing situation. Thus, the photographer can recognize the state of the flash device.

In the camera according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, when the release switch is opened before the photographing operation, the strobe device in the display unit is used even if it is detected that the light emitting unit is in the push-down state. Cancel the indication that you do not want to. With such a configuration, when the photographer starts the photographing operation and recognizes the state of the flash device, and then interrupts the photographing operation, the display on the display unit is returned to the initial state, and the conditions such as the photographing mode are changed. Is possible.

In the camera according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, when the photographing operation is completed, even if it is detected that the light emitting unit is in the push-down state, the display indicating that the strobe device is not used is released on the display unit. I do. With such a configuration, when a series of shooting operations is completed, the display state is returned to the initial state, and shooting can be performed under a new shooting mode or the like as desired.

In the camera according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the light emitting portion of the strobe device pops up in conjunction with the power switch of the camera. With this configuration, the photographer can always clearly recognize the state of the strobe device having the light emitting unit that pops up in conjunction with the power switch.

In the camera according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, when the setting of the photographing mode by the setting means is a mode in which no strobe is used, for example, a distant view mode or a TV mode, the strobe is in a push-down state. The shooting mark, even if is detected by the flash status detection means,
For example, the shooting mark is continuously displayed without canceling the display of the distant view mode or the TV mode. With such a configuration, when the photographer checks the photographing mode, the photographing mark indicating the photographing mode can be always recognized by the display on the display unit, and the strobe is pushed down and the strobe device does not emit light. Can be recognized.

[0031]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a camera according to the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a configuration of a main part of a camera common to the first embodiment and the second embodiment according to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a main configuration of the camera, FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation at the time of a shooting mode switching operation of the camera, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the outline of the operation of the camera at the time of shooting in the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is an outline of the operation of the camera at the time of shooting in the second embodiment. It is a flowchart.

The camera shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of switches SW.
1 to SW6, CPU (Central control unit: Central Processi)
ng Unit) 1, AF (Auto Focus: Automatic Fo)
cussing) circuit 2, photometric circuit 3, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 4, shutter control circuit 5, feed control circuit 6, lens barrel control circuit 7, and strobe device 8. A plurality of switches SW1 to SW6
Are a power switch SW1, a first release switch SW2, a second release switch SW3, a photographing mode switch SW4, a strobe mode switch SW5, and a strobe position detection switch SW6.

The power switch SW1 is a switch for turning on / off the power of the camera. By turning on the power switch SW1, for example, although not shown, a lens barrier for protecting the taking lens is provided. Open,
The camera can shoot. The first and second release switches SW2 and SW3 are turned on / off by operating a so-called shutter button, not shown, that is, a release button. The release button is configured to operate in two stages: half-pressed halfway down and full-pressed fully pressed, and the first release switch SW2 is turned on by half-pressing, The second release switch SW3 is turned on when fully pressed.

That is, when the release button is not pressed at all, the first and second release switches SW2
And SW3 are both off. When the release button is pressed to a half-pressed state, the first release switch SW2 is turned on, but the second release switch SW3 is kept off. When the release button is fully pressed, both the first and second release switches SW2 and SW3 are turned on.

By the way, when the release button is returned to the half-pressed state, the first release switch SW2 remains ON,
When only the second release switch SW3 is turned off and the finger is released from the release button and the release button is completely released, the state returns to the initial state, and both the first and second release switches SW2 and SW3 are turned off. In order to ensure this operation, generally, the operation of the first and second release switches SW2 and SW3 is provided with a slightly hysteresis characteristic so that the position at which the switch changes from off to on is different from the position at which the switch changes from on to off. Is also set to a deep position.

The photographing mode switch SW4 constitutes setting means for setting a photographing mode. The photographing mode switch SW4 is turned on / off by using a self-return type switch.
By repeating the OFF operation, each time the ON operation is performed, an auto (automatic) mode in which a completely automatic control photographing is performed with an auto focus and an automatic exposure, and the strobe device 8 emits light by focusing on a subject such as a person at a short distance. A super night view mode in which shooting is performed with a relatively long shutter time while focusing on a distant view without using the strobe device 8,
A distant view mode in which automatic exposure shooting is performed at an infinite distance without using the flash device 8 and autofocus, and a shutter speed suitable for shooting a television screen are set, and light emission of the flash device is prohibited to perform shooting. The TV mode is sequentially switched.

A strobe mode switch SW5 is an AUTO mode in which a self-return type switch is used to repeat on / off operations, so that the strobe device 8 automatically emits light by flashmatic control every on operation.
A red-eye mode for preventing the so-called red-eye phenomenon in which the subject's eyes are photographed red by weakly emitting the flash before the main emission of the strobe device 8, in a case where the amount of light from the subject is insufficient and the strobe device 8 is required to emit light. However, the strobe forced off mode in which shooting is performed without causing the strobe device 8 to emit light, and the strobe forced on mode in which shooting is performed with the strobe device 8 fired even when the amount of light from the subject is sufficient and the strobe device 8 is not required are sequentially switched.

The settings of the photographing mode switch SW4 and the flash mode switch SW5 determine the photographing mode in relation to each other. For example, when the photographing mode switch SW4 and the strobe mode switch SW5 are both set to the AUTO mode, at least one of the aperture and the shutter time is variably controlled according to the photometric value so as to obtain an appropriate exposure for photographing. When the amount of light of the subject is insufficient, the flash is fired, and control is performed to obtain an appropriate exposure by so-called flashmatic strobe control, and photographing is performed.

When the flash mode setting by the flash mode switch SW5 is the red-eye mode,
When light emission of the strobe device 8 is requested based on the photometry result, the strobe device 8 is weakly pre-emitted just before the main light emission of the strobe device 8 to prevent the red-eye phenomenon. In addition, an auxiliary strobe for the red-eye mode may be provided in the strobe device 8, and the flash may be emitted before the main flash.
When the strobe mode is set to the strobe forced off mode, regardless of the setting of the shooting mode by the shooting mode switch SW4, the strobe device 8 is not fired, and the aperture and shutter time according to the photometry result are used. Take a picture.

When the strobe mode is set to the strobe forced ON mode, the photographing mode switch S
Irrespective of the setting of the photographing mode by W4, the flash device 8 emits light as auxiliary light at the aperture and shutter time according to the photometry result to perform photographing. When the setting of the photographing mode by the photographing mode switch SW4 is the super night view mode, the flash device 8 emits light in the same manner as in the forced on mode of the strobe mode, and according to the photometry result, the image is photographed like an underground like a night view. The photographing is performed by controlling the aperture and the shutter time as described below.

When the photographing mode is set to the distant view mode, the flash device 8 is similarly inhibited from emitting light, and the photographing distance is forcibly set to infinity to set the aperture and shutter time according to the photometry result. Control and shoot. When the shooting mode is set to the TV mode, similarly, the flash device 8 is prohibited from emitting light, the shooting distance is set according to the distance measurement result, and a predetermined shutter time adapted to the scanning speed of the television screen is set. Sometimes it takes control to shoot.

In the time mode, the shutter is opened in response to the ON of the first second release switch SW3, and the shutter is closed in response to the ON of the next second release switch SW3. In the valve mode, the shutter is opened in response to the turning on of the second release switch SW3, and the shutter is closed in response to the turning off of the second release switch SW3. Strobe position detection switch SW6
Constitutes a strobe state detecting means, and turns on when a light emitting unit (not shown) of the strobe device 8 is at the pop-up position, and turns off when the light emitting unit is at the push down position.

In response to a command from the CPU 1, the AF circuit 2 measures a subject distance by using a conventional auto-focus technique such as an active type or a passive type, and transfers the distance measurement information to a CP.
Input to U1. In some cases, the AF circuit 2 obtains focusing information of a subject and inputs the information to the CPU 1. In response to a command from the CPU 1, the photometric circuit 3 measures the photo field of view, detects the illuminance of the subject, and inputs the illuminance to the CPU 1. There are center-weighted photometry, spot photometry, pattern photometry, average photometry, etc., depending on the difference in photometric sensitivity distribution in the field of view, but any of these may be used.

The LCD 4 constitutes a display means. When the power is on, based on the control of the CPU 1, the shooting mode, the film frame number, the strobe light emission, the battery status, the date and time, and the like will be described later. Displays various statuses to be performed. In response to the control of the CPU 1, the shutter control circuit 5 drives a shutter blade (not shown) to open and close the shutter, and performs aperture control and shutter time control at the time of maximum opening. In response to the control of the CPU 1, the feed control circuit 6 winds up the film and advances it to the photographing position one frame at a time by a film feeding drive mechanism (not shown). The film feed information is supplied to the CPU 1.

The lens barrel control circuit 7 controls the movement of the lens barrel (not shown) of the taking lens (not shown) in response to the control of the CPU 1. The strobe device 8 is controlled by the CPU 1 to pop up the light emitting unit to enable light emission, to charge a main capacitor as a light emitting power source, and to switch the light emitting unit at required timing by the power charged in the main capacitor. Flash. When the light emitting unit is pushed down, the strobe device 8 cannot emit light. In response to the pop-up and push-down of the light emitting unit of the strobe device 8, a strobe position detection switch SW6 as strobe state detecting means is operated. By operating a separately provided pop-up switch, the light-emitting portion of the flash device 8 that has been once pushed down can be popped up again.

The CPU 1 turns on / off the switches SW1 to SW6, the distance measurement information (and focusing information) of the AF circuit 2, the light measurement information of the light measurement circuit 3, the display information of the LCD 4, and the shutter operation of the shutter control circuit 5. Information and feed control circuit 6
The AF circuit 2, the photometric circuit 3, the LCD 4, the shutter control circuit 5, the feed control circuit 6, the film feed information, the lens barrel operation information of the lens barrel control circuit 7, and the operation information of the flash unit 8. The lens barrel control circuit 7 and the strobe device 8 are controlled and driven. Exposure control means for automatically performing exposure control processing is configured as a function of the CPU 1.

That is, the CPU 1 obtains subject distance information from the AF circuit 2, drives the photographic lens barrel by the lens barrel control circuit 7, and performs autofocus control on the subject. When focusing information is obtained by the AF circuit 2, the focusing control is performed by the lens barrel control circuit 7 using the focusing information for autofocus control. Also CPU
1 obtains photometric information from the photometric circuit 3, and causes the shutter control circuit 5 to operate the shutter according to the aperture (maximum aperture stop) and the shutter time for obtaining proper exposure. Further, the CPU 1 drives the strobe device 8 to emit light when the subject photometry value by the photometry circuit is low or when strobe light emission is required depending on the shooting mode.

The CPU 1 further includes a power switch SW1
Is turned on to start the operation control of the entire camera, and turned off to end the operation of the camera.
The CPU 1 sequentially switches between the AUTO mode, the super night view mode, the distant view mode, and the TV mode each time the shooting mode switch SW4 is turned on. Also, the CPU 1 sets the AUTO mode every time the strobe mode switch SW5 is turned on.
Mode, red-eye mode, strobe forced off mode and forced on mode are sequentially switched.

The CPU 1 has a strobe position detection switch S
Based on the switch input of W6, it is detected whether the light emitting unit of the flash device 8 is in the pop-up state or the push-down state. Further, the CPU 1 executes a shooting operation corresponding to each shooting mode according to the operation of the first and second release switches SW2 and SW3. CPU1
Each time the photographing of one frame is completed, the feed control circuit 6 drives the photographing film to advance one frame at a time. Also, CPU
1 displays information of each operation state on the LCD 4. In particular, when the light-emitting portion of the flash device 8 is pushed down to the push-down position by the flash position detection switch SW6, the LCD 4 indicates that the flash device 8 does not emit light.

Next, the operation of the above-configured camera will be described in detail. The camera is stored or carried with the taking lens barrel stored in the camera body. When the photographing lens barrel is housed in the camera body, the power switch SW1 is pressed to open the barrier for protecting the photographing lens, and then the photographing lens barrel is moved to the standby position. The light emitting unit of the flash unit 8 pops up in conjunction with the movement of the taking lens barrel.
The strobe position detection switch SW6 is turned off in a push-down state in which the light emitting unit of the strobe device 8 is pushed down, and is turned on in a pop-up state. The on / off operation information of the strobe position detection switch SW6 is CP
Input to U1, the CPU 1 can recognize the state of the light emitting section of the flash device 8.

First, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The switching operation of the shooting mode by the shooting mode switch SW4 will be described. Each time the shooting mode switch SW4 is turned on, the CPU 1 executes a shooting mode switching process as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 each time. When the photographing mode switch SW4 is turned on, C
PU1 checks whether or not the previous shooting mode is the AUTO mode (step S11). If the previous shooting mode is the AUTO mode, the shooting mode is set to the next super night view mode, and the LCD 4 displays that the shooting mode is the super night view mode (step S12).

In step S11, the previous shooting mode is set to A
When it is determined that the mode is not the UTO mode, it is determined whether or not the previous shooting mode is the super night view mode (step S13). If the previous shooting mode is the super night view mode, the shooting mode is set to the next distant view mode and LC
D4 indicates that the shooting mode is the next distant view mode (step S14). If it is determined in step S13 that the previous shooting mode is not the super night view mode, it is checked whether the previous shooting mode is the distant view mode (step S15). If the previous shooting mode is the distant view mode, the shooting mode is set to the TV mode, and the LCD 4
Indicates that the shooting mode is the TV mode (step S16). If it is determined in step S15 that the previous shooting mode is not the distant view mode, the shooting mode is set to A
Set to UTO mode, LCD4 shows shooting mode as AUT
The fact that the mode is the O mode is displayed (step S17).

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of switching the flash mode by the flash mode switch SW5 will be described. Each time the flash mode switch SW5 is turned on, the CPU 1
The flash mode switching process as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is executed. When the strobe mode switch SW5 is turned on, the CPU 1 checks whether or not the previous strobe mode is the AUTO mode (step S2).
1). If the previous strobe mode is AUTO mode, set the strobe mode to the next red-eye mode,
4 indicates that the flash mode is the red-eye mode (step S22).

If it is determined in step S21 that the previous strobe mode is not the AUTO mode, it is checked whether or not the last strobe mode is the red-eye mode (step S23). If the previous strobe mode is the red-eye mode, set the strobe mode to the forced off mode,
D4 indicates that the strobe mode is the forced off mode (step S24). If it is determined in step S23 that the previous strobe mode is not the red-eye mode, it is checked whether or not the last strobe mode is the forced off mode (step S25). If the previous flash mode is the forced off mode, the flash mode is set to the forced on mode, and the LCD 4 displays that the flash mode is the forced on mode (step S26).

If it is determined in step S25 that the previous strobe mode is not the forced off mode, the strobe mode is set to the AUTO mode, and a message indicating that the strobe mode is the AUTO mode is displayed on the LCD 4 (step S27). Shooting mode switch SW as described above
The operation of switching the photographing mode by the switch 4 and the operation of switching the strobe mode by the strobe mode switch SW5 are performed.

Next, the photographing operation of the camera according to the first embodiment based on the operation of the first and second release switches SW2 and SW3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the release button is halfway depressed halfway, the first release switch SW2 is turned on, and the release-on process according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 starts. When the release button is half-pressed and the first release switch SW2 is turned on, first, the CPU 1 checks the state of the flash position detection switch SW6 to detect whether the light emitting unit of the flash device 8 has been pressed down. (Step S3
1).

When the light emitting portion of the strobe device 8 is depressed, the strobe position detection switch SW6 is turned off, and the strobe device 8 cannot be used, the CPU 1 changes the display on the LCD 4. Then, the previous mode display displayed at that time is erased, and a forced off mark indicating that the flash mode is the forced off mode is displayed on the LCD 4 (step S32). At this time, the CPU 1 simultaneously sets the control mode according to the strobe forced off mode.

If the light emitting portion of the strobe device 8 is not pressed down and pops up, the strobe position detection switch SW6 is on and if the strobe device 8 is usable, the LCD of step S32 is turned on.
4 is skipped. Therefore, in that case, the display on the LCD 4 and the control mode of the CPU 1 remain unchanged, that is, the same as the previous time. afterwards,
The CPU 1 performs an autofocus process by the AF circuit 2 (step S33) and a photometry process by the photometry circuit 3 (step S34), and obtains autofocus information and photometry information such as distance measurement information, and the set control. An exposure calculation is performed based on the mode information (step S35). By the exposure calculation in step S35, for example, exposure control information such as a shutter time is calculated.

The control mode information when the light emitting section of the strobe device 8 is pushed down is a control mode according to the strobe forced off mode. When the exposure control information is calculated, it is determined whether or not to use the flash device 8 based on the exposure control information and the flash mode information (step S36). In step S36,
As a result of the exposure calculation, use of the strobe device 8 is requested, and when the strobe mode is not the forced off mode or when the strobe mode is the forced on mode, it is determined that the strobe device 8 is used. As a result of the exposure calculation, when the use of the strobe device 8 is not requested and the strobe mode is not the forced on mode, or when the strobe mode is the forced off mode, it is determined that the strobe device 8 is not used. If it is determined in step S36 that the strobe device is to be used, the strobe device 8 is charged (step S37).

If it is determined in step S36 that the strobe device is not used, step S37 is skipped. And if the release button is pushed further,
Waiting for detection of whether the release button is released from the half-pressed state, that is, whether the second release switch SW3 is turned on (step S38), or the first release without turning on the second release switch SW3 Switch S
The process waits for detection of whether W2 is turned off (step S44).

First, it is determined whether or not the release button is further pressed, that is, whether or not the second release switch SW3 is turned on (step S38). When the release button is further pressed, the second release switch S
When W3 is turned on, a photographing operation is started. CPU
Reference numeral 1 denotes a state in which the amount of extension of the photographing lens is calculated based on the autofocus information obtained by the AF circuit 2, and the lens barrel control is performed via the lens barrel control circuit 7 so that the lens barrel position of the photographing lens is in focus. (Step S39).

Next, the CPU 1 operates the shutter control circuit 5 to open and close the shutter in accordance with the exposure time calculated based on the photometric information previously obtained from the photometric circuit 3, ie, the shutter time (step S40). By the shutter operation in step S40, exposure is performed for the set shutter time, and one frame of image is captured. When the strobe device 8 is used, the strobe device 8 is driven to emit light in synchronization with the shutter operation in step S40. After the photographing in step S40, the CPU 1 returns the photographing lens barrel to the standby position via the lens barrel control circuit 7 (step S41), and then feeds the film via the feed control circuit 6, and The film is wound up by the frame (step S42).

After the above photographing operation is completed, the CPU 1
Indicates that the display on the LCD 4 is the first release switch SW2
If it is changed after turning on, the display returns to the display of the shooting mode before the change (step S43), and the process is ended. That is, in step S43, when the strobe forced off mark is displayed by the push-down of the light emitting unit of the strobe device 8, the display of the strobe forced off mark is canceled, and the first release switch SW
The display returns to the display of the shooting mode before turning on 2.

If it is determined in step S38 that the second release switch SW3 has not been turned on, it is determined whether or not the first release switch SW2 has been turned off (step S44). If it is not turned off, the process returns to step S38 to wait for the second release switch SW3 to be turned on or the first release switch SW2 to be turned off. In step S44, if the release button is released and the first release switch SW2 is detected to be off, the CPU 1 cancels the photographing operation, and displays the display on the LCD 4 in the same manner as after the photographing operation is completed. The display returns to the photographing mode display before the switch SW2 was turned on, the display of the strobe forcible off mark is released (step S45), and the process ends.

After the photographing operation is completed, the LCD 4
Is returned to the initial state. Regardless of the state at the time of the immediately preceding photographing, a new desired photographing mode or the like condition is set by newly popping up the light emitting unit of the strobe device 8, for example. You can shoot. In this manner, by pressing down the light-emitting portion of the strobe device 8, the strobe mode is set to the forced off mode, which can be clearly displayed, so that there are few shooting errors and no need for troublesome confirmation work. Shooting operation can be performed with confidence.

Next, a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The shooting operation based on the operation of the second release switches SW2 and SW3 will be described. When the release button is halfway depressed halfway, the first release switch SW2 is turned on, and the release-on process according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 starts. When the release button is half-pressed, the first release switch S
When W2 is turned on, first, the CPU 1 checks the state of the strobe position detection switch SW6 to detect whether the light emitting unit of the strobe device 8 has been pressed down (step S51).

When the light emitting portion of the strobe device 8 is depressed, the strobe position detection switch SW6 is turned off, and the strobe device 8 cannot be used, the CPU 1 changes the display on the LCD 4. Then, the previous mode display being displayed at that time is erased, and a forced off mark indicating that the flash mode is the forced off mode is displayed on the LCD 4 (step S53). At this time, the CPU 1 simultaneously sets the control mode according to the strobe forced off mode.

If the light emitting section of the flash device 8 is not pressed down and pops up, the flash position detection switch SW6 is turned on, and if the flash device 8 is usable, the mode of step S52 is set. The determination processing and the display change processing of the LCD 4 in step S53 are skipped. Therefore, in that case, the LCD
4 and the control mode of the CPU 1 remain unchanged.
That is, it becomes the same as the previous time.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S52 that the photographing mode is the distant view mode or the TV mode, the CPU 1 determines that the light emitting portion of the strobe device 8 has been pressed down and the strobe position detection switch SW6 is turned off. Although the strobe device 8 cannot be used, the process of changing the display on the LCD in step S53 is skipped. Therefore, in that case, the display on the LCD 4 will continue to indicate that the mode is the distant view mode or the TV mode.

Thereafter, the CPU 1 performs an autofocus process by the AF circuit 2 (step S54) and a photometry process by the photometry circuit 3 (step S55), and obtains autofocus information and photometry information such as distance measurement information obtained by these processes, and Exposure calculation is performed based on the set control mode information (step S56). By the exposure calculation in step S56, for example, exposure control information such as a shutter time is calculated.

When the exposure control information is calculated, it is determined whether or not to use the flash device 8 based on the exposure control information and the flash mode information (step S57). In step S57, the use of the strobe device 8 is requested as a result of the exposure calculation, and when the strobe mode is not the forced off mode or the strobe mode is the forced on mode, it is determined that the strobe device 8 is used. As a result of the exposure calculation, when the use of the strobe device 8 is not requested and the strobe mode is not the forced on mode, or when the strobe mode is the forced off mode, it is determined that the strobe device 8 is not used. Step S57
If it is determined that the strobe device is to be used, the strobe device 8 is charged (step S58).

If it is determined in step S57 that the strobe device is not used, step S58 is skipped. And if the release button is pushed further,
Waiting for detection of whether the release button is released from the half-pressed state, that is, whether the second release switch SW3 is turned on (step S59) or the first release without turning on the second release switch SW3 Switch S
The process waits for detection of whether W2 is turned off (step S66).

First, it is determined whether or not the release button is further pressed, that is, whether or not the second release switch SW3 is turned on (step S59). When the release button is further pressed, the second release switch S
When W3 is turned on, a photographing operation is started. CPU
Reference numeral 1 denotes a state in which the amount of extension of the photographing lens is calculated based on the autofocus information obtained by the AF circuit 2, and the lens barrel control is performed via the lens barrel control circuit 7 so that the lens barrel position of the photographing lens is in focus. (Step S60). Next, CPU1
Operates the shutter control circuit 5 to open and close the shutter in accordance with the exposure time calculated based on the photometric information previously obtained from the photometric circuit 3, ie, the shutter time (step S61). By the shutter operation in step S61, exposure is performed for the set shutter time, and one frame of image is captured.

When the strobe device 8 is used, the strobe device 8 is driven to emit light in synchronization with the shutter operation in step S61. After the photographing in step S61, the CPU 1 returns the photographing lens barrel to the standby position via the lens barrel control circuit 7 (step S62), and then feeds the film via the feed control circuit 6, and The film is wound up by the frame (step S63). After the above photographing operation is completed, the CPU 1 determines whether the currently set photographing mode is the distant view mode, the TV mode, or another mode.

If the mode is set to the distant view mode or the TV mode, a display indicating that the mode is the distant view mode or the TV mode is displayed on the LCD 4. On the other hand, when the shooting mode is other than the distant view mode or the TV mode,
The display on the LCD 4 is returned to the display of the previous shooting mode (step S65), and the process ends. That is, step S
In 65, when the flash forced off mark is displayed by the push-down of the light emitting unit of the flash device 8, the display of the flash forced off mark is canceled, and before the first release switch SW2 is turned on. Returns to the shooting mode display.

If it is determined in step S59 that the second release switch SW3 is not turned on, it is determined whether or not the first release switch SW2 is turned off (step S66), and the first release switch SW2 is turned off. If not turned off, the process returns to step S59 to wait for the second release switch SW3 to be turned on or the first release switch SW2 to be turned off. In step S66, when the release button is released and the first release switch SW2 is turned off, the CPU 1 cancels the shooting operation and determines whether the shooting mode is the distant view mode, the TV mode, or any other mode. In the former case, that is, in the distant view mode or the TV mode, the process of changing the LCD display in skip S68 is skipped, and the fact that the photographic mode at that time is the distant view mode or the TV mode is displayed on the LCD 4. State.

On the other hand, when the shooting mode is the distant view mode or the TV
When the mode other than the mode is set, the CPU 1
Returns the display on the LCD 4 to the photographing mode display before turning on the first release switch SW2, cancels the display of the strobe forced off mark in the same manner as after the photographing operation is completed (step S68), and ends the processing. .

[0078]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the light-emitting portion pops up, the light-emitting portion enters a pop-up state in which light emission is possible, and when the light-emitting portion is pressed down, the light-emitting portion is in a push-down state in which light emission is impossible. The strobe state detection unit detects whether the unit is in the pop-up state or the push-down state, and when the push-down state is detected, displays on the display unit that the strobe device does not emit light, thereby irrespective of the photographer's intention. The flash unit of the pop-up type flash unit is pressed down, and the photographer is urged to recognize the shooting mode in which the flash unit does not emit light, and the state of the flash unit is clearly recognized. Thus, it is possible to provide a camera capable of effectively avoiding a shooting mistake.

According to the camera of the second aspect of the present invention, the strobe state can be displayed on the liquid crystal display so that the display unit includes the liquid crystal display, and the strobe state can be visually and clearly recognized.

Further, according to the camera of the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a setting section for setting a photographing mode corresponding to each different photographing condition as desired, and when the light emitting section pops up, a pop-up state capable of emitting light is established. When the light-emitting unit is pressed down, the flash unit is in a push-down state in which light emission is disabled. The flash state detection unit detects whether the light-emitting unit is in a pop-up state or a push-down state, and performs shooting corresponding to the setting state of the shooting mode. With the mark, when the push-down state is detected, the display of the shooting mark is released, and a shooting mark indicating that the strobe device is not used is displayed on the display unit, so that when the photographer confirms the shooting mode, The display on the display unit allows the user to simultaneously grasp the status of the flash device, and provides the photographer with the shooting mode and the shooting mode. It can be recognized in association with ball device.

According to the camera of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the automatic exposure control function is provided by providing the exposure control unit for automatically performing the exposure control in the photographing mode corresponding to the display of the photographing mark on the display unit. In addition, the photographer can simultaneously recognize the photographing mode including the automatic exposure control and the state of the strobe device. According to the camera of claim 5 of the present invention, since the setting unit and the exposure control unit have a function of performing shooting in the long shooting mode in which the shutter is opened for a long time, the setting unit and the exposure control unit particularly include the long shooting mode The photographing mode and the state of the strobe device can be displayed on the display unit so that the photographer can recognize it.

According to the camera of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the display means pushes down the pop-up light-emitting portion to the push-down state, and furthermore, the strobe device is not used for the first time in the intermediate operation state where the release switch is operated halfway. By not displaying the status of the strobe device until the photographer starts the shooting operation, the photographer recognizes the state of the strobe device at the time of starting the shooting operation, The photographer can be made to recognize the state of the flash device in accordance with the actual photographing situation.

According to the camera of the present invention, when the release switch is opened before the photographing operation, even if it is detected that the light-emitting unit is in the push-down state, the strobe device in the display unit. When the photographer starts the shooting operation and recognizes the status of the flash device by canceling the display indicating that the flash device is not used, and then interrupts the shooting operation, the display on the display unit returns to the initial state, and the shooting mode, etc. Can be changed.

According to the camera of the eighth aspect of the present invention, when the photographing operation is completed, even if it is detected that the light emitting section is in the push-down state, the display section indicates that the strobe device is not used. Is released, the display state is returned to the initial state at the time when a series of photographing operations is completed, and photographing can be performed under a new photographing mode or the like as desired. According to the camera of the ninth aspect of the present invention, when the light emitting unit of the strobe device pops up in conjunction with the power switch of the camera, the state of the strobe device having the light emitting unit that pops up in conjunction with the power switch is photographed. People can always be clearly recognized without forgetting.

Further, according to the camera of the tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a setting means for setting a photographing mode corresponding to each different photographing condition as desired, and when the light-emitting portion pops up, a pop-up state capable of emitting light is established. A flash state detector detects whether the flash unit is in a pop-up state or a push-down state when the flash unit is in a push-down state in which the flash unit cannot emit light when the light-emitting unit is pressed down. ,
For example, when the distant view mode or the TV mode is set, a shooting mark corresponding to the setting state of the shooting mode is displayed, and even if the push-down state is detected, the display of the shooting mark is not released. Since this mode is a mode in which a flash is not used originally, there is an advantage that the photographer can recognize only the photographing mode without displaying the flash forcibly off, and does not feel uncomfortable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a main part of a camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation when a shooting mode switch of the camera in FIG. 1 is operated.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing operation at the time of an operation mode switch operation of a strobe of the camera of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a shooting processing operation by operating a release button of the camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a shooting processing operation by operating a release button of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 CPU (central processing unit) 2 AF (autofocus) circuit 3 photometry circuit 4 LCD (liquid crystal display) 5 shutter control circuit 6 feed control circuit 7 lens barrel control circuit 8 strobe device SW1 power switch SW2 first release switch SW3 Second release switch SW4 Shooting mode switch SW5 Strobe mode switch SW6 Strobe position detection switch

Claims (10)

[Claims] A strobe device that is in a pop-up state in which light emission is possible when a light-emitting unit pops up and is in a push-down state in which light emission is disabled when the light-emitting unit is pressed down; A camera comprising: a strobe state detecting unit for detecting a state; and a display unit for displaying that the strobe device does not emit light when the push-down state is detected by the strobe state detecting unit. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the display means includes a liquid crystal display. 3. A setting means for setting a photographing mode corresponding to different photographing conditions as desired, a pop-up state in which a light-emitting unit pops up when the light-emitting unit pops up, and a push-down state in which the light-emitting unit cannot emit light when the light-emitting unit is pressed down A strobe device to be in a state, strobe state detecting means for detecting whether the light emitting portion of the strobe device is in a pop-up state or a push-down state, and a shooting mark corresponding to a setting state of a shooting mode by the setting means, and When the push-down state is detected by the detecting means, the camera further comprises: display means for canceling the display of the photographing mark and displaying a photographing mark indicating that the strobe device is not used. 4. The camera according to claim 3, further comprising exposure control means for automatically performing exposure control in a shooting mode corresponding to the display of a shooting mark on the display means. 5. The camera according to claim 3, wherein the setting means and the exposure control means include means for performing photographing in a long time photographing mode in which a shutter is opened for a long time. 6. The display means includes means for depressing the pop-up light emitting unit to a push-down state, and further displaying an indication that the strobe device is not used for the first time in an intermediate operation state in which the release switch is operated halfway. The camera according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein 7. The display means displays an indication that the strobe device is not used when the release switch is opened before the photographing operation is performed, even if the detection means detects that the light emitting unit is in the push-down state. 7. The camera according to claim 6, further comprising means for releasing. 8. The display means includes means for canceling a display indicating that the strobe device is not used when the photographing operation is completed, even if the detecting means detects that the light emitting section is in the push-down state. The camera according to claim 6 or 7, wherein 9. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit pops up in conjunction with a power switch of the camera. 10. The display means, wherein the setting means of the photographing mode by the setting means is a mode not using a flash,
4. The camera according to claim 3, wherein the display of the photographing mark is not released even when the push-down state is detected by the strobe state detecting unit.