JPH11112842A - Digital still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform photographing when the optical axis of an optical finder provided in a camera main body part is parallel to the optical axis of the photographing lens of a photographing lens unit part rotatably provided in the camera main body part. SOLUTION: The rotary shaft 20 of the photographing lens unit part 2 is rotatably inserted to the camera main body part 1 provided with the optical finder and a rotary board 12 is fixed to the tip part of the rotary shaft 20. A notched groove 13 is formed at the appropriate part of the rotary board 12. Upper and lower switch contact pieces 16 and 17 are provided on a supporting arm 15 above the rotary board 12 and a click bar 14 is provided on the lower switch contact piece 17. A click bar tip part 14a can be in slidable contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotary board 12, and at a position where the optical axis of the photographing lens of the photographing lens unit part 2 becomes parallel to the optical axis of the optical finder of the camera main body part 1, the click bar 14 is engaged into the notched groove 13 of the rotary board 12 and the lower switch contact piece 17 is separated from the upper switch contact piece 16. It is outputted to a photographing range display device inside the optical finder as an electric signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an optical finder.
The present invention relates to a digital still camera in which a photographing lens unit is rotatably provided in a camera body having a camera body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display (LC) for displaying a photographing screen
2. Description of the Related Art A digital still camera in which a photographing lens unit is rotatably provided in a camera main body having D) is known. In such a digital still camera, the subject in a desired direction can be photographed by appropriately rotating the photographing lens unit while checking the image on the liquid crystal display device. There is also known a camera in which an optical viewfinder is provided in a camera body, and the camera is switched to the liquid crystal display device for the purpose of saving power of a battery or the like so that an image can be taken while looking through the optical viewfinder. However, when the optical finder is provided in the camera body as described above, the photographic lens unit is rotatable, so that the optical axis of the photographic lens of the photographic lens unit and the optical axis of the optical finder are shifted depending on the rotational position. May occur, and the shooting range of the shooting lens unit may deviate from the shooting range of the optical viewfinder. In extreme cases, a problem may occur such as shooting a subject different from the subject image displayed by the optical viewfinder. There is.

As a countermeasure, by providing an optical finder in the taking lens unit, both optical axes can always be set in parallel. However, a space in which an optical finder is further provided inside the taking lens unit is provided. Is required, and there is a problem that the taking lens unit becomes large and the design of the entire camera becomes unbalanced.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera in which a photographing lens unit is rotatably provided on a camera body provided with an optical finder. -A digital still camera that prevents photographing when the optical axis and the photographing lens optical axis of the photographing lens unit are misaligned and displays photographing permission information when the optical axes are parallel to each other. To provide.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a digital still camera capable of detecting the rotational position of the photographing lens unit with a simple configuration without making a major change to the overall design of the camera.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera capable of clearly displaying photographing permission information to a photographer looking through an optical viewfinder.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a camera body comprising: a camera body; and a photographing lens unit rotatably provided on the camera body. In a digital still camera provided with an optical finder including a photographing range display means in the section,
A photographing permission information display means for displaying photographing permission information on the photographing range display means when an optical axis of a photographing lens of the photographing lens unit and an optical axis of an optical finder of the camera body become parallel to each other; It is characterized by.

The optical axis of the taking lens and the optical finder
The means for detecting whether or not the optical axes are parallel is optional, but according to one embodiment of the present invention, the camera body is provided with a rotational position detecting means for the photographing lens unit, When the rotational position detecting means detects a rotational position where the optical axis of the photographing lens of the photographing lens unit is parallel to the optical axis of the optical viewfinder, photographing permission information is displayed on the photographing range display means. Can be configured.

An example of the rotational position detecting means of the photographing lens unit includes a rotating shaft provided in the photographing lens unit, a rotating shaft fixed to the rotating shaft, and a cutout groove formed in a part of an outer peripheral portion. A disk, a click rod provided at a position corresponding to the outer peripheral portion of the rotary disk, and switch means for coming and going in response to the movement of the click rod, wherein the photographing lens unit is oriented in a predetermined direction. At this time, the click bar may be engaged with the cutout groove of the rotating disk, and the switch means may be operated.

The photographing range display means is an optical viewfinder.
This is a device that displays the photographing range of the subject when looking into the camera, for example, a liquid crystal field mask. With this liquid crystal field mask, the shooting range display part is in a light-transmitting state when shooting is allowed,
It can be configured to be driven in a light-shielded state when photographing is not permitted. Further, a light emitting element for displaying an alarm may be provided in a frame portion of a normal visual field mask instead of the liquid crystal visual field mask.

[0011]

1 and 2 show the overall appearance of a digital still camera to which the present invention is applied. The digital still camera 10 includes a camera body 1 and a photographing lens unit 2 provided on one side of the camera body 1 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction.

An objective window 31 constituting the optical viewfinder 3 is provided on a front portion of the camera body 1, and an eyepiece window 32 is provided on a back portion. A liquid crystal display (LCD) 4 for photographing screen display is provided on the back of the camera body 1.
Is provided, and an image captured by a photographic lens 8 described later can be displayed, or a recorded image that has been captured can be read out from a storage unit and reproduced and displayed. A release button 5 is provided on the upper surface of the camera body 1, and various operation switches 6 including a changeover switch for the optical viewfinder 3 and the liquid crystal display device 4 are provided (two in the drawing). Provided, but may be one).

Optical viewfinder-3 of the camera body 1
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the object image incident from the objective window 31 is converted into an object lens 34a and a reflection mirror-3.
5, zoom lenses 34b and 34c, reflection mirror 35b,
35c, the liquid crystal field mask 33, the reflection mirror 35d, and the eyepiece 34d are sequentially guided to the eyepiece window 32. When a predetermined voltage is applied to the liquid crystal field mask 33, the central photographing range display portion 33b changes to a light blocking state or a light transmitting state.

The zoom lenses 34b and 34c have feed mechanisms 38 and 39, respectively. This feed mechanism 3
Reference numerals 8 and 39 denote drive motors 36 and 37 and the drive motor 3
Feed screws 38a and 39a rotated by the first and second zoom lenses 37 and a bearing 38 fixed to the zoom lenses 34b and 34c.
b and 39b, the zoom lenses 34b and 34c move up and down along the feed screws 38 and 39a by the forward or reverse rotation of the drive motors 36 and 37, and move the objective lens 34a. The passed subject image is scaled to a predetermined magnification. These zoom lenses 34b and 34c are used as zoom lenses 21 and 21 of the taking lens unit 2 described later.
It moves in conjunction with 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the camera body 1 includes a power supply battery 85, a recording card 86a such as a compact flash or a smart media for recording and storing a photographed image, and the recording card 86a. Controller 86b for controlling a recording card 86a, a drive circuit 82 of the liquid crystal display device 4, a central processing circuit 84, an image processing circuit 81 of the image sensor 7 described later, and a backlight 87 of the liquid crystal display device 4.
Etc. are stored.

On the other hand, a photographing lens 8 is provided on the front surface of the photographing lens unit 2. The taking lens 8
Is provided with zoom lenses 21 and 22 as shown in FIG. 3, and is moved in the front-rear direction by feed mechanisms 25 and 26 including drive motors 23 and 24, respectively. The zoom lenses 21 and 22 are driven and controlled by a photographing optical system drive circuit 83. Further, zoom lenses 21 and 22 are provided inside the photographing lens unit 2.
An image pickup device (CCD) 7 for reading a subject image passing through is provided.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a device for detecting the rotational position of the photographing lens unit 2 (the above-mentioned various electronic components and the like housed inside the camera body 1 and the photographing lens unit 2). Omitted for convenience). A rotation shaft 20 is provided at the center of the side surface portion 2a on the camera main body side of the photographing lens unit portion 2 via a spacer 20a, and the rotation shaft 20 corresponds to the corresponding side surface portion of the camera main body 1. It is rotatably inserted into a shaft hole 11 opened in 1a.

A disk-shaped rotary disk 12 which also serves to prevent disengagement is fixed to the tip of the rotary shaft 20. As shown in FIG. A notch groove 13 having a rectangular shape is formed. The position of the cutout groove 13 is determined when the front surface of the photographing lens unit 2 is oriented in the same direction as the front surface of the camera body 1, that is, the optical axis of the photographing lens 8 of the photographing lens unit 2 and the camera body. The first finder optical system 3 is formed so as to be located immediately below a click rod 14 described later when the optical axes of the finder optical system 3 are parallel.

On the other hand, the turntable 1 of the camera body 1
An L-shaped support arm 15 extending from the side surface portion 1a is formed in an upper part of the support arm 2. The conductive switch contact pieces 16, 17 are provided on an upright portion 15a of the support arm 15. Are provided corresponding to the upper and lower sides. The rear end of each of the upper and lower switch contacts 16 and 17 is fixed to the support arm standing portion 15a. The distal end 16a of the upper switch contact 16 is bent downward, and the distal end of the lower switch contact 17 is provided. The click rod 14 is fixed to 17a. The lower switch contact piece 17 has a spring property in the vertical direction.

The click rod 14 is attached to the support arm 1.
5 extends downward through an insertion hole 15c formed in the horizontal portion 15b. When the spherical tip 14a is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the turntable 12, the lower switch contact piece 17 is pushed upward against the spring force, and the lower switch contact tip 17a is moved to the upper switch. Contact tip 16
Contact with a. When the notch groove 13 comes to the position of the click rod 14 with the rotation of the turntable 12, the click rod tip portion 14a is formed by the spring force of the lower switch contact piece 17 acting in the axial direction of the turntable 12. Engaged in the groove 13,
The lower switch contact tip 17a is separated from the upper switch contact tip 16a.

As described above, the click rod tip portion 14a
Is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the turntable 12, and when the lower switch contact tip 17a is in contact with the upper switch contact tip 16a, the photographing lens unit 2 rotates either forward or backward. This means that both the optical axes of the taking lens and the optical finder-3 are shifted. When the click rod tip 14a engages with the notch groove 13 of the turntable 12 and the lower switch contact tip 17a is separated from the upper switch contact tip 16a, the front face of the photographing lens unit 2 is turned off. And the front surface of the camera body 1 are aligned, and both optical axes of the taking lens 8 and the optical viewfinder 3 are parallel. Therefore, the upper and lower switch contacts 1
The rotational position of the photographing lens unit 2 can be detected as an electric signal by turning on and off the switches 6 and 17.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of the digital still camera 10. When the mode is switched to the photographing mode by the optical finder 3 by the switch 6, the liquid crystal display device 4 is driven via the central processing circuit 84. The circuit 82 is turned off. In this state, if the photographing lens unit 2 is rotating forward or backward, the rotation position detecting circuit 18 of the photographing lens unit 2 (the above-described ON-OFF detecting circuit of the up / down switch contact pieces 16 and 17) is used. The switch circuit 19 of the liquid crystal field mask 33 of the optical finder-3 is closed by the central processing circuit 84 in response to the signal of the above. Becomes invisible.

When the front surface of the photographing lens unit 2 and the front surface of the camera body 1 are flush with each other and the optical axes of the photographing lens 8 and the optical finder 3 are parallel to each other, the rotation position detecting circuit is used. The visual field mask switch circuit 19 is opened via the central processing circuit 84 by the signal from 18,
The liquid crystal field mask 33 is in a light-transmitting state, and the subject image incident from the objective window 31 can be viewed from the eyepiece window 32. In this manner, whether or not the subject image can be visually observed when looking through the eyepiece window 32 is the shooting permission information.

The zoom lens 21 of the taking lens 8
22 is controlled by the driving circuit 83, and
The photographed image that has passed through the lens 21 and 22 is read as an electrical signal by the image sensor 7 and then read by the CCD image processing circuit 81.
Are subjected to image compression processing and the like, and are recorded on the recording card 86a via the central processing circuit 84 and the recording card controller 86b. When reproducing the recorded photographed image, the mode is switched to the reproduction mode by the switch 6 (the liquid crystal display device circuit 82 is turned on), a predetermined photographed image is read out from the recording card 86a, and the liquid crystal display device 4 is read. Can be displayed.

In the digital still camera 10 having the above-described configuration, a photographed image passing through the photographing lens 8 of the photographing lens unit 2 is directly displayed on the liquid crystal display device 4 of the camera body 1 via the image pickup device 7 and the like. In the case where the liquid crystal display device 4 is turned off for photographing for the purpose of power saving of the power supply battery 85, for example, the photographing can be performed while looking through the eyepiece window 32 of the optical viewfinder-3. it can.

In this case, first, as described above, the switch 6
Switches the finder-photographing mode of the liquid crystal display device 4 to the optical finder-photographing mode. When the subject image cannot be seen through the eyepiece window 32 and is in a dark state (the upper and lower switch contacts 16 and 17 are in contact, the liquid crystal field mask switch circuit 19 is turned off, and the liquid crystal When the field mask 33 is in the light-blocking state), the photographing lens unit 2 is rotated in the front-rear direction, and is rotated until the click rod 14 engages with the cutout groove 13 of the turntable 12 that rotates together with the rotation shaft 20. .

When the click rod 14 engages with the notch groove 13 of the turntable 12, the rotation of the photographing lens unit 2 is slightly caught (so-called click feeling), and the photographing lens unit 2 is rotated to a predetermined position. Can be intuitively known. At this time, the lower switch contact tip 17a separates from the upper switch contact tip 16a,
The switch circuit 19 of the liquid crystal field frame mask 33 is turned on.
, The liquid crystal field mask 33 is in a light transmitting state,
By looking through the eyepiece window 32, the subject image incident from the objective window 31 can be viewed. Thereby, the optical axis of the photographing lens 8 of the photographing lens unit 2 and the optical axis of the optical viewfinder 3 of the camera body 1 are parallel to each other, and it can be known that the photographing is possible.

In the embodiment described above, the brightness of the liquid crystal field mask 33 is used as the photographing permission information.
A warning may be displayed on the frame portion 33a of 3 (not necessarily a liquid crystal) by an LED (light emitting element) or the like, and any display means that can easily determine the photographing permission information when looking through the eyepiece window 32 may be used. I just need. The means for detecting the rotational position of the photographing lens unit 2 may be configured to detect a predetermined position (a position corresponding to the notch groove 13) of the turntable 12 by, for example, a photo sensor or a magnetic sensor. Any position detecting means can be adopted. In addition, the rotational position detecting means of the photographing lens unit 2 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown for convenience of explanation of the present invention, and the detailed configuration and the like may be changed as necessary. be able to.

[0029]

According to the present invention described above, a digital camera in which a photographing lens unit is rotatably provided in a camera body having a liquid crystal display device for displaying a photographing range and an optical finder in the camera body. In still cameras, shooting can be performed only when the optical axis of the optical viewfinder is parallel to the optical axis of the taking lens. Can be eliminated.

Further, the rotational position of the photographing lens unit can be detected with a simple configuration without making a major change to the design of the entire camera, and the photographing permission information is viewed through the optical viewfinder. It can be clearly displayed to the photographer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the digital still camera shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the back.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the internal configuration of the digital still camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an optical finder system of the digital still camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a rotation position detecting device of a photographing lens unit of the digital still camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic side view seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of the digital still camera shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera main body part 2 Photographing lens unit part 3 Optical finder 4 Liquid crystal display device 5 Release button 6 Mode switch 7 Image sensor 8 Photographing lens 10 Digital still camera 11 Shaft hole 12 Turntable 13 Notch groove 14 Click rod 15 Support arm 16 Upper switch contact piece 17 Lower switch contact piece 18 Photographic lens unit section rotational position detection circuit 19 View mask switch circuit 20 Rotation axis 31 Object window 32 Eyepiece window 33 View mask 33a Frame 34a Object lenses 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d Reflection mirror 34b, 34c Zoom lens 34d Eyepiece 36, 37 Zoom lens drive motor 38, 39 Zoom lens feed mechanism 38a, 39a Feed screw 38b, 39b Bearing 81 Imaging element image processing circuit 82 Liquid crystal display device driving circuit 83 Camera lens drive circuit 84 Central processing circuit 85 Power supply battery 86a Recording card 86b Controller for recording card 87 Backlight

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An optical viewfinder comprising: a camera body; and a photographing lens unit rotatably provided in the camera body, and including an imaging range display means in the camera body.
In the digital still camera provided with, a photographing permission information is displayed on the photographing range display means when an optical axis of a photographing lens of the photographing lens unit and an optical axis of an optical finder of the camera main body become parallel. A digital still camera comprising a permission information display means. 2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera main body is provided with a rotation position detecting means for detecting a rotation position of said photographing lens unit. 2. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the rotation position detection unit detects, the imaging permission information is displayed on the imaging range display unit. 3. The rotating position detecting means of the photographing lens unit includes: a rotating shaft provided in the photographing lens unit; and a rotation fixed to the rotating shaft and having a cutout groove formed in a part of an outer peripheral portion. A disk, a click rod provided at a position corresponding to the outer peripheral portion of the rotary disk, and switch means for coming and going in response to the movement of the click rod, wherein the photographing lens unit is oriented in a predetermined direction. 3. The digital still camera according to claim 2, wherein the click bar is engaged with the notch groove of the rotating disk, and the switch means is operated. 4. The photographing range display means is a liquid crystal field mask, and the photographing range display portion is configured to be driven in a light-transmitting state when photographing is permitted and in a light-shielding state when photographing is not permitted. A digital still camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein said photographing range display means is a light emitting element for alarm display provided in a frame portion of a visual field mask. .