JPS6225316B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a video camera, and more particularly to a video camera in which an optical viewfinder device and an electronic viewfinder device can be selectively used.

In recent years, many video cameras used by amateurs use optical finder devices due to the demand for compactness and low cost, but electronic finder devices that playback captured images on small monitor cathode ray tubes are also used to record on recorders. There are many requests for this because of the advantages of being able to confirm the image itself and being able to playback and view the reconstructed image immediately after shooting.

For these reasons, a video camera with a built-in optical viewfinder to which an electronic viewfinder device can be attached as an attachment has been developed. The viewfinder device of a video camera is configured to display various information such as exposure information, recording information, and video recording information within its field of view, and these are usually electrical devices such as light emitting diodes (hereinafter referred to as LEDs). It is configured using a display means.

Such an information display device is required not only in the optical viewfinder device built into a video camera but also in the attachment type electronic viewfinder device, and it is a matter of course that the information display device is required in the electronic viewfinder device. It is also equipped with an information display device.

In conventional video cameras of this type, even when an attachment-type electronic viewfinder device is attached and used, the information display device in the built-in optical viewfinder device continues to function. Power is wasted by the control circuits and display means such as LEDs that make up the display device. In general, small-sized video cameras are often battery-powered together with a connected recorder device, and are required to reduce power consumption as much as possible.

This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a video camera that eliminates the above-mentioned wasteful power consumption.

The present invention is configured such that an electronic finder device can be attached to a video camera incorporating an optical finder device, and an electric circuit such as a display means provided on the optical finder device in conjunction with the attachment of the electronic finder device. A switch means is provided to disable the switch.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The figure shows the configuration of a video camera embodying the present invention, and numeral 1 indicates the video camera body. The video camera body 1 is equipped with an image pickup tube 3 , and object light is supplied to the image pickup tube 3 via a photographic lens system 2 . A half mirror 4 is disposed between the imaging lens systems 2, and guides a portion of the incident object light to a finder optical system 5 constituting an optical finder device. 6
7 is a viewfinder viewing window, and 7 is a viewfinder eyepiece. An LED 8 is arranged above the view window 6. This LED 8 displays exposure information, recording information, recording information, etc., and is driven by an information display circuit 9. The information display circuit 9 controls the lighting of the LED 8 according to an electric signal supplied from an exposure control device (not shown), etc., and is driven by a power source (not shown) via a normally closed switch 10. Voltage is supplied. The switch 10 is provided with an actuating part 11, and when the actuating part 11 is pressed, the switch 10 becomes open. This actuating section 11 is connected to a socket section 1 provided in the housing 1a of the camera body 1 for coupling an electronic viewfinder device.
It is placed in a protruding state at 3.

Incidentally, a screw hole 12 for mounting an electronic finder device is provided at a predetermined position of the housing 1a. 14 is an attachment type electronic finder device, and a mounting screw 18 and a connector portion 19 are provided at predetermined positions corresponding to the screw hole 12 and socket portion 13, respectively.

The electronic viewfinder device 14 has a monitor cathode ray tube 15 and its peripheral circuitry (not shown).
It is arranged so as to face 6. Further, a display LED 17 is disposed above the display surface of the cathode ray tube 15, and is driven and controlled by an information display circuit (not shown).

In the apparatus configured as described above, when a video camera is used using an optical finder device, the electronic finder device 14 is separated from the video camera body 1 as shown in the figure. In this case,
By looking into the viewfinder eyepiece 7, the photographer can confirm the subject image supplied to the image pickup tube 3 via the viewfinder optical system 5 and viewfinder field window 6, and also view various information necessary for photography using the LED 8. can be visually recognized.

The above-mentioned optical finder device is equipped with a shutter section that opens in synchronization with the release switch, and only when the release switch is operated to take a picture, can the various information necessary for checking the subject image and taking a picture be sent. It is also conceivable to configure it so that it can be visually recognized.

Further, when using a video camera using the electronic finder device 14, the electronic finder device 14 is attached to the video camera body 1. This device is operated by aligning the connector portion 19 of the finder device 14 with the socket portion 13 on the camera side, and screwing and fixing the mounting screw 18 into the mounting screw hole 12 while the two are engaged. By installing this electronic finder device 14, the operating section 11 of the switch 10 disposed in the socket section 13 is
It is pressed by the connector part 19. Therefore, the switch 10 becomes open, and the supply of power to the information display circuit 9 in the optical viewfinder device is stopped.

In this state, necessary electrical signals are supplied to the electronic finder device 14 via the socket section 13 and connector section 19. As a result, the video signal generated by the image pickup tube 3 is reproduced by the monitor cathode ray tube 15,
Further, information is displayed by the LED 17. Therefore, by looking through the eyepiece 16 of the electronic viewfinder device 14, the photographer can confirm the subject image recorded on the recorder and visually confirm various information necessary for photographing.

In this way, in the apparatus of the above embodiment, when the electronic finder device 14 is attached, the information display circuit 9 in the optical finder device is inactive and does not function, so no unnecessary power is consumed.

In addition, in the above embodiment device, the case where the LEDs 8 and 17 were used as the information display means was explained, but the invention is not limited to this, and other electrical display means such as a meter or a liquid crystal display may also be used. Needless to say, it's a good thing. Further, the method of attaching the electronic viewfinder device 14 to the camera body 1 is not limited to the above embodiment. As explained above, the present invention is configured such that an electronic finder device can be attached to a video camera incorporating an optical finder device, and that the electronic finder device is attached to the optical finder device in conjunction with the attachment of the electronic finder device. Since a switch means is provided to disable the electric circuit of the display means, etc., the information display circuit of the optical finder device is rendered inoperable when the electronic finder device is attached. Therefore, wasteful consumption of power is prevented, and power consumption can be reduced. Further, since the switch means is operated by mounting the electronic viewfinder device, no special switching or connection operations are required, and no unnecessary burden is placed on the photographer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a video camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Video camera body, 3... Image pickup tube, 5...
...Optical finder device, 8,17...LED,
9... Information display circuit, 10... Switch, 14...
...Electronic viewfinder device, 15...Cathode ray tube for monitor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video camera with a built-in optical finder device is configured such that an electronic finder device can be attached thereto, and an electric circuit such as a display means provided on the optical finder device is connected to the attachment of the electronic finder device. A video camera characterized in that it is provided with a switch means for making it inoperative.