JPS6334528A - Automatic photograph printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display the same image as the image of a finish print on a display device by converting the output of an image pickup device in such a manner that the color forming characteristic of the display device coincides with the color forming characteristic of photographic paper then displaying the image. CONSTITUTION:The rays projected from a light source 10 are projected through a light control filter 14, a color original picture film 18 and an optical system 20 onto the photographic paper 24 by which the image is formed on the photographic paper 24. Exposing control devices 40, 62 control the color balance and density of the image formed on the photographic paper 24 by controlling the light control filter 14 to provide the same color balance and density of the respective finish prints 27 and finish the prints 27 by exposing the image onto the paper 24 and developing the same. On the other hand, the image pickup device 30 picks up the image of the original picture film 18 from the ray transmission side of the film 18. An image information processor 34 converts the output of the image pickup device 30 by the signal after the adjustment of the density and color balance obtainable by the image pickup device in such a manner that the color forming characteristic of the display device 345 coincides with the color forming characteristic of the photographic paper 24. The image of the original picture film 18 is thus displayed on the display device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic photo printing device, and more particularly, to displaying on a CRT an image identical to a finished print printed on photographic paper by a color automatic photo printing device. This invention relates to an automatic color photo printing device equipped with a simulator.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the integrated transmission density (LATD) of the entire image of a color negative film is measured, 1 degree correction is performed, and slope control is performed to determine the 4-degree color of all finished prints.
An automatic color photographic printing apparatus is known that prints and develops the negative to have the same density and color balance regardless of the density (exposure amplifier, appropriate exposure, overexposure) of the negative. This automatic photographic printing apparatus is constructed by sequentially arranging an optical system including a light source, a light control filter, a mirror box, a negative carrier, and a black-and-white lens. Printing is performed by placing a color negative film on a negative carrier, turning on a light source, and opening a black shutter to form an image of the color negative film on the photographic paper.The printed photographic paper is developed by a developing process. The printer is configured so that the print is automatically finished. In this automatic photo printing device, the light that has passed through the negative film is detected by a light receiving element such as red light (R), green light (G), and blue light (
B) primary color separation and LATD based on Evans' theorem.
The color balance is controlled by controlling the density using the color balance and by performing slope control so that the slopes are the same for the three primary colors. Therefore, with this automatic photoprinting apparatus, all normally finished prints have the same density and color balance.

However, even if the main subject of a color negative film has an appropriate density, if the background is dark or light,
Since the exposure amount is controlled under the influence of this background density, density fettling occurs.

Furthermore, when the color balance of the main subject is different from the color balance of the background, for example, when the color of the main subject and the color of the background are complementary colors, a color area occurs. therefore,? Even if you perform salinity correction and slope control, the quality of the print may deteriorate.

In this way, if the finished state of the print deteriorates, it becomes necessary to carry out printing and development again.

For this reason, conventionally, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-46731, a negative film image is taken with a TV camera and the T.
A so-called photo verification device is used in which the color video signal is adjusted to obtain the desired density and color balance while displaying the image on a V screen, and the color video No. 13 is used to print the image in an automatic photo printing device. ing.

In addition, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 42-25220, there is also a system in which an image of a negative film printed on photographic paper is displayed on a TV screen, and an automatic exposure machine is linked with a resistor for adjusting the brightness and contrast of the TV. be. In this way, the frequency of reprinting and development processing is reduced.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the method using a verification device, the light source of the verification device and the light source of the automatic photoprinting device are separate, so even if printing and development is performed using the automatic photoprinting device using the information obtained by the verification device, the light source is There is a problem in that the same image as the image displayed on the TV screen cannot be printed due to changes or the like.

Furthermore, when an automatic exposure machine is linked with the TV's brightness and contrast adjustment resistors, an appropriate image is simply displayed on the TV screen, even though the coloring characteristics of the TV and the coloring characteristics of photographic paper are different. However, the problem is that the same image that is printed is not displayed on the TV screen.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic photo printing apparatus that can display the same image as the finished print on a display device.

Means for Solving Problem c] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light source that irradiates a color original film with a light beam through a light control filter, and a light source that is arranged on the light transmission side of the color original film. an optical system for forming an image recorded on the color original film onto photographic paper; and an exposure control device for controlling the light control filter to adjust the color balance and density of the image formed on the photographic paper. In an automatic photo printing apparatus that automatically prints each finished print so that the color balance and density are the same, the color balance and density are adjusted by the light control filter from the light vAi3 passing side of the color original film. an image pickup device that images the color original film after the image processing is carried out; and an image information processing device that converts the output of the imaging device and displays it on the display device so that the color development characteristics of the display device match those of the photographic paper. It is characterized by having the following.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the light rays emitted from the light source are irradiated onto the photographic paper through the light control filter, the color original film, and the optical system, and the image stored on the color original film is formed on the photographic paper. The n pre-emptive device adjusts the color balance and density of the image formed on the photographic paper by controlling the dimming filter so that each finished print has the same color balance and density. After the color balance and density have been adjusted in this manner, the photographic paper is exposed to light, and the print is completed after being developed through a development process. On the other hand, the imaging device captures an image of the color original film from the light-transmitting side of the color original film, and the image information processing device captures an image of the color original film from the light-transmitting side; The imager output is converted so that the coloring characteristics match those of photographic paper. Then, the image of the original film is displayed on the display device using the signals converted in this way.

In this way, since the exposure control IT device adjusts the color balance and color balance once, the display device displays an image with color development characteristics that matches the finished print without having to adjust the color balance and density using the image information processing device. Therefore, the same image as the finished print can be displayed on the display device.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, an image of a color original film is displayed on a display device by a light beam whose color balance and salinity have been adjusted, and a signal corresponding to the coloring characteristics of photographic paper is sent to the display device. Since the image of the original film is displayed, the same image as the finished print can be displayed at the display value Z (.By displaying this, it is possible to display the same image as the print processed in the pre-development stage. Since the image can be visually observed, it is possible to discover inadequacies in the printing and developing process.Also, since the image is a latent image after the salinity and color balance have been adjusted, the dynamic range of the imaging device is narrow ( Moreover, since the adjustment R capability of 7°, etc. is single, the structure is simple and the cost can be reduced.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

This embodiment combines an automatic color photo printing device (hereinafter referred to as a printer) and a device (hereinafter referred to as a simulator) that displays an image taken on a color negative film in the same state as that printed by the printer.

As shown in Fig. 1, on the back side of the light source IO made up of a halogen lamp, there is a reflecting mirror 1 made up of a cold mirror.
2 is placed. A voltage of approximately 90% of the rated voltage is supplied to the light source 10 from a power supply device (not shown) in order to prolong the life of the light source 1O and obtain a predetermined color temperature. On the light ray irradiation side of the light R10, Y (yellow) is formed by combining two filter plates each having a sector shape of approximately 1/4 circle formed by a logarithmic curve and arranging them in a pair on the left and right.
A dimmer filter 14 consisting of three complementary color filters of M (magenta) and C (cyan) and a mirror box 16 equipped with a scattering plate are arranged in this order, and the light rays emitted from the light source 10 are colored by the dimmer filter 14. After the balance and light amount are adjusted, the mirror box 16 converts the light into uniform diffused light, and the diffused light is irradiated onto the color negative film 18 held on the negative carrier.

To adjust the above light source voltage, set each complementary color filter of the dimmer filter to the mechanical center, measure the light amount with a luminometer, and adjust it to a constant light amount (standard exposure time). Adjust so that 90% of the voltage is supplied. An optical system 2 is provided on the transmitted light beam exit side of the color negative film 18.
0 and black shutter 22 are arranged in this order,
Open the blank shutter 22 and remove the color negative film 18.
The light beam transmitted through the image forming apparatus is configured to form an image on the photographic paper 24 and expose the photographic paper. exposed photographic paper 2
4 is processed in the development process 25 and then the print 27
It is said that

A drive circuit 26 is connected to the light control filter 14, and the drive circuit 26 moves each of the complementary color filters in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, thereby making it possible to adjust the color balance and light amount. Further, a drive circuit 29 is connected to the black shutter 22 .

Near the optical system 2o side of the color negative film 18, R
R, G is equipped with three filters that respectively pass red (red) light, G (green) light, and B (blue) light.

A camera 30 configured with a three-panel camera that outputs a B signal, and an image information detection device 32 that includes a two-dimensional image sensor for detecting image density information of the three primary colors R, G, and B.
is located. This two-dimensional image centimeter is COD
(charge-coupled device). In addition, camera 3
0 may be configured with a single CCD camera.

Here, in a normal TV system, the γ of the TV is set to about 2.2 to ensure good visual visibility, so a γ correction circuit with γ = 0.45 is installed in the TV camera, so that the overall r-
1, but in normal printing γ=2
．． In this embodiment, a γ correction circuit is not provided in the camera 30, and T in the simulator is set to approximately 1, and together with the γ value of the CRT, the overall γ'
I'm trying to make it +2.0.

The camera 30 is connected to a simulator 34 via a gain control circuit 33, and the image information detection device 32 is connected to a slope control circuit 62 via a δ and γ correction circuit 38 and a printing system density calculation circuit 40. has been done. The printing density calculation circuit 40 and the slope control circuit 62 perform the color balance and degree correction described above. In addition, a chromaticity meter 42 is placed opposite to the screen of the CRT 345 that constitutes the simulator 34.
The chromaticity meters 42 and 44 are connected to the I10 port 46 of the computer. The computer has the above I10 port 46, CP
U48, read-on memory (ROM) 50, random access memory (RAM) 52, digital to analog CD/A) converter 54, analog to digital (A/D)
It is composed of converters 56 and 58 and buses 60 such as data buses and control buses that connect these, and includes a gain control n circuit 33, a simulator 34, a δ and γ correction circuit 38, and a printing system density calculation circuit 40. It is connected to the connected slope control circuit 62 and drive circuit 26, and is also connected to the drive circuit 29.

The gain control circuit 33 is composed of an amplifier 331, an operational amplifier 332, a flip-flop 333, and resistors 334 to 336, as shown in FIG. A reference voltage (0, TV corresponding to white level) is input. In order to adjust the gain of the camera 30 using the gain control circuit 33, a standard negative (so-called negative negative) obtained by developing an unbridged film is imaged by the camera 30, and the camera outputs each of the three primary colors R, G, and B. On the other hand, when the analog signal is output from the D/A converter 54 and the signal is output from the flip-flop 333, the gain adjustment is stopped. Since the white level of the camera can be adjusted to the maximum (maximum), the camera's dynamic range can be used widely and the brightness standard can be determined.

In addition, the iris position and color balance position of the camera after the gain has been adjusted as described above are stored as digital values, and channelized for each different type of negative film or negative size (the amount of light changes because the magnification is different). If you do this, you can change the channel by simply changing the channel each time you change the negative.

By doing this, even if the fI of the negative film or the negative size changes, the iris position and color balance position of the camera can be changed simply by changing the channel. In the above case, if the light source deviates from the standard state, it will be necessary to electrically correct the deviation, so it is preferable to adjust the light source state so that a standard gray negative is finished as a standard gray print.

As shown in FIG. 3, the δ and γ correction circuit 38 includes a signal processing circuit 60 that converts the R signal output from the image information detection device 32 into an NQ degree signal and performs δ and γ correction; It is comprised of a signal processing circuit 62 that converts the B signal into a density signal and performs δ and γ correction, and a signal processing circuit 64 that converts the B signal into a 7-degree signal and performs δ and γ correction. Since these 1S signal processing circuits 60, 62, and 64 have the same configuration, only the signal processing circuit 60 will be described. The signal processing circuit 60 includes an offset correction circuit 601, a logarithmic conversion circuit 602 for processing a density signal, a δ correction circuit 603, and a γ correction circuit 60.
It consists of 4. The offset correction circuit 601 includes an operational amplifier OP3, resistors R6 and R7, and a variable power supply B1. The δ correction circuit 603 is an operational amplifier OP
4, resistors R6 and R7, and variable power supply B2. Then, the R, G, and B signals are corrected by δ and γ and output.

The above simulator 34 uses a logarithmic converter 341 connected to the output terminal of the gain control circuit 33 to match the density (Mi component density) seen from the light receiving spectral sensitivity of the camera with the density seen from the light receiving spectral sensitivity of the photographic paper. 3 matrix (cubic square matrix) circuit 342, N/P inversion circuit 343 that inverts negative/positive (N/P) and converts it into analytical density of photographic paper, and converts the analytical density of photographic paper into analytical density of CRT. It is constructed by sequentially connecting in series a luminance signal conversion circuit 344 that converts to luminance and a CRT 345 that displays an image photographed by the camera 30 by causing a phosphor to develop a color in accordance with the output of the luminance signal conversion circuit 344.

Here, the I3.1E dish with one spectral characteristic is output from the camera 30. The value obtained by logarithmically converting each of the G and R signals using the logarithmic conversion circuit 341, and the integral density of the color negative film image seen from the light receiving spectral sensitivity of the camera, is B;
3 Matrix A-' (where -1 indicates an inverse matrix) is used to convert into a negative analytic Q degree as shown in the following equation.

In addition, the integral 74 degrees of a color negative film image viewed from the receiving spectral sensitivity of photographic paper is BP, CP - Rp, 3 × 3
When converted into a negative analysis l seismic intensity using the matrix B-', the following equation is obtained.

Above +11, analytical density of negative in equation (2) (BTV
, Gyv, Ryv) and (BP, Gp - Rp) are proportional, so they can be expressed by the following equation (3) using a diagonal matrix α whose diagonal components are proportionality constants.

Therefore, using equations (1) to (3) above, (B'P, G
;, RP) and (Bvv, Gtv, Rtv), the following equation (4) is obtained, which allows the TV
The density determined by the spectral sensitivity of the photographic paper is converted to the density determined by the spectral sensitivity of the photographic paper.

Each of the components of the matrices B, α, and A mentioned above is determined in advance for a sample such as a reference negative, taking into account the color development characteristics of the color negative film, the spectral sensitivity characteristics of the photographic paper, and the spectral sensitivity characteristics of the camera. x3 matrix circuit 342.

The N/P inversion circuit 343 is a circuit that converts T to -T, and converts the output of the 3.times.3 matrix circuit 342 regarding the following straight line and outputs the result.

y)'l 凋a(xx+)...(6) However, Xl
,)'+ is the coordinate value of the point that is not inverted in N/P (hereinafter referred to as the pivot point), x,, y are the coordinate values when the corallinity area is expressed in xy coordinates, and a is a constant and usually has a negative value. selected.

As the pivot point, a point where the density should not change even if N/P is reversed, that is, a point at a neutral gray (standard gray) level, is selected.

Cameras and CRTs display from black level to white level in 0 to 0,7■, so camera output can be changed to N/P.
When inverted, the display area of the CRT is exceeded, and for example, the black level may not be accurately inverted to the white level. Therefore, in N/P inversion, the camera output V
It is preferable to perform N/P inversion with a pivot point in the vicinity of 23% (density 0.63 excluding the negative base) of the white level of in.

FIG. 4 shows camera output ■, when N/P inversion is performed using 23% of the white level of camera output ■, as a pivot point, and N/P inversion circuit 343 output ■. , is shown. Since the camera's white level is 0.7V, 23% of the white level is 0.161V. Here, 3×3
If the output of the matrix circuit 342 is expressed as y = 3.2518 + logVB, (7), the coordinates corresponding to 23% of the white level are (0, 1
61, 2, 47), so (2, 47, 2, 4
Straight line passing through 7) y-2,47= a (x-2,47)...(8)
When converting the curve expressed by the above equation (7) with respect to
The curve shown in FIG. 4 is obtained, which means that it has been N/P inverted. As understood from FIG. 4, the value of 23% of the white level of the camera output remains unchanged even after the N/P inversion.

Furthermore, in order to perform N/P inversion, the N/P inversion circuit may be configured with the circuit shown in FIG. The circuit shown in the figure changes the reference voltage by moving the operational amplifier OPI, OF2, the variable resistor R1 that sets the reference voltage v-, V, (corresponding to the pivot point) of the operational amplifier, and the contact of the variable resistor R1. Equipped with operating mechanism AC. A signal is input to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier OPI via a resistor R2, and a variable resistor R3 for adjusting the gain is connected between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier OP1. The output terminal of the operational amplifier OPI is connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier OP2 via a resistor R4. A resistor R5 is connected between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier OP2. One end of the variable resistor R1 is grounded, the other end is grounded via the power supply B, and the contacts of the variable resistor R1 are connected to the non-inverting input terminals of the operational amplifiers OPI and OF2, respectively.

A method for determining the pivot point using the above circuit will be explained. First, a color negative film colored in standard gray is held between negative carriers and imaged with a camera, and after N/P inversion using the circuit shown in Figure 5, the zero-order image is displayed on the CR7 screen.
A standard gray signal (which can be generated electrically by setting the white level of the CRT to 23%) is displayed on the CRTN surface in close proximity to the above-mentioned negative image. Then, by operating the keyboard, the abrasive resistance value of the variable resistor R1 is continuously changed to change the reference voltages V, , V, and a standard gray signal is electrically created to create a negative image colored in standard gray. Match the image.

This determines the pivot point.

By using the above circuit, it is possible to set the gray level according to the sense of the measurer, and since the gray level can be set according to the sense of the measurer, it is possible to match the finished state of the print. The gray level can be set, which allows highly accurate simulations to be performed, including conditions such as development conditions (fatigue of the developer, temperature changes in the developer, etc.).

Since a CRT displays an image using a light emitter, the brightness of the CRT is proportional to the voltage. However, since photographic paper uses an absorber (dye), the amount of dye and brightness are not proportional, but the amount of dye and the logarithm of brightness are proportional, and furthermore, changing the amount of dye changes the chromaticity point. Change. In other words, the pigments in photographic paper are unstable primary colors (the chromaticity point of which changes depending on the amount of pigment).
C.Y.

M).

Therefore, the volatility signal conversion circuit 344 has N
The /P inversion circuit 343 output is converted into an analytical luminance signal T and output to the CRT 345.

T=F C1og-' (r (D)) )・19
In addition, f is a function that converts the output into one degree of integration, and F is a function that converts the integrated transmittance log-' (D) into an analytical luminance signal.

The functions F and f are determined by determining the output value and the analytical luminance signal T to optimal values in advance, and performing optimization using the least squares method, regression, or the like. Note that a 3×3 matrix is generally used as the functions F and f.

Then, the CRT is controlled by the luminance signal obtained by the luminance signal conversion circuit 344 as described above, and the CRT is
An image having coloring characteristics matching those of photographic paper is displayed on T.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the gain control circuit shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
Figure 4 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the δ and T correction circuit.
A diagram for explaining P inversion, and FIG. 5 is another circuit diagram for performing N/P inversion. 14...Dimmer filter, 27...Print, 34...Simulator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A light source that irradiates a light beam onto the color original film through a light control filter, and an optical system that is placed on the light transmission side of the color original film and forms an image recorded on the color original film onto photographic paper. and an exposure control device that controls the light control filter to adjust the color balance and density of the image formed on the photographic paper, and automatically adjusts the color balance and density of each finished print to be the same. In an automatic photographic printing apparatus for printing, an image pickup device captures an image of the color original film after the color balance and density have been adjusted by the light control filter from the light transmission side of the color original film, and coloring characteristics of a display device. 1. An automatic photographic printing apparatus comprising: an image information processing apparatus that converts the output of the imaging device so that the coloring characteristics match the coloring characteristics of photographic paper, and displays the converted image on the display device.