JPH03224365A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To bring a shutter means in common use for an aperture means smoothly into a still picture pickup state by using a control means so as to bring the shutter means to a prescribed aperture state when the mode is switched from a moving picture pickup state or moving picture pickup enable state into the still picture pickup state. CONSTITUTION:When a switch 7 is switched from a moving picture pickup mode into a still picture pickup mode, an aperture common use shutter 3 applying movie drive is closed by a shutter control circuit 12 and prepared for pickup of a still picture. At first a known aperture common use shutter 3 is driven so as to obtain an aperture and a shutter speed depending on the brightness of an object and the shutter is switched. In this case, a pickup signal stored in an image pickup element 4 is transferred to a recording section 11 by a camera control circuit 10 and recorded to an unrecorded part of a recording medium by a recording section control circuit 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electronic still camera, and particularly to an electronic still camera that takes pictures using an imaging means such as a solid-state imaging device.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, electronic still cameras have been developed that combine solid-state imaging devices such as COD and recording devices that use recording media such as magnetic disks and solid-state memories to record still images on the recording medium and playback the images on a monitor or printer. has already been developed.

This electronic still camera does not require chemical processing such as development, unlike cameras that use silver halide film, and the captured images can be viewed immediately on a monitor or hard copy, and there is no need to block the recording medium from light. 1. of the recording medium. It has many advantages, such as ease of use. Furthermore, since electronic still cameras input video through an image sensor, they could output video or record video by providing video recording means.

[Invention or problem to be solved]

As described above, when an electronic still camera is provided with a video output means, the shutter remains open while the video is being recorded or output, and the amount of light incident on the image sensor remains constant. You need to adjust the aperture accordingly. By the way, if you operate the aperture as described above, when you switch from shooting mode or video to still image, you will need to reset the aperture and shutter settings so that they can correspond to the state where still image shooting is possible. There were some problems that could arise.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when the camera is switched from a video shooting state or a video shooting enabled state (video shooting standby state) to a still image shooting state, the aperture device that also serves as the aperture means To provide an electronic still camera in which a shutter means is controlled to be in a predetermined open state and a shutter means which also serves as an aperture means can smoothly cope with a still image photographing state.

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, the present invention includes a shutter means that also serves as an aperture means of a photographing optical system, and a photographing state switching means that switches each photographing state of still images and moving images, and in an electronic still camera capable of shooting a moving image, when the shooting state switching means switches from the moving image shooting state or the moving image shooting enabled state to the still image shooting state, the shutter means is controlled to be in a predetermined open state. It is an object of the present invention to achieve the above object by means of an electronic still camera comprising the following means.

Further, in the above invention, the predetermined open state is an electronic still camera in which the shutter means is in a closed state to achieve the above object.

Further, in the above invention, the above object is achieved by using an electronic still camera in which the shutter means is in the open state in the predetermined opening state.

(Function) In the electronic still camera of the present invention, when the shooting state switching means switches from the video shooting state or the video shooting enabled state to the still image shooting state, the control means
The shutter means is controlled to be in a predetermined open state.

〔Example) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic still camera that is an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of this embodiment, and Figure 3 is a diagram of the camera of this embodiment. 4 is a flowchart for controlling the operation of this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart for controlling the operation of another embodiment of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, Y is an electronic still camera, and A is a shutter means, which is composed of a shutter 3 and also serves as the aperture means of the photographing optical system l. Reference numeral B denotes a photographing state switching means, which is composed of a changeover switch 7, and is means for switching between still image and moving image photographing states. Control means C is constituted by the camera control circuit 10, and when the shooting state switching means B switches from the moving image shooting state or the moving image shooting possible state to the still image shooting state, the shutter means A is set in a predetermined open state. (Details will be described later).

In addition, the shutter 3 which also serves as an aperture is provided with a shutter control circuit 12 (
(Fig. 2). 4 is an image sensor, which is connected to the camera control circuit 10 by an electric signal line. 5 is a finder, and 6 is a video output terminal. 9 is an aperture control circuit, and 11 is a recording section.

In addition, in FIG. 2 of the drawing, 14 is a recording unit control circuit;
5 is a photometric circuit, 16 is a display circuit, and 17 is an image sensor control circuit.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using FIGS. 1 to 5.

When the power switch (not shown) of the camera is operated and the power is turned on, and the #l shadow mode selector switch 7 is set to still image, the shutter 3 which also serves as an aperture is closed, and the photographer After adjusting the composition and pushing the release button (not shown) half a stroke, the release switch 1 (FIG. 2) is turned ON. When the camera control circuit 10 confirms that the switch 1 is turned on, the brightness of the subject is measured by a photometry unit (not shown). When the release button is pressed further,
When the release switch 2 (FIG. 2) is turned ON and the ON state of the switch 2 is confirmed by the camera control circuit 10, a still image photographing operation is started. First, the known aperture/shutter 3 is driven to open and close so that the aperture value and shutter speed are determined based on the brightness of the subject. At this time, the video signal accumulated in the image sensor 4 is transferred to the recording section 11 by the camera control circuit 10.
The recording section control circuit 14 records the data on the unrecorded portion of the recording medium.

When the power is turned on and the shooting mode selector switch 7 is set to movie, the aperture/shutter 3 acts as a movie aperture and adjusts the charge accumulated in the image sensor 4 over a certain period of time, that is, the amount of light incident on the image sensor 4. In response, an opening/closing operation (so-called movie drive of the aperture) is performed, and the light passing through the photographing optical system is adjusted so that a constant amount of light is incident on the image sensor 4. The image formed on the image sensor 4 by the camera control circuit 10 is output to the video output terminal 6.

When the switch 7 is switched from the video shooting mode to the still image shooting mode while the camera is powered on, the diaphragm/shutter 3 that is driving the Moohi is closed by the shutter control circuit 12, and still images are taken. Prepare for the future.

Next, the operation control of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4, focusing on the control means C.

In the flowchart in Figure 4 of the drawing, turn the power ON/OFF.
In step 401, it is determined whether the still image mode is selected.
If the still image mode is selected, the process advances to step 402 and the shutter is closed. Then, in step 403, it is determined whether the release switch 1 is turned on. If it is turned on, the image pickup device is driven in step 404, and the process proceeds to step 405. If it is not turned on in step 403, step 40
Return to step 3 and play until it is turned on. Said step 405
In step 406, perform photometry, distance measurement, check the power supply voltage, and adjust the white balance, and in step 406, set the shutter speed,
The aperture value and the amount of movement of the optical system are calculated, and the process proceeds to step 407. In step 407, it is determined whether the release switch 2 is turned on. If it is turned on, in step 409, the charge of the image pickup device is discharged and the optical system is moved. If the switch 2 is not turned on in step 407, it is determined in step 40B whether the release switch 1 is turned on, and if it is turned on, the process returns to step 407, and if it is not turned on, the process returns to step 403. Said step 409
If the process is completed, the process advances to step 410 and the shutter is opened and closed. Then, in step 411, the charge is transferred and recorded in step 412, and in step 413, driving of the image sensor is stopped. Then, the process proceeds to step 414, where it is determined whether the mode changeover switch has been operated. If it has been operated, the process returns to step 401, and if it has not been operated, step 4
Return to 03.

If the still image mode is not selected in step 401, the process advances to step 415. In step 415, the image sensor is driven,
Drives the shirt holder that also serves as an aperture. and step 4
In step 16, the video is output, and the process proceeds to step 417, where it is determined whether the mote changeover switch has been operated. If so, the process proceeds to step 418, where the drive of the image pickup device is stopped, and the process returns to step 401. If not operated, step 4
Return to 16.

Next, another embodiment in which a part of this embodiment is modified will be explained using the flowchart of FIG. 5 as an example.

The configuration of this alternative embodiment is similar to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the above-described embodiment, so a redundant explanation thereof will be omitted.

The difference between this example and the above example is that in the operation of the above example, it is assumed that light metering is not performed using light passing through the photographic optical system in still image mode, so the aperture is not used except when releasing the camera. However, in this example of another embodiment, when photometry is performed using the image sensor 4, the shutter is kept open and the photometry is performed, and when the shutter is released, the shutter is closed once and the image sensor 4 accumulates light. discard the electric charge, open and close the shutter, shoot and record still images,
The shutter is opened again. Then, when the camera is switched from the moving image shooting state or the moving image shooting enabled state to the still image shooting state, the shutter is brought into an open state by the shutter control means in preparation for still image shooting.

Next, an exemplary operation control of this alternative form will be explained using FIG. 5.

In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the same steps as those in FIG. 4 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation thereof will be omitted. Steps different from those in FIG. 4 will be explained.

Step 502 in FIG. 5 of the drawing is step 402 in FIG.
In response to this, the shutter is opened. Further, step 509 is a step in which, when switch 2 is determined to be ON in step 407, the shutter is closed and the process proceeds to step 409.

Further, step 514 is a step in which the shutter is opened if it is determined in step 414 that the mote changeover switch is not operated.

The other steps are the same as those shown in FIG. 4 above.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an electronic still camera in which when switching the shooting mode from a moving image to a still image, the shutter that also serves as an aperture can smoothly adapt to the state in which still image shooting is possible. effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electronic still camera which is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration circuit of this embodiment, and Fig. 3 shows a changeover switch for the shooting mode of this embodiment. A side sectional view, FIG. 4 is a flowchart for controlling the operation of this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart for controlling the operation of another embodiment of this embodiment. A-----Shutter means B----Photographing state switching means C---Control means 1-----Photographing optical system 3----- Comparison shutter 4 ......Image sensor 5-----Finder 6--Video output terminal 7--Photography mode selection switch 10...
-Camera control circuit 11---Recording unit 12...Shutter control circuit 14...Recording unit control circuit In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In an electronic still camera capable of shooting video, the electronic still camera has the following: a shutter device that also serves as an aperture device of a shooting optical system; and a shooting state switching device that switches between still image and video shooting states; An electronic still camera characterized by comprising a control means for controlling the shutter means to be in a predetermined open state when the video shooting state or the video shooting enabled state is switched to the still image shooting state by the means. . (2) The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined open state is a state in which the shutter means is closed. (3) The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined open state is an open state of the shutter means.