JPH0364171A - Still picture recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the degree of freedom in the design by using an optical system of mirror image with respect to an image pickup element and inverting the image when it is written in a memory. CONSTITUTION:An optical image of an object is made incident in a beam splitter 2 via a pickup lens system 1 and a relay lens system 3 and a lope system 4 are arranged by taking a path of a straightforward light to be the position of a finder side. Then a CCD 6 being the image pickup element is arranged to a path of a reflecting light from the beam splitter 2 via an optical filter 5 such as an infrared-ray cut filter or a crystal low pass filter. Thus, a mirror image is given to the CCD 6, an analog picture signal from the CCD 6 is converted into a digital picture data by an A/D converter 8, written in a memory 10 or the like on a memory card by an inverting write means 9 and the digital picture data is written in the inverted order to form an erected image. Thus, the optical axis and the reflecting face or the like are simplified and the degree of freedom of the design is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a still image recording device called a still video camera.

<Prior art> Some still video cameras are of a digital recording type, in which image signals taken in from an image sensor such as a CCD are A/D converted and recorded in a memory that is detachably attached to the camera body. JP-A-63-72283, JP-A-64-
(See Publication No. 10784).

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> Conventionally, the optical system of this type of still video camera has followed the configuration of a general camera.
It is a normal image optical system that provides an optical image of the subject as a normal image to the image sensor.

Therefore, in order to create a normal image optical system, there are restrictions on the setting of the optical path and the arrangement of the image sensor, and these restrictions also restrict the position of the viewfinder, resulting in a lack of freedom in design. .

In view of these conventional problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a still image recording device that takes advantage of the digital recording type and can utilize a mirror image optical system.

<Means for Solving the Problems> For this reason, the present invention provides an optical image of a subject to an image sensor through an optical system, A/D converts the image signal from the image sensor, and stores digital image data in a memory. In the still image recording device that writes data into the memory, the optical system is a mirror image optical system that provides an optical image of the subject to the image sensor as a mirror image, and the order in which the digital image data is reversed when writing to the memory. The configuration is such that a reversal writing means is provided for writing and converting into a normal image.

Alternatively, an optical image of the subject is provided to an image sensor through an optical system, the image signal from the image sensor is A/D converted, digital image data is written to a memory and recorded, and read from the memory and reproduced. In the still image recording device, the optical system is a mirror image optical system that provides an optical image of a subject to the image sensor as a mirror image, and when reading from the memory, the digital image data is read out in an inverted order and converted into a normal image. The configuration is such that an inversion reading means is provided.

<Operation> In the above configuration, the optical system is set as a mirror image optical system with respect to the image sensor for the degree of freedom in design, so that a mirror image can be obtained on the image sensor.

Therefore, it is inverted and normalized in post-processing. That is, it is inverted when writing to memory, or it is written as is and inverted when reading from memory.

<Example> Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a still video camera (TTL viewfinder, single plate type).

The optical image of the subject is transmitted via the imaging lens system 1 to a beam splitter (or half mirror/quick return mirror).
2, the relay lens system 3 and the magnifying glass system 4 are arranged so that the path of the straight light is on the finder side.

A CCD 6 as an image pickup device is arranged in the path of the reflected light from the beam splitter 2 via an optical filter 5 such as an infrared cut filter or a crystal low-pass filter. As a result, a mirror image is given to the CCD 6.

The comparison with the conventional method is as follows.

The conventional layout is as shown in Fig. 2. In order to provide a normal image to the CCD 6, the CCD 6 is placed in the path of the straight light, so the viewfinder side is equipped with a relay lens via the total reflection mirror 15 in the path of the reflected light. A system 3 and a magnifying glass system 4 must be provided, and there are two lens axes, making the layout complicated.

Specifically, it has the following drawbacks.

i) There are two optical axes. With this, the placement of the finder becomes a problem, but if you place the finder vertically,
It becomes difficult to make a horizontally thin camera. Placing it horizontally increases the width of the camera.

ii) There are two reflective surfaces. This tends to cause parallax between the viewfinder and the COD screen.

Beam splitter 2. Mirror 15. This is because the mounting precision of the CCD 6 is affected (in Figure 1, 2 and 6 are affected. Also, the finder image tends to be tilted with respect to the image seen with the naked eye. The mounting precision of the beam splitter 2 and mirror 15 is affected. (In principle, this does not occur in Fig. 1).

ji) Cost will increase. This is because there are many parts and many adjustment points.

Therefore, the layout shown in FIG. 1, which has fewer of the above-mentioned defects, is adopted, and as a result, a mirror image is given to the CCD 6, which is inverted and converted into a normal image during recording (or reproduction).

The optical image of the subject is converted to CC as a mirror image through the above-mentioned optical system.
When applied to D6, an analog image signal photoelectrically converted from the CCD 6 is transferred by a transfer pulse from a CCD driver (not shown).

Then, the analog image signal from the CCD 6 is sent to the amplifier 7.
After being amplified by the A/D converter 8, the image data is converted into digital image data, and the reversal writing means 9 writes the data into the memory 1 on a memory card, for example, which is removably attached to the camera body.
Written to 0. At this time, the digital image data is written in an inverted order and converted into a normal image. The memory 10 may be a semiconductor memory represented by a memory card (or IC card), a floppy disk, a DAT (Digital Audio Chip), or any other digital recording medium.

The reversal writing means 9 will be explained. It is assumed that the number of pixels of the CCD 6 is nxm, which corresponds to the addresses on the memory 10 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an example of inverting and writing in the memory in units of screens.

It is assumed that mirror image digital image data is sent sequentially and written to an address in the memory 10 specified by the upper address counter 21 and the lower address counter 22.

When writing, first send the Load/Save signal to S.
It is set to the L level, which is the ave side. As a result, the amplifier/down switching signal of the lower address counter 22 becomes L level, which is the countdown side. Further, the reset gate G+ is closed and the preset gate G2 is opened.

The upper address counter 21 is reset to O by the vertical synchronization signal V5ync every 1 field scan, and
The count is increased (0 to m-1) by the horizontal synchronizing signal H5ync for each horizontal scan.

The lower address counter 22 receives the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync.
Gate G! is preset to n-1 through
0).

As a result, the images are written in the order shown by the arrow W in FIG. 3 and normalized.

When reading from memory area 0, it is sufficient to read in the normal order, so the Load/Save signal is set to H level, which is on the Load side. As a result, the up/down switching signal of the lower address counter 22 becomes H level, which is the count up side. Furthermore, the reset gate G1 opens and the preset gate G2 closes.

Therefore, the lower address counter 22 receives the horizontal synchronization signal H
5ync resets it to 0 through gate G,
Count up by clock signal CLK (0-n
, -1).

As a result, the data are read out in the order shown by arrow R in FIG. This is the correct image.

Or, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower address counter 22
'' may be an n-ary counter, the up/down state may be switched by the Load/Save signal, and the counter may be reset by the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will be described.

This is done by directly writing mirror image digital image data into memory IO and recording it in the still video player.
When reading from the memory 10, the inversion reading means 12
Digital image data is read in the reversed order and converted into a normal image.

In this case, as shown in FIG.
When the oad/Save signal is set to L level, which is the 5ave side, the up/down switching signal of the lower address counter 22 becomes H level, which is the count up side. Further, the reset gate G+ is opened and the preset gate G2 is closed.

Therefore, the lower address counter 22 receives the horizontal synchronization signal H
reset to 0 through gate G1 by sync,
Counts up by clock signal CLK (0 to n
-1). This causes the mirror image to be written as is.

When reading from this memory 10, Load/S a
The ve signal is set to the H level on the load side. As a result, the up/down switching signal of the lower address counter 22 becomes L level, which is the countdown side. Also,
The reset gate G1 is closed and the preset gate G2 is opened.

Therefore, the lower address counter 22 receives the horizontal synchronization signal H
It is preset to n-1 through G2 by 5sync and counts down by clock signal CLK (
n-1 to 0). Thereby, it is possible to invert and read out.

Or, as shown in FIG. 8, the lower address counter 22
' is an n-ary counter, the up/down is switched by the Load/Save signal, and the horizontal synchronization signal H5ync
You may also reset it with .

The writing/reading does not have to be performed on a screen-by-screen basis, and may be written to or read from a memory such as a memory card through a line memory, an example of which is shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is an example of inversion during writing.

Here, the switch SWI~4 is connected to the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync.
It moves in conjunction with the rise, etc.

(2) Initially, SWI~4 is at the position indicated by the solid line, and the first line of image data is written into the line memory 31. At this time, the address counter 41 is used. The count goes down from n-1.

(2) Next, SW1 to SW4 are at the positions indicated by the broken lines, and the first line of image data is read out from the line memory 31.

At this time, the address counter 42 is used. Since the count increases from 0, the data is read out in the reverse order from when it was written in step (3) above.

At the same time, the next line is written into the line memory 32 using the address counter 41.

(2) At the same time that data is read out from the line memory 32 in the reverse order from when it was written, the next data is written into the line memory 31.

■ The above steps are repeated.

Here, a down counter (address counter 41) is used for writing and an up counter (address counter 42) is used for reading, but the reverse may be used.

Furthermore, it is also possible to invert during reading with a similar configuration.

Next, a case where a plurality of image sensors are included will be described.

FIG. 1O shows the case of a two-plate type, in which the optical image of the subject enters a beam splitter (or half mirror) 53 via an imaging lens system 51 and an infrared cut filter 52.
The reflected light passes through a crystal low-pass filter 54 and enters a luminance signal CCD 55, and the straight light passes through a crystal low-pass filter 56 and enters a color signal CCD 57 with a color separation filter. Here, a mirror image is given to the luminance signal CCD 55.

Compared to a conventional two-panel camera (Fig. 11), only one reflective surface is required, and the processing accuracy of the prism is less severe when the prism has two reflective surfaces, and the shape of the prism is simpler than that of a two-panel camera. It has the advantage of being

FIG. 12 shows the case of a three-plate type, in which the optical image of the subject is incident through an imaging lens system 61 and an infrared cut filter 62, and the image reflected by a blue reflective dichroic film 63 is transmitted through a crystal low-pass filter 64. What is reflected by the red reflective guicroic film 66 passes through the blue CCD 65 and passes through the crystal low-pass filter 67 to the red C0D 68, and the rest passes straight through the crystal low-pass filter 69 to the green CCD 7.
Enters 0. Here, the blue CCD 63 and the red CCD
68 is given a mirror image.

Compared to the conventional three-panel camera (Fig. 13), it is possible to bond the entire prism into one prism.

This is because in the past, it was necessary to divide the prism into two in order to create a total reflection surface. This allows installation, 1! It is expected that the adjustment will be easier and the cost will be significantly reduced.

In the case of having a plurality of image sensors in this manner, the degree of freedom in design is greatly improved by selectively using a normal image optical system and a mirror image optical system for each image sensor.

Next, reference examples shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 will be described.

This creates a CCD in which even if a mirror image is formed, the signal output from the CCD has already returned to the normal image.

FIG. 14 shows a general COD, which is transferred to the horizontal transfer CCD 82 via the vertical transfer CCD 81, and this horizontal CCD 8
A signal is taken out from 2 via the signal output section 83.

Therefore, in the mirror image CCD, the image is transferred and taken out in the opposite direction from the horizontal transfer CCD 82, as shown in FIG. However, this method is considered to be difficult in terms of cost.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to make the optical system a mirror image optical system with respect to the image sensor, which makes it possible to simplify the reflection surface of the optical axis 2, etc., and improve the design. The degree of freedom is greatly improved, and costs can also be reduced to a distant degree.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system diagram of a still video camera showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram of an optical system showing a conventional example, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a memory, and Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a reversal writing means. 5 is a block diagram of another example of the reverse writing means, FIG. 6 is a system diagram of a still video camera and player showing another embodiment, FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the reverse reading means, and FIG. is a block diagram of another example of the inversion reading means, FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of inversion writing using a line memory, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the layout of two boards, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a layout example of a three-plate type, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a conventional three-plate type example, and FIGS. 14 and 15 are diagrams showing reference examples.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a still image recording device that applies an optical image of a subject to an image sensor through an optical system, A/D converts the image signal from the image sensor, and writes and records digital image data in a memory, The optical system is a mirror image optical system that provides an optical image of the subject to the image sensor as a mirror image, and an inversion writing means is provided for writing digital image data in an inverted order and converting it into a normal image when writing to the memory. A still image recording device characterized by: (2) Provide an optical image of the subject to an image sensor through an optical system, perform A/D conversion on the image signal from the image sensor, write and record digital image data in memory, and read it from the memory for playback. In a still image recording device, the optical system is a mirror image optical system that provides an optical image of a subject to the image sensor as a mirror image, and the digital image data is read out in an inverted order when reading from the memory to produce a normal image. What is claimed is: 1. A still image recording device characterized in that the still image recording device is provided with a reversal readout means for reading out images.