JPH04367191A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera, and is particularly suitable for application to an electronic still camera using a solid-state image sensor.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in electronic still cameras, still image signals obtained by capturing an image of a subject using a solid-state imaging device (hereinafter referred to as CCD) are recorded on a magnetic disk. There is something.

[0003] This electronic still camera is capable of reproducing still images on the display screen of a CRT connected to the electronic still camera by reproducing still image signals recorded on a magnetic disk. There is.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In this type of electronic still camera, imaging light incident through a lens is split into two optical paths by a predetermined prism, and color components are imaged. Imaging signals are obtained for each color component and luminance component by entering the first CCD and a second CCD configured to image the luminance component.

However, in the so-called two-panel electronic still camera having such a configuration, the red component, green component, and blue component constituting the three primary colors are imaged by one CCD.

[0006]Therefore, since three primary color components have to be imaged by one CCD, there is a problem in that screen resolution, brightness reproducibility, and imaging sensitivity cannot be further improved.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to propose an electronic still camera that can further improve the resolution, brightness reproducibility, and imaging sensitivity of an imaging screen.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the problems, in the present invention, after imaging light is captured using a solid-state image sensor, it is converted into a predetermined recording signal S6, and the magnetic recording medium 5
In the electronic still camera 10, which is configured to record a still image on a digital camera, the imaging light incident through the imaging optical systems 12, 13, and 20 is separated into three primary color components by the color separation optical system 23. The primary color components are imaged by the three corresponding solid-state image sensors 22R, 22G, and 22B, respectively.

[0009]

[Operation] The imaging light incident through the imaging optical systems 12, 13, and 20 is separated into three primary color components in the color separation optical system 23, and the three solid-state imaging devices 22R, 22G are connected to the three primary color components. , 22B, the brightness reproducibility, resolution, and imaging sensitivity can be improved, and the image quality of the imaging screen can be further improved.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates an electronic still camera as a whole, which includes a lens 12A and an aperture section 1 controlled by a control signal S11 from a mechanism controller 42.
The imaging light obtained through the optical system 12 consisting of 2B and 2B is reflected by the reflection mirror 13A of the mirror section 13, thereby making the imaging light enter the viewfinder 15. The image of the subject obtained can be visually observed.

The viewfinder 15 also includes an SPD light receiving element 1.
6 is provided to detect the amount of imaging light incident on the viewfinder 15 via the reflection mirror 13A, and to send a detection signal S16 to the mode controller 41 based on the detection result.

The mode controller 41 calculates an exposure value based on the amount of imaging light detected by the SPD light receiving element 16, and outputs a control signal CO according to the mode state at this time.
NT to mechanism controller 42 and LCD display section 4
3, the diaphragm 12B and shutter 20 are controlled respectively, and necessary information is displayed on the LCD display section 43.

The mirror unit 13 is also provided with a mirror drive unit 13B configured to drive the reflecting mirror 13A based on a control signal S11 from the mechanism controller 42. In response to this, the reflecting mirror 13A is raised, so that the imaging light obtained through the optical system 12 is incident on the shutter 20 that follows.

The shutter 20 is a mechanism controller 4
2, and when the photographer operates the release switch 31, the shutter speed value is set in the mode controller 41 at this time, and the shutter speed is set to a predetermined value. The imaging light enters the dichroic prism 23 that continues for a certain amount of time.

The dichroic prism 23 separates the incident imaging light into a red component, a green component, and a blue component, and separates the incident imaging light into a first CCD 22R, a second CCD 22G, and a third CCD 22G, respectively.
incident on the CCD 22B.

The first CCD 22R obtains an imaging signal S1 by imaging the red component of the imaging light obtained from the dichroic prism 23, and the camera circuit unit 25
Send to.

The second CCD 22G obtains an imaging signal S2 by imaging the green component of the imaging light obtained from the dichroic prism 23, and sends this to the camera circuit section 25 that follows.

The third CCD 22B obtains an imaging signal S3 by imaging the blue component of the imaging light obtained from the dichroic prism 23, and sends this to the subsequent camera circuit section 25.

The camera circuit section 25 is configured to operate based on a control signal CONT from the mode controller 41, and is configured to operate based on the control signal CONT from the mode controller 41, and is configured to operate on the basis of the control signal CONT from the mode controller 41.
Imaging signals S1, S2, S3 obtained from 2G and 22B
Then, a color signal S5 is obtained based on the white balance detection signal S4 obtained from the white balance detection section 24, and is sent to the subsequent video circuit section 26.

The video circuit section 26 is connected to the mode controller 4
It is designed to operate based on the control signal CONT from 1, generates a luminance signal and a chroma signal from the color signal S5, and sends the video signal S6 obtained based on this to the recording/reproducing circuit of the magnetic disk drive section 45. 47.

The magnetic disk drive section 45 controls the mode controller 4 when the photographer operates the release switch 31.
Based on the control signal CONT output from the controller 1, the controller 46 sends out a control signal S11 for controlling the recording/reproducing circuit section 47, and also sends a servo signal S12 to the servo circuit 48.

As a result, the recording/reproducing circuit section 47 modulates the input video signal S6 into a recording signal, and sends this to the magnetic heads 51A and 51B, thereby freezing the subject image on a predetermined recording track of the magnetic disk 50. It is designed to be recorded as an image.

In contrast, the magnetic disk drive unit 45
When the playback switch 34 is operated and the electronic still camera 10 enters the playback mode, the recording/playback circuit section 47 is switched to the playback state based on the control signal CONT output from the mode controller 41, and the magnetic A video signal S10 is obtained by demodulating the reproduced signal obtained from the magnetic disk via the heads 51A and 51B, and this is output via the video circuit section 26 and the output adapter 27.

Furthermore, a mode setting dial 39 configured to set various modes, a shift dial 38 and a shift switch 32 configured to select various setting values are connected to the mode controller 41. Details of the selection item indicated by the user dial 39 can be selected by rotating the shift dial 38 while pressing the shift switch 32.

For example, the mode setting dial 39 is set to AE (
If you turn the shift dial 38 while pressing the shift switch 32 while instructing the automatic exposure) mode setting item,
Accordingly, the program mode, aperture priority mode, shutter speed priority mode, or manual mode can be sequentially switched and set.

Furthermore, by turning the shift dial 38 without pressing the shift switch 32, it is possible to select an item corresponding to the mode in which the electronic still camera 10 is currently set.

For example, when the shutter speed priority mode is set, the shutter speeds can be sequentially changed by turning the shift dial 38 without pressing the shift switch 32.

Furthermore, the mode controller 41 includes an LC
A select switch 33 configured to switch the segment display on the D (liquid crystal) display section 43 and an ID 11/calendar switch 35 are connected to control the electronic still camera 10 in various states depending on the purpose of use by the photographer. It has been made possible.

The mode controller 41 is also provided with a power supply voltage detection circuit 53 and a battery type detection section 54, which detect the voltage value of the battery attached to the electronic still camera 10 and detect the voltage value depending on the type of the battery. When the detected voltage value drops to a predetermined voltage value, a predetermined warning display is displayed on the LCD display section 43 and the viewfinder display section 1.
7.

In the above configuration, the imaging light incident through the optical system 12 is separated into three primary colors and imaged by the respective CCDs 22R, 22G, and 22B.

Therefore, in each CCD 22R, 22G, and 22B, each effective pixel can be assigned to each primary color light for one screen, so that three primary color lights can be imaged by one CCD. Compared to conventional electronic still cameras, since the amount of imaged information can be increased, the brightness reproducibility, resolution, and imaging sensitivity of the imaged screen can be further improved.

According to the above configuration, the three primary color components of the imaging light are separately imaged by the three CCDs, thereby further improving the image quality of the imaging screen.

Incidentally, by providing one shutter 20 in front of the dichroic prism 23 to control the imaging light, the speed is much higher than in the case where shutters are provided in the front of each CCD 22R, 22G, and 22B. You can take pictures.

In the above embodiment, the video circuit unit 26 generates a luminance signal and a chroma signal from the input color signal S5, and generates a video signal S6 for recording based on the luminance signal and chroma signal. Although the case has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and recording may be performed in various other signal formats.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case was described in which the dichroic prism 23 was used as the color separation optical system, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other color separation means may be used.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the electronic still camera 10 that captures only still images has been described;
The present invention is not limited to this, but by directly outputting a video signal from the electronic still camera 10 while holding the shutter 20 in an open state, the electronic still camera 10 can also function as a high-resolution video camera. You can do it like this.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the imaging light incident through the imaging optical system is separated into three primary color components by the color separation optical system, and the three primary color components are transmitted to the three solid-state imaging devices. By capturing images at each of the points, it is possible to realize an electronic still camera that can further improve the image quality of the image capturing screen.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic still camera according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10...Electronic still camera, 12...Optical system, 13...
Mirror section, 15...Finder, 20...Shutter, 2
2R, 22G, 22B...solid-state image sensor, 23...dichroic prism, 41...mode controller, 4
2...Mechanism controller, 45...Magnetic disk drive section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. An electronic still camera configured to capture imaging light using a solid-state imaging device, convert it into a predetermined recording signal, and record the signal as a still image on a magnetic recording medium, through an imaging optical system. An electronic still camera characterized in that the incident imaging light is separated into three primary color components by a color separation optical system, and each of the three primary color components is imaged by three corresponding solid-state image sensors.