JPH0467023A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the camera which incorporates only one flash light emitting device capable of lighting for normal photography and macrophotography by providing a light emission actuating means which makes a light emission part emit light in open position at the normal photography and a light guide means which guides the light emitted by the light emission part in a closed position to the periphery of a photographic lens at the macrophotography to project the light. CONSTITUTION:This camera is provided with light emission actuating means 26 which makes the light emission part 26 emit light in open position at the normal photography and in closed position at the macrophotography and the light guide means 28 which guides the light emitted by the light emission part to the peripheral parts 28c and 28d of the photographic lens 22 to project the light. The guide 28 guides the light from the light emission part 26 by repeating reflection in the light guide 28 and projects the light ahead the camera from light projection parts 28c and 28d. Consequently, a subject can be lighted by only one flash light emission device incorporated in the camera in both the normal photography and macrophotography.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" The present invention utilizes a retractable light-emitting section of a built-in flashlight emitter to illuminate a subject during normal photography and macro photography. Regarding cameras that can.

"Prior Art" Cameras that have a macro photography (close-up photography) function in addition to a normal photography function are widely known.

Macro photography is performed as close-up photography in medical, scientific, and industrial fields, and a ring light type flashlight is used for illumination in this photography, which can produce shadowless photographs.

FIG. 9 shows an example of this type of camera equipped with a ring light type flashlight.

As shown in the figure, the flashlight emitter includes a ring-shaped light emitting part 11a fixed to the tip of the lens barrel 10a, a light main body 11b attached to the hot shoe (not shown) of the camera 10, and the light emitting part 11a and the light main body. 11b and a cord llc that electrically connects it to the 11b.

A ring-shaped xenon discharge tube is incorporated in the light emitting part 11a, and a battery is included in the light body 11b.

A capacitor, a light emitting circuit, etc. are incorporated, and the light main body 11b causes the light emitting section 11a to emit light in response to a synchronization signal in macro photography mode supplied from the camera 10.

Furthermore, when performing normal photography with the camera, a perlite type flashlight emitter with a long illumination distance is used as an illuminator.

This flashlight emitter is attached to the hot shoe so that the light emitting part including a rod-shaped xenon discharge tube is positioned above the camera 10.

On the other hand, a camera dedicated to macro photography with a built-in flashlight has already been developed. In this type of camera, a ring-shaped light emitting section is integrally assembled at the tip of the lens barrel.

"Problem to be solved by the invention" As mentioned above, in the case of conventional cameras, if! A perlite-type flash unit is used for regular flash photography, and a ring-light type flash unit is used for macro flash photography, so when performing macro photography immediately after regular photography, or vice versa. Each time a photograph is taken, another type of flashlight must be attached.

For example, after a dentist takes a macro photo of the affected area.

When taking a photograph of a patient's face or for medical photography of a surgical procedure, there are cases where it is desired to have a shadowless macro photograph of the affected area and a three-dimensional photograph with shadows added by normal photography.

In such a case, if the flashlight emitter is replaced every time normal photography and macro photography are performed, photography becomes a laborious and time-consuming task.

It is conceivable to prepare a camera equipped with a perlite-type flashlight and a camera equipped with a ringlight-type flashlight in advance, and use the two cameras separately to take pictures, but in this case, one camera is attached to one film. In addition to problems such as the large prayer of the affected area being shown on the other film, or the same affected area being shown on different films, it is time-consuming to look up the photos, and it is not always convenient in terms of photographing operations.

Additionally, electronic still cameras have been developed today;
This camera also has the same problem as above, and in addition,
In medical photography, etc., recorded information is often displayed on a display on the spot, and the above-mentioned photography method that uses two different cameras has problems such as the time it takes to change the connection between the camera and the display. .

On the other hand, with a camera dedicated to macro photography, although it is possible to photograph the affected area, it is not possible to photograph the patient's face, and it is difficult to photograph the affected area with shadows.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the first object of the present invention is to develop a camera with a built-in flash device that can provide illumination for both normal photography and macro photography. A second object of the present invention is to develop a camera that can perform normal flash photography using its flashlight emitting device even in a camera dedicated to macro photography.

"Means for Solving the Problems" In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the present invention provides a camera equipped with a flashlight emitting device having a freely retractable light emitting section and having operating functions for normal photography and macro photography. 1
a light emitting activation means that causes the light emitting unit to emit light in a non-storage position during normal photography, and causes the light emission unit to emit light in a storage position during macro photography;
To propose a camera characterized by being provided with a light guide means for guiding and projecting light emitted from a housing iLW of a light emitting part to the front surface of the camera around the photographic lens.

Further, in order to achieve the above-mentioned second object, the present invention provides a camera equipped with a flashlight emitting device having a freely retractable light emitting section and having an operating function dedicated to macro photography.
An optical member for normal photography that can be attached and detached from the camera; in normal shooting with this optical member attached, the light-emitting unit emits light in the non-retracted position, and in macro photography without this optical member, the light-emitting unit emits light in the retracted position. To propose a camera characterized by being provided with a light emission starting means and a light guide means for guiding and projecting light emitted from a storage position of a light emitting part to the front surface of the camera around the photographic lens.

``Function'' A camera that has the operational functions of normal photography and macro photography performs normal photography by ejecting the light emitting part of the built-in flashlight from its storage position.

In this case, the light emitting activation means causes the light emitting section located at a position removed from the storage position to emit light according to the normal photographing mode of the camera, and the subject is directly illuminated by the flash light emitted from the light emitting section.

Further, macro photography is performed with the light emitting section stored in the storage position. In this case, the light emission activation means causes the light emitting unit in the stored state to emit light according to the macro photography mode of the camera.

Then, the light emitted from the housed light emitting section is projected toward the subject from the front of the camera around the photographic lens via the light guide means.

A camera dedicated to macro photography is equipped with an optical member for normal photography, and the operating mode is switched from macro photography to normal photography. Then, during normal photographing, the light emitting section is moved out of the storage position and emitted light in the same manner as described above. Furthermore, when performing macro photography without attaching an optical member, the light emitting section emits light in the retracted position, and light is projected from the front of the camera around the photographic lens.

[Example J Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic still camera dedicated to macro photography according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an adapter lens for normal photography using this electronic still camera.

This electronic still camera 20 has a vertical width larger than a horizontal width. It forms a so-called vertical camera.

The internal units and parts are arranged as shown in FIG.

That is, in the front area of the camera case 21, a zoom lens unit 22 with its optical axis directed forward and backward is disposed at a lower position, and this lens unit 22
A zooming drive motor and a focusing motor 23 are attached to the mount.

Further, in the upper part of the front area, assembly parts of a flashlight unit including a circuit board 24, a capacitor 25, a light emitting section 26, etc. are arranged.

Note that the flashlight unit constitutes a perlite type flashlight.

The light emitting section 26 is configured to be displaced between a position where it is housed within the camera case 21 as shown by the solid line in the figure and a protruding position where it projects upward as shown by the two-dot chain line.

That is, when performing macro photography, the light emitting section 26 remains locked in the storage position according to the macro operation mode of the camera, and the light emission activation circuit operates to emit light in this storage position.

Further, when the adapter lens 27 shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the camera 20, the camera 20 is configured to switch to the normal shooting mode.

In this case, the light emitting section 26 is unlocked in accordance with normal photography and protrudes upward by the spring force, and the light emitting activation circuit causes the light emitting section 26 in the protruding position to emit light.

On the other hand, a light guide 28 is provided near the front inside the camera case 21. As shown in an enlarged perspective view in FIG. 4, this light guide 28 is connected to the zoom lens unit 2.
2, and a leg portion 28 extending from the top of the semicircular portion 28a to the front of the light emitting portion 26.
b are integrally formed with an acrylic material.

Further, this light guide 28 has light projection surfaces 28c and 28d provided symmetrically on both sides of the semicircular portion 28a, and these light projection surfaces 28c and 28d are arranged around the zoom lens unit 22 as shown in FIG. It is exposed along the front surface of the camera, and the light from the light emitting unit 26 emitted in the storage position is repeatedly reflected in the light guide 28 and guided, and these light projection surfaces 28
Light is projected in front of the camera from c and 28d.

Note that the light guide 28 may be formed of fiber glass, fiber plastic, or the like, and it is preferable that the light guide 28 be given an optimal shape by reflection light rays and a reflective surface treatment that increases reflection efficiency.

In the rear region of the camera case 21, a finder unit 29 including a finder optical system, an eyepiece, etc. is disposed above the camera case 21.

This finder unit 29 is the zoom lens unit 2
The camera case 21 has a <TTL configuration in which the light passing through the camera case 21 is guided, and the subject can be confirmed by looking through the eyepiece 30 at the upper rear surface of the camera case 21.

A video floppy disk drive (hereinafter referred to as VFDD) 31 is arranged directly below the finder unit 29, and a video floppy disk 32 is inserted through an insertion slot (not shown) provided on the rear surface of the camera case.

As shown in the figure, this VFDD 31 is capable of storing a video floppy disk 32 horizontally (front and back sides up and down) and magnetically recording thereon.

Note that when using another information recording medium such as a card memory in place of the video floppy disk 32, the above V
In place of the FDD 31, another information recording unit is arranged.

A photoelectric conversion element 33 such as a CCD provided at the rear of the zoom lens unit 22 and a battery box 34 provided at the rear of the photoelectric conversion element 33 are arranged below the VFDD 31 described above.

The battery box 34 stores batteries by opening a case lid (not shown) provided on the rear surface of the camera case 21.

In addition, a plate-like member disposed at the bottom inside the camera case 21 is a signal processing board 35. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic still camera described above is provided with a release button 36 and a zooming operation section 37 at the rear upper part of the outer surface of the camera.
Further, on the side surface of the camera, there are provided a power switch button 38, an eject button 39 for the video floppy disk 32, a setting section 4o for setting shooting mode, etc., a display section 41 for counting the number of shots, shooting mode, etc.

The electronic still camera 20 described above performs macro photography without attaching the adapter lens 27.

In this macro photography, the light emitting section 26 is locked in the storage position shown by the solid line in the figure, regardless of whether the power switch button 38 is turned on or not.

After operating the zooming operation unit 37 to determine an appropriate shooting angle of view, the release button 36 is pressed.

The light emission starting circuit of the flashlight unit causes the light emitting section 26 locked in the storage position to emit light in accordance with the photographing operation.

From this, this light is guided by the light guide 28 and projected toward the subject from the light projection surfaces 28c and 28d,
Image information of macro flash photography is recorded on a video floppy disk 32 housed in a VFDD 31.

Depending on the subject, flash photography and external lighting photography (no flash) are available.
It would be even more convenient if it were possible to switch between shooting modes.

Normal photography is performed by attaching the adapter lens 27 to the electronic still camera 20 described above.

This adapter lens 27 is fixed to the front surface of the camera by a bayonet mount or a screw mount, and its optical axis is aligned with the optical axis of the zoom lens unit 22.

When the adapter lens 27 is fixed in this way, the camera 2
0 changes to the normal photographing mode, and the light emitting section 26 is unlocked in response to the turning on of the power switch button 38, and the light emitting section 26 protrudes as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

After appropriately zooming by operating the zooming operation section 37, when the release button 36 is pressed, the light emitting activation circuit causes the light emitting section 26 to emit light in the protruding position in accordance with the photographing operation, and the camera can be used as a general electronic still camera with a built-in flashlight. Similarly, normal flash photography is performed and image information is recorded on the video floppy disk 32.

In the normal photographing operation mode, the light emitting section 26 is controlled by a known circuit configuration to emit light when the brightness of the subject is below a predetermined brightness.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows the macro zoom optical system of the zoom lens unit 22, and FIG. 6 shows the adapter lens 2.
7 shows the zoom optical system attached to the electronic still camera 20 for normal photography.

In these drawings, L is a variable power lens, L2 is a focus lens, L□ is a beam splitter that guides light to the finder unit, L4 is a low-pass filter, L is a light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion element 33, and L6 is an adapter lens. It is.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the light projection surfaces 28c and 28d of the light guide 28 are inclined at a constant angle.

For example, the light projection surfaces 28c and 28cl are inclined so that the light projection axes of the light projection surfaces 28c and 28d intersect when the working distance D is about 150 mm.

With this configuration, even stronger light is projected onto the subject to be photographed in macro photography, which is extremely effective when photographing the dark interior of the mouth, such as molars.
It does not necessarily have to be tilted, as shown in FIG.

It may also be directed toward the front of the camera.

In the above embodiment, an electronic still camera dedicated to macro photography has been described, but the present invention can be similarly applied to an electronic still camera having operational functions for normal photography and macro photography.

In this case, when switching to the normal shooting operation mode, the light emitting section 26 emits light in the protruding position, and when switching to the macro shooting operation mode, the light emitting section 26 emits light in the retracted position and guides it to the light projection surface. Configure.

Further, the present invention is not limited to electronic still cameras, but can be implemented similarly to cameras using silver halide film.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, according to the present invention, in a camera equipped with operating functions for normal photography and macro photography, the retractable light emitting unit can be moved out of the storage position to perform normal flash photography, and Macro flash photography can be performed by guiding the light emitted from the light emitting part by the light guide means and projecting it from the front of the camera.

As a result, the camera can illuminate objects for both normal photography and macro photography using only one built-in flashlight, making it an extremely advantageous camera in terms of camera operation, economy, and miniaturization.

In addition, a camera dedicated to macro photography is configured to have an optical member detachably installed for normal photography, with the light emitting unit emitting light in the retracted position during macro photography, and the light emitting unit emitting light in a position removed from the retracted position during normal photography. Since it was configured,
Even in this type of camera, by incorporating only one flashlight emitter, it is possible to illuminate the subject during macro photography and normal photography.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a camera showing an example of implementing the present invention in an electronic still camera dedicated to macro photography, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an adapter lens for normal photography that can be detachably attached to the camera, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the camera. A simple configuration diagram showing the internal structure of the camera, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the shape and arrangement of the light guide provided in the camera, and FIG. 5 is a macro zoom optical system provided in the camera. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the photographing optical system when the adapter lens is attached to the camera for normal photography. Figure 7 is a simplified diagram showing an embodiment in which the light projection surface of the light guide is tilted. FIG. 8 is a simplified diagram showing an example in which the light projection surface of the light guide is not tilted, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a conventional camera equipped with a ring light type flashlight. 20・Electronic still camera 21 Camera case 22・・Zoom lens unit 26・Light emitting part 27・Adapter lens 28・Light guide 28a・・Semicircular part 28b・・Legs 28c, 28d Light projection surface 29・・Finder unit 31...VFDD 32...Video floppy disk 33...Photoelectric conversion element 36...Release button 37...Zooming operation section 38...Power switch button 39...Eject button Figure Figure Figure D \ / ＼ Figure Figure

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a camera that is equipped with a flashlight with a retractable light emitting section and has operating functions for normal and macro photography, the light emitting section is emitted in the non-retracted position for normal shooting, and the light emitting section is retracted for macro shooting. A camera characterized in that it is provided with a light emitting activation means for emitting light at a position where the light emitting part is housed, and a light guide means for directing and projecting light emitted from the light emitting part at the storage position to the front surface of the camera around the photographic lens. (2) In a camera that is equipped with a flashlight emitter having a retractable light emitting part and has an operating function dedicated to macro photography, an optical member for normal photography that is detachable from the camera;
In normal photography with this optical member attached, the light emitting unit emits light in the non-retracted position, and in macro photography without this optical member, the light emitting unit emits light in the retracted position. A camera characterized in that it is provided with a light guide means for guiding and projecting light to the front surface of the camera around the periphery of the photographic lens.