JPH0720209B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an imaging device such as a video camera or a camera-integrated video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR),
In particular, the present invention relates to an imaging device having a function of confirming whether or not a camera is recording.

[Prior Art] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a video camera which is an example of this type of image pickup apparatus. In FIG. 4, (1) is a VTR main body, a camera section (2) and a video tape (not shown). A recorder (recording device) is integrally built in to record and reproduce video. Reference numeral (3) is an electronic viewfinder device (hereinafter referred to as EVF), and an eyepiece portion (3b) is integrally incorporated in the EVF (3). (4) is a grip gripped by the photographer's hand, (5) is a recording operation button,
By pressing this recording operation button (5),
The operation mode can be switched to either recording or recording stop.

By the way, as a means for confirming whether or not the video camera is recording, conventionally, there is a means for displaying on a part of the EVF (3) that recording is in progress. The fifth example
Shown in Figures (a) and (b).

FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are views showing a screen of a conventional EVF. In the figure, (3a) is an EVF screen, and (6) is a REC display indicating that recording is in progress. The image (8) of the subject is displayed on the screen (3a) of the EVF, and the REC display (6) is displayed during recording according to a command from the control device (not shown), and the REC display is displayed except during recording. (6) is erased. FIG. 3 (a) is an example in which the REC display (6) is displayed in characters, and FIG. 3 (b) is an example in which the REC display (6) is displayed in a lamp.

The photographer can confirm whether or not the VTR is recording by checking the presence / absence of the REC display (6).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional image pickup apparatus is configured as described above, and since the REC display (6) is located at the edge of the field of view, the REC display ( 6) It is easy to overlook, especially when the REC display (6) is a character display as shown in Fig. 3 (a),
There is a problem that it is difficult to see because it overlaps with the subject image (8), and it is difficult to confirm whether or not the image is being recorded.

Therefore, even if the photographer intends to record,
The VTR may be in a stopped state, or conversely, even if the photographer intends not to record, the VTR may cause a malfunction such as being in a recording state.

Also, the presence or absence of the REC display (6) cannot be checked unless the photographer is looking into the EVF (3). When the button was pressed, the above-mentioned erroneous operation could occur without knowing it.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of easily confirming the operation mode of a recording apparatus and thereby preventing recording errors and malfunctions as much as possible. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention relates to an image contact device for converting an optical image obtained by photographing a subject image into an electric signal and recording the electric signal, and a vibrating device arranged at a position touching the photographer's hand. And switching means for turning on and off the vibration device according to the operation mode.

[Operation] In the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, for example, during recording, the vibrating device is driven, and this vibration is transmitted to the hand of the photographer, whereby it is confirmed that recording is in progress. Further, the vibration device is not driven except during recording, and the vibration is not transmitted to the photographer's hand, which confirms that the recording is not in progress.

That is, the operation mode is confirmed by touch. Therefore, the operation mode can be confirmed very easily as compared with the conventional case where the character display is visually confirmed.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention. (1) is a VTR main body, (2) is a camera section, and (3) is E
VF, (3b) is an eyepiece, (4) is a grip, (5) is a recording operation button, and (10) is a vibration device.

The recording operation button (5) is a pressing portion (5) shown in FIG.
a), two conductors (5b) that are turned on and off by this pressing part (5a), and a detection circuit (5c) that detects the on / off of these conductors (5b). The operation mode of the video camera is set based on the signal output from the circuit (5c).

This operation mode has a recording mode and a recording stop mode, and when the photographer repeatedly presses the recording operation button (5) to capture some object images, the recording mode and the recording stop mode are changed. It is configured to switch alternately.

The vibrating device (10) includes an oscillator (11), a switching switch (12), and a vibrating body (13) housed in the grip (4).
And a touch panel (14).

The oscillator (11) is connected via a switching switch (12) so as to drive the vibrating body (13) in an oscillating manner. Also, the above-mentioned switch (12) is turned on when the VTR is set to the recording mode, and is turned on when the VTR is set to the recording stop mode.
Switching control is performed by a control device (not shown) so that it is turned off. The switching switch (12) switches the vibrating body (13) between a vibrating state and a stopped state.

In this embodiment, the vibrating body (13) is composed of two piezoelectric thin plates (13a) and (13b) joined in a bimorph shape, and these piezoelectric thin plates (13a) and (13b) have a grip ( It is fixedly supported by the inner wall of 4) and the tip side is free. That is, the piezoelectric thin plate (13a),
(13b) is made of a material that bends when a predetermined voltage is applied, for example, an electrostrictive material such as barium titanate or lead zirconate titanate, and receives a signal voltage output from the oscillation base (11). And is driven to vibrate in the direction indicated by arrow A.

A touch panel (14) is provided on the free end side of the vibrating body (13).
The touch panel (14) is fixed to the grip (4).
It is exposed to the outside through the opening (4a) formed in the above, and the vibration of the vibrating body (13) is transmitted to the fingertip of the photographer. The touch panel (14)
Is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin or rubber.

Here, the vibration levels of the vibrating body (13) and the touch panel (14) are set to such a level that the vibrating sound does not interfere with the VTR microphone and the VTR shakes due to vibration does not occur. The strength is set so that the photographer can confirm the presence or absence of vibration of the touch panel (14) with his fingertips.
Further, the form of the vibration does not have to be continuous vibration, and may be intermittent pulsed vibration.

According to the above configuration, when the VTR is set to the recording mode by pressing the recording operation button (5) in the direction of the arrow B, the switching switch (12) is turned on and the oscillator (11)
The vibrator vibrates the vibrating body (13), and the touch panel (14) vibrates.

Also, when the VTR is set to the recording stop mode by the recording operation button (5), the switching switch (12) is turned off.
, The vibrating body (13) is not driven, and the touch panel (1
Vibration of 4) stops.

Here, since the touch panel (14) is arranged so as to be exposed to the outside of the grip (4), the photographer simply touches the surface of the touch panel (14) with his / her hand and confirms whether or not there is vibration. The mode of operation being performed, eg
You can check whether it is recording. Therefore, it is much easier to confirm whether or not the image is recorded, as compared with the conventional case of visually confirming characters and the like. As a result, recording mistakes can be prevented as much as possible.

Moreover, as described above, the vibrating body (13) depends on the operation mode.
Is vibrated or stopped, the photographer only needs to manually check the vibration of the touch panel (14) in order to check whether or not the touch panel (14) is erroneously operated. Therefore, EV as before
Since it is not necessary to look into F (3) and visually check, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation.

Further, in this embodiment, when the photographer grips the grip (4) during photographing, the fingertip is provided at a position where the finger touches the touch panel (14), so that the touch panel (14) vibrates while photographing. The presence / absence of the item can be confirmed, and the confirmation of the operation mode becomes easier.

Furthermore, the photographer not only confirms the presence of vibration of the touch panel (14) by hand, but also the EVF (3) as in the conventional example.
By visually checking the display of the characters inside, you can more reliably prevent recording errors and erroneous operations.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the vibrating body (13) is fixedly supported on the operation section (20) of the recording operation button (5), and the operation section described above is also provided. (2
0) is also used as a touch panel. Since other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 2, corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, since the vibration of the vibrating body (13) is transmitted to the operation section (20) of the recording operation button (5), the photographer touches the operation section (20). It is possible to easily confirm whether or not the recording is in progress simply by confirming the presence or absence of the vibration. Moreover, since the touch panel (14) as shown in FIG. 2 is unnecessary, the number of parts can be reduced and the structure can be simplified.

In each of the above embodiments, the vibrating body (13) is vibrated only during recording, but conversely, the vibrating body (1) is vibrated during recording.
3) may be stopped and the vibrating body (13) may be vibrated in addition to recording.

Although the vibrating body (13) is composed of the bimorph type piezoelectric thin plates (13a) and (13b) in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, if it vibrates when a predetermined voltage is applied, for example, a unimorph type piezoelectric thin plate is used. The vibrating body may be composed of a magnetic vibrating device such as an element or an electromagnet.

Further, although the VTR is described as an example of the image pickup device in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to an image pickup device such as an electronic still camera using a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical recording medium. .

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the operation mode can be confirmed by tactile detection depending on the presence or absence of vibration. It is possible to easily know which operation mode the device is currently in.

Further, this confirmation can be performed without the photographer looking at the EVF one by one, so that even if a malfunction occurs while carrying it by hand, it can be reliably detected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a VTR according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a concrete structure of the vibration device, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a conventional VTR.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a CRT screen of EVF. (1) …… VTR body, (2) …… Camera part, (3) ……
Electronic viewfinder device, (4) ... grip,
(5) …… Recording operation button (10) …… Vibration device, (12)
...... Switching switch, (13) …… Vibrator, (14) …… Touch panel (vibration detector). The same reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup device for converting a picked-up image of an object into an electric signal and recording the electric signal in a recording device, the vibrating device being arranged at a position touching a photographer's hand and vibrating by application of a predetermined voltage. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a switching unit that switches the operation of the vibrating body between a vibrating state and a stopped state according to an operation mode of the recording apparatus.