JPH10142684A - Camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] To provide a camera device that can be used as a microscope in addition to standard shooting. SOLUTION: As a photographing lens provided in a camera unit 2,
A standard lens 11 having a predetermined focal length for performing normal photographing and a macro lens (12) having an extremely short focal length for performing enlarged photographing are provided. The camera section 2 is provided with an optical path by a macro lens (12) separately from the optical path by the standard lens 11, and includes an optical path switching means (13) for selectively switching between these two optical paths. The camera section 2 has a standard lens 11 on the front side and a macro lens (12) on the lower side, is vertically movable with respect to the main body section 1, and has a camera section vertical movement operation means 15. On the lower surface side of the main body 1,
The tray 7 on which a minute object to be magnified and photographed by the macro lens 12 is placed is detachably provided. The monitor 3 can also be adjusted in angle with respect to the main body 1 when playing back an image that also functions as a finder during shooting.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera device having a microscope function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of electronic camera apparatuses, a photographing lens and a CCD (Charge Coupled Dev) are used.
and a liquid crystal display (Liquid Crystal) that also serves as a viewfinder during image recording and a monitor during image reproduction.
l Display (hereinafter referred to as LCD)
There is a digital still camera with a CD.

[0003]

However, the conventional digital still camera is dedicated to standard shooting, and can be used as a microscope having a function of enlarging a minute object by a macro lens having an extremely short focal length. There was nothing.

An object of the present invention is to make a camera device usable as a microscope in addition to standard photographing.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a camera unit having a photographing lens and a monitor for reproducing an image which also serves as a finder for photographing, for example, an LCD. A camera unit comprising: a main unit, a standard lens having a predetermined focal length capable of performing normal photographing, for example, being directed in front of the camera unit, and And a macro lens having an extremely short focal length capable of being directed to perform enlarged photographing.

[0006] Here, the camera section includes a photographing lens,
For example, an image sensor and a circuit board are provided, and the main body is provided with, for example, an LCD serving as a finder and monitor, as well as a battery housing, various switches, and a circuit board. Therefore, as the camera device, a digital camera with an LCD, that is, an electronic still camera is suitable, but for example, an analog camera having both an image recording function by digital conversion and an image reproducing function by a monitor may be used. The standard lens has a predetermined focal length so that the subject can be normally photographed including scenery, a person, and a certain close-up, and the macro lens has a very small size as the subject, such as a microscope. It has an extremely short focal length so that an enlarged image of an object can be taken.

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a standard lens for normal photographing and a standard lens for magnifying photographing are provided as a photographing lens provided in a main body portion having a monitor also serving as a finder and another camera portion. Since the camera device is provided with a macro lens, it can be used as a microscope for enlarging and photographing a minute object with a macro lens in addition to a normal standard photographing with a standard lens.

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is based on claim 1.
The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera unit is provided with an optical path by the macro lens separately from an optical path by the standard lens, and an optical path for selectively switching an optical path by the standard lens and an optical path by the macro lens. A switching means, for example, a configuration provided with a flip mirror or the like is characterized. For example, the optical path switching means is located on the optical path of the standard lens, reflects the subject image and enters the image pickup device, or retracts from the optical path of the macro lens and causes the minute object enlarged image to enter the image pickup device as it is. A flip mirror is typical, but any other configuration may be used as long as it has a similar function. The switching operation of the optical path switching means is performed by an operation member such as a standard / macro switching knob.

As described above, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the camera section according to the first aspect is provided with an optical path by a macro lens separately from the optical path by the standard lens, and selectively switches between these two optical paths. Since the camera device is provided with the optical path switching means, the user can easily switch between the standard imaging and the microscopic imaging simply by operating the optical path switching means and selectively switching between the optical path by the standard lens and the optical path by the macro lens.

[0010] Further, the invention according to claim 3 is based on claim 2.
The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera unit includes the standard lens on a front side, the macro lens on a lower surface, and is vertically movably attached to the main unit. The camera is characterized by having a camera unit vertical movement operation means for moving the camera unit up and down, for example, a camera unit elevation dial. For example, a CCD as an image pickup device is provided in the upper part of the camera unit, and the camera unit vertical movement operation means is typically an up / down dial for focusing. Any device having the same function may be used.

Thus, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the camera unit according to the second aspect includes the standard lens on the front side and the macro lens on the lower side, and is attached to the main body so as to be vertically movable. Since the camera device is provided with a camera unit vertical movement operation means, in addition to being able to perform normal standard photographing with a standard lens on the front side of the camera unit, the optical path switching means is operated to control the optical path by the macro lens on the lower surface side of the camera unit. In the switched state, the camera unit is moved up and down by operating the camera unit up and down operation means, so that the macro-lens can focus on an enlarged image of a minute object as a subject.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the camera device according to the third aspect, wherein a tray for mounting a minute object magnified and photographed by the macro lens is detachably mounted on a lower surface side of the main body. The configuration is provided. For example, the receiving tray is located below the camera unit, and can be easily attached to and detached from the main body by a fitting type.

Thus, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the camera device is provided with a detachable receiving tray on which the minute object to be magnified and photographed by the macro lens is mounted on the lower surface side of the main body according to the third aspect. In addition, a micro object is placed on a tray provided on the lower surface side of the main body, and microscopic photographing with a macro lens on the lower surface side of the camera unit can be easily performed. In addition, by removing the tray, the lower surface of the main body portion can be brought into contact with the subject, and microscopic photographing with the macro lens on the lower surface side of the camera portion can be performed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the camera device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the monitor has an angle of, for example, 0 to 90 ° with respect to the main body. It is characterized in that the angle is adjustable.

As described above, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the monitor according to any one of the first to fourth aspects is assembled to the main body so as to be adjustable in angle,
When used for normal standard photography with a standard lens, or when used as a microscope for enlarging and photographing small objects with a macro lens and as a microscope camera for enlarging and photographing, the angle of the monitor is appropriately adjusted and used as a viewfinder. The subject image and the reproduced image can be easily viewed. And
When the microscope is taken with the macro lens on the lower side of the camera unit in a state where the tray is removed and the lower surface of the main unit is brought into contact with the subject, a monitor is attached to the main unit, for example, 90 mm.
° By using it upright, it becomes easy to see the enlarged image of the subject.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a camera device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 1 shows a digital still camera as an example of a camera device to which the present invention is applied, on the front side of the main body (camera side).
FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the digital still camera from the rear side (monitor side) of the main body, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing the digital still camera from one side (a camera unit and a monitor side) of the main body, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the digital still camera from the top. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

In FIGS. 1 to 5, 1 is a main body, 2 is a camera, 3 is a monitor, 4 is a grip, 5
Is a shutter button, 6 is various operation keys, 7 is a saucer,
8 is a fitting groove, 9 is a fitting projection, 11 is a standard lens, 12 is a macro lens, 13 is an optical path switching means (flip mirror), 14 is an image pickup device (CCD unit), and 15 is a camera unit vertical movement operation means ( Camera unit up / down dial), 16
Is a standard / macro switching knob, 17 is an LCD, 18 is a monitor hinge, 19 is a monitor cover, and 20 is a cover hinge. As shown in the figure, a digital still camera as a camera device includes a main body 1, a camera 2, and a monitor 3.
And is divided into three blocks. Hereinafter, each configuration of the main body 1, the camera 2, and the monitor 3 will be described.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the main body 1 has a grip portion 4 which protrudes forward on the right side also serving as a battery accommodating portion. It has a button 5. Various operation keys 6 are provided on the upper surface of the main body 1 and at appropriate places. Also,
A camera part 2 having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape is attached to the left front part of the main body part 1 so as to be vertically movable. Further, a tray 7 is provided below the camera unit 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the receiving tray 7 is configured such that a fitting protrusion 9 formed on the outer periphery of a semicircular portion of the receiving tray 7 is fitted into a fitting groove 8 formed in a lower portion of the left front surface of the main body 1. Then, the main body 1 is fixed, and the fitting protrusion 9 is pulled out of the fitting groove 8, whereby the main body 1 is detached from the main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the camera unit 2 incorporates a standard lens 11 exposed on the front surface and a macro lens 12 exposed on the lower surface. That is, the standard lens 1 directed forward of the camera unit 2
1 has a predetermined focal length so that a normal photographing of a subject including a landscape, a person, and a certain close-up can be performed. The macro lens 12 directed downward from the camera unit 2 has an extremely short focal length such that a microscopic object as a subject can be enlarged and photographed, like a microscope. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a flip mirror 13 serving as an optical path switching means for reflecting an incident image from the standard lens 11 upward is incorporated in the camera unit 2, and a reflected image is taken in above the flip mirror 13. A CCD unit 14 as an image sensor is incorporated.

Here, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 5, the flip mirror 13 changes its posture in the vertical direction. That is, when the flip mirror 13 is turned in the vertical direction, the flip mirror 13 is moved from the lower macro lens. Incident image is CCD unit 14
Incorporated in. A camera section elevation dial 15 as a camera section up / down operation means for performing up / down operation of the camera section 2 with respect to the main body section 1 for focusing is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. So, the main body 1
On the left side. Further, a standard position for switching the attitude of the flip mirror 13 between a standard position (see a solid line state in FIG. 5) and a macro position (see a dotted line state in FIG. 5).
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the macro switching knob 16
It is provided on the left side of the camera unit 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the standard / macro switching knob 16 is in the standard photographing state when the front part is lowered, and the front part is raised as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. The position is in the macro shooting state.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the monitor 3 is provided on the rear side of the main body 1 on the left side of the grip portion 4 over substantially the upper half, and has a rear-facing LCD 17. doing. The monitor 3 is assembled to the upper end of the main body 1 by a monitor hinge 18 so as to be freely adjustable in angle. The angle adjustment range is from 0 ° in a posture parallel to the main body 1 as shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 8, the 90
° up to. Furthermore, the monitor 3 has an LCD
A monitor cover 19 that covers the monitor 17 is rotatably provided by a cover hinge 20.

In the above description, a main circuit board (not shown) is provided inside the main body 1, and the main circuit board has a CPU (Central Process).
ssing Unit: Central processing unit) and LSI (L
Various other electronic components, such as large scale integration (large-scale integrated circuit), are intensively mounted. Also, inside the camera unit 2, although not shown,
A CCD peripheral circuit board is housed therein, and the CCD peripheral circuit board is connected to the main circuit board in the main body 1 via, for example, a flexible printed board (not shown).

As described above, according to the digital still camera of the embodiment, first, in the case of the standard photographing, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG. In addition, the camera unit 2 is set to the lowest position with respect to the main unit 1, and the standard / macro switching knob 16 is set to the standard photographing state where the front part is lowered as shown in FIGS. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 5, the attitude of the flip mirror 13 is set to a standard position where an incident image from the standard lens 11 is reflected upward and guided to the CCD unit 14. Then, the user grips the grip portion 4 of the main body 1 with his right hand, opens the monitor cover 19 so as to lift it, looks at the LCD 17 of the monitor 3 (see FIG. 7), adjusts the composition of the subject with the standard lens 11, and then releases the shutter button 5 Press to perform standard shooting.

Next, macro photography by the digital still camera will be described. For macro photography,
In advance, as shown in FIG.
6 is set to a macro shooting state in which the front part is raised, and FIG.
As shown by the dotted line in FIG.
The incident image from the macro lens 12 is
The position is switched to a macro position leading to the CD unit 14.
Then, a desired minute object, which is a subject, is placed on the receiving tray 7, and the vertical position of the camera unit 2 with respect to the main unit 1 is changed by operating the camera unit up / down dial 15 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. While looking at the LCD 17 of the monitor 3 with the monitor cover 19 opened, the macro lens 12 focuses and composes a subject (a minute object on the saucer 7), and then presses the shutter button 5 to increase the magnification to 20 times. Macro photography of up to about 30 times is performed.

Further, macro photography can be performed without using the pan 7. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the fitting projection 9 on the outer periphery of the semicircular portion of the tray 7 is pulled out from the fitting groove 8 of the main body 1, and the tray 7 is removed from the main body 1. . As a result, the lower part of the camera unit 2 is in an open state without the tray 7 as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, the monitor 3 is raised at a right angle with respect to the main body 1 in a state where the lower surface of the main body 1 is in contact with the bark surface of the tree W. The vertical position (horizontal position in FIG. 8) of the camera unit 2 with respect to the main body unit 1 is changed by operating the camera unit up / down dial 15 and the LCD of the monitor 3 with the monitor cover 19 opened.
Focusing on the subject (the bark surface of the tree W or a minute object on the surface of the tree W) by the macro lens 12 while adjusting the composition while pressing the shutter button 5, macro photography without using the pan 7 is performed.

In the above embodiment, the electronic still camera is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In addition, the analog camera has an image recording function by digital conversion and an image reproducing function by a monitor. It may be a combined camera. In the embodiment,
The monitor can be turned 90 ° with respect to the main body.
The rotation may be less than 0 ° or more than 90 °. Further, it goes without saying that other specific detailed structures can be appropriately changed.

[0027]

As described above, according to the camera device of the first aspect of the present invention, the standard lens and the macro lens are used as the photographing lenses provided in the main body unit having the monitor also serving as the finder and another camera unit. Since it is provided, it can be used as a microscope for enlarging and photographing a minute object by a macro lens and a microscope camera for enlarging and photographing, in addition to normal standard photographing with a standard lens.

According to the camera apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, since the optical apparatus has the optical path switching means for selectively switching between two optical paths by the standard lens or the macro lens of the camera section, the invention according to the first aspect is provided. In addition to the effect obtained, there is also obtained an advantage that it is possible to easily switch between standard imaging and microscopic imaging simply by operating the optical path switching means and selectively switching between the optical path by the standard lens and the optical path by the macro lens. .

Further, according to the camera device of the third aspect of the present invention, a camera unit having a standard lens on the front side and a macro lens on the lower side is assembled vertically movably with respect to the main body, so that the camera unit is vertically movable. With the movement operation means,
In addition to the effect obtained by the invention according to claim 2, in addition to performing normal standard photographing with the standard lens on the front side of the camera unit, in a state where the optical path is switched to the optical path by the macro lens on the lower surface side of the camera unit by operating the optical path switching means, By moving the camera unit in the up-down direction by operating the camera unit up / down movement operation means, there is also obtained an advantage that the macrolens can focus a magnified image of a minute object as a subject.

According to the camera device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the detachable tray is provided on the lower surface side of the main body, in addition to the effects obtained by the third aspect of the present invention,
A small object can be placed on the tray provided on the lower surface of the main unit to easily perform microscopic photographing with the macro lens on the lower surface of the camera unit. Therefore, there is also obtained an advantage that a microscope image can be taken with a macro lens on the lower surface side of the camera unit.

According to the camera device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the monitor is assembled to the main body so that the angle can be adjusted. Therefore, in addition to the effects obtained by the invention of any one of the first to fourth aspects, When used for normal standard shooting with a standard lens, or when used as a microscope for enlarging and photographing microscopic objects with a macro lens and as a microscope camera for enlarging and photographing, the angle of the monitor is appropriately adjusted and used as a viewfinder. There is also an advantage that the subject image and the reproduced image can be easily viewed. Then, in a case where the receiver is removed and a microscope is photographed with the macro lens on the lower surface side of the camera unit in a state where the lower surface of the main unit is brought into contact with the subject, a monitor is provided for the main unit,
By using it upright at 90 °, the enlarged image of the subject can be easily viewed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a digital still camera as an example of a camera apparatus to which the present invention is applied, as viewed from the front side (camera section side) of a main body.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the digital still camera of FIG. 1 as viewed from a rear side (monitor side) of a main body.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the digital still camera of FIG. 1 as viewed from one side of a main body (a camera and a monitor).

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the digital still camera of FIG. 1 as viewed from above.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the digital still camera of FIG. 1 is used for photographing with a microscope and viewed from the front side (camera section side) of the main body.

7 is a perspective view of the digital still camera in the state of photographing with the microscope shown in FIG. 6 viewed from the rear side (monitor side) of the main body, and showing a use state of the monitor by opening a cover of the monitor.

8 is a side view showing a state in which the monitor is used by removing a tray from the main body of the digital still camera in the microscope photographing state of FIG. 6 and directly applying a lower surface of the main body to an object;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body part 2 Camera part 3 Monitor 4 Grip part 5 Shutter button 6 Various operation keys 7 saucer 11 Standard lens 12 Macro lens 13 Optical path switching means (flip mirror) 14 Image sensor (CCD unit) 15 Camera part vertical movement operation means (Camera Dial) 16 Standard / macro switching knob 17 LCD

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A camera having a photographing lens, and a main body having a monitor serving also as a finder for photographing an image when reproducing the image, wherein the photographing lens has a predetermined focal length that enables normal photographing. A camera device, comprising: a standard lens; and a macro lens having an extremely short focal length that enables enlarged photographing. 2. The camera section further comprises an optical path by the macro lens, separately from an optical path by the standard lens, and an optical path switching means for selectively switching an optical path by the standard lens and an optical path by the macro lens. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device is provided. 3. The camera section has the standard lens on the front side and the macro lens on the lower side.
3. The camera device according to claim 2, further comprising a camera unit vertically moving operation unit that is vertically movably mounted to the main body unit and moves the camera unit vertically with respect to the main body unit. 4. The camera device according to claim 3, wherein a tray on which a small object magnified and photographed by the macro lens is placed is detachably provided on a lower surface side of the main body. 5. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is assembled to the main body so as to be adjustable in angle.