JPH10142686A - Silver salt camera having monitor screen - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To read an electronic image of high quality without being disturbed by noise, and cooperate silver salt photographing operation with electronic image taking operation in optimum state by controlling operating timings of an image pickup means and an electric driving means so that the both are not simultaneously operated. SOLUTION: When it is judged that a second release switch which is turned ON in interlocking with the second stage pressing of a release button is ON, an image read instruction signal is transmitted to an image processing circuit 8. When the image processing circuit 8 executes image reading operation, and a read completion signal is received, an image memory and display instruction signal is transmitted to the image processing circuit 8, a mirror driving mechanism 24 is driven to perform the up operation of a main mirror 3 and the down operation of a sub-mirror 6, and an exposing operation is successively performed in exposing sub-routine. Namely, the drive of a diaphragm member 13 by a diaphragm driving mechanism 14 and the drive of a shutter 16 by a shutter driving mechanism 17 are performed to expose a subject image on a silver salt film 19.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for exposing a subject image to a silver halide film, converting the subject image into an electronic image by an image pickup device, and displaying the electronic image on a monitor screen to confirm the subject image at the time of photographing. Regarding cameras that can be.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a device for recording a subject as a still image, a camera using a silver halide film is generally used.
In recent years, with the development of electronic technology, subject images have been converted to digital data and displayed on an electronic viewfinder.
A large number of so-called digital cameras (electronic still cameras) that store data in memory elements have also been commercialized. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and silver halide cameras are superior to digital cameras in terms of the definition of recorded images.However, what kind of photos were taken and the quality of the photos The digital camera is superior from the viewpoint that it can be confirmed at the time of photographing. In order to compensate for the disadvantages of both cameras, a camera that captures subject image data from an image sensor almost in synchronization with an exposure operation on a silver halide film, and displays the subject image on an electronic viewfinder or monitor screen after the photographing operation is completed. JP-A-7-203256, JP-A-8-70399, and JP-A-7-261254.
No. 6,009,036.

[0003]

Incidentally, in the above-described camera, it is necessary to execute the operation of exposing the silver halide film and the operation of capturing an electronic image almost simultaneously. That is, a series of operations such as “mirror up → aperture → shutter drive → aperture opening → mirror down → shutter charge → single frame up” in silver halide photography, and “CCD integration → analog data reading → A series of operations of “A / D conversion → storage in memory element → display on monitor” is performed in parallel. But CCD
If a motor is driven for mirror driving or one-frame winding during processing of an analog signal such as integration or A / D conversion, an electronic image may be disturbed due to motor noise or fluctuations in power supply voltage. is there. Therefore, if the exposure operation to the silver halide film and the imaging operation of the electronic image are performed in a time series such that one of the operations is performed after the other is completed, there is a problem that a photographing cycle becomes extremely long.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present application can capture a high-quality electronic image without disturbing the image due to noise or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera that cooperates in an optimal state.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera having a monitor screen, comprising: an exposure unit for exposing a subject image to a silver halide film; An imaging unit that captures a subject image in association with an exposure operation; an image display unit that generates a digital image from an output of the imaging unit and displays the digital image on a monitor screen;
With electric driving force, lens driving mechanism, exposure control mechanism,
An electric driving means for operating at least one of the film winding mechanisms, and a control means for controlling the operation timing of the image pickup means and the electric driving means so as not to operate simultaneously. A camera having a monitor screen according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an exposure unit that performs an exposure operation on a silver halide film, and an imaging device that captures an image of a subject in association with the exposure operation by the exposure unit. Digital image means for generating a digital image from an element output and displaying the digital image on a monitor screen; film feeding means for winding up the silver halide film by a motor driving force after completion of an exposure operation; A control means is provided for inhibiting the operation of the film feeding means until the imaging operation is completed. Further, the camera having the monitor screen according to the third aspect of the invention captures a subject image with an image sensor in association with the exposure operation on the silver halide film, generates a digital image from the output of the image sensor, and Image display means for displaying on the top, electric drive means for operating the exposure control mechanism and the film winding mechanism with the electric drive force, and operation of the image display means prior to the start of the exposure control operation by the electric drive mechanism. There is provided control means for causing a part to be executed and thereafter executing the operation of the image display means and the operation of the electric drive means in parallel.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a single-lens reflex camera to which the present invention is applied. The operation sequence of the camera is controlled by the control circuit 9. The control circuit 9 includes various drive mechanisms (lens drive mechanism 22, aperture drive mechanism 14, mirror drive mechanism 24, shutter drive mechanism 17, film drive mechanism) that operate in accordance with control signals output from the output port of control circuit 9. Feeding mechanism 2
0), various detection mechanisms (lens movement amount detection mechanism 23, aperture detection mechanism 15, shutter detection mechanism 18, film movement amount detection mechanism 21) for inputting a state signal to an input port of control circuit 9, and focus of subject A focus detection mechanism 27 for detecting a shift amount, and a photometry mechanism 2 for detecting a luminance level of a subject
8, a film information setting mechanism 29 for setting the ISO sensitivity of the silver halide film 19 and the maximum number of photographed frames, and an image processing circuit 8 for processing an electronic image substantially equivalent to an optical image recorded on the silver halide film 19 Is connected.

The subject light passes through the photographing optical system 1 and is reflected upwardly on the drawing by the main mirror 2 at the lowered position in the viewfinder observation state, and is guided to the focusing screen 3. The subject image formed on the focusing screen 3 is optically observed from a finder eyepiece 5 via a pentaprism 4. The main mirror 2 has a half-mirror structure, and the subject light transmitted through the main mirror 2 is reflected by the sub-mirror 6 obliquely downward and leftward on the drawing, and
Is incident on. An image sensor 7 having a two-dimensional area sensor composed of a CCD, a MOS or the like converts a subject image on an image forming plane into analog image data. The image processing circuit 8
In response to a control signal from the control circuit 9, analog image data from the image sensor 7 is A / D converted to create digital image data, and the digital image data is displayed on the monitor 10. Details regarding the image processing circuit 8 and its peripheral circuits will be described later.

The main mirror 2 is in a lowered state when the subject image is observed by a finder. When exposing the subject image to a silver halide film, the main mirror 2 is retracted upward prior to the exposure operation and the sub mirror is 6
Retract downward. This operation is performed by the mirror driving mechanism 24 including a motor according to a control signal from the control circuit 9.

An aperture member 13 is disposed between the imaging lenses of the imaging optical system 1, and the aperture member 13 is driven by an aperture driving mechanism 14 including a motor. Aperture member 13
When the aperture is driven by the aperture drive mechanism 14, the aperture stop state is detected by the aperture detection mechanism 15, and the control circuit 9 controls the aperture drive in response to a signal from the aperture detection mechanism 15. The aperture detection mechanism 15 detects the movement of a member in the aperture drive mechanism 14 connected to the aperture member 13 by a non-contact type sensor such as a photo interrupter, a photo reflector, and a Hall element.

The shutter 16 is a focal plane shutter composed of a front curtain and a rear curtain, and is charged and opened and closed by a shutter driving mechanism 17 including a motor and an electromagnet. The charge state and the open / close state of the shutter 16 are detected by a shutter detection mechanism 18, and the control circuit 9 controls the shutter detection mechanism 1.
The shutter charge and the opening / closing operation are controlled in response to a signal from the control unit 8. Note that, similarly to the aperture detection mechanism 15, the shutter detection mechanism 18 is configured to detect with a non-contact type sensor.

The film 19 is driven to wind and rewind by a film feeding mechanism 20 including a motor. The moving amount is detected by the film moving amount detecting mechanism 21, and the control circuit 9 controls the moving of the film 19 in response to a signal from the film moving amount detecting mechanism 21. The film movement detecting mechanism 21 detects the perforation provided on the film 19 with a photo interrupter, a photo reflector, or the like.

The focusing optical system 1a of the taking lens 1 is driven by a lens driving mechanism 22 including a motor. The movement amount is detected by the lens movement amount detection mechanism 23, and the control circuit 9 controls the movement of the focus adjustment optical system 1a in response to a signal from the lens movement amount detection mechanism 23. still,
The lens moving amount detecting mechanism 23 detects the amount of rotation of a comb-shaped rotating member provided in a part of the transmission system of the lens driving mechanism 22 with a photo interrupter.

The focus detecting mechanism 27 receives the subject light transmitted through the photographing optical system by a split optical system including a half mirror (not shown) and detects the defocus amount of the photographing lens 1. The control circuit 9 obtains the drive amount of the photographing lens 1 based on the defocus amount, and performs the drive control of the above-described lens driving mechanism 22 so as to focus the photographing lens 1. The focus detection mechanism 27 is not limited to the TTL distance measurement described above, and may directly detect the subject distance by non-TTL distance measurement.

The photometric mechanism 28 measures the luminance of the subject based on the subject light transmitted through the photographing lens 1. Based on the photometric value, the control circuit 9 determines the aperture value of the aperture 13 and the shutter speed value of the shutter 16. The aperture drive mechanism 14 and the shutter drive unit 17 are controlled by calculation. Note that the photometric mechanism 28 is not limited to TTL
It is good also as photometry.

The control circuit 9 includes a first release switch (hereinafter, abbreviated as a 1st release switch) which is turned on in conjunction with the first-step pressing of the release button, and is turned on in conjunction with the second-step pressing of the release button. Operation switches including switches related to camera operation such as a second release switch (hereinafter abbreviated as 2nd release switch) and a back cover switch that is turned on in response to loading of a silver halide film (both not shown). Group 26 is connected.

Next, the configuration and operation of the image processing circuit 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. An image processing circuit 8 surrounded by a dotted frame includes a control circuit 81 for controlling the sequence of the image processing operation, an A / D conversion circuit 82 for A / D converting the output of the image sensor 7, and an A / D conversion circuit 82. A digital signal processing circuit 83 for processing the output of the digital signal processing circuit to generate image data suitable for monitor display; an image storage circuit 84 for temporarily storing the output of the digital signal processing circuit 83; And a readout circuit 85 for reading out the image data stored in the memory and displaying the image data on the monitor 10.

The control circuit 81 controls two image processing operations, one of which is an operation of taking in image data, and the other is an operation of storing and displaying image data. Here, in the capturing operation, the control circuit 81 causes the image sensor 7 to start an integration operation in response to an image capture instruction signal from the control circuit 9, and the control circuit 81 receives an integration end signal from the image sensor 7. The output of the image sensor 7 is supplied to the A / D conversion circuit 82 by A / D conversion.
Instructs the conversion, A from the A / D conversion circuit 82
Upon receiving the / D conversion end signal, the digital signal processing circuit 83
The control circuit 81 sends an acquisition completion signal to the control circuit 9 upon receiving a processing completion signal from the digital signal processing circuit 83. In addition, the storage and display operation is such that the output of the digital signal processing circuit 83 is stored in the image storage circuit 84 in response to the image storage and display instruction signal from the control circuit 9, and the storage from the image storage circuit 84 is completed. Upon receiving the signal, the control circuit 81 instructs the readout circuit 85 to read out the image data stored in the image storage circuit 84 and display it on the monitor 10, and upon receiving the display completion signal from the readout circuit 85, the control circuit 81 9 is an operation of sending a storage and display completion signal to the control unit 9.

The image storage circuit 84 may be a volatile memory such as a RAM having a storage capacity of only one frame if it is only necessary to check the photographing state when exposing the film to the silver halide film. However, in order to check the previously shot screen or to display the image even when the camera's power battery is turned off, a flash memory with a large storage capacity, EE
Non-volatile memory such as PROM, DR with backup
AM should be used. In addition, a nonvolatile memory to which the image stored in the image storage circuit 84 is transferred is provided separately from the image storage circuit 84, and a subject image at the time of exposure to the silver halide film is stored in the nonvolatile memory. Is also possible. In this case, if the non-volatile memory is made detachable from the camera body, it becomes more convenient to save.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the operation flowchart of the control circuit 9 relating to the main part of the present invention shown in FIG. The operation based on this flowchart is executed when the power switch is turned on or when the idle feeding operation accompanying the film loading is performed.

First, in step S1 (hereinafter, steps are abbreviated as "S"), 1s in the operation switch group 26
t. The state of the release switch is checked. If the release switch is on, the flow advances to S2 to execute a <photometry> subroutine. This subroutine is for taking in subject brightness information from the photometric mechanism 28. Next, a subroutine of <focus adjustment> is executed in S3. This subroutine is an operation of taking in the focus detection result of the focus detection mechanism 27 and driving the lens drive mechanism 22 based on the information to guide the focus adjustment lens 1a to the in-focus position.

When these operations have been completed, the process proceeds to step S4 where 2nd. Check the state of the release switch. Here, 2nd. If the release switch is off, the flow goes to S5 for the 1st. Check the release switch again. At 1st. If the release switch is still on, the process returns to S4 and returns to 2nd. Repeat the check of the release switch. If the release switch is off, the process returns to S1 again. On the other hand, 2nd.
If it is determined that the release is on, the process proceeds to S6, where an image capture instruction signal is transmitted to the image processing circuit 8. Then, the image processing circuit 8 executes the above-described image capturing operation in response to this signal, and waits at S7 for transmitting a capture completion signal from the control circuit 81 after the capture is completed.

When the capture completion signal is received, an image storage and display instruction signal is transmitted to the image processing circuit 8 in S8, and the mirror driving mechanism 24 is driven in S9 to move up the main mirror 2 and the sub mirror. Then, the exposure operation is performed in the <exposure> subroutine of S10. In this subroutine, the aperture driving mechanism 1
4 drives the shutter member 16 by the shutter drive mechanism 17 and drives the shutter member 13 by the shutter drive mechanism 17.
The subject image is exposed.

When the <exposure> subroutine is completed, S1
At 1, the main mirror 2 is moved down and the sub-mirror 6 is moved up, and at S <b> 12, the <one frame winding up> subroutine is executed. In this subroutine, the film 19 is wound up by one frame by the film feeding mechanism 20.

The image processing circuit 8 executes the storage and display operations of the captured image in parallel with the operations of S9 to S12 in response to the image storage and display instruction signal transmitted in S8. When this operation is completed, an image storage and display completion signal is transmitted to the control circuit 9. Control circuit 1
3 checks in S13 whether or not this signal has been transmitted at the time when the subroutine <one frame winding> has been completed,
When the signal is detected, the process proceeds to S14.

In step S14, the maximum number of photographed frames set by the film information setting mechanism 29 is compared with the number of exposed frames. Here, if they match, it is determined that the last photographed frame has been photographed, and the process proceeds to <rewind>. If not, the process returns to S1 to repeat the above operation.

As described above, in this embodiment, before the mirror drive by the electric drive means such as a motor is performed, CC drive is performed.
Since the integration operation and the A / D conversion operation of the imaging device such as D are performed, noise is not superimposed on the image data due to noise during powering of the motor or fluctuation in power supply. Further, since the image storing and displaying operations are performed in parallel during the period from the mirror-up to the winding of one frame, a series of photographing operation cycles can be shortened as compared with the case where the operations are performed in time series.

If one of the integration operation and the A / D conversion operation of the image pickup device, for example, the A / D conversion operation is less affected by noise than the integration operation of the image pickup device, the imaging operation is performed. It is also possible to shorten the photographing cycle by performing only the integration of the elements when the motor is not driven and performing an operation involving driving the motor during A / D conversion.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, all of the image capturing operation, that is, the integration of the image sensor and the A / D conversion operation are completed before the mirror-up, but the present invention is not limited to this. The operation is completed before the mirror-up operation is performed, the image capturing operation is stopped during the mirror-up operation, the image capturing operation is restarted after the mirror-up operation is completed, and the image processing operation for A / D conversion transition is performed. For example, another effect that the time lag between the imaging operation and the film exposure operation can be reduced can be obtained. Further, in the case of a camera that mechanically raises and lowers the main mirror without using an electric driving means such as a motor, after the driving of the photographing lens is completed, in parallel with the operation of exposing the subject image to the silver halide film. It is sufficient that the image pickup operation is started, and at least the winding of one frame is not started until the analog processing of the imaged data is completed.

In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a single-lens reflex camera. However, in a so-called lens shutter camera in which a finder and a photographing optical system are provided separately, driving of the photographing lens and film winding are performed. In general, the operation up to the top is performed continuously, so that the integration of the image sensor and the A / D conversion are performed in parallel with the distance measurement operation and the photometry operation performed before the driving of the photographing lens. What is necessary is just to start lens drive.

According to the above embodiment of the present invention, the following configuration is obtained. (1) In a silver halide camera having a monitor screen, an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject in association with an exposure operation on a silver halide film, and a digital image generated from an output of an imaging element and displayed on the monitor screen Image display means and a driving force of a motor, a lens driving mechanism, an exposure control mechanism,
An electric driving means for operating at least one of the film winding mechanisms, and a control means for controlling operation timing of the imaging means and the electric driving means so that the electric driving means do not operate simultaneously. Silver halide camera with a monitor screen. (2) In a silver halide camera having a monitor screen, an exposure unit for performing an exposure operation on a silver halide film, an image of a subject is taken by an image sensor in connection with the exposure operation, and a digital image is output from the image sensor output. Digital image means for generating and displaying the image on a monitor screen, film feeding means for winding the silver halide film by a motor driving force after the end of the exposure operation, and at least the operation of capturing the subject image by the image sensor is completed. A control means for prohibiting the operation of the film feeding means; and a silver halide camera having a monitor screen. (3) In a silver halide camera having a monitor screen, a subject image is captured by an image sensor in association with an exposure operation on a silver halide film, a digital image is generated from an output of the image sensor, and a digital image is generated on the monitor screen. Image display means for displaying, electric drive means for operating the exposure control mechanism and the film winding mechanism by the driving force of the motor, and one of the operations of the image display means prior to the start of the exposure control operation by the electric drive mechanism. A silver halide camera having a monitor screen, comprising: a control unit for executing the operation of the image display unit and the operation of the electric driving unit in parallel.

(4) Exposure means for executing an operation of exposing a subject image to a silver halide film, and imaging means for taking an image to convert the subject image into an analog signal in conjunction with the exposure operation by the exposure means A monitor for displaying the subject image based on the analog signal output from the imaging unit; an electric driving unit for driving a camera element; and the imaging unit converting the subject image to the analog signal. A silver halide camera having a monitor screen, comprising: at least a drive control unit for prohibiting the driving of the electric drive unit during the conversion operation. (5) After reading the analog signal, there is provided signal processing means for generating a digital image signal based on the analog signal, and the monitor means is configured to generate a digital image signal based on the digital image signal output from the signal processing means. A silver halide camera having the monitor screen according to (4), which displays a subject image. (6) The silver halide camera having a monitor screen according to (4), wherein the signal processing unit includes an AD conversion unit that converts the analog signal into a digital signal. (7) The motor drive control means has a monitor screen according to (6), wherein the motor drive control means prohibits driving of the motor when reading the analog signal and prohibits driving of the motor also during AD conversion by the AD conversion means. Silver halide camera. (8) The motor drive control means inhibits the drive of the motor when reading the analog signal and cancels the inhibition of the drive of the motor at the time of AD conversion by the AD conversion means. Have a silver halide camera. (9) The camera element is at least one of a film driving mechanism, a lens driving mechanism, and an exposure control mechanism. (4)
A silver halide camera having the monitor screen according to any one of (8) to (8).

(10) In a single-lens reflex camera, a charge storage type imaging means for converting a subject image into an electric signal, and a monitor for displaying the subject image based on the electric signal converted by the imaging means Means,
Instructing means for instructing the start of the photographing operation, and in response to the start of the photographing operation by the instructing means, starting the charge accumulation operation by the imaging means, and prohibiting the movable mirror from moving up at least until after the end of the charge accumulation, A monitor for storing and displaying a digital image based on the electric signal at any timing of the movable mirror up, the film exposure, the movable mirror down and the film winding. Single-lens reflex camera with a camera. (11) A camera having monitor means for converting and capturing an object image into an electric signal at substantially the same time that the image of the object is exposed to the electric driving means and the silver halide film, and performing the operation of acquiring the electric signal during the operation of acquiring the electric signal. A camera having a monitor screen for prohibiting driving of a driving unit.

[0033]

According to the present invention, with respect to a silver halide camera having a monitor screen for confirming a subject image, a high-quality electronic image can be captured, and a silver halide photographing operation and an electronic image capturing operation can be performed. Can provide a camera that cooperates in an optimal state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a camera having a monitor screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed diagram of an image processing circuit in the block diagram shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of a camera having a monitor screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 7 imaging device 8 image processing circuit 9 control circuit 10 monitor 16 shutter 20 film feeding mechanism 24 mirror driving mechanism

Claims (3)

[Claims] An exposure unit configured to expose a subject image to the silver halide film; an imaging unit configured to capture a subject image in association with an exposure operation to the silver halide film; and a digital image output from an output of the imaging unit. Image display means for generating and displaying on a monitor screen, a lens driving mechanism, an exposure control mechanism,
Electric drive means for operating at least one of the film winding mechanisms; and control means for controlling the operation timing of the imaging means and the electric drive means so that the two do not operate at the same time. Silver halide camera with a monitor screen. 2. Exposure means for performing an exposure operation on a silver halide film, an object image is taken by an image sensor in connection with the exposure operation by the exposure means, and a digital image is generated from an output of the image sensor. Digital image means for displaying on a monitor screen, film feeding means for winding up the silver halide film with a motor driving force after the exposure operation, and at least until the imaging operation of the subject image by the imaging device is completed. A silver halide camera having a monitor screen, comprising: control means for inhibiting the operation of the film feeding means. 3. An image display means for capturing an image of a subject with an image sensor in association with an exposure operation on a silver halide film, generating a digital image from an output of the image sensor, and displaying the digital image on the monitor screen; An electric driving means for operating an exposure control mechanism and a film winding mechanism with an electric driving force; and executing a part of the operation of the image display means prior to the start of the exposure control operation by the electric driving mechanism. A silver halide camera having a monitor screen, comprising: control means for executing the operation of the image display means and the operation of the electric drive means in parallel.