JPH1098639A - Digital still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a digital still camera excellent in portability. SOLUTION: As a shape of a main body 1 of a digital still camera, a height A is 80 mm to 150 mm and a depth B is 4 mm.
0 mm to 80 mm, and the thickness C was 10 mm to 40 mm.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital still camera for recording, as digital data, still image data captured by a CCD camera or the like on a storage medium such as a PC card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a digital still camera which records still image data captured by a CCD camera on a storage medium such as a PC card has been known. Such a digital still camera can also be used as an image input device for a personal computer or the like, and its use is expanding.

[0003]

A digital still camera for recording digital data of a still image as described above has a smaller storage medium and a smaller power consumption than a video camera due to the smaller amount of data to be handled. Since a small battery is provided, the size can be significantly reduced compared to a video camera. For this reason,
From the point of view that you can easily carry it anywhere,
There has been a demand for a size that can be stored in a clothes pocket or the like, and from the viewpoint of "easy shooting", it has been demanded that shooting can be operated with one hand.

An object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera excellent in portability.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve this problem, the present invention relates to a digital still camera for storing a still image photographed by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium, and having a height dimension of 80 mm. From150
mm, the dimension in the depth direction was 40 mm to 80 mm, and the dimension in the thickness direction was 10 mm to 40 mm.

[0006] This makes it possible to provide a digital
You can get a camera.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a still image photographed by an image pickup means is stored as digital data in a storage medium, and a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the image pickup means is held with one hand. A digital camera for holding and photographing operation, wherein a dimension in a height direction is from 80 mm to 1 mm.
50mm, depth dimension from 40mm to 80mm,
With a configuration in which the dimension in the thickness direction is set to 10 mm to 40 mm, it can be stored in a pocket of clothes, and a photographing operation can be performed with one hand.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are perspective views viewed from opposite directions.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a main body of a digital still camera, 2 is a CCD camera for forming an image by forming a subject image on an image sensor, 3 is a shutter button, 4 is a normal photographing or high-detail photographing. A display section for displaying the shooting mode and the number of images that can be taken, 5 is a mode select button for performing various operations such as switching between shooting modes such as normal shooting and high-detailed shooting, 6 is a viewfinder, and 7 is an external output. An image output terminal for outputting an image to the device, 8
Is a power input terminal used for supplying power from the outside.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the shape and dimensions of a digital still camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
A height A, a depth B, and a thickness C are set.

The operation of the digital still camera configured as described above will be described below.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an operation state of the digital still camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
3A is a perspective view showing an operation state from the CCD camera 2 side, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing an operation state from the viewfinder 6 side.

The digital still camera of the present embodiment is assumed to be thin and a vertical shape from the viewpoint of portability that can be stored anywhere when carrying and operability that can be operated with one hand. It is. This is because it is presumed that both hands are used at the time of a shooting operation if the camera is thin but horizontal. Hereinafter, the setting of the dimensions and the reason thereof will be described. In the following description, a clothing pocket is not a large pocket provided in a coat, a jacket, or the like.
A small pocket, such as a shirt breast pocket.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B,
A finder 6 is provided on a surface opposite to the surface on which the CCD camera 2 is provided. When the operator performs a shooting operation on the digital still camera of the present embodiment, the CCD camera 2
Is held so as to grasp an axis in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera, and looks into the viewfinder 6. That is, with the thumb and the remaining four fingers, C
The surface on which the CD camera 2 is provided and the surface on which the finder 6 is provided are sandwiched. The shutter button 3 is operated with the index finger, and the mode select button 5 is operated with the thumb. The shutter button 3 is not limited to being operated with the index finger, but may be operated with any of the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger.

Here, the dimensions of the main body 1 of the digital still camera operated as described above will be considered. First,
Consider the dimension of height A. It is considered that the height A is suitably between 80 mm and 150 mm. The reason for the minimum value of 80 mm is that the CCD
In order not to cover the camera 2 and the viewfinder 6 with your hands,
It is necessary to protrude beyond the palm length. The reason for the maximum value of 150 mm is that if it is longer than this, it cannot be stored in a pocket.

Next, the depth B will be considered. Depth B
It is considered that 40 to 80 mm is appropriate. The reason for this is that the size is such that it can be stored in the pocket of the clothes, and from the viewpoint of operating with one hand, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the thumb and the remaining four fingers hold the CCD camera 2 and the finder 6 with one hand. Body 1
It is a dimension that can be held.

Next, the thickness C will be considered. Thickness C is 1
0 mm to 40 mm is considered appropriate. The reason for this is that it can be stored in a clothes pocket,
As described above, from the viewpoint of operating with one hand, when the main body 1 is gripped with one hand in the dimension of depth B, the shutter button 3 can be operated with the index finger and the mode select button 5 can be operated with the thumb. No. Another reason is that when the shutter button 3 is pressed too thinly, the main body 1 is easily blurred.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the height A of the digital still camera main body 1 is 80 mm to 80 mm.
By setting the depth to 150 mm, the depth B to 40 mm to 80 mm, and the thickness C to 10 mm to 40 mm, a thin and vertical digital still camera can be obtained. A possible digital still camera can be realized.

(Embodiment 2) A thin and vertical digital still camera different from the digital still camera shown in the first embodiment is shown in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
(B) is a perspective view as viewed from the opposite direction.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 11 denotes a main body of the digital still camera according to the present embodiment. Other reference numerals perform the same functions as those described in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the shape and dimensions of a digital still camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, dimension L is height, dimension M is depth, and dimension N is thickness. Set as each.

The operation of the digital still camera configured as described above will be described below.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the operation of the digital still camera according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
6A is a perspective view showing an operation state from the CCD camera 2 side, and FIG. 6B is a perspective view showing an operation state from the viewfinder 6 side.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B,
A finder 6 is provided on a surface opposite to the surface on which the CCD camera 2 is provided. When the operator performs a shooting operation on the digital still camera of the present embodiment, the CCD camera 2
Is held so as to grasp an axis in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the camera, and looks into the viewfinder 6. That is, the surface on which the shutter button 3 is provided and the surface facing the shutter button 3 are sandwiched between the thumb and the remaining four fingers. The shutter button 3 is operated with the index finger,
The mode select button 5 is operated with the thumb. The shutter button 3 is not limited to being operated with the index finger, but may be operated with any of the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger.

Here, the dimensions of the main body 11 of the digital still camera operated as described above will be considered. First, consider the height L. This corresponds to FIG. 2 of the first embodiment.
Corresponds to the depth B shown in FIG. In other words, the surface on which the shutter button 3 is provided and the surface facing the shutter button 3 must be held between the thumb and the remaining four fingers, so that 40 m
m to 80 mm is considered appropriate.

Next, the depth M will be considered. This corresponds to the height A of the first embodiment shown in FIG. If it is not longer than the palm, it lacks stability. In this case, C
Unlike the first embodiment, the CD camera 2 and the finder 6 are not affected. However, in order to prevent the image output terminal 7 and the power supply input terminal 8 from being hidden by hand, a distance of 80 mm
50 mm is considered suitable.

Next, the thickness N will be considered. This is the first
Corresponds to the thickness C shown in FIG. In other words, it is a size that can be stored in the pocket of the clothes, and as described above,
From the viewpoint of operation with one hand, when the main body 11 is grasped with one hand with the height L, the shutter button 3 can be operated with the index finger and the mode select button 5 can be operated with the thumb. To 40 mm is considered appropriate.

As described above, the main body 11 of the digital still camera of the present embodiment is different from the main body 1 of the first embodiment.
(See FIG. 1).

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the photographed still image is stored as digital data in the storage medium, and the photographing operation is performed while holding the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the photographing means with one hand. A digital still camera having a height dimension of 80 mm to 150 mm, a depth dimension of 40 mm to 80 mm, and a thickness dimension of 10 m.
By adopting a configuration of m to 40 mm, the digital still camera can be stored in a pocket of clothes, can be operated with one hand, and has excellent transportability and operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the dimensions of a digital still camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an operation state of the digital still camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the shape and dimensions of a digital still camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an operation state of a digital still camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,11 body 2 CCD camera 3 shutter button 4 display section 5 mode select button 6 finder 7 image output terminal 8 power input terminal

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A digital still camera for storing a still image taken by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium and holding a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the image pickup means with one hand to perform a photographing operation. , Height dimension from 80mm to 150mm, depth dimension 40m
m to 80 mm, thickness dimension from 10 mm to 40 m
m, a digital still camera. 2. A digital still camera which stores a still image taken by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium, and performs a photographing operation while holding a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the image pickup means with one hand. A digital still camera characterized in that the height dimension is from 80 mm to 150 mm. 3. A digital still camera for storing a still image photographed by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium and performing a photographing operation while holding a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the image pickup means with one hand. A digital still camera characterized in that the depth dimension is from 40 mm to 80 mm. 4. A digital still camera for storing a still image photographed by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium and performing a photographing operation while holding a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the image pickup means with one hand. A digital still camera characterized in that a dimension in a thickness direction is from 10 mm to 40 mm. 5. A digital still camera for storing a still image photographed by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium and performing a photographing operation while holding a direction parallel to an optical axis direction of the image pickup means with one hand. , Height dimension from 40mm to 80mm, depth dimension 80mm
From 150mm, thickness dimension from 10mm to 40m
m, a digital still camera. 6. A digital still camera for storing a still image photographed by an image pickup means as digital data in a storage medium and performing a photographing operation while holding a direction parallel to an optical axis direction of the image pickup means with one hand. A digital still camera characterized in that the height dimension is from 40 mm to 80 mm. 7. A digital still camera for storing a still image captured by an image capturing means as digital data in a storage medium and performing an image capturing operation while holding a direction parallel to an optical axis direction of the image capturing means with one hand. A digital still camera characterized in that the dimension in the depth direction is from 80 mm to 150 mm. 8. A digital still camera which stores a still image captured by an image capturing means as digital data in a storage medium and performs an image capturing operation by holding a direction parallel to an optical axis direction of the image capturing means with one hand. A digital still camera characterized in that a dimension in a thickness direction is from 10 mm to 40 mm.