JPH0268532A - Stereoscopic device adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use a stroboscopic device other than a dedicated one even for a camera which has no manual aperture setting means by incorporating an aperture value setter and providing a connector equipped with terminals for receiving a stroboscopic device lighting control signal, etc., a connector for transmitting this signal, etc. CONSTITUTION:The stroboscopic device adapter 1 is provided with a aperture value setter 3 and the adapter 1 is connected to a main body 10 through the connector 4 equipped with the terminals 5a-5c for transmitting the manual set value of the setter 3, an adapter mounting detection signal, etc., to the camera main body 10, a terminal 5d for receiving the synchronizing signal of a stroboscopic lighting control signal from the side of the camera 10, etc. A device 1 is provided with the connector 7 for transmitting the synchronizing signal to the stroboscopic device 20. Therefore, when this adapter 1 is used, a stroboscopic device other than a dedicated one can be used for a camera having no manual aperture setting means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Summary of the Invention A strobe adapter is detachably attached to a camera body and electrically connectable to the camera body and a strobe. By providing the strobe adapter with means for setting the aperture value and a connector for transmitting the set aperture value to the camera body, the aperture value of the camera can be set from the outside. Also, a desired strobe device can be connected via this strobe adapter. This strobe adapter is used in fully automatic cameras when you want to use a desired strobe instead of the strobe dedicated to the camera.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a strobe adapter that can be detachably attached to a camera body and electrically connected to the camera body and a strobe.

Prior Art and its Problems Camera automation such as automatic exposure function and automatic focus adjustment function is progressing. Cameras with such automatic adjustment functions automatically set the exposure amount, focus position, etc. based on sensor output, so if the camera body does not have a manual operation part such as a setting switch for manual settings. There are many.

A strobe is generally used to take pictures in dark areas. Cameras with automatic exposure control are equipped with a dedicated strobe. This special strobe is attached to the camera body. Or automatic exposure adjustment for strobe photography, etc. by setting the strobe usage status with the strobe/motoswitch, etc. 1? It's boring.

However, when taking pictures with a dedicated strobe, everything is controlled by the camera, so if you want to take a special picture, you cannot set the exposure meter arbitrarily. The exposure m is determined by the aperture value and the distance to the subject, or manual exposure adjustment is not possible if the camera body is not equipped with a setting device for manually setting the aperture value. In particular, if you want to use a separately prepared strobe device other than a dedicated strobe, a manual aperture setting device is essential.

Summary of the Invention Purpose of the Invention The present invention provides a strobe capable of manually setting the aperture value for a camera without a manual aperture setting device, thereby making it possible to use a strobe device other than a dedicated strobe.・The purpose is to provide adapters.

Structure of the Invention 1 Functions and Effects The strobe adapter according to the present invention can be attached to and detached from the camera body (+E, an aperture value setting means for manually setting the aperture value, and an aperture value set by the aperture value setting means described in -). The first one is for transmitting the data representing the value to the camera body.
terminal, and a second terminal for receiving a strobe light emission control signal from the camera body, and when these terminals are attached to the camera body, the first terminal is connected to the corresponding terminal on the camera body side. The present invention is characterized by comprising a connector and a second connector to which a strobe device can be connected in order to provide the strobe light emission control signal inputted from the second terminal to the strobe device.

The strobe adapter according to the present invention is provided with an aperture value setting means and a first terminal for transmitting data representing the aperture value set by the aperture value setting means to the camera body.

The camera body side is equipped with a terminal corresponding to the first terminal, and when the strobe adapter is attached to the camera body, the aperture value set by the aperture value setting means of the strobe adapter is transmitted through the terminal. transmitted to the camera body. This makes it possible to manually set an arbitrary aperture value even for cameras that do not have a manual aperture value setter.

The strobe adapter also includes a second terminal for receiving a strobe light emission control signal from the camera body, and a connector connectable to a strobe device for applying this signal to the strobe device. By connecting a strobe to a strobe adapter attached to the camera body, a strobe light emission control signal outputted from the camera body can be transmitted to the connected strobe device, and it can emit light in synchronization with this signal.

As described above, even if the camera does not have a manual aperture value setting means, it is possible to perform strobe photography using a strobe device other than the strobe device dedicated to the camera.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Figures 1 to 3 show the external appearance of the strobe adapter. Figure 1 is a front view, Figure 2 is a bottom view, and Figure 3 is a bottom view.
The figure is a left side view.

Referring to these figures, the strobe adapter has a power switch 2 on its pressure side that controls the operation of the strobe adapter 1.
Also provided is an aperture value setter 3 for setting the aperture value of the camera body.

On the bottom of the strobe adapter 1, attach the strobe adapter 1 to the strobe shoe provided on the camera body.
A contact portion 4 for fixing is provided in a protruding manner, and this contact portion 4 is provided with a plurality of (five in this embodiment) terminals 5. The terminal 5 is maintained in a state of protruding from the surface of the contact portion 4 by a biasing force such as a spring, but can be freely retracted into the interior by pushing. Further, a synchronization terminal 7 is formed on the left side surface of the strobe adapter 1. The synchronization terminal 7 connects a separately prepared strobe device (path shown) to this strobe adapter 1.
It is for electrical connection by cord.

FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the strobe adapter 1 attached to the camera body. A strobe shoe 12 is provided on the camera body IO, and the same number of terminals as the terminals 5 of the strobe adapter 1 are provided here. The strobe shoe 12 is for attaching a special strobe for this camera, but is also used for attaching the strobe adapter 1.

To attach the strobe adapter 1 to the camera body 10, with the power switch 2 turned off, insert it into the strobe shoe 12 of the camera body 10 in the direction shown by arrow A until it stops completely. This allows strobe adapter 1
The terminal 5 of the strobe shoe 12 contacts and is electrically connected to the corresponding terminal of the strobe shoe 12. When removing the strobe adapter 1 from the camera body 10, turn off the power switch 2 of the strobe adapter 1.
in the direction shown by arrow B to separate the strobe contact portion 4 from the strobe shoe 12.

When connecting the strobe adapter 1 and a strobe device, connect the strobe device's synchronization cord with the strobe adapter 1 attached to the camera body 10 and with the power switch 2 of the strobe adapter 1 turned off. Simply insert the plug (path shown) into the synchro terminal 7.

FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram of an electric circuit provided in the strobe adapter 1, and shows a state in which the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body 10. Camera body I
O and the strobe adapter 1 are connected through the terminal 5 of the contact portion 4 as described above. In order to distinguish the five terminals 5, they are numbered 5a to 5e in this figure.

The strobe device 20 is connected to the strobe adapter 1 through the synchro terminal 7 as described in section 11 above.

Camera body! 0, the aperture value and shutter speed are determined based on automatic photometry and automatic distance measurement photometry values.

A CPU 13 is provided for photographing control that performs automatic exposure control that controls the aperture and shutter speed based on this determined value, automatic focus control based on distance measurement data, and the like.

The strobe adapter attached to the camera body IO will be electrically connected to the CPU 13 via the contact section 4.

A line provided in the strobe adapter 1 that is connected to the camera body lO by a terminal 5 provided on the strobe contact portion 4 has a line provided in the strobe adapter 1 that connects the strobe adapter 1 to the camera body lO.
The adapter attachment detection line connected to the terminal 5a for detecting that the adapter is attached to the CPU! Terminals 5b and 5c for transmitting to 3
Two aperture data lines DO, Dl, connected to
There is a synchro line connected to the terminal 5d for transmitting a strobe light emission control signal from the camera body 10 to the strobe adapter 1, and a common ground line (COM) connected to the terminal 5e.

The aperture value setting device 3 has two switches Sw1 and SwO that are moved in conjunction with each other by the knob of the aperture value setting device 3.
with a predetermined aperture value (in this example, 2.8,
4.5.8 and 4fiIi of 8) settings are possible. The movable contact side terminal of the switch Swl is connected to one line Dl, and the movable contact side terminal of the switch SwO is connected to the other line DO. The switch Swl has four fixed contacts, of which the contacts corresponding to aperture values of 2.8 and 4 are connected to the common ground line via power switch 2, and the contacts corresponding to aperture values of 5.6 and 8 are connected to the common ground line via power switch 2.
The fixed contact corresponding to is floating. The switch SwO also has four fixed contacts, of which the contacts corresponding to aperture values of 2.8 and 5.8 are connected to the common ground line via power switch 2, and the contacts corresponding to aperture values of 4 and 8 are connected to the common ground line via power switch 2. The corresponding contact point is floating.

Further, the adapter attachment detection line is connected to a common ground line via a power switch 2. Furthermore, the synchro line is directly connected to the synchro terminal 7.

That is, the terminal 5e and the synchro terminal 7 are short-circuited by the synchro line.

-)j, on the camera body 10 side, terminals 5a to 5
cl: An H level voltage V is applied to the line to be connected by 1B via a resistor. A strobe light emission control signal S is sent from the CPU 1.3 to the line to be connected to the terminal 5d when the strobe light is emitted. The line to be connected to the terminal 5e is connected to the ground of the camera body ■0.

After the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body 10, it becomes active when the switch 2 is turned on.Even if the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body 10, the power switch is turned on. 2 is off, for the CPU 13 on the camera side, it is the same as if the strobe adapter 1 is not attached.

When the strobe adapter l is attached to the camera body IO and the power switch 2 is turned on, the terminal 5a is connected to the ground level via the terminal 5e.
The line to be connected to the terminal 5a on the camera body side changes from the H level to the L level, and the attachment of the strobe adapter 1 is detected by the CPU 13 of the camera body.

Furthermore, when the power switch 2 is on and the aperture value setting 2g3 is set to 2.8, the lines DO and DI are at the ground level, so both lines are at the L level, and a signal indicating data 0 is generated. is the CPU
13. When the aperture value is set to 4, only line D1 is at ground level, so line DO remains at H level, and a signal indicating data 1 is sent to the CPU from the other line Di, while a signal indicating data 0 is sent from the other line Di to the CPU. 13
Enter. Similarly, when the aperture value is set to 5.6, a signal indicating data O is output from line DO.

A signal indicating data 1 is sent from the other line DI to the CPU1.
3 and the aperture value is set to 8, a signal indicating data 1 is sent to the CPU from both lines DO and DI.
Enter +3.

The CPU 13 stores in its memory a table showing the relationship between the aperture value and the data from the two lines Do and DI, as shown in FIG. The aperture value set in the aperture value setter 3 can be recognized by the signal.

As mentioned above, the terminal 5d is short-circuited to the synchro terminal 7, so if the strobe adapter 1 is connected to the device 9 of the camera body 10 and the synchro coat of the strobe device 20 is connected to the terminal 7, the strobe from the CPU 13 is connected. The light emission control signal S becomes ready to be transmitted to the strobe device 20.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the photographing processing procedure by the CPU 13.

Whether or not the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body 10 is determined based on the signal from the adapter detection line (terminal 5a) of the strobe adapter 1 (step 31). If the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body 10 and the power switch 2 is turned on (YES at step 31), flag F is set to 1 and this fact is stored (step 32). If the strobe adapter 1 is not attached to the camera body 10, or if the power switch 2 is turned off even if it is attached (No in step 31), the flag F is reset (step 34).

When the strobe adapter 31 is attached and active, shooting in special modes of this camera such as quick mode and slow mode is prohibited, and even if those modes are set, +1 cannot be captured. mode is corrected to a mode suitable for strobe photography, such as normal mode, and the mode display is also changed (step 33
).

When the shutter release operation is started (step 35
(YES), it is determined whether the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body IO (of course, the power switch 2 is on) based on the flag F (step 36). When the strobe adapter 1 is attached to the camera body 10 (YIES in step 36), the aperture value set by the aperture value setting device 3 is read via terminals 5b and 5c (step 37), and the read aperture value is The aperture is adjusted to match the value, and a shutter speed suitable for strobe photography (for example, 1/1255ec) is set (step 38).

If the strobe adapter 1 is not attached to the camera body IO (NO in step 36), the photometric value is read based on the output signal of a photometric element such as a photodiode provided between the camera bodies ( step 39),
Based on the read photometric values, the aperture value and shutter speed are determined in accordance with a predetermined program diagram so that appropriate photography can be performed (step 40).

Thereafter, photographing processing including shutter drive control and the like is executed (step 41).

Depending on the camera, the judgment in step 35 is omitted and the processes in steps 36 to 40 are always performed, and the shutter release in step 4 is triggered by pressing the shutter release button.
You may proceed to the release sequence.

The processing procedure of FIG. 7 is particularly suitable for electronic still cameras having a two-stroke type shutter release button. That is, when the first step of pressing the shutter button is detected and YES is obtained in step 35, steps 36 to 38 or steps 39 and 40 are performed,
The shutter release sequence of step 41 is started by detection of the second step of pressing the shutter button.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show the external appearance of the strobe adapter, with FIG. 1 showing a front view, FIG. 2 a bottom view, and FIG. 3 a left side view. FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the strobe adapter attached to the camera body. Figure 5 shows the electric circuit built into the strobe adapter. The circuit diagram shows the strobe adapter attached to the camera body. Figure 6 shows the circuit diagram when the aperture value is expressed using 2-bit data. It is a figure which shows the example of a code table. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the photographing operation by the CPU of the camera. 1... Strobe adapter. 3... Aperture value setter. 4... Strobe contact part (first connector). 5...Terminal. 7... Synchro terminal (second connector). 10...Camera body. 13...CPU for camera photography. 20... Strobe device. that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] Aperture value setting means for manually setting an aperture value, a first terminal for transmitting data representing the aperture value set by the aperture value setting means to the camera body, and a first terminal for transmitting data representing the aperture value set by the aperture value setting means from the camera body. a second terminal for receiving a strobe light emission control signal, and a first connector that is connected to a corresponding terminal on the camera body side when these terminals are attached to the camera body; A strobe adapter detachably attached to a camera body, comprising: a second connector to which a strobe device can be connected for giving a strobe light emission control signal input from a terminal to the strobe device.