JPH03228478A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently use a power source and to prevent video distortion due to the rotating nonuniformity of a rotary recording medium occurring by prohibiting the supply of a power to a circuit mechanism on the other side of two circuit mechanisms which consume a large amount of power when the circuit mechanism on one side requires the power. CONSTITUTION:Photographic optical systems 10a-10d with variable focal distance, and an image pickup means 30 which converts an optical image by the photographic optical systems 10a-10d to an electrical signal are included. Also, a device is comprised by including a recording means 46 which records a photographic image by the image pickup means 30, focal distance adjusting means 32, 12a, 12b, and 20b which adjust the focal distance of the photographic optical systems 10a-10d, a control means 48 which prohibits a focal distance adjusting operation on the other side while the rotation of the rotary recording medium and the same operation on one side by the focal distance adjusting means 32, 12a, 12b, and 20b are performed. In such a way, it is possible to prevent the consumption of a large amount of power required transiently when the focal distance adjusting operation of the photographic optical system and the rotation of the rotary recording medium are performed simultaneously, and to prevent a source voltage decreased and the distortion of a recording video due to the rotating nonuniformity occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electronic still camera, and more specifically to an electronic still camera that records captured images on a rotating recording medium.

[Prior Art] A still camera that records still images captured by a solid-state image sensor such as a COD on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk;
A so-called electronic still camera has been proposed, and a configuration in which still images recorded on a magnetic disk are reproduced and displayed on a monitor device or printed on paper using a printer is also known.

Compared to conventional still cameras that use silver halide film, these electronic still cameras do not require chemical processing such as development, and images can be checked immediately on a monitor or hard copy. It also has the advantage of being able to be transmitted to remote locations.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, electronic still cameras consume a large amount of power to rotate a magnetic disk, which is a recording medium, and to drive an image sensor. Furthermore, if a focal length adjustment mechanism that electrically adjusts the focal length of the photographic optical system is incorporated, a large amount of power is consumed to adjust the focal length and distance, and the camera's power battery will be exhausted in a short period of time. There is a problem.

In addition, when the power supply battery is exhausted to a certain extent, if the focal length is adjusted at the same time as recording on a magnetic disk or playing back from the magnetic disk, the power supply voltage will temporarily drop, and this will cause the magnetic disk Rotation unevenness occurs, causing distortion in recorded or reproduced images. This is a fatal flaw.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera that solves these problems.

[Means for Solving the Problems] An electronic still camera according to the present invention includes a photographing optical system with a variable focal length, an imaging means for converting an optical image formed by the photographing optical system into an electrical signal, and an image photographed by the imaging means. a recording means for recording on a rotating recording medium, a focal length adjusting means for adjusting the focal length of the photographing optical system, and one of rotating the rotating recording medium and adjusting the focal length by the focal length adjusting means. and control means for prohibiting the other at one time. A second aspect of the present invention includes a control means for prohibiting the start of the rotation operation of the rotary recording medium while the focal length adjustment means is adjusting the focal length. A third aspect of the present invention includes a control means for prohibiting the focal length adjustment means from starting a focal length adjustment operation while the rotational recording medium is rotating.

[Operation] Both the focal length adjustment operation of the photographing optical system by the focal length adjustment means and the rotation of the rotating recording medium consume a large amount of power. By means of the above means, only one of the two can be brought into an operating state that consumes a large amount of power. Therefore, both operate at the same time and do not require a large amount of power at once. When a large amount of power is consumed at once, the power supply voltage decreases, causing uneven rotation of the rotating recording medium. However, the above-mentioned means can prevent such a drop in the power supply voltage, and therefore, the recorded images due to uneven rotation can be prevented. distortion can be prevented.

[Example code] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 10a is a focusing lens, 10b and 10C are focal length adjustment lenses, and 10d is a fixed lens, which constitute a photographing optical system. 12 is a focusing lens holding frame that holds the focusing lens 10a, and includes a gear portion 12a and a screw portion 1.
2b. 14.16 is focal length adjustment lens 1
0b.

This is a lens holding frame that holds 10c. A cam cylinder 18 is provided with a cam groove that determines the position of the lens holding frame 14, 16 in the optical axis direction, and is rotatably held in the fixed part 20 of the camera. 22.24 is the lens holding frame 14.16
It is a roller fixed to the cam tube 18, and passes through the cam groove of the cam tube 18.
The lens holding frame 14.16 is fitted into the long groove 20a in the optical axis direction of the camera fixing part to position the lens holding frame 14.16. Note that when the cam cylinder 18 rotates, the cam groove holds the lens holding frame 14°1.
6 moves in the optical axis direction.

26 is an aperture, and 27 is a shutter. A finder optical system 28 includes lenses 28a and 28c fixed to the fixed part 20 of the camera, and a lens 28b movably held along the optical axis of the lenses 28a and 28c. 30
is an image sensor that converts an optical image into an electrical signal.

32 is a focusing motor that rotates the focusing lens frame 12, and the number of rotations thereof is detected by an encoder 32a. A gear 32b of the motor 32 meshes with a gear portion 12a of the focusing lens frame 12. Since the threaded portion 12b of the focusing lens holding frame 12 is engaged with the threaded portion 20b of the fixing portion 20 of the camera, the focusing lens holding frame 12 is moved in the optical axis direction by rotation of the motor 32.

34 is a zoom motor, the rotation speed of which is detected by an encoder 34a. A gear 34b of the motor 34 meshes with a gear portion 18a of the cam cylinder 18. When the zoom motor 34 rotates, the gears 34b and 18a rotate the cam barrel 18 around the optical axis of the photographic optical system, and the focal length adjustment lenses 10b and 10c are moved to the lens holding frame 14 by the lift of the cam groove. 16 in the optical axis direction.

36 is a finder motor, the rotational speed of which is detected by an encoder 36a. A screw 36b rotated by the motor 36 is engaged with a threaded portion 38a of a lens holding frame 38 that holds a movable lens 28b.
Due to the rotation of the lens holding frame 38, the movable lens 28
b is adapted to move in the optical axis direction.

40 is a zoom button, 42 is a photometry circuit, 44 is a distance measurement circuit, 46 is a recording circuit that records the photographed image on a recording medium, 48 is a camera control circuit that controls the whole, and 50 is a power source consisting of a battery. 52 is a display device (for example, a liquid crystal display device) that displays the operating status and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera control circuit 48 includes a so-called shutter control circuit, a focus control circuit, an aperture control circuit, a zoom control circuit, an image sensor control circuit, and the like. In FIG. 2, 54a is a release button that is turned on when the shutter release button (not shown) is pushed in half a stroke.
The switch 54b is a release switch that is turned on when it is pushed further. Further, 40a is a zoom switch that instructs zooming to the telephoto side, and 40b is a zoom switch that instructs zooming to the wide side.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG. When a power switch (not shown) is operated to turn on the power, the camera control circuit 48 first opens the aperture 26 and closes the shutter 27, and focuses the focusing lens 10a at infinity. (Sl). In this state, the photographer decides on the composition. That is, while looking through the finder, either switch 40a or 40b of the zoom button 40 is pressed. If the switch 40a is pressed (S2), the motors 34, 36
rotates forward, the photographing optical system and the finder optical system are adjusted to the telephoto side (S3), and when the switch 40b is pressed (S4)
, the motors 34 and 36 are reversed, and the photographing optical system and finder optical system are adjusted to the wide side (S5).

After the composition is determined in this way, the photographer presses a release button (not shown). When the release switch 54a is turned on by pressing the release button half a stroke (S6), the camera control circuit 48 controls the photometry circuit 42.
The brightness of the subject is measured by the distance measuring circuit 44, the distance to the subject is measured by the distance measuring circuit 44, and the white balance is adjusted (
S7). Thereafter, the rotating recording medium of the recording circuit 46 starts to rotate, and the recording medium is put into a standby state for video recording, and at the same time, the driving of the image sensor 30 is started (S8). The aperture value and shutter speed are determined based on the photometry information, the amount of movement of the focusing lens 10a is determined based on the distance measurement information (S9), and the focusing lens 10a is moved to the determined position by the motor 32 (SIO).

After SIO, while the release switch 54a is on, it waits for the release switch to be pushed further and the release switch 54b to be turned on (S11.12). When the release switch 54a is turned off (S12), it means that no photography is to be done, so the focusing lens 10a is moved to a predetermined standby position (infinity focusing position), and the rotation of the rotating recording medium and the imaging device 30 are performed. (S13)
), return to S2. When the release switch 54b is turned on, a photographing operation is started. That is, the aperture 26 is
514), and the shutter 27 is opened for the determined shutter time (S15).
). The charges accumulated in the image sensor 30 are read out by opening and closing the shutter 27 and transferred to the recording circuit 46 (S16").
, records the photographed video in the unrecorded area of the rotating recording medium (S
17).

After this, if the release switch 54b remains on, photographing and recording (815-17) are repeated (S1
8). Even if the switch 54b is turned off, the switch 54b
If a remains on (S19), the focusing lens 10
A is stopped at that position, the rotating recording medium is rotated, and the image sensor 30 is kept in a driven state, and the switch 54 is turned on.
Wait until b turns on (S19). When the switch 54a is turned off, the aperture 26 is opened (520), the focusing lens 10a is moved to a predetermined standby position (infinity focusing position), and the rotation of the rotating recording medium and the driving of the image sensor 30 are stopped. (S13), and the photographing ends.

In this embodiment, the zoom button 40 (switch 40a,
40b), when the focal length of the photographing optical system and the finder optical system is adjusted, the rotating recording medium of the recording circuit 46 is stopped, and while the rotating recording medium is rotating, even if the zoom button 40 is pressed, , the optical system for focal length adjustment is not moved. Also, although only the case of shooting (recording) has been explained, in the case of an electronic still camera equipped with a playback circuit, similarly, while the rotating recording medium for video playback is rotating, the zoom button can be pressed. Also, moving the optical system for focal length adjustment is prohibited.

In the above embodiment, a zoom lens whose focal length can be changed continuously is used, but the same applies to a lens which can select bifocal or multifocal, for example. Needless to say, the lens (group) that moves for focusing is not limited to the illustrated example. When a lens (group) for focal length adjustment (hereinafter referred to as a variable magnification lens group) is also used as a focusing lens, each group of this variable magnification lens group must be moved independently in the optical axis direction. It is necessary to be able to individually control the movement of Mechanisms for this are described, for example, in U.S. Pat.
No. 8,951, etc.

[Effects of the Invention] As can be easily understood from the above explanation, according to the present invention, when one of two circuit mechanisms that consumes a large amount of power requires power, the power is not supplied to the other. Since the amount is zero or less, power can be used efficiently and image distortion due to uneven rotation of the rotating recording medium can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the camera control circuit 48 of FIG. 1 and its peripheral circuit configuration, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of FIG. 1. 10a: Focusing lens 10b, 10c: Focal length adjustment lens 10d: Fixed lens 12: Focusing lens holding frame 12a: Gear portion 12b: Screw portion 14, 16:
Lens holding frame 18: Cam barrel 18a: Gear part 20: Camera fixing part 20a: Long groove part 20b: Threaded part 2
2, 24: Roller 26: Aperture 27: Shutter 28: Finder optical system 28a, 28c: Lens 28b: Movable lens 30: Image sensor 32: Focus motor 32a, 34a, 36a: Encoder 32b, 34
b: Gear 34: Zoom motor 36: Finder motor 36b: Screw 38 Lens holding frame 38a:
Screw part 40: Zoom button 40a, 40b: Zoom switch 54a, 54b Nirley's switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) a photographing optical system with a variable focal length, an imaging means for converting an optical image by the photographing optical system into an electrical signal, and a recording means for recording an image taken by the imaging means on a rotating recording medium;
It consists of a focal length adjustment means for adjusting the focal length of the photographing optical system, and a control means for inhibiting the rotation of the rotating recording medium and the focal length adjustment operation by the focal length adjustment means when one of them is performed. An electronic still camera characterized by: (2) a photographing optical system with a variable focal length, an imaging means for converting an optical image formed by the photographing optical system into an electrical signal, and a recording means for recording an image taken by the imaging means on a rotating recording medium;
The camera is characterized by comprising a focal length adjusting means for adjusting the focal length of the photographing optical system, and a control means for prohibiting the start of rotation of the rotating recording medium while the focal length adjusting means is adjusting the focal length. Electronic still camera. (3) a photographing optical system with a variable focal length, an imaging means for converting an optical image by the photographing optical system into an electrical signal, and a recording means for recording an image taken by the imaging means on a rotating recording medium;
The camera is characterized by comprising a focal length adjusting means for adjusting the focal length of the photographing optical system, and a control means for prohibiting the focal length adjusting means from starting the focal length adjusting operation while the rotating recording medium is rotating. electronic still camera.