JP2003207827A - Stroboscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the luminance of a moving part a prescribed one at all times, irrespective of a change in a photographing distance and the voltage change of a main capacitor when a multi-emission mode is set. <P>SOLUTION: The quantity of reflected light at every light emission from a discharge tube in the multi-emission mode is integrated, and when the integrated value reaches a prescribed threshold, the light emission from the discharge tube is stopped, then, the luminance of the light projecting on the object is controlled to be the specific one at all times. Thus, the luminance of the moving part is made a prescribed one at all times, irrespective of the change in the photographing distance and the voltage change of the main capacitor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a strobe device which emits light in cooperation with a photographing device, and more particularly to a strobe device having a multi-flash mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a stroboscopic device having a multi-flash mode continuously shoots a plurality of times at a predetermined period, so that a moving object can be photographed by a camera. In the case of performing such photographing, the light emission amount of the strobe device is manually set according to the photographing distance to the subject, so that continuous photographs with proper exposure can be taken.

[0003]

However, when the subject moves as described above, since the photographing distance changes,
If the amount of light emitted from the strobe device in the multi-flash mode is kept constant, the brightness of the subject will not be constant, which may deviate from the proper exposure.

Further, when the strobe device emits light a plurality of times in the multi-emission mode, the light amount is large in the initial light emission because the voltage of the main capacitor is high, but the voltage decreases and the light amount tends to decrease in the latter half. Therefore, it may not be possible to shoot with the set light emission amount from the beginning to the end.

Further, although the moving object does not have the same exposure, the background and the like have the same exposure, and therefore there is a portion where the exposure overlaps and a portion where the exposure does not overlap, which makes it difficult to determine the appropriate amount of light in the multi-emission mode. .

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to prevent the movement of the moving part regardless of the change of the photographing distance and the change of the voltage of the main capacitor in the multi-emission mode. It is an object of the present invention to provide a strobe device that can always set the brightness to a predetermined brightness or can set the brightness of an overlapping exposure portion to a predetermined brightness.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a strobe device having a multi-flash mode in which light is continuously emitted a plurality of times at a predetermined interval from the light emitting part, and the light emitting part is provided. Of light emitted from the light emitting section at a predetermined interval, a light receiving section for receiving reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitting section, and a light receiving section for one light emission from the light emitting section in the multi-light emission mode. Integrating means for integrating the amount of received light; setting means for setting, in the integrating means, a threshold value within a range where the integrated value of the integrating means reaches within one light emitting period from the light emitting section in the multi-light emitting mode,
Detecting means for detecting whether the integrated value of the integrating means has reached the threshold value set by the setting means; and the light emitting section when the detecting means detects that the integrated value has reached the threshold value. And a light emission stopping means for stopping the light emission of (1), and the irradiation time of each light from the light emitting unit is controlled by the threshold value.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a strobe device having a multi-flash mode in which light is emitted a plurality of times continuously from a light emitting section at a predetermined interval, the light emitting section for emitting light from the light emitting section at a predetermined interval, Light receiving means for receiving the reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitting portion, integrating means for integrating the light receiving amount of the light receiving means for a plurality of light emission from the light emitting portion in the multi light emitting mode, and the multi light emitting mode Setting means for setting, in the integrating means, a threshold value within a range where the integrated value of the integrating means reaches within a plurality of light emitting periods of the light emitting part, and the integral value of the integrating means is set by the setting means. Detecting means for detecting whether or not the threshold value is reached, and when the detecting means detects that the integrated value reaches the threshold value, the light emitting section in the multi-light emission mode ; And a light emission stop means for terminating the light, and controlling the number of times of irradiation light from the light emitting portion by said threshold.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a strobe device having a multi-flash mode in which light is emitted a plurality of times continuously from a light emitting section at a predetermined interval, the light emitting section emits light at a predetermined interval, and Light receiving means for receiving the reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitting portion, first integrating means for integrating the light receiving amount of the light receiving means for one emission from the light emitting portion in the multi-light emission mode, Second integrating means for integrating the amount of light received by the light receiving means with respect to a plurality of times of light emission from the light emitting section in the multiple light emission mode, and the second integrating means within one light emission period from the light emitting section in the multiple light emission mode. First setting means for setting a threshold value within a range that the integrated value of the first integrating means reaches to the first integrating means; and the first setting means within a plurality of light emitting periods of the light emitting section in the multiple light emitting mode. 2's A second setting means for setting a range threshold of the integrated value of the frequency means reaches said second integrating means,
Second setting means for setting, in the second integrating means, a threshold value within a range where the integrated value of the second integrating means reaches within a plurality of light emitting periods of the light emitting section in the multiple light emitting mode; The integrated value of the first or second integrating means is the first
Alternatively, when the detection means detects whether or not the threshold value set by the second setting means is reached, and the detection means detects that the integrated value of the first integration means reaches the threshold value, When the detection unit detects that the first light emission stopping unit that stops the light emission of the light emitting unit and the integrated value of the second integration unit reach the threshold value, the light emitting unit is in the multi-light emission mode. The second light emission stopping means for terminating light emission and the first setting means set a threshold value in the first integration means, and the integrated value of the first integration means reaches the threshold value. When it is detected by the detecting means, the first light emission stopping means stops the light emission of the light emitting section, or the second setting means sets a threshold value in the second integrating means, and Two
When the detection means detects that the integrated value of the integration means has reached the threshold value, the second light emission stopping means terminates the light emission in the multi-light emission mode of the light emitting section. And a selecting means for selecting a mode.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration according to a first embodiment of a flash device of the present invention. The strobe device performs various controls to control the operation of the device, a microcomputer (microcomputer) 1, a display unit 2 for displaying setting data of the device, a microcomputer operating unit 3 for inputting setting data and instructions of the microcomputer 1, an object 10
A light receiving element 6 for receiving the reflected light from 0, a light amount integrating circuit 4 for integrating the amount of light received by the light receiving element 6, a high voltage charging circuit 7 for charging the main capacitor 10, a battery 8 serving as a power source of the high voltage charging circuit 7, a high voltage A diode 9 that rectifies the output voltage of the charging circuit 7, a capacitor 10 that stores a high voltage for causing the discharge tube 11 to emit light, a discharge tube 11 that emits light, and an IGBT (insulated gate type) that turns on and off the current flowing through the discharge tube 11. It has a bipolar transistor 12 and a light emission control unit 13 for controlling light emission of the discharge tube 11 and stop of light emission.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing the light emitting operation of the strobe device shown in FIG. 2A and 2B show the output timings of the reset signal and the light emission start signal from the microcomputer 1, and FIG. 2D shows the output timing of the light emission stop signal from the light amount integration circuit 4. 2 (c) shows the integrated waveform of the light amount integration circuit 4, as shown in FIG.
(E) shows the light emission waveform of the discharge tube 11.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing another light emitting operation of the strobe device shown in FIG. 1 when the subject 100 moves and the shooting distance changes, and is similar to FIG.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power source of the device is turned on, the high voltage charging circuit 7 boosts the voltage of the battery 8, rectifies it with the diode 9 into a DC voltage, and then charges the main capacitor 10. At that time, the IGBT 12 is off.

On the other hand, the user sets the automatic setting in the multi-flash mode, the brightness at that time, the number of flashes, the flash interval, etc. in the microcomputer 1 from the microcomputer operating unit 3, and the set value is displayed on the display unit 2. . The microcomputer 1 sets the light amount setting level (threshold value) 50 in the light amount integrating circuit 4 based on the input brightness, the number of times of light emission, the light emission interval, etc. (step S1).

Then, when photographing is started by a command from a camera (not shown) (step S2), the microcomputer 1 outputs a reset signal 51 to the light quantity integrating circuit 4 as shown in FIG. The integrating circuit 4 is reset (step S3). Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the light emission start signal 52 is output to the light emission control unit 13. As a result, the light emission control unit 13 causes the control terminal of the IGBT 12 to have the resistance R
To high level via, turn on the IGBT12,
The electric charge of the main capacitor 10 is discharged through the discharge tube 11, and the discharge tube 11 emits light (step S4).

The light emitted from the discharge tube 11 is the subject 1
The light receiving element 6 receives the reflected light and receives the reflected light. When the light receiving element 6 receives the light, a current corresponding to the light is sent to the light amount integrating circuit 4, so that the light amount integrating circuit 4 integrates this light receiving current (light receiving amount) (step S5), and FIG.
An integrated waveform as shown in (c) is obtained.

When the integrated waveform of the light quantity integrating circuit 4 reaches the light quantity setting level (threshold value) preset by the microcomputer 1 (step S6), the light emission stop signal 53 as shown in FIG. Output to. When the light emission stop signal 53 is input, the light emission control unit 13 sets the control terminal of the IGBT 12 to a low level to turn it off, and stops the light emission of the discharge tube 11 (step S7).

As a result, the light emission waveform from the discharge tube 11 becomes as shown in FIG. 2 (e), the light emission period is determined by the threshold value of the light amount integration circuit 4, and the integrated value of the reflected light from the subject 100 becomes the threshold value. Until it reaches, the discharge tube 11 is controlled to emit light. Thereafter, after waiting for a predetermined time in step S8, the process returns to step S3 and the above operation is repeated.
After that, when the discharge tube 11 emits light a set number of times at a set interval (step S9), the light emitting operation in the multi-emission mode is ended.

Next, it is assumed that the subject 100 moves from (1) to (2) while the discharge tube 11 is emitting light, the photographing distance changes, and the subject 100 becomes far from the strobe device. Also in this case, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the reset timing of the light amount integrating circuit 4 and the output timing of the light emission start signal are the same as those in FIGS. 2A and 2B. However, since the reflected light from the subject 100 received by the light receiving element 6 becomes weaker as the subject 100 becomes further away, the time until the integrated waveform reaches the threshold value as shown in FIG.
It becomes longer than that of (c). For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3D, the output of the light emission stop signal 53 is delayed as compared with that in FIG. 2D, and the light emission time of the discharge tube 11 is extended by that amount, and the light emission time of one light emission is increased. The amount of light emission is increased to keep the brightness of the subject constant.

According to the present embodiment, when the discharge tube 11 emits light a predetermined number of times in the multi-emission mode, the subject 1 at each time is emitted.
Until the integrated value of the reflected light from 00 reaches a threshold value.
Since the subject 100 moves and the shooting distance becomes shorter, the light emission time of the discharge tube 11 is shortened, and when the shooting distance becomes longer, the light emission time of the discharge tube 11 is lengthened to move the moving portion. Even if the shooting distance changes, the proper exposure can always be obtained by keeping the brightness of the image constant.

From the start to the end of light emission of the discharge tube 11, the voltage of the main capacitor 10 decreases, and the discharge tube 11
Even if the light amount of the subject 100 changes, the brightness of the subject 100 is kept constant by the same control, so that the main condenser 10
Irrespective of the change in the voltage of the
The brightness of 00 can always be made constant.

After all, in the mode in which the light emission time of the discharge tube 11 is controlled once so that the integrated value of the reflected light from the subject 100 becomes the threshold value, the brightness of the subject 100 can be made constant as described above. , The moving subject 100 can always be continuously photographed with proper exposure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a strobe device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. However, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be appropriately omitted. In the strobe device of this example, the light emission start signal 52 and the light emission stop signal 53 are output from the microcomputer 1 to the light emission control unit 13, and the microcomputer 1 controls the light emission start and light emission stop of the discharge tube 11. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment. However, the light amount integration circuit 4 of this example detects whether the total light emission amount of the reflected light obtained when the discharge tube 11 emits light a plurality of times reaches the threshold value.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing the light emitting operation of the strobe device shown in FIG. 6 (a), 6 (b), and 6 (c) show the output timings of the reset signal, the light emission start signal, and the light emission stop signal of the microcomputer 1, respectively, and FIG. The integrated waveform of
FIG. 6E shows the output timing of the continuous light emission stop signal of the light quantity integrating circuit 4, and FIG. 6F shows the light emission waveform of the discharge tube 11.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power source of the device is turned on, the high voltage charging circuit 7 boosts the voltage of the battery 8, rectifies it with the diode 9 into a DC voltage, and then charges the main capacitor 10. At that time, the IGBT 12 is off. Further, initially, the light amount integrating circuit 4 is reset by the reset signal from the microcomputer 1. However, this reset signal is output only at the beginning of the light emission operation in the multi-light emission mode, and is not output during light emission in the middle, so the light amount integration circuit 4 is not reset every time the discharge tube 11 emits light.

On the other hand, the user sets the automatic setting in the multi-light emission mode, the brightness at that time, the light emission interval, etc. in the microcomputer 1 from the microcomputer operation unit 3, and the set values are displayed on the display unit 2.
Is displayed in. The microcomputer 1 sets the total light amount setting level (threshold value) based on the input brightness, light emission interval, etc.
Is set in the light amount integrating circuit 4 (step S11). After that, when photographing is started by a command from a camera (not shown) (step S12), the microcomputer 1 is operated as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the reset signal is output to the light quantity integrating circuit 4 so that the light quantity integrating circuit 4 is set to 1 when starting in the multi-emission mode.
Reset (step S13).

After that, the microcomputer 1 outputs a light emission start signal 52 to the light emission control section 13 as shown in FIG. 6 (b). As a result, the light emission control unit 13 sets the control terminal of the IGBT 12 to a high level via the resistor R, turns on the IGBT 12, the electric charge of the main capacitor 10 is discharged through the discharge tube 11, and the discharge tube 11 emits light (step S14). ).

The light emitted from the discharge tube 11 is the subject 1
The light receiving element 6 receives the reflected light and receives the reflected light. When the light receiving element 6 receives the light, a current corresponding to the light is sent to the light amount integrating circuit 4, so that the light amount integrating circuit 4 integrates this light receiving current (light receiving amount) (step S15), and FIG.
An integrated waveform as shown in (d) is obtained. In step S16, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. If not, the process returns to step S14 to continue the light emission of the discharge tube 11 and the integration of the reflected light.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, the microcomputer 1 is set as shown in FIG.
The light emission stop signal 53 as shown in FIG.
To stop the light emission of the discharge tube 11 (step S1
7) Then, it is determined whether the integrated value of the light amount integration circuit 4 has reached the threshold value (step S18), and if it has not reached the threshold value, wait for a predetermined time (step S20) and return to step S14 to pulse the discharge tube 11. The light emitting operation is repeated. As a result, a light emission waveform as shown in FIG. 6 (f) is obtained. On the other hand, if the threshold value is reached,
The continuous light emission stop signal 60 as shown in FIG.
The microcomputer 1 stops the operation of the light emission control unit 13 to end the light emission operation in the multiple light emission mode (step S19).

According to the present embodiment, a series of pulsed light emission of the discharge tube 11 in the multi-light emission mode is performed on the subject 100.
By doing until the integrated value of the reflected light from reaches a threshold value. It is possible to control the total number of times of light emission so that the light emission amount of the discharge tube 11 always becomes a predetermined value. Therefore, it is possible to make the brightness constant when the subject 100 does not move and is subjected to the overlapping exposure, and it is possible to always make the exposure of the overlapping exposure unit appropriate.

From the start to the end of light emission of the discharge tube 11, the voltage of the main capacitor 10 drops and the discharge tube 11
Even if the amount of light changes, the brightness of the subject 100 is kept constant by the same control. Therefore, the amount of light emitted from the discharge tube 11 can be kept constant regardless of the change in the voltage of the main capacitor 10. The brightness of the overlapping exposure part can always be set to a predetermined value.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be carried out in various other modes in specific configurations, functions, actions, and effects without departing from the scope of the invention. . For example, if the same strobe device is provided with the configurations of the above-described first embodiment and second embodiment, and if it is desired to capture a moving portion that does not overlap the exposure with proper exposure, the mode of the first embodiment is used. If the user wants to take multiple exposures with multiple exposures with a proper exposure, the light emission mode is selected and switched so that multiple exposures are performed in the mode of the second embodiment. Since it is possible to easily obtain the proper exposure of the non-overlapping portions, it is possible to easily determine the proper light amount according to the photographing intention.

[0033]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in the multi-emission mode, a portion that moves by adjusting the amount of light emitted from the discharge tube for each light emission by the external light control system. The brightness of the subject can be always kept constant, and the moving portion can be properly exposed regardless of the change in the shooting distance and the change in the voltage of the main capacitor. Also, in the multi-emission mode, the reflected light of the light emitted multiple times is sequentially integrated, and the multi-emission is stopped when the total emission amount reaches a certain amount, so that the shooting distance changes and the voltage of the main capacitor changes. Regardless of the above, the brightness of the overlappingly exposed portion can always be made constant, and proper exposure can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration according to a first embodiment of a flash device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing a light emitting operation of the device shown in FIG. 1 in a multi-light emitting mode.

FIG. 3 is another timing chart showing the light emitting operation of the device shown in FIG. 1 in the multi-light emitting mode.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in a multi-light emission mode.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration according to a second exemplary embodiment of a flash device of the present invention.

6 is a timing chart showing a light emitting operation of the strobe device shown in FIG. 5 in a multi-light emitting mode.

7 is a flowchart showing an operation of the strobe device shown in FIG. 5 in a multi-flash mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Microcomputer 2 Display 3 Microcomputer operation unit 4 Light intensity integration circuit 6 Light receiving element 7 High voltage charging circuit 8 batteries 9 diode 10 Main capacitor 11 discharge tube 12 IGBT 13 Light emission control unit R resistance

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A strobe device having a multi-flash mode in which light is continuously emitted a plurality of times at predetermined intervals from a light emitting section, and a light emitting means for emitting light from the light emitting section at predetermined intervals, and light emitted from the light emitting section. Light receiving means for receiving the reflected light of the reflected light, integrating means for integrating the light receiving amount of the light receiving means for one emission from the light emitting portion in the multi-light emitting mode, and the light emitting portion in the multi-light emitting mode Setting means for setting in the integrating means a threshold value within a range where the integrated value of the integrating means reaches within one emission period from, and the integrated value of the integrating means has reached the threshold value set by the setting means. And a light emission stopping unit that stops light emission of the light emitting unit when the detection unit detects that the integrated value has reached the threshold value. Flash unit and controls at the threshold of light irradiation time for each of the one from. 2. A strobe device having a multi-flash mode in which light is emitted a plurality of times continuously from a light emitting section at a predetermined interval, and a light emitting unit for emitting light from the light emitting section at a predetermined interval, and light emitted from the light emitting section. Light receiving means for receiving the reflected light of the reflected light, integrating means for integrating the light receiving amount of the light receiving means for a plurality of times of light emission from the light emitting portion in the multi-light emitting mode, and the light emitting portion in the multi-light emitting mode Setting means for setting in the integrating means a threshold value within a range where the integrated value of the integrating means reaches within a plurality of light emission periods, and whether the integrated value of the integrating means has reached the threshold value set by the setting means. Detection means for detecting whether or not the detection means detects that the integrated value has reached the threshold value, and ends the light emission of the light emitting unit in the multi-light emission mode. A strobe device comprising: a light emission stopping unit, wherein the number of times of light irradiation from the light emitting unit is controlled by the threshold value. 3. A strobe device having a multi-flash mode in which light is emitted a plurality of times continuously from a light emitting part at a predetermined interval, and a light emitting means for emitting light from the light emitting part at a predetermined interval, and light emitted from the light emitting part. A light receiving means for receiving reflected light of the reflected light, a first integrating means for integrating a light receiving amount of the light receiving means with respect to one light emission from the light emitting part in the multi light emitting mode, and a multi light emitting mode in the multi light emitting mode. Second integrating means for integrating the amount of light received by the light receiving means with respect to a plurality of times of light emission from the light emitting section; and the first integrating means within one light emission period from the light emitting section in the multi-light emission mode. Of the second integrating means within a plurality of light emitting periods of the light emitting section in the multi-light emitting mode, Integral Second setting means for setting a threshold of a range in which the value reaches to the second integrating means, and an integral value of the first or second integrating means are set by the first or second setting means. Detection means for detecting whether or not a threshold value is reached; and a first means for stopping the light emission of the light emitting section when the detection means detects that the integrated value of the first integration means reaches the threshold value. Second light emission stopping means, and second light emission stopping means for ending light emission of the light emitting section in the multiple light emission mode when the detection means detects that the integrated value of the second integrating means reaches the threshold value. And a first threshold value is set in the first integration means by the first setting means, and the detection means detects that the integrated value of the first integration means reaches the threshold value.
Mode in which the emission of light from the light emitting unit is stopped by the light emission stopping means, or a threshold is set in the second integrating means by the second setting means, and the integrated value of the second integrating means is the threshold value. When the detection means detects that the light emission has been reached, the selection means for selecting either one of the modes in which the second light emission stopping means ends the light emission in the multi-light emission mode of the light emitting section, A strobe device characterized by being provided.